What Beauty There Is by Cory Anderson

Book Title: What Beauty There Is
Author: Cory Anderson
Genre: Contemporary, Thriller, YA
Source: Blog Tour

Goodreads, Amazon UK

Plot: Jack Morton has nothing left. Except his younger brother, Matty, who he'd do anything for. Even die for. Now with their mother gone, and their funds quickly dwindling, Jack needs to make a choice: lose his brother to foster care, or find the drug money that sent his father to prison. He chooses the money.
Ava Bardem lives in isolation, a life of silence. For seventeen years her father has controlled her fate. He has taught her to love no one. Trust no one. Now Victor Bardem is stalking the same money as Jack. When he picks up Jack's trail, Ava must make her own wrenching choice: remain silent or help the brothers survive.

What did I think?

What an absolutely stunning and beautiful book is basically what I thought while reading the third (!) page because Anderson's debut (!) is just that well written.

The sparse and lyrical prose immediately drew me in, and at times it almost felt like reading a very long poem. Anderson's writing is captivating and dark, laced with both beauty and despair.

I didn't know what to expect from this book, but I was completely blown away by most of it. At times, I was speechless. A haunting experience.

The three young characters are filled to the brim with trauma and their anxiety drips from the pages, squeezing my heart with every sentence. They're so young and raw, and yet they have to be brave if they want to survive. And they are. Oh so brave!

Ava, Jack and Matty are beautifully crafted, and I just wanted to step inside this novel and protect (adopt) them. Most of the novel is written from Jack's point of view, and his relationship with his younger brother Matty was possibly my favourite aspect of this book. It's heartbreaking to see how much Jack loves Matty, and Matty looks up to Jack.

The entire novel is a rollercoaster of emotions and the predominant themes are: darkness, pain, and hope. 

The pacing is on point, and I couldn't put this book down. The short chapters and the sparse prose invited me to fly through the chapters to the point where I had to force myself to slow down and enjoy the poetry in Anderson's words.

I can't recommend What Beauty There Is enough to all fans of contemporary thrillers. (For those of you who need trigger warnings, please have a look before picking it up.)

A special thank you to Dave at TheWriteReads for organising this blog tour, and to Netgalley for allowing me to read this one early. As always: I appreciate it and my review is honest.

Magic Unleashed (Venators)

Book Title: Magic Unleashed (Venators)
Author: Devri Walls
Genre: Fantasy
Source: The WriteReads Blog Tour

Amazon UK, Goodreads 

Plot Summary: Six years ago, Grey Malteer was attacked by creatures he thought couldn’t possibly exist. They repeated a word, calling him a name he’d never heard before: Venator. Since then, his life has been a hellhole of secrecy—hiding old pain alongside strange new abilities.
Rune Jenkins has an itch, as she calls it, but it’s more than that. It's an anger that builds up like the inside of a boiler whenever she’s around anything remotely supernatural. The pressure is growing steadily worse and she can’t understand why. All she knows is—her control is slipping.
By order of an unknown council Grey and Rune are pulled through a portal in the St. Louis arch, landing them in an alternate dimension where creatures of myth and legend exist. A realm that calls them, Venators.
Made up of centuries old fae, vampires, werewolves, elves and succubi the council’s corrupt nature becomes obvious as they seek to wield the newly returned Venators as weapons.

Wedged in an impossible position, Grey and Rune must decide their fate—do they go against the council’s wishes and help the innocents of this unforgiving land, or face the possibility of execution by the council.

This post is part of a blog tour for @WriteReadsTours

Devri Walls is known for her ability to write a gripping story filled with imaginative world building and compelling characters in a voice that is engaging and pleasant to read.

The blurb for Magic Unleashed sounds incredible, and I'm a huge fan of alternative dimensions and portal fantasy.

The world building is a bit of a kitchen sink with fae, vampires, werewolves and other myths all in one, but it works, especially since Walls is great at writing action and suspense. Her voice is easy, straightforward, inviting the reader to fly through the book.

The characters are engaging, but at first I worried that I wouldn't like Rune. She comes across as immature, and that sort of character is one of my pet peeves in Young Adult fiction. However, she quickly grows, finds strength and bravery, and proves herself.

In Magic Unleashed, Walls focuses on compelling themes such as bravery and kindness, but most importantly on self-discovery.

I must admit, I'm not the intended audience for this book, and while I found Magic Unleashed an enjoyable read, I probably wouldn't read the rest of the series. I flew through the book, and found the twists and turns gripping (albeit somewhat predictable), but I didn't emotionally connect with the characters as well as I would have liked.

