Tag Archives: 2016 release

Book Review: Pretty Is by Maggie Mitchell

Published 21st April 2016 by Orion.

28016325 Goodreads Synopsis: Everyone thought we were dead. What else could they think?

One summer, nearly twenty years ago, two twelve year olds
were abducted and kept captive in the forest.

There they formed a bond that could never be broken.

What really happened in the woods that summer?

My Review: When this book came in the post, it looked like a really good read, and the ARC cover was fantastic. I picked it up on a whim, as just something to read between work. The premise sounded quite similar to lots of books I’ve seen before – I didn’t expect to be as blown away as I was! Pretty Is is a stunning, inventive novel, and I’m certain it’s going to be the big début of the year.

The plot is intricate and very well written. I became completely absorbed in the events of the book – it was so haunting and engaging. So many events spiral from the mysterious summer Carly May and Lois are kept in the woods – and all of these different stories come together two decades later incredibly cleverly. I had no idea where the plot could possibly be going from the opening pages right to the ending!

I adored how much time the story takes to delve into the lives of the main characters, and the psychological imprints their abduction left on them. It was incredibly chilling to read about, but also morbidly fascinating. The book is split into two narratives, Carly May’s and Lois’s. They both had incredibly strong and engaging voices, and seeing how differently they develop was really interesting.

Maggie Mitchell weaves mystery into her novel expertly. Pretty Is is so haunting and unpredictable. I loved how intricate the plot was – it’s such a classic-feeling crime story yet it’s written in such a complex, outstanding way. I finished it feeling like I still wanted to know a bit more about some aspects of the story, but overall, I was truly mesmerised by how powerful of a début Pretty Is was.

Overall, I really highly recommend Pretty Is to those who love chilling and psychological stories. Compelling, dark and addictive, it’s an incredible début novel from a very talented writer. I’m really looking forward to reading more by Mitchell in the future!

My Rating:

I received a copy of Pretty Is from the publisher. In no way at all did this affect my thoughts.

Phoenix Burning Blog Tour: Guest Post by Bryony Pearce

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I really enjoyed Phoenix Rising, the first instalment in a series set in the near future, where fossil fuels have run out. I was over the moon when asked to join the blog tour for its sequel! Continue reading to hear from Bryony Pearce, the author, about her experience with writing Phoenix Burning, which is out now.

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Writing a sequel for the first time by Bryony Pearce

The first novel I sold, Angel’s Fury, was a standalone. I had ideas about what I would write in a sequel, should I be asked for one, but the book was finished as it stood and I had many readers saying that they liked it for that – at the time I think there was a glut of YA series fiction and a standalone novel was something different for readers, who were perhaps getting bored waiting for a couple of years to find out how their favourite story ended.

The Weight of Souls was a bit different – it was bought as a stand-alone, but my editor wanted me to leave it open for a possible sequel. Book two was planned out and ready to go, when the publisher closed down. Readers were annoyed that The Weight of Souls ended on a cliff-hanger (the ancient Egyptian evil released from its tomb), but there was nothing I could do about it.

Phoenix Rising was always intended to be the first of a series. Stripes bought two books, so I knew that I would certainly be writing at least one more story in Toby’s world. So from the beginning of book one I was planning the sequel. Events in Phoenix Burning were seeded in Phoenix Rising (the sun worshippers, Ayla’s fear of fire, Toby’s missing mother, Hiko’s tattoo, the map, the near miss with the boiler) and I was careful to take notes that I could refer back to while writing a second book – key character descriptions, key events and so on.

Once Phoenix Rising was written, I was excited to get back into Toby’s world and write more of his story. As a reader I enjoy series fiction, mainly because I like to remain longer with the characters I love, and as a writer, it turns out that I like the aspect of this too. I enjoyed spending more time with Toby, allowing his character, and that of secondary protagonist, Ayla, to grow and develop even more.

By the end of Phoenix Rising, Toby has done some real growing up, but it is only at the end of Phoenix Burning, that the lessons he has been learning about trust and adulthood, really come home to him. At the start of Phoenix Rising Toby is a coddled child, by the end he is a teenager, but at the end of Phoenix Burning, he is an adult, making real decisions and taking responsibility for his actions. 28811837

Ayla on the other hand thought she was an adult at the start of Phoenix Rising and by the end of the arc, has had her confidence shaken and learns that she still has a lot of learning and growing still to do.

I really enjoyed being able to take elements seeded in Phoenix Rising and seeing where I could take them, and wind them through the next story, tying the two together. I hope that I have given the reader some real ‘a ha’ moments.

I particularly loved using the event at the very beginning of Phoenix Rising, the broken delivery line that almost causes the boiler to explode, as the thing that gives Toby the idea of how to escape the Greyman ship in Phoenix Burning.

Despite all my planning it was hard at times to write a sequel. It felt as if I’d been with Toby for so long, that it was easy to forget that only a few weeks had passed in his world. I ran the risk of making him too adult.

Sometimes I found myself forgetting important things and having to break my own cardinal rules bout re-reading my published novels, just to make sure that I got my facts right.

But really I love spending more time with Toby and I hope that you do too.

