Author Archives: keithbwalters

Pandemonium

By Lauren Oliver, published by Hodder.

Pandemonium (Delirium, #2)

Goodreads synopsis: I’m pushing aside
the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana
and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

My review: **Contains spoilers for the ending of Delirium! I tried to review this without mentioning what happens, but there was really no way I could write this without mentioning it**

After the incredibly sad, and shocking ending of Delirium, I had absolutely no idea how Lauren Oliver would be able two make two more books out of the story. However, she’s built really well on the mentioned rebels, the runaways who live on the outside, uncured from the Deliria, and their world. It was imaginative, and a really believable dystopic landscape in which they were living.

I really loved reading about Lena, the protagonist, as she delved into this new world beyond-the-fence. The plot was quite strong with some clever twists that kept me reading. I got to see much more of what was happening in other parts of America; that people were actually campaigning to have the Deliria cure put into action on people under eighteen- the age in which you are wiped from extreme emotions like love. Also, I really loved the setting of New York, and how Lauren Oliver has used so many places in it, even the underground, to turn NYC into a kind of sinister place.

I really liked all of the new characters; the tightly knit group of outsiders which is run by Raven. They all had some really great relationships with each other and each one had brilliantly-developed backgrounds which were well explained. The only character I didn’t really like was the new love interest, Julian. He was portrayed as quite a nice guy behind all of the things his father had said, but I suppose I didn’t really like him because Lena seemed to move straight on from Alex, seemingly hardly grieving for him at all, and fell in love with Julian. That’s the only thing I didn’t really like about Lena. She didn’t seem sad about Alex’s supposed death for most of the book! However, I enjoyed reading the second part of Lena’s adventure. She went through a lot of grim things and, I think, gained much more confidence through it. She fought back when trapped by the Scavengers and became more kick-butt, which was really great. I really loved how she never gave up, and saved Julian multiple times although he was campaigning for the Deliria cure to be issued to youngers.

Overall, Pandemonium was a really great sequel to Delirium. It was packed with heart-stopping drama and lots of action. Lena’s character developed a lot in the book, gaining much more confidence and fought back rather violently for the first time to get her way. I didn’t really like her relationship with Julian, and when they were just about to have a happy ending, the biggest plot twist happened literally a paragraph from the ending! I won’t say what happened, but it made me gasp, and then squeal, and then do a little victory dance which earned me some really strange looks from my brother. It’s really brilliant, and was very unexpected. Can’t wait to see what develops from that in Requiem!

My Goodreads rating: 4/5!

I bought Pandemonium from a local bookstore.My review of the book before Pandemonium, can be found HERE.

Shadow and Bone

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By Leigh Bardugo, published by Indigo (Orion).

Shadow and Bone (The Grisha, #1)

Goodreads synopsis: The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on human flesh, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka.

Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the lavish world of the kingdom’s magical elite—the Grisha. Could she be the key to unravelling the dark fabric of the Shadow Fold and setting Ravka free?

The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfill her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him.
But what of Mal, Alina’s childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can’t she ever quite forget him?

My review: Possibly the best fantasy book I have read all year. Shadow and Bone was that amazing. The beginning totally hooked me in, and I became absorbed into the plot within a matter of pages!

The story started off with Alina and Mal, as children, and I felt so much sympathy for the poor orphans. Throughout the following chapters, right up until Alina was taken away from her best friend, I could really see a strong, realistic relationship between the two. It totally broke my heart when they were separated! As I followed Alina throughout her epic journey, I really grew attached to her character. Her narration was quite basic but expressed all of her emotions really well. I hated it when she seemed to fall for the Darkling, but then grew to love her again as truths about him were revealed and she went back to loving Mal. She was a really strong protagonist, overall, and not just because of her extreme powers to conduct light.

The whole idea was rich with imagination, and so fun to read about. The Grisha are like sorceresses, with amazing powers. They, along with the equally fantastical backdrop, made for a really gripping story full of secrets, lies, magic and power. I’ll here elaborate on what I thought of the setting- because I loved it so much! I normally like to read Urban Fantasy- set in the modern world. I don’t really read books set hundreds of years before or in whole new imagined fantasy kingdoms. But Ravka was so amazing. It was based on a tsarist-Russia, ruled by the rich and the Grisha. As I was drawn further and further into this magical, unique world, I grew to love it so much. The setting truly was breathtaking, and although magical and beyond belief, realistic to me.