I recommend this book to fans of Sarah J. Maas, Cassandra Clare and Illona Andrews.

The Devil's Apprentice by Kenneth B. Andersen

Book Title: The Devil's Apprentice
Author: Kenneth B. Adnersen
Genre: Middle Grade, Young Adult, Fantasy
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: Ebook through the Blog Tour 

Amazon UK, Goodreads 

Plot Summary: Philip is a good boy, a really good boy, who accidentally gets sent to Hell to become the Devil’s heir. The Devil, Lucifer, is dying and desperately in need of a successor, but there’s been a mistake and Philip is the wrong boy. Philip is terrible at being bad, but Lucifer has no other choice than to begin the difficult task of training him in the ways of evil. Philip gets both friends and enemies in this odd, gloomy underworld—but who can he trust, when he discovers an evil-minded plot against the dark throne?

What did I think?
The Devil's Apprentice is a novel for a younger young adult audience or perhaps an upper middle grade audience. Not my usual read, I must admit, but I would have loved this book as a teenager. In fact, I can imagine I would have devoured this.

This is a book about a good boy (a really good boy) that lands in hell.

And the most important theme in The Devil's Apprentice is how in each of us there is good and evil, and how we might all, under the right circumstances, do the wrong thing.

After all, aren't we all a bit morally grey?

It's an easy, quick and smooth read and incredibly entertaining. The author is a master at painting a great atmosphere (in fact the setting is amazing) and the plot is infused with big dollops of humour.

Unfortunately, for me, this book is a bit too simplistic, but to be honest, it's perfect for a younger audience, just not for me.

I recommend The Devil's Apprentice to people who enjoy books in the style of A Series of Unfortunate Events and their kids.

Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Book Title: Scythe
Author: Neal Shusterman
Genre: Science Fiction
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: Paperback

Amazon UK, Goodreads

Plot Summary: Thou shalt kill.
A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery. Humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.
Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

What did I think?

I had so much fun with this book, but I would like to get one aspect out of the way first: part of this world doesn't make sense (to me) and if I start poking at the Scythedom, I will probably find holes I could drive an entire bus through.

So, we're in a world with no hunger and no disease and no war and no misery. We've not managed to conquer space and we stopped trying because of a few disasters, and now scythes are the only way to end life, and we let them, because otherwise nobody would ever die, and the all-knowing AI that governs us promised not to interfere with restricting reproduction. (That AI, Thunderhead, also doesn't interfere with the Scythedom. It's a strict separation of powers.)

And yes, we let them end our lives because when a scythe knocks on our door and we try and escape, they will glean our entire family.

Unchecked power, oh boy.

Yes, oh boy.

Because, of course, if you give a group unchecked power, some will abuse it.

Now these scythes may glean however they want: knives, flamethrowers, guns, etc. They can surprise their victims, or they can give them some kind of warning. They get to choose who gets to die and how. They have quotas, and no they're not allowed to go after one specific group.

Really? We're all just okay with that?

Now, apart from me not believing that a humanity without war, misery and hunger and disease would be okay with randomly dying at the hands of a scythe, I LOVED this book.

It's go amazing characters, unexpected twists and turns, is whimsical and has such a distinct prose that made chuckle and gasp more than once. It's a fast-paced book, moving swiftly from plot point to plot point, dropping surprises left and right.

The conflicts are innovative, creative and interesting. The characters are memorable, albeit mostly either good or bad. They grow throughout the story and kept me interested in their development.

Shusterman introduced some great criticism of today's society. He illustrates the danger of unchecked power within an organisation and what happens if the "wrong people" or the "villain" gains support, becomes a faction and climbs to the top. There's nobody to stop them, no outside force that can interfere.

I read the entire trilogy in one week, and I simply could not put it down. A warning though: the second book ends with quite the cliffhanger.

I highly recommend this trilogy to anyone who finds the premise intriguing. This one is so much fun and a delight to read.

This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab

Book Title: This Savage Song
Author: Victoria Schwab
Genre: Fantasy
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: Ebook from the library

Amazon UK, Goodreads 

Plot Summary: There’s no such thing as safe in a city at war, a city overrun with monsters. In this dark urban fantasy from author Victoria Schwab, a young woman and a young man must choose whether to become heroes or villains—and friends or enemies—with the future of their home at stake. The first of two books.
Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city—a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent—but he’s one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who’s just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August’s secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives.

What did I think?

This is one of those books where I felt apprehensive going in and thought that I might not like it. But I was wrong. Oh so wrong.

