Author Archives: keithbwalters

Book Review: Reckoning by Kerry Wilkinson

Published 22nd May 2014 by Pan Macmillan.

21243216 Goodreads Synopsis: In the village of Martindale, hundreds of miles north of the new English capital of Windsor, sixteen-year-old Silver Blackthorn takes the Reckoning. This coming-of-age test not only decides her place in society – Elite, Member, Inter or Trog – but also determines that Silver is to become an Offering for King Victor.

But these are uncertain times and no one really knows what happens to the teenagers who disappear into Windsor Castle. Is being an Offering the privilege everyone assumes it to be, or do the walls of the castle have something to hide?

Trapped in a maze of ancient corridors, Silver finds herself in a warped world of suspicion where it is difficult to know who to trust and who to fear. The one thing Silver does know is that she must find a way out . . .

My Review: I’m actually really mixed on Reckoning! I definitely enjoyed the second half of the book more than the first, but I’m a little torn on whether I liked or disliked the book overall. Largely, though, I did enjoy it- I think most fans of the dystopia genre will definitely love it.

Reckoning is set in a post-war Britain (Which made for a nice change; most dystopia novels I read are set in the US!) where England has been divided into four realms and is ruled over by the new king, who essentially restored order from the war chaos. Every year, The Reckoning takes place in July for all of the teenagers entering adulthood, and determines where, and how you work for the rest of your life, under either Trog, Inter, Member or Elite (Which felt slightly Divergent-y). A random lottery of Reckoning qualifiers selects ‘offerings’ for the king, who must live in Windsor Castle and serve him directly.

There were quite a few aspects of the book that reminded me a little too much of other dystopia novels. It definitely disappointed me a little bit… Though of course with dystopia being such a big, popular genre still it’s common to find books similar to others. It did take me a little while to get properly focused on the story, as I just kept picking up on similarities, though I’m probably exaggerating a bit… Reckoning still has many original aspects. After about half of the book though, I did start to get really engrossed.

Reckoning has so many plot twists! I honestly had no clue where the book was going, for the most part. I read one huge twist on a school journey, and had to restrain myself from gasping out loud! xD Wilkinson’s writing lures you into a false perception of things, then shocks you when you least expect it. That’s a big reason why I did really enjoy the story.

I’m mixed on Silver Blackthorn, who is the protagonist of the novel. I struggled to connect with her, for most of the story; a big reason why I love dystopia novels is because I find most of the characters really relatable, though for some reason I just didn’t connect with her, mostly! I think a lot of people will like her character. I think that, just like with some of the plot, I just didn’t really connect with her.

Overall, Reckoning is a really great read if you’re a fan of the genre. I liked the setting for the book, and the plot twists are totally shocking. Kerry Wilkinson’s writing is very enjoyable; I think I will read book two if I get a chance to (Reckoning kicks off a new dystopia trilogy!). I’m really sad I didn’t enjoy this as much as other people… I just didn’t click with parts of the story. However, all the Goodreads reviews of it that I’ve read have been glowing, so I’m pretty sure most people will love this book. ;D

My Rating:

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I received a copy of Reckoning form the publisher, in exchange for a review. In no way at all did this affect my thoughts.

Random bloggy note that’s too short for its own blog post:

Over the course of June and July I’ll be really busy with non-bloggy things; I have to revise for all of my end-of-year mock exams, and if I qualify on the next round on an extra curricular quiz team, I’m basically going to drownnnnn in revising for that, too xD Blog posts won’t always be as frequent from now on (Some of you might have noticed I only managed to get one published last week!).

I decided against going on a hiatus, because I don’t think I could manage leaving my blog for two months or so! However, hopefully blogging a little less over the next few weeks will let me get more reading done, and some more blog scheduling and planning for the future done, too. (: Thanks everyone for reading though, as always!<3

Graphic Novel Review: Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol

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Published 2011 by First Second books.