The plot was absolutely brilliantly structured with lots of great plot twists. It worked perfectly with the setting and was really enjoyable thanks to such unforgettable characters. There were so many unpredictable aspects to the story, like the romantic twist with the Darkling- I actually pictured him as super-old, but it turned out he was young looking when Alina described him as she fell in love with him. The events played out really well and I honestly would not have had the plot in any other way!

Overall, Shadow and Bone was a really amazing read. It had so many great twists and turns that kept me wondering how everything would turn out. The relationships between the characters, especially Mal and Alina, were so realistic and believable. I really loved reading about the two protagonists! The ending was really beautiful and now I really can’t wait for the release of the sequel: Siege and Storm- which will be published together with Shadow and Bone in early June! I really can’t recommend this read enough, it was so amazing. whatever your preferred genre, I’m sure you’ll love this brilliant debut title!

My Goodreads rating: 5/5!

I received Shadow and Bone from the publisher, in exchange for a review.

Verity Fibbs

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By Cathy Brett, published by Headline.

Verity Fibbs

Publisher’s synopsis: Reality can never quite compare with the online world of Demon Streets for Verity. There she gets to learn new demon fighting skills and have fun. In reality she goes to school to learn useless skills and her fashion designer mother, Saffron Fibbs, is operating punishment by chores (for a small boy related misdemeanor).
As ethical is the new black when it comes to fashion, Verity’s mum’s recycled fashion venture is the hottest thing ever and she has to go to New York to publicize it giving Verity three days of total freedom!
But someone else is just as keen to see Saffron Fibbs leave home and when V and her friends find themselves on the wrong side of a very unethical enemy it seems that her online gaming skills might be the only thing between her and a very real Game Over…

My review: Verity Fibbs was a pretty fun read! I had no idea it was existed until a few weeks ago, and picked it up in a bookshop, and couldn’t wait to start it. The story was all about fashion- definitely not my thing- but it also had a tie-in with supernatural video-games, which interested me. I think Cathy Brett made this book really interesting and I absolutely loved it, even though I don’t know one thing about the latest clothing brands like Verity, whose mother is a world-famous fashion designer. Despite being the total opposite of the rather ironically named Verity Fibbs, I really loved reading her story. She was a really unique protagonist with lots of likeable aspects. I really loved Verity’s outgoing personality, especially because that’s how she landed herself in an adventure with a boy who lies just as much as her. Speaking of the boy she meets, I didn’t actually like him very much. (I can’t really give him a name, because he had so many). He seemed a bit wimpy and didn’t really defend Verity at all. I had no idea why Verity liked him!

I really loved the whole idea for the story. Cathy Brett has managed to combine two very different things – Role playing video games and ethical fashion- and mixed the two together to make a really clever story. I so wasn’t expecting for the fashion industry to link to Verity’s favourite video game! Not only did I get to walk through the Demon Streets, her fave game, but also there are the slightest little details in that RPG that went unnoticed for me, but played major factors in the ending. It was all really clever!

Overall, Verity Fibbs was such a fun read. It was a bit over-the-top, but in a good way. I think that Verity Fibbs was a really great, and realistic protagonist. The plot was crammed with action and I couldn’t put it down. Again, as in her other books, Cathy Brett has brought her story to life in a way many authors haven’t- with some fantastic illustrations! They were so great, and portrayed the story and characters really well. The video-game screen shots were brilliant too! So, Verity Fibbs was a very fun story, which is great for around ten/eleven and up. Because so many pages were full of drawings, it’s a rather quick read; perfect to curl up with in the evening!

My Goodreads rating: 4/5!

I bought Verity Fibbs from a local charity store.

Murder on the Orient Express

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By Agatha Christie, published by Harper Collins.

Murder on the Orient Express (Hercule Poirot, #10)

Goodreads synopsis: “The murderer is with us – on the train now…”
Just after midnight, the famous Orient Express is stopped in its tracks by a snowdrift. By morning, the millionaire Samuel Ratchett lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside. One of his fellow passengers must be the murderer.
Isolated by the storm and with a killer in their midst, detective Hercule Poirot must find the killer amongst a dozen of the dead man’s enemies, before the murderer decides to strike again…

My review: This was the first title I’ve ever read by Agatha Christie- and a brilliant introduction to her writing! I can definitely see, even just from reading one of her books, why she is one of the bestselling authors of all time. Right from the start, I was totally hooked into the story. The murder didn’t happen right away, or course, and there was a brilliant build-up to it. All of the many passengers were introduced really well, and I also really loved the backdrop. A train stuck in a snowdrift was a brilliant setting, because it made it scary- nobody could get in or out, and they would be stuck for days. It really added an eerie essence to the story.