My only other Schwab novel was A Darker Shade of Magic, which I did not like as much as I thought I would. Basically, it was the other way around. Amazing premise, but I wasn't a fan of the execution.

With This Savage Song, however, I felt lukewarm reading the blurb and absolutely loved the execution.

Schwab is an excellent writer and an even better world-builder. Her characters are fleshed out, real and vulnerable, flawed people, and her setting is intriguing. The pacing is spot on, and the pages fly by, sucking the reader right into the story.

I especially enjoyed her main character, Kate, who is deeply flawed, hot-headed, stubborn, yet kicks ass in the most believable way. Her chemistry with August is incredible, and it did not lead to romance. We need more books with complex relationships and friendships.

This Savage Song convinced me to put Vicious on my list, and I highly recommend it to all Schwab fans, of course, and all urban fantasy fans.

The Pendant Path by Jane Barlow Funk and Steven Boivie

Book Title: The Pendant Path
Author: Jane Barlow Funk, Steve Boivie
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: E-book copy provided by the authors

Amazon UK, Goodreads

Plot Summary: Kenji Okado has a secret. Trained since birth to be the ultimate weapon against a threat that might not even exist, he is struggling to navigate high school. His world changes for the better when popular student Hyrum Decker becomes his lab partner, but little does Kenji realize how his newfound friendship will be tested when he and Hyrum discover the hidden potential of a family heirloom.
Elsie, an apprentice clockmaker, is struggling to achieve Journeyman status in a place where being half British isn’t an asset. Recently, she can’t shake the feeling that someone is watching her. But that’s the least of her problems, now that her brother Xan has stolen a priceless artifact from the local crime lord.
Two teenagers. Two parallel worlds. Destined never to meet until they stumble upon the secret of the pendant path.

Thank you to the authors for providing me with a review copy of this book. Also a big thank you goes to Esme over at the Weatherwaxreport for setting up TBRindr.

What did I think?

While it sounds absolutely great on paper, it never really fully grabbed me.

The first thing I noticed was the stunning cover. I would love to own that pendant, even though I rarely wear jewellery. The second thing I noticed was how impeccably this book is edited. The prose is straightforward and very pleasant to read and the plot moves along with a good pace.

However, there's a lot of exposition and quite a bit of telling. The opening pages describe Kenji's bedroom and morning routine in detail, and that's not something that will hook me.

While I didn't think the characters were particularly well developed throughout the story, they did start out strong and distinct. I enjoyed the friendship between Kenji and Hyrum a lot. I'd love to see more friendships like this between young adults and teenagers.

The world building is interesting, and I appreciate diversity a lot, but at times it felt like Kenji's Japanese culture was shoved into the reader's face so to speak. Diversity should be a natural aspect of any setting and every story but not something that stands out like a sore thumb, at least in my opinion.

I think this a solid debut and am excited to see what else these authors will come up with.

The Pendant Path is a light and easy read that will definitely appeal to younger readers. Recommended to any YA fantasy fan who is intrigued by the synopsis and likes portal fantasy.

Bright Ruin by Vic James

Book Title: Bright Ruin (Dark Gifts #3)
Author: Vic James
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: Netgalley

I borrowed the first book, Gilded Cage, from the library, loved it a lot and bought the second book, Tarnished City, as a paperback and now requested Bright Ruin from Netgalley, but I will buy it.

Goodreads, Amazon UK 

Goodreads Summary of the first book so there's no spoilers for the trilogy: In modern-day Britain, magic users control everything: wealth, politics, power—and you. If you’re not one of the ultimate one-percenters—the magical elite—you owe them ten years of service. Do those years when you’re old, and you’ll never get through them. Do them young, and you’ll never get over them.
This is the darkly decadent world of Gilded Cage. In its glittering milieu move the all-powerful Jardines and the everyday Hadleys. The families have only one thing in common: Each has three children. But their destinies entwine when one family enters the service of the other. They will all discover whether any magic is more powerful than the human spirit.
Have a quick ten years...

As usual there will be NO plot spoilers as this is the THIRD book in a trilogy.

What did I think?

What a fantastic finale.

I love the Dark Gifts trilogy, to the point where I'd possibly declare this as my favourite YA fantasy.

The premise is very simple, political, and, in our current political climate, just a tiny bit terrifying. This is a world, an alternative modern-day Britain, where commoners are required to serve as slaves for ten years during which they lose all basic human rights. The protagonists set out to serve at the beginning of the first book, and I expected it to be mostly about their struggle for freedom with a healthy dose of rebellion...