9615347 Goodreads Synopsis: Anya could really use a friend. But her new BFF isn’t kidding about the “Forever” part.
Of all the things Anya expected to find at the bottom of an old well, a new friend was not one of them. Especially not a new friend who’s been dead for a century.
Falling down a well is bad enough, but Anya’s normal life might actually be worse. She’s embarrassed by her family, self-conscious about her body, and she’s pretty much given up on fitting in at school. A new friend—even a ghost—is just what she needs.
Or so she thinks. Spooky, sardonic, and secretly sincere, Anya’s Ghost is a wonderfully entertaining début from author/artist Vera Brosgol.

My Review: Anya’s Ghost was such a brilliant graphic novel! It caught my eye in the library earlier in the month, and I’d read a couple of great things online. I couldn’t wait any longer to read it… Whilst in the middle of loads of titles, I picked it up. Once I had, it was hard to put down! It’s original, compelling, and has some of the most beautiful illustrations.

I wasn’t expecting so much from the 200 page story. It deals with an insecure teenage girl who doesn’t quite fit in, paranormal murder mysteries, and above all friendship… it’s all blended together to make a really emotional and addictive story! I guess I do read a lot of paranormal books… but none that deal with friendship as opposed to a romance story which is more often seen. This story made for a really fresh look on things. And it quickly turns from heart-warming to sinister and terrifying… I really wasn’t expecting the plot twists!

Anya was a very relatable character; she’s a teenager under exam pressure, finding it hard to fit in with anyone in school, struggling to maintain a friendship with the one girl who hangs around with her. It was easy to understand her and I grew really attached to Anya! She develops so much through the book, as she discovers certain things about people in her life and begins to make different and life-changing decisions. Anya’s ghost, Emily, also develops a lot in a really unpredictable way. She’s a really complex and unpredictable character. I didn’t see the ending for the story coming.

The artwork is absolutely beautiful. The style of drawing is simple and cartoon-y, but it really just… went with the story. I loved it. I was really absorbed in the drawings, and I found myself going back over pages after I’d finished just to admire some of the panels! The colour scheme is really pretty, all dark shades of grey and purple.

Overall, I’d really highly recommend Anya’s Ghost to anyone, whether you’re a reader of graphic novels or not! The story was really complex and riveting, with some unpredictable twists that leave readers in a daze. Vera Brosgol has created some very memorable characters that I was left thinking about long after the last page. It was breathtaking, and probably one of the best débuts I’ve read in a while!

My Rating:

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I borrowed a copy of Anya’s Ghost from my local library.

New Books! #48

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Gahhh! All of these books came over nine days. That’s… thirteen books in nine days… I swear, my book hauls are getting bigger and bigger… Well, at least this weekend kicks off the week off school… so between some exam revision I can get some more reading done! I’ve been reading pretty slowly lately… and I keep picking up books, starting them, then moving on. Meh, reading slump-y moods suck.

Alif the Unseen by G Willow Wilson: A twitter friend recommended this to me after I tweeted fangirlishly about G Willow Wilson’s amazing Ms Marvel series! I spotted it in the library and had to pick it up. The cover is so, so gorgeous. I really can’t wait to start it.

Confessions of a Blabbermouth by Mike & Lousie Carey and Alex Alexovich, and The Unwritten by Mike Carey and Ross: I borrowed these from the library, too, because I really wanted to read some more of mike Carey’s works after the event I went to recently! I have already finished Blabbermouth- the review went up this week!

V for Vendetta by Alan moore and David Lloyd (Not pictured): I also picked this up in the library, because after ages of begging my dad to be able to read it, he finally let me xD I’ve heard so, so much about this and I’ve just finished the first part. It’s brilliant; dark, dystopian and chilling.

The case of the Exploding Loo by Rachel Hamilton: I met Rachel over Twitter and I’ve been really excited about her upcoming MG book. It sounds crazily awesome. Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the copy!

My Brother’s Secret by Dan Smith: I don’t think I’ve read many historical fiction titles recently, even though I really enjoy the genre. This is definitely going to be one of my next reads as I’d love to read more from the genre again. My Brother’s Secret looks so emotional, set in the world war. I can’t wait to start it- thanks to Chicken House for the copy.

Tanith Low in The Maleficent Seven by Derek Landy: Okay, confession… I haven’t read the Skulduggery Pleasent series… *hides* I know they’re meant to be amazing- I’ve just never gotten around to reading them! This came as a surprise in the post, and I was a ittle sad because I thought I wouldn’t be able to read it, but it turns out The Maleficent Seven spins off from the world and so it can work as a standalone. Hopefully if I enjoy this I’ll go pick up Skulduggery! 😀 Thanks to Harper Collins for this.