The murder itself was gory and terrifying, and as it happened, certain things came to light that connected almost every passenger to the murdered man, Ratchett. Although it was ridiculously coincidental that most of the train had close connections to Ratchett and had grown to hate him, it was still very fun to read how Poirot worked out the mystery.

There were lots of clues dropped along the way throughout the story, that kept me wondering who-did-it every time I put the book down (-reluctantly!). Many things I thought connected to the murder were really just decoys, that made the outcome really unpredictable and the mystery hard for the reader to solve. They’re the things that pulled me into the book and made it utterly page-turning- my need to discover the criminal by working out the layered mystery!

Not very much was revealed about Poirot, in terms of background information. This is the tenth book in his detective series, so I can’t really say Agatha Christie doesn’t show much about him- she probably has in previous Poirot titles. He didn’t seem emotional in any way about the brutal stabbing, nor did he seem to express any emotion about the girl Ratchett had kidnapped a while before his death. He was quite like a robot, in my opinion!

However, I really did adore the way he went about working out the crime. He managed it expertly and was able to extract important evidence from the most undecipherable of things like a pipe cleaner or the place of a knife wound. He could even leak the truth out of the most stubborn passengers. I really liked his determination and patience too. He had the intelligence and personality of Sherlock Holmes, I think.

Overall, Murder on the Orient Express was a really brilliant read. The plot was clever and complex, with each character detailed and three-dimensional. It’s a must for crime fans and mystery lovers. It is packed full of suspense and action throughout, with the essence of mystery that keeps you guessing all of the way up to the reveal at the end. Although the outcome, explained by Poirot, was pretty long-winded, it was still understandable and genius. I love Agatha Christie’s writing, and will definitely be reading more from her when I can!

My Goodreads rating: 4/5!

I borrowed Murder on the Orient Express from my Dad’s seemingly-endless bookshelves.

Goddess

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By Josephine Angelini, published by Macmillan.

Goddess

Goodreads synopsis: She must rise, or they will fall …Helen’s powers are increasing–and so is the distance between her and her mortal friends. To make matters worse, the Oracle reveals that a dangerous traitor is lurking among them, and all fingers point to Orion. Still unsure whether she loves him or Lucas, Helen is forced to make a terrifying decision, or risk all-out war. The final book in this heart-stopping trilogy.

My review: I loved Starcrossed and Dreamless so much, and I was so excited to see how everything would end! When this came in the post, I was over the moon.

I was a bit confused at the beginning of the story, maybe partly because I’ve read many books in between Dreamless and Goddess. But also, I was a little confused because suddenly, Helen was gaining memories of Helen of Troy, and re-living them. It was a little hard to grasp at first, the sudden switching between the present and the past, but I understood it more and more as the story progressed. The plot was a little bit similar to the second book, actually, because one of Helen’s friends had gone over to the enemy’s side. I won’t say who did, though, but it’s very shocking! Much suspense was added because I could see what Helen’s-friend-gone-baddie was preparing for, whilst reading about the oblivious Helen. I really enjoyed reading the part where Helen discovers who’s leading the enemy, the most. The giant war scene at the ending was fast-paced, dramatic and totally unpredictable- like the whole of the trilogy, really!

Helen really developed in this story the most, I think, than in the previous books. There was a rising tension throughout the story because she was really torn between Orion and Lucas. As so much background to the two love-interests, especially for Orion’s character, were introduced, it made it so hard to decide who I thought Helen should choose! However, I think the outcome of the whole love triangle was really great, and made for a happy ending for everyone, too. Helen also discovered a new Scion power within herself in this book, which I think is now my favourite of her Godly talents. She could create whole new worlds! the character’s creativity really shone through with that, and I think what she did with Every-land the world created by Helen, was used in a really genius way at the end. Helen also, I think, got a really big confidence boost in goddess, too!

Overall, Goddess was such a fun read. It tugged at my heartstrings, and had some really great plot twists that made the book a real roller-coaster of a journey. The characters developed so much, and I loved reading about them all. I also really adored the ending. It tied up all of the loose ends and was satisfying, happy… but I just wanted to read on: I love this author’s world and characters so much! I really want to read more from Josephine Angelini. Her writing is just so brilliant.

My Goodreads rating: 4/5!

I received Goddess from the publisher, in exchange for a review.

If you want to read my reviews of the previous books in the trilogy, click on their titles: STARCROSSED (#1), DREAMLESS (#2).

New books! #8

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sorry for not much blogging! I’ve been kinda busy, but I’ll be reviewing as often as I usually do from now on. Anyway, here’s the books I got this week!