Vic James, however, doesn't just write from the point of view of the ones suffering. Instead, we get to see the story from the perspective of the ruling Equals as well, and they're not all bad. Some are in favour of the slavery, some are downright cruel, others are fighting to abolish the slavery. There's lots of politics in these books, and I think that was one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much.

The characters are layered, well developed and the writing is enjoyable. The world building is not just your average dystopia but innovative and captivating.

The plot took a few turns I didn't expect, and I slowly grew to like all characters, even love some of them, and increasingly worried about their safety. What I thought was going to be a mildly annoying romance in the first book, turned out to be an interesting plot point, that I thoroughly enjoyed. In fact, the entire Dark Gifts trilogy is not your average YA fantasy; it's original and surprising. The first book has a hopeful tone, but the second book turns much darker, and the mood is sombre. The third book finds the balance between the two.

All in all, it's a wild ride. I was never quite sure how things were going to turn out. I worried everyone I loved would be dead by the end, and I must admit my heart was a tiny bit broken when I reached the last page of Bright Ruin.

I met Vic James at a convention in London, and she kindly signed my copy of Tarnished City. She asked me which character is my favourite, and I did not know what to answer, and may have flailed a little bit. Hours later, I realised, what I should have said: politics! Because the political aspect is what I enjoy most about these books.

Besides the politics, there's Silyen, and surprisingly enough Gavar. And, of course, Luke and Abi.

The ending does not disappoint. Vic James ties all loose ends together, and, just like in the real world, not everyone gets what they deserve.

I highly recommend the Dark Gifts trilogy to YA fantasy fans, who are looking for a book with lots of politics.

Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp

Book Title: Before I Let Go
Author: Marieke Nijkamp
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult
My Rating: ♥ ♥
Source: Netgalley

Goodreads, Amazon UK
Plot: Best friends Corey and Kyra were inseparable in their snow-covered town of Lost Creek, Alaska. When Corey moves away, she makes Kyra promise to stay strong during the long, dark winter, and wait for her return.

Just days before Corey is to return home to visit, Kyra dies. Corey is devastated―and confused. The entire Lost community speaks in hushed tones about the town's lost daughter, saying her death was meant to be. And they push Corey away like she's a stranger.

Corey knows something is wrong. With every hour, her suspicion grows. Lost is keeping secrets―chilling secrets. But piecing together the truth about what happened to her best friend may prove as difficult as lighting the sky in an Alaskan winter...

I got a review copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

What did I think?

My thoughts while reading this book were mostly one simple word: meh. I never really connected with the characters, didn't care about the town or the mystery and thought the writing was choppy and distracting.

It's just such a mediocre book. No scenes stand out, no characters stand out, and at no point did I think, yes, this is worth reading. Everything is so bland, that I've already forgotten the name of the main character and the name of the town.

Marieke Nijkamp is probably simply not the author for me. I read "This is Where it Ends" last year and was similarly underwhelmed by the execution. When I spotted this book on Netgalley, I thought the premise sounded fascinating, otherwise I wouldn't have requested it, but the book just does not deliver.

The style is weird. Nijkamp decided to add random scenes written as a script even though none of the characters have anything to do with film, and it didn't fit.

None of the characters get any development and the mystery turned out to be predictable and boring. A small town in Alaska should be a fascinating setting. Creepy and isolated, you'd think it would be perfect for a mystery, but oh well. On top of that, the plot just wasn't credible. In fact, it all felt a bit off. The only reason I finished this is because I usually finish books I request, and because it's such a short read.

I'm really disappointed I didn't like this better.

A Thousand Perfect Notes by C. G. Drews

Book Title: A Thousand Perfect Notes
Author: C. G. Drews
Genre: Young Adult, Coming of Age, Contemporary (TW: Abuse)
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: Review Copy from Netgalley

Author's Website

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Goodreads, Amazon UK

Plot: An emotionally charged story of music, abuse and, ultimately, hope.
Beck hates his life. He hates his violent mother. He hates his home. Most of all, he hates the piano that his mother forces him to play hour after hour, day after day. He will never play as she did before illness ended her career and left her bitter and broken. But Beck is too scared to stand up to his mother, and tell her his true passion, which is composing his own music - because the least suggestion of rebellion on his part ends in violence.
When Beck meets August, a girl full of life, energy and laughter, love begins to awaken within him and he glimpses a way to escape his painful existence. But dare he reach for it?

What did I think?