Thanks again to the publishers who sent me arcs! What books did you buy or borrow recently? Or what did you think of any of these titles? (:

Graphic Novel Review: Confessions of a Blabbermouth

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By Mike and Louise Carey, illustrated by Aaron Alexovich.

Published in 2007 by Minx.

1335621 Goodreads Synopsis: After her mom brings home an annoying boyfriend, Tasha’s dysfunctional family is headed for a complete mental meltdown. But Tashas blog is her ultimate weapon–and shes not afraid to use it. Mike Carey (“LUCIFER, Hellblazer”) teams with his teenage daughter Louise for this tale of teen angst.

My Review: At the talk with comics writer Mike Carey I went to a few weeks ago, this book was briefly talked about. There were lots of graphic novels I was excited to read after hearing about them at the event, but this one stood out the most for me, as Carey wrote it with his fifteen year old daughter! I was in the library earlier this week, not actually looking for this book, but as soon as I saw it I knew I had to borrow and read it. I’m so glad I found it. I really enjoyed it!

Confessions of a Blabbermouth is centered around Tasha, a teenage girl who writes about her crazy life on her blog, Blabbermouth. Her mum’s prone to bringing home lots of boyfriends, and when her latest one turns up, so does his daughter. Tasha instantly grows to hate Chloe- but on an unpredictable journey she discovers something about her.

I really liked the story. It’s funny at points, pretty emotional at others. It was pretty crazy and I found some parts a bit strange, but it’s a great contemporary plot. While some bits are pretty wild, it’s a story I think lots of people will relate to, with the family drama and the stereotypical school bullies.

I loved the fact that Tasha had a blog! There are text boxes that narrate the story, that are parts of her blog posts. I really liked that. I also loved how the website plays a really unpredictable part in the outcome. Tasha was a very cool main character. She’s a bit quirky, gets very angry a lot with her mum and her new, horrid, boyfriend Jed, but she was easy to like. Chloe, who is effectively Tasha’s new stepsister, was a really three dimensional character. She develops a lot throughout the story- More than Tasha, and there are hints about Chloe’s secret laced all through the book, that all make sense at the end! (Also Chloe looked scarily like me. Double awesomeness :D)

The art was really great I liked the style. It’s really unique, and it suited the story. I really wanted to read some more comics illustrated by Alexovich now!

Overall, Confessions of a Blabbermouth was a fun, quirky read. I really enjoyed the story. I think even people who aren’t fans of comics will really enjoy it. The characters are relatable and three dimensional and the plot’s a crazy, dramatic ride. And, obviously, the art is really eye catching. I loved reading it! I’m hoping to look out for more books published by Minx in the future.

My Rating:

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I borrowed a copy of Confessions of a Blabbermouth from my local library.

Book Review: American Savage by Matt Whyman

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You can read my review of book one, The Savages, by clicking here!

Published June 5th 2014 by Hot Key Books.

19383531 Goodreads Synopsis: Vegan, veggie, carnivore… humanitarian? Welcome to the top of the food chain.

The Savages are back – this time in a country where servings come supersized. Titus, Angelica and the kids go to great lengths to fit into their new lives in sunny Florida. But that’s not easy when their appetite runs to feasts of human flesh.

In this dark comic serving of everyday family life with contemporary cannibals, the Savages seek to hide in plain sight by setting up a vegan café. But when the venture turns out to be a surprise sensation, and bad apples bob to the surface, Titus is forced to question whether the family have finally bitten off more than they can chew.

My Review: American Savage was a really great sequel- I devoured it in two sittings! I really loved The Savages when I had the chance to read it last year; it was a darkly hilarious story of a family of cannibals and various obstacles like vegetarian boyfriends. I couldn’t wait to read more about the family in this instalment; strangely, despite their… tastes… you grow to love them.