Goddess

Goddess (Josephine Angelini)- I think I’ve posted this- last week! But oh well, here it is again because I’m currently reading it. I loved the previous two books in this trilogy so much! I was ecstatic to receive a copy of the grande finale in the post a few days ago. Thanks so much to Macmillan for a copy! My review will probably be up tomorrow.

Shadow and Bone (The Grisha, #1)

Shadow and Bone (Leigh Bardugo)- A big thanks to Indigo, Orion, for this one! Shadow and Bone looks absolutely awesome, and I’ve wanted to read it for a while. I was so happy when it arrived in the post, so I can’t wait to begin what so many people have written glowing reviews about!

Verity Fibbs Ash Mistry and the City of Death (Ash Mistry Chronicles, #2)

Verity Fibbs (Cathy Brett) and Ash Mistry (Sarwat Chadda)- I found these books, which I’ve been itching to read, today! They both look excellent and I can’t wait to start both of them!

Murder on the Orient Express (Hercule Poirot, #10)

Murder on the Orient Express, Poirot #10 (Agatha Christie)- I‘ve always wanted to start reading Agatha Christie and I found this on Dad’s bookshelf! It’s brilliant so far. I’m only a third of the way in, though. Review soon.

Happy reading everyone!

ACID

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By Emma Pass, published by Random House.

Acid

Goodreads synopsis: 2113. In Jenna Strong’s world, ACID – the most brutal, controlling police force in history – rule supreme. No throwaway comment or muttered dissent goes unnoticed – or unpunished. And it was ACID agents who locked Jenna away for life, for a bloody crime she struggles to remember.
The only female inmate in a violent high-security prison, Jenna has learned to survive by any means necessary. And when a mysterious rebel group breaks her out, she must use her strength, speed and skill to stay one step ahead of ACID – and to uncover the truth about what really happened on that dark night two years ago…

My review: ACID was one of the most thrilling books I’ve read this year! It had a really strong beginning that hooked me right in, and I honestly couldn’t stop reading. The plot was epic and a real adrenaline rush- there was no point where the action and drama faded! I loved reading every second of it. The whole story was totally unpredictable and the events unexpected. I thought this book would just cover a run for survival for Jenna Strong, but actually, it included first love, fights for freedom, hidden truths… even a terrorist gang set on blowing ACID to smithereens. There were some really great plot twists too that left me shocked and on the edge of my seat- especially the one that took place just after the halfway point of the story- not saying what happened, because I’ll spoil it!

Jenna Strong has got to be one of the best protagonists I have ever read about. She was strong, and independent, whereas in many books I’ve read the main character has been leaning on one person, and she could fight her own battles. Quite literally, with super-fast karate chops and guns and everything. She was a totally kick-butt heroine, and I loved her narration too. Her situation was understandable and well-explained through her narrative. In all, I loved her character so much. The story also had themes of identity, and self-discovery in it. I really enjoyed seeing Jenna develop as she has to pretend to be different people while on the run and finding out some shocking truths about her past.

Overall, ACID was one of my favourite reads of the year. It was fast-paced, dramatic and full of adventure. I enjoyed it so much and really didn’t want to finish it, because I so wanted to carry on reading about Jenna! And, I really loved how the story stayed in one narrative but also contained news reports from ACID and letters-from-a-secret-someone-who-I-won’t-reveal! It gave a really great 360 degrees perspective on how Jenna Strong’s breakout from prison had affected different characters. Strongly recommended to dystopia fans; this book had such a frighteningly real vision of the future that both terrified and interested me. Go pick up a copy of ACID now, this is a must-read!

I received ACID from the publisher, in exchange for a review.

The Watcher in the Shadows

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By Carlos Ruiz Zafon, published by Orion.

Goodreads synopsis: A mysterious toy-maker who lives as a recluse in an old mansion, surrounded by the mechanical beings he has created …an enigma surrounding strange lights that shine through the mists that envelop the small island on which the old lighthouse stands…a shadowy creature that hides deep in the woods…these are the elements of a mystery that bind will bind 14-year-old Irene to Ismael during one magical summer spent in the Blue Bay. He mother has taken a job as a housekeeper for the toy-maker, Lazarus, but his house contains more secrets than Irene and Ishmael have bargained for.

My review: The Watcher in the Shadows was absolutely amazing! The plot was original, and downright terrifying. The events played out really well, and there wasn’t a single boring page. The whole book was well paced and climatic, and every second was scarily realistic. I thought that the idea of an evil, unidentified shadow haunting a woman was really terrifying. That imaginative idea was made realistic through horrifically detailed diary entries by the ill woman. Also, the automatons, made by the toy-maker, were so scary! It was really interesting to find out why he made them. Also, I really loved the setting, and I think it made a really effective backdrop for an eerie tale- an old mansion on a small island. All of the above made for a really riveting tale about Irene, a girl who has just moved to the island, and discovers all of these dark secrets.