I don't read as much contemporary or even young adult fiction, as I read adult fantasy, but when I heard about Cait's book I immediately requested a review copy. I read it in one sitting. It is gripping and gut-wrenching.

I really enjoyed my read, but I must point out just how dark this is. A Thousand Perfect Notes is the story of Beck and Beck really hates his life. Beck grew up with an abusive mother. Beck's mother is a monster. She's a human being, broken by life, bitter and sad. I feel sorry for Beck's mother, but that does not change the fact Beck is being abused every single day. The abuse is described in detail by C. G. Drews. The author does not shy away from it, and while I personally think it's handled extremely well, and realistic, I also do think it could be triggering for some.

Beck is a musician, an artist. I fell in love with his character. August is a girl full of life. I was worried she'd be too much and over the top, but it turned out that she's the perfect character to pair Beck with.

The prose is very much Cait, vivid and descriptive. If you read her blog @ Paperfury, you're familiar with her style. Sometimes, I found the metaphors a bit much, but overall I quite enjoyed it.

I recommend A Thousand Perfect Notes to everyone who loves contemporary young adult, or enjoys Cait's blog. Ultimately, it has the most terrifying antagonist/villain, I've ever encountered in YA fiction. Evil Queens have nothing on Beck's mother.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Book Title: The Cruel Prince
Author: Holly Black
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: I own a Kindle copy

Goodreads, Amazon UK

Goodreads Summary: Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.
To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.
In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

What did I think?

Hyped books are a bit hit and miss when it comes to me.

This one is a firm hit!

I devoured it in like a day, I just couldn't stop myself. This is my first book by Holly Black, but it definitely won't be my last.

Now, before I get into why I liked this so much, let me just clarify: this is a young adult fantasy. Just in case you're not into young adult....

It literally starts with the visceral murder of Jude's parents. Right there on page one, I knew I was in for a wild ride. The plot is fast paced and the characters are well developed. I would have liked to see some more world building, because I find the world of the fae fascinating, but I'll be happy with all the wild twists and turns for now.

The Cruel Prince starts out with a bang, followed by a slow build up filled with tension until it feels like the entire book explodes in your hands.

Jude is a great character. She's an underdog who does not give up and will always go down fighting. Truly a character to root for.

Now, where's the second books, please and thank you?

Otherworld by Jason Segel, Kirsten Miller

Book Title: Otherworld
Author: Jason Segel, Kirsten Miller
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: Netgalley

Goodreads, Amazon UK

Goodreads Summary: The company says Otherworld is amazing—like nothing you’ve ever seen before. They say it’s addictive—that you’ll want to stay forever. They promise Otherworld will make all your dreams come true.
Simon thought Otherworld was a game. Turns out he knew nothing. Otherworld is the next phase of reality. It’s everything you’ve ever wanted.
And it’s about to change humanity forever.
Welcome to the Otherworld. No one could have seen it coming.

I got a review copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

What did I think? Otherworld is a game, the kind I've always wanted to play. The participants leave their physical bodies behind and step, literally, into the game. Virtual reality is an amazing premise and one I hope to see more often in science fiction novels.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It moves with a good pace, is thrilling, entertaining and there's not a single dull moment. I finished it in a single day.

However, it's definitely a book for young adults and the writing style is aimed at the younger age bracket. The story is simple and straightforward and the teenage love story made the novel less interesting for me. People who have read Tad Williams' Otherland or similar books, might think this is not as original as it could be.

The characters are definitely well developed teenagers that sound authentic and the world building is intriguing, if a bit lacking.

I would recommend this to people who enjoyed the Maze Runner series and loved Ready Player One not because of the 80s nostalgia but because of the focus on virtual reality.

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

Book Title: Lev Grossman
Author: The Magicians
Genre: Fantasy
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: Library

Goodreads, Amazon UK

Goodreads Summary: Quentin Coldwater is brilliant but miserable. A senior in high school, he’s still secretly preoccupied with a series of fantasy novels he read as a child, set in a magical land called Fillory. Imagine his surprise when he finds himself unexpectedly admitted to a very secret, very exclusive college of magic in upstate New York, where he receives a thorough and rigorous education in the craft of modern sorcery.

He also discovers all the other things people learn in college: friendship, love, sex, booze, and boredom. Something is missing, though. Magic doesn’t bring Quentin the happiness and adventure he dreamed it would. After graduation he and his friends make a stunning discovery: Fillory is real. But the land of Quentin’s fantasies turns out to be much darker and more dangerous than he could have imagined. His childhood dream becomes a nightmare with a shocking truth at its heart.