The plot was really great. American Savage sees the Savage family, plus adopted-into-the-family Amanda, moving to America for a change in lifestyle and to avoid arousing any more suspicion in their home country. The family sets up a vegan café; half to cover up any suspicious activity around the neighbourhood caused by them, and half because of a drama caused by Titus Savage and Amanda’s job. The plot kinda terrified me and made me laugh at the same time. It was really weird, seeing the family growing up, and dealing with different issues than had arisen in the first book. But I loved it! There’s a different story for every character, and they link together in clever and unpredictable ways.

The theme for the book is pretty dark and macabre, as it was in book one. But, Matt Whyman manages to keep the story feeling like an upbeat, funny, contemporary drama… except, there’s definitely a higher body count in this book compared to other YA contemps… 😀 Whyman’s writing is really enjoyable. It did take me a couple of pages to get stuck into the story, but after that, I couldn’t stop reading.

There was one thing that kind of disappointed me. In the first book, the most relatable character for me was Sasha- the teenage girl of the family who most of the story was centered around. However, she wasn’t actually in this story- instead she was in another American state studying. I really wish she was in the story, at least for a few pages! She’d been one of my favourite characters. I did get used to the family without her… but the ending, which was a bit heartbreaking, I wish she’d been there for. For reasons. But I can’t say why because I’ll spoil it…

Overall, aside from one part, I really did enjoy American Savage! I wasn’t sure how I’d find the sequel, as the first book was brilliant as a standalone… but this was awesome. It’s a mixture of macabre family tradition, romance, cover-up family business and American lifestyle… Sounds bizarre, but Matt Whyman makes it work. All of the characters are so well fleshed out and each one felt realistic and individual. I really, really highly recommend both The Savages and American Savage, whether you’re more of a contemporary fan or a fan of the macabre. Matt Whyman’s writing is really memorable and I can’t wait to read even more from him!

My Rating:

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I received a copy of American Savage from the publisher, in exchange for a review. In no way at all did this affect my thoughts.

Book Review: The Julian chapter by R J Palacio

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Published 1st May 2014 by Random House Children’s books.

20878809 Publisher’s Synopsis: Over 1 million people have read Wonder and have fallen in love with Auggie Pullman, an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face. Now readers will have a chance to hear from the book’s most controversial character—Julian.

From the very first day Auggie and Julian met in the pages of the #1 New York Times bestseller Wonder, it was clear they were never going to be friends, with Julian treating Auggie like he had the plague. And while Wonder told Auggie’s story through six different viewpoints, Julian’s perspective was never shared. Readers could only guess what he was thinking.

Until now. The Julian Chapter will finally reveal the bully’s side of the story. Why is Julian so unkind to Auggie? And does he have a chance for redemption?

My Review: The Julian Chapter was a story I fell in love with from the start. It’s engaging, emotional, and incredibly powerful. Spinning off from Wonder, R J Palacio’s much loved début, The Julian Chapter tells the story of the bully who hated Auggie for his looks.

As soon as I’d gotten an email about this spin-off chapter, I was too excited for words! I fell in love with wonder last year. It was so moving and powerful. I couldn’t wait to hear more from R J. I started the story straight away and once I’d begun, I couldn’t stop. I was so engrossed in the story! Julian was a character whose narrative wasn’t in Wonder, which switched between the viewpoints of lots of people in Auggie’s life. I was so glad I could finally see through Julian’s eyes.

The writing, of course, is brilliant. R J Palacio has adopted the voice of a middle-school kid really well. Julian’s voice is really distinctive and realistic. I could feel his anger and fear about the situation he was in because of Auggie. If you read Wonder, you’ll have really disliked Julian for the things he did to Auggie. I did. But in this novella, I got to understand all of the reasons behind his actions. Obviously, the things he did are still awful- but The Julian Chapter has made all of his actions make sense, and it’s built a really good back story to one of the most complex characters in the story.

The Julian Chapter tells Julian’s side of the story in Wonder, then goes on to after the events of Wonder. I loved how much Julian develops throughout the story. He changes into such a different person over the course of the novella, and honestly, the last few chapters made me start crying. I grew to forgive Julian, and liked him by the ending; The Julian Chapter shows how it wasn’t all Julian’s fault- how his actions were caused by so many things. I love that R J Palacio has made Julian such a more understandable character with an eighty page story.