Irene was a really great protagonist, who was three-dimensional and believable Although the book was centered around other characters, too, I think I connected with Irene the most and understood her emotions more. Maybe that was because of her age and personality, but I also think that was because her emotions shone through much more than anyone else’s, and were really understandable. However, there was one point in the book where she and Ismael were facing a life-or-death situation, and I know that she was traumatized, but I really would have liked her to step in and help a bit more, because that would’ve made her a real hero. Also, I really loved seeing her relationship with her and Ismael develop throughout the events of the book, because their love for each other, I think, helped them get trough the ending.

Overall, The Watcher in the Shadows was an absolutely brilliant read. It was possibly the best ghost/horror story that I have read in ages! The characters were realistic, and their situation was terrifying and scary. I was on the edge of my seat throughout, and couldn’t stop reading this dramatic, horrific tale. To top off this amazing book, it also had a satisfying ending that brought a tear to my eye. It’s a great read, I think, for about 12 and up. Although I haven’t actually read the previous two books in the series, I could understand the book. I’ll be looking out for the previous titles, and more from Carlos Ruiz Zafon in the future!

I received The Watcher in the Shadows from the publisher, in exchange for a review.

City of Lost Souls

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By Cassandra Clare, published by Walker.

City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments #5)

Goodreads synopsis: What price is too high to pay, even for love? When Jace and Clary meet again, Clary is horrified to discover that the demon Lilith’s magic has bound her beloved Jace together with her evil brother Sebastian, and that Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is out to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. As Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle wheedle and bargain with Seelies, demons, and the merciless Iron Sisters to try to save Jace, Clary plays a dangerous game of her own. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost?
Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series.

My review: Wow! Out of all of TMI’s books, this one has definitely had the best plot. I absolutely loved the idea, and I think that the events played out really well. The idea of Jace getting ‘brainwashed’, in a way, by Sebastian, made for a really great book because it was really only the first complication in Jace and Clary’s relationship, after City of Ashes. I think that, towards the end, it made them a better couple as they had been through that shocking thing together and it made them closer. This installment was definitely much more fast paced, in my opinion, and there was a lot more going on. My only problem with that? The romance seemed to be taking over at parts. I was ecstatic to see that Isabelle and Simon, Maia and Jordan, were getting closer, and I think that their relationships developed well throughout the book, but it seemed to be taking over the action a little in places.

Clary still remained a strong protagonist. Her personality was just as great as it was in the previous TMI books, ad I adored her determination. She stuck with Jace all through the book, trying to save him, and I really liked that courage in her- because Sebastian could easily have made Jace kill her if she wanted, and yet she still strived to stay by his side. What I didn’t quite understand, though, was why she kept no contact at all with the rest of the shadowhunters, Simon, and Magnus Bane. At the beginning, she just left, and didn’t tell anyone why she was going or for how long, she just told Simon she was going to find Jace. If I were her, I wouldn’t have done that, because it left Magnus, Simon and the Lightwoods to work out what was going on themselves.

Finally, Sebastian. He definitely changed in this book and I’m still trying to get my head around it. He made an amazing (in a bad way, if that makes sense) antagonist, because he was ruthless and heartless. In this book, however, he underwent a massive change and seemed to become a kinder person who was trying not to become his father. Tat gave me really mixed emotions abut his character, because it gave off a sense of mystery and really made me want to read on to find out what his aim is.

Overall, City of Lost Souls was another brilliant read by Cassandra Clare. The plot was very different to past TMI books. but I loved the twists and turns in it that kept me on the edge of my seat. A lot of relationships, like the one between Magnus and Alec, were clearly portrayed and I understood them really well. I don’t know how she managed it, but Cassandra has managed to pack four relationships and their dilemmas and one action packed plot with many twists, into one book! I absolutely loved it, and now I’m impatiently waiting for the release of City of Heavenly Fire, next year!

I received this book as a birthday present from family.

New blog!

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My brother and I have set up a new blog, just for reviewing comics and graphic novels. So, instead of reviewing comics on this site, they’ll be on COMICS AND ARTISTS! My brother and I would really love it if you could check it out; we created it about an hour ago and although it hasn’t got any reviews posted yet, it will have some soon! The link is below…

http://www.comicsandartists.wordpress.com