What did I think? I loved the idea of a protagonist who wishes magic was real and the fantasy world he enjoyed growing up actually exists, but even though it all drops into his lap, he still can't find happiness.

Something's always missing, even if your dreams become real.

That's a great premise and a problem I deal with frequently. You idealise the next stage of your life, thinking love/school/promotion/publishing contract/marriage/kids/graduation/etc. will make you happy and then you realise, nope, still not quite there. 

But...I had a hard time getting into The Magicians. Mostly because Quentin is an unlikeable character who I wouldn't want as my friend. At least not at first; he did grow on me somewhat. The world is bleak, everyone is miserable and people are shitty to each other. Then I understood the tone of the novel more began to enjoy myself.

The author took the Hogwarts years from Harry Potter and mixed in Narnia in the second half of the book. It sounds old, but it worked well, and I thought it was done in an original and surprising way. 

The characters are well developed and the world feels real.

I recommend this book to everyone who grew up wishing Narnia was a real place and who doesn't mind unlikeable and miserable characters.

I'll definitely read the next one at some point.

Nyxia by Scott Reintgen

Book Title: Nyxia
Author: Scott Reintgen
Genre: Science Fiction
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: Netgalley

Goodreads, Amazon UK

Goodreads Summary: Emmett Atwater isn’t just leaving Detroit; he’s leaving Earth. Why the Babel Corporation recruited him is a mystery, but the number of zeroes on their contract has him boarding their lightship and hoping to return to Earth with enough money to take care of his family.
Before long, Emmett discovers that he is one of ten recruits, all of whom have troubled pasts and are a long way from home. Now each recruit must earn the right to travel down to the planet of Eden—a planet that Babel has kept hidden—where they will mine a substance called Nyxia that has quietly become the most valuable material in the universe.
But Babel’s ship is full of secrets. And Emmett will face the ultimate choice: win the fortune at any cost, or find a way to fight that won’t forever compromise what it means to be human.

I got a review copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

What did I think? Young Adult in space? Sign me up! Those were my thoughts when I requested this title from Netgalley. I ended up having a lot of fun with the story and read it during a long, sleepless night.

It's not groundbreaking, but it's exactly what it promises to be. It'll probably be sold as Hunger Games in space... which makes me want to roll my eyes, but I also have to admit, it is a bit like Hunger Games in space.

Ten teenagers are on board this spaceship on its way to a planet called Eden. They're being trained to mine a new element called Nyxia... but only eight out of the ten will be allowed to do so. Let the competition begin!

This book has a great and varied ensemble. For the average reader the beginning might be a bit overwhelming, since ten teenagers are introduced. It took me a while before I was able to keep them straight, but Reintgen made sure to give each one an individual voice. They're all well developed, and by the end I felt like I knew them all.

I recommend this to fans of Young Adult (who don't mind books aimed at the younger end of the YA audience) and Science Fiction novels, who are looking for something like the Hunger Games, Ender's Game or The 100.

Gilded Cage by Vic James

Book Title: Gilded Cage
Author: Vic James
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: Library

Goodreads, Amazon UK

Goodreads Summary: In modern-day Britain, magic users control everything: wealth, politics, power—and you. If you’re not one of the ultimate one-percenters—the magical elite—you owe them ten years of service. Do those years when you’re old, and you’ll never get through them. Do them young, and you’ll never get over them.
This is the darkly decadent world of Gilded Cage. In its glittering milieu move the all-powerful Jardines and the everyday Hadleys. The families have only one thing in common: Each has three children. But their destinies entwine when one family enters the service of the other. They will all discover whether any magic is more powerful than the human spirit.
Have a quick ten years...

What did I think? This is the first book in a planned trilogy. I was surprised at how much I ended up liking this. Young Adult is a bit hit and miss with me and I'm more of a fantasy fan, but this book had a premise that simply was too intriguing not to pick up. And I fell a little bit in love with it all...

It's a very political book. This is a world where commoners are required to serve as slaves for ten years during which they lose all basic human rights. The protagonists set out to serve at the beginning of the book and I expected it to be mostly about their struggle for freedom with a dose of rebellion... but I was pleasantly surprised and the reader gets the perspective of the ruling Equals as well and they're not all bad. Some of them are fighting to abolish the slavery.

There are a lot of characters to keep track of and many twists and turns. It's not an easy plot to follow either, but I think that only added to my enjoyment. The characters are layered and well developed and thankfully not one dimensional. The writing is enjoyable and the world building is original.