Overall, The Julian Chapter was just… amazing. It’s poignant, honest, and written so well. I loved hearing Julian’s voice, and learning about his life and back story. The Julian Chapter gives a whole new side to the story. If you loved Wonder, I cannot recommend this highly enough! For an under-100-page story, it’s unbelievably emotional and engaging. I won’t be forgetting The Julian Chapter any time soon!

My Rating:

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I received a copy of The Julian Chapter, in exchange for a review. In no way at all did this affect my thoughts.

Book Review: The Forbidden Library by Django Wexler

Review-Graphic: The Boy Who Swam With Piranhas

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Sorry for the relatively short review graphic… I had to make this in a bit of a rush between revision-y things because it’s the start of the exam season! But, honestly, I can’t recommend The Boy Who Swam with Piranhas enough- one brilliant author, one brilliant illustrator, one fantastic MG read (:

Two recent events!

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Last Friday, I went to another Waterstones Piccadilly event – and on Saturday, I went to a talk in Conway Hall. Both events were really fantastic, so I thought I’d do a little joint post about them!

Friday, Waterstones Piccadilly: An Evening with Samantha Shannon, Andy Serkis and Jonathan Cavendish

*runs around squealing* My dad found out about this event from the Waterstones website, and I’m so glad we were able to book tickets! Samantha Shannon is the author of The Bone Season- a fantasy début I loved so much, last year. And, to add more excitement to everything, the movie rights to The Bone Season were bought around the time the book was published- and it’s definite that there will be a film franchise of the series, coming from Imaginarium studios. The evening was Samantha Shannon in conversation with the two people behind Imaginarium Studios- Jonathan Cavendish (best known for Bridget Jones’ Diary movies) and Andy Serkis (Producer as well, and also actor- he played King Kong, Gollum from LoTR, and my all time favourite antagonist- Capricorn form Inkheart :D). I was so excited to see all three of them!

Samantha Shannon discussed lots of things, like inspirations behind the book and why she set it where she did. I found the inspiration behind her protagonist, Paige’s, supernatural ability really bizarre- Inspired by the author’s migraines during her A Level exams! I also loved what Samantha Shannon said about Oxford, and why she decided to set the book there: About the way it’s a city fixed in time, with such beautiful old buildings and an extensive history- clashing with all the scientific advances there being made by the University.

Jonathan and Andy also discussed why they decided this book would make such a great adaptation; and a favourite part of the evening had to be the casting discussion. Jonathan Cavendish reached out to the audience asking for casting advice- for who readers imaigned the characters to be. I had to agree with Tom Hiddleston being Warden, and Benedict Cumberbatch being Jackson. Just, yes. SO much yes. :’D

Overall, the evening was absolutely brilliant. Thanks to Waterstones for hosting it, and for Imaginarium Studios and of course Samantha Shannon for doing such a great talk! My brother even brought his Gollum toy along, which Andy Serkis signed for him. I was lucky enough to get nice signed things, too- so I now have a pretty arc of The Bone Season signed by Serkis and Shannon, and a signed Inkheart dvd, both of which are now probably the coolest things I own. Pics above! (:

Friday, Conway hall: Mike Carey in conversation with SciFi London Interviewer Alex Fitch

SciFi London is a really great festival with some great movie screenings and big events and parades and things, that happens every year. My brother and I went up to London the weekend before last to go see all of the Cosplay in the opening parade, which was very cool- you can check out my brother’s pictures on his blog here! Last Saturday, Mike Carey was doing a talk about all of his Sci-Fi work- and most of the family wanted to go, because MIKE CAREYYYY :D*squeee*

Carey most recently wrote The Girl with All the Gifts, which is a fantastic looking adult novel that I’m hoping to read very soon. He’s also very well known for lots of his writing for comics, namely X Men. I’m an X Men fan, so I was really looking forward to him talking about X Men: No More Humans, which is his latest graphic novel & is illustrated by Salvador Larroca. The event was even more brilliant- because they somehow had early copies of it! I think I bought the first ever copy of No More Humans, which is so cool- and I also definitely got the second ever signed copy (after my brother, who butted in…;D).