One thing I enjoyed less was the romance, which felt like it was added just so there's at least some romance or maybe as a set-up for the sequels.

Highly recommended to YA fans who love fantasy and don't mind a book being a bit on the political side.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Book Title: Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Author: Laini Taylor
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: Library

Goodreads, Amazon UK

Goodreads Summary: Errand requiring immediate attention. Come. The note was on vellum, pierced by the talons of the almost-crow that delivered it. Karou read the message. 'He never says please', she sighed, but she gathered up her things.
When Brimstone called, she always came.
In general, Karou has managed to keep her two lives in balance. On the one hand, she's a seventeen-year-old art student in Prague; on the other, errand-girl to a monstrous creature who is the closest thing she has to family. Raised half in our world, half in 'Elsewhere', she has never understood Brimstone's dark work - buying teeth from hunters and murderers - nor how she came into his keeping. She is a secret even to herself, plagued by the sensation that she isn't whole.
Now the doors to Elsewhere are closing, and Karou must choose between the safety of her human life and the dangers of a war-ravaged world that may hold the answers she has always sought.

What did I think? In theory I should have loved this and I was quite mesmerised in the beginning mostly because Laini Taylor simply writes so very beautifully and I am a sucker for fantasy. I thought I was heading for five stars...

This book is filled with amazing things: chimera, angels, art classes in Prague, strong friendships, and the protagonist Karou has blue hair and is a talented art student. I loved the world building and the mythology and I can't recommend Taylor's writing style enough. It's unique and poetic and she has a knack for choosing the right word to render a sentence more magical.

Then it kind of, sort of, fell apart.

Mostly because of something I often encounter in YA that I really can't stand: insta-love.

A super special protagonist who is beautiful and talented and chosen falling in love with an incredibly hot man who happens to be an angel but also her enemy?

Doesn't it just sound a tiny bit like something we've already read a million times?

I do think if I would have read this when I was a teenager I would have been much more forgiving and would have fallen head over heels in love with this book. Highly recommended to people who love YA fantasy and don't mind the romance aspect.

Crazy House by James Patterson

Book Title: Crazy House
Author: James Patterson (Gabrielle Charbonnet)
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: Netgalley

Goodreads, Amazon UK 

Goodreads Summary: There were no charges. There was no trial. There will be no escape.
Seventeen-year-old Becca Greenfield was snatched from her small hometown. She was thrown into a maximum-security prison and put on Death Row with other kids her age. Until her execution, Becca's told to fit in and shut her mouth... but Becca's never been very good at either. Her sister Cassie was always the perfect twin.
Becca's only hope is that her twin sister will find her. That perfect little priss Cassie will stop following the rules and start breaking them, before it's too late. Because her jailers made a mistake that could get them both killed: they took the wrong twin.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What did I think? I requested Crazy House because I've always wanted to read a James Patterson book and I quite enjoy novels with a dystopian setting.

The premise is simple: Becca Greenfield is thrown into prison known as the Crazy House where she's told that she's on death row. In the meantime her twin, Cassie, is trying to find her. A fight for survival begins.

The writing is nothing spectacular, in fact I found it quite juvenile in places, but the world building is intriguing and the story is fast paced and I ended up reading it in one sitting. The novel comes with a few decent twists and turns and kept me guessing until the end. The characters are well developed and believable teenagers.

Recommended for fans of dystopian YA, but do not expect anything groundbreaking or special.

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

Book Title: When Dimple Met Rishi
Author: Sandhya Menon
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: Netgalley

Amazon UK, Goodreads

Goodreads Summary: Dimple Shah has it all figured out. With graduation behind her, she’s more than ready for a break from her family, from Mamma’s inexplicable obsession with her finding the “Ideal Indian Husband.” Ugh. Dimple knows they must respect her principles on some level, though. If they truly believed she needed a husband right now, they wouldn’t have paid for her to attend a summer program for aspiring web developers…right?
Rishi Patel is a hopeless romantic. So when his parents tell him that his future wife will be attending the same summer program as him—wherein he’ll have to woo her—he’s totally on board. Because as silly as it sounds to most people in his life, Rishi wants to be arranged, believes in the power of tradition, stability, and being a part of something much bigger than himself.
Dimple and Rishi may think they have each other figured out. But when opposites clash, love works hard to prove itself in the most unexpected ways.

 I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What did I think?

It's just so damn sweet. The entire book is made of sugar. Both Dimple Shah and Rishi Patel are genuinely beautiful characters and they both won me over within the first few pages. They're just so damn precious! The two have quite a bit of chemistry and and sparks fly almost immediately.

When Dimple Met Rishi does not have a groundbreaking plot and it's predictable, with the coming of age tropes all neatly placed in the right spots, but it's a joy to read nonetheless.

This novel isn't just diverse and full of delightful humour, but the protagonists are also quite geeky and smart. Dimple is into coding and programming and Rishi is a comic book artist. The story is told from both point of views and both have an unique and captivating voice. They're both fleshed out and have a lot of depth.

If you're looking for a light and sweet romantic beach read, look no further and give this one a try. You'll probably be reminded of the first time you fell in love and will read the entire thing with a goofy grin on your face.

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Book Title: All The Bright Places
Author: Jennifer Niven
Genre: Young Adult
My Rating: ♥ ♥
Source: Own a paperback copy

Amazon UK, Goodreads

Goodreads Summary: The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park in this exhilarating and heart-wrenching love story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who intends to die.
Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.
Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.
When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

What did I think? I really liked the Fault in Our Stars and I enjoy YA a lot, especially contemporary ones, but All The Bright Places was a huge disappointment.

The characters aren't treated as people. They're just the textbook definition of their illness. A person with depression is still a person who has various character traits and an entire personality that isn't all defined by their illness, except for in this book. In this book they don't get to be people, they get to be their illness.

In the acknowledgments the author said, she wanted to write an edgy novel. Is mental illness edgy these days? Violet is nothing more than a prize. She doesn't have a proper story arc or a proper personality. Finch is depression and when he isn't, he's a typical nice guy who doesn't respect the girl's rejections and pretentiously quotes Virginia Woolf.

I also feel like this book glorifies suicide. Don't romanticise suicide in a book that you market to teenagers? NOT OKAY.

I honestly have nothing else to say.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Book Title: Six of Crows (Six of Crows #1)
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Fantasy, YA
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: Library
Goodreads, Amazon UK 

Goodreads Summary: Criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker has been offered wealth beyond his wildest dreams. But to claim it, he'll have to pull off a seemingly impossible heist:
Break into the notorious Ice Court
(a military stronghold that has never been breached)
Retrieve a hostage
(who could unleash magical havoc on the world)
Survive long enough to collect his reward
(and spend it)
Kaz needs a crew desperate enough to take on this suicide mission and dangerous enough to get the job done - and he knows exactly who: six of the deadliest outcasts the city has to offer. Together, they just might be unstoppable - if they don't kill each other first.

I read this as part of the fantastically diverse challenge by Uma @ Books.Bags.Burgers

What did I think?

I'm not really sure how to explain my thoughts on this book.

Especially because everyone is in love with it and I'm just over here giving it three stars.

Bardugo portrays diversity in a fantasy setting, which is such an important thing. A diverse cast from different ethnic backgrounds and they're well rounded, natural and come with a lot of depth.

In fact, it's a great book. It has a terrific story and the writing is tight. The prose and pacing are both excellent and I thought the characters are well written, likeable and have a lot of depth. The world building is impressive, fresh and highly creative. There's great banter and the dialogue flows naturally.

All good things. But.

It's just not really my sort of story, I guess? I couldn't really bring myself to care about the success or failure of the heist. I enjoyed the ride. I enjoyed the story. But I wasn't invested...

Does that make sense?

So, I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who likes fast paced YA, who likes a good heist story and who is looking at reading some more fantasy.

Paper Towns by John Green

Book Title: Paper Towns
Author: John Green
Genre: Young Adult
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: Library
Goodreads, Amazon UK

Goodreads Summary: Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs into his life—dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows. After their all-nighter ends, and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues—and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew...

What did I think? Whilst I'm not the biggest John Green fan, I do think his novels are good at conveying the emotions and turmoils we all face (or faced once upon a time) as teenagers. However, he often follows a basic formula and his characters are similar across all of his books. Basically it boils down to: if you like John Green, you will enjoy Paper Towns, but if you don't, don't bother with this one either, it is just more of the same.

While reading some of his other books I often had the impression the message and theme Green is trying to convey leads to characters that are entirely too clever and too deep to feel real. Not so in Paper Towns. These teenagers feel like they're living real lives and their dialogue flows nicely. Add to that good pacing and tight prose and you get a very enjoyable and light read.

I really liked reading about Quentin. I wasn't a fan of Margo Roth Spielgelman. I've known people like her and I'd rather not have them in my life. However, her character is very believable and I loved how Quentin tries his best to find her.

If you're looking for a fun YA read with authentic characters definitely give this one a try.