Sadly, not a huge amount of people were actually at the event- there were only a few of us- but still, it was a really brilliant talk and I’m really glad I came along! I didn’t realise how much Mike Carey had written, and what other comics he’d written, so I’ve made a note of a lot of series I must check out soon. There was also a lot of discussion about the writing processes of comics and things- it’s crazy how short the deadlines are for comic scripts! It’s definitely inspired me to consider writing comics- it sounds like a really fun job. Mike also did a reading of the first chapter of The Girl With All the Gifts – slightly edited, because kids in the room 😉 – and it was fantastic. It’s made me want to read the book even more now, it’s so haunting and beautifully written.

After the event, Mike signed books and things! Pictures, again, above, of him singing and of the pretty looking book. (: Thanks to SciFi London for organising that event- and to Waterstones for the event on Friday (:

Book Review: Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira

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Love Letters to the Dead might actually be the best book I’ve read this year: and I don’t think I can even do the book justice. About a week ago, I picked the book up again, and I reread it. I’m in the middle of my second or third reread now… It’s just amazing, and you can tell it’s a pretty special book, because I don’t think I’ve gone back to reread a book so quickly.

Published 1st May 2014 by Hot Key Books.

20703051 Goodreads Synopsis: It begins as an assignment for English class: write a letter to a dead person – any dead person. Laurel chooses Kurt Cobain – he died young, and so did Laurel’s sister May – so maybe he’ll understand a bit of what Laurel is going through. Soon Laurel is writing letters to lots of dead people – Janis Joplin, Heath Ledger, River Phoenix, Amelia Earhart… it’s like she can’t stop. And she’d certainly never dream of handing them in to her teacher. She writes about what it’s like going to a new high school, meeting new friends, falling in love for the first time – and how her family has shattered since May died.

But much as Laurel might find writing the letters cathartic, she can’t keep real life out forever. The ghosts of her past won’t be contained between the lines of a page, and she will have to come to terms with growing up, the agony of losing a beloved sister, and the realisation that only you can shape your destiny.

My Review: Love Letters to the Dead completely blew me away. It’s nothing less than an absolutely stunning début novel- there aren’t actually many words that can do this story justice, I think. It was emotional, captivating, and beautifully written.

Love Letters to the Dead is written entirely in what the title suggests. Protagonist Laurel is starting a new chapter of her life, and at the same time, is still grieving for her sister, May. She pours her riveting, moving life story, and everything that she can’t say to anyone else, into letters to Kurt Cobain, River Phoenix, and Judy Garland, to name a few people. Each and every letter is heart-wrenchingly powerful, and I found tears welling up reading most of them. Ava Dellaira has a fresh, gripping writing voice. It’s going to captivate anyone who reads this, I’m sure!

The romance in this book was heartbreaking, and heart-warming at points. It was beautifully told. Laurel’s relationships with characters in this book was mesmerising. I can’t say who she falls for, but I will say that the love story was a roller coaster and I couldn’t close the book. What touched me the most, though, was the story between two supporting characters. It deserved its own book; it was really unforgettable and emotional.

We get to know Laurel’s sister, May, really well over the course of the story. It’s quite hard to describe how I felt about May, but she is an unforgettable character. Her bond with Laurel is so memorable and unlike anything I’ve ever read about. Laurel is such a strong protagonist, because as the story progresses, we find out that she’s been through a lot more than we thought she had, and each new event shocked me so much. I felt really close to Laurel, and I loved her personality that really shone through in all of her letters. She’s a new favourite contemporary protagonist, and I really miss reading about her now that I’ve finished the book.

Overall, Love Letters to the Dead was an absolutely amazing début. I was a little apprehensive about starting it because I wasn’t sure how I’d find it… but there was no need to be. Love Letters to the Dead captivated me; Ava Delliara’s story captured me from the beginning and didn’t let me go until the very last page. All of the characters are so well fleshed out and memorable. I completely agree with what Steven Chbosky’s said on the front cover of the book: Ava Dellaira is a bold new literary voice. I’m really hoping to read more from her soon and I can tell Love Letters to the Dead is going to be a book I reread over and over again. It was mesmerising.

My Rating:

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I received a copy of Love Letters to the Dead form the publisher, in exchange for a review. In no way at all did this affect my thoughts.