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A huge thank you to Bryony for talking about Phoenix Burning on this blog! I’m really looking forward to reading it. Phoenix Burning is available now, but if you haven’t read book one yet, you may want to check out my review 🙂

Book Review: Boy X by Dan Smith

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Published February 2016 by Chicken House.

28425665 Goodreads Synopsis: Kidnapped and drugged, Ash wakes up on a remote tropical island. His mum – a genetic scientist – has been imprisoned and infected with a deadly virus. Where is he, and what’s he doing there? He sets out to cross the jungle to find out and rescue his mother. Soon he realises he’s quicker and sharper than before. But there’s something else …why are the animals watching him, and how can he use the jungle to his advantage?

My Review: Dan Smith is a fantastic author, and I was so excited to hear about Boy X, his latest book! I made time to read it as soon as my copy arrived, as I was really interested by the synopsis.

Boy X begins when Ash McCarthy wakes up, a week after his father’s funeral, in a mysterious island lab where chaos has broken out. Confused and afraid, he meets Isabel, daughter of another scientist trapped and infected. Together, they have to face the depths of this peculiar jungle, racing against the clock to find the cure for the virus.

As always, Dan Smith’s writing is brilliantly paced and addictive – I read most of the book in one night, totally disregarding school work, because I was really eager to see the mystery unravel. I really enjoyed the plot – it’s gripping, but not overly complex so I think the story will appeal to a lot of different age groups.

The characters were really awesome – Ash and Isabel made a great team fighting their way across the jungle to work out the truth about the virus. I really loved their chemistry. It’s a little hard to talk about why I loved Ash without spoiling elements of the story – but I did really enjoy his back story and how well he tied into everything.

Overall, Boy X was a really fantastic read – it will definitely appeal to lots of readers, from MG fans to adults! Every book I read from Dan Smith just gets better and better. I can’t wait to see what he writes next. Recommended!

My Rating:

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

Cinnamon Girl Blog Tour: Review Graphic

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Today I’m sharing the first graphic I’ve made completely on Photoshop – which was a fun experience. Cinnamon Girl is such a brilliant book, and I hope you enjoy this post and that it makes you a little curious about it!

cinnamon girl infographic

I received a copy of The incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl from the publisher, in exchange for a review. In no way at all did this affect my thoughts.

Book Review: This is Where the World Ends by Amy Zhang

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Published March 22nd 2016 by Greenwillow Books (US)

24039424 Proof Synopsis: Janie and Micah, Micah and Janie.

That’s how it’s been ever since elementary school, when Janie Vivian moved next door.

It’s the perfect friendship – as long as no one finds out about it.

It’s the perfect friendship, until Janie Vivian disappears and Micah can’t remember when or how or why.

My Review: I started This is Where the World Ends not hugely knowing what it was about – and I raced through it, I couldn’t put it down. I loved living in the world of Janie and Micah, and unravelling the story of what happened to cause everything in their lives to change.

I wasn’t too sure of the book at first, as from the first pages, it had a very Paper Towns-y vibe to it – Janie is very much like Margo, although that was also a reason I was so fascinated by Janie – I love complex characters like that. However, the story is individual – it seems like it’s taken elements of some of the best contemporary books I’ve read, and combined them to make one fantastically feels-y book.

I think the best thing about This is Where the World Ends are its characters – their voices are incredibly strong and memorable, especially Janie’s. The story is written in three different ways – chapters are either ‘before’ in Janie’s narrative, ‘after’ in Micah’s narrative, or pages from Janie’s journals. The journals were perhaps the hardest-hitting parts of this book, which took a turn for the emotional.

I didn’t expect this book to be as emotionally-charged and poignant as it was. There are, especially towards the end, plenty of moments you’ll need tissues for. Just a heads up. The ending was not what I’d expected at all and left me wondering about the protagonists, especially Micah, for a long time afterwards.

Overall, I think This is Where the World Ends is a perfect read if you’re a fan of John Green or E Lockhart. It’s a powerful and moving novel about a close friendship, and how things can change so quickly and unexpectedly. There’s also quite a tragic mystery in its core, too, as you slowly piece together the night Micah lost his memory throughout the split narratives and diary entries. Definitely recommended!

My Rating:

four

I received a copy of This is Where the World Ends from the publisher, via Harper360, in exchange for a review. In no way at all did this affect my thoughts.

Book Review: Mind Your Head by Juno Dawson

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Published 16th January 2016 by Hot Key Books.

27799078 Goodreads Synopsis: We all have a mind, so we all need to take care of our mental health as much as we need to take care of our physical health. And the first step is being able to talk about our mental health. Juno Dawson leads the way with this frank, factual and funny book, with added information and support from clinical psychologist Dr Olivia Hewitt. Covering topics from anxiety and depression to addiction, self-harm and personality disorders, Juno and Olivia talk clearly and supportively about a range of issues facing young people’s mental health – whether fleeting or long-term – and how to manage them, with real-life stories from young people around the world. With witty illustrations from Gemma Correll.

My Review: It’s been fantastic to see that, over recent years, YA fiction has been increasingly representative of different mental health issues – and it was even more fantastic to see that a new, non-fiction book about it was coming out. Not only that, but Juno Dawson was writing it – arguably one of the best, versatile voices in YA fiction and non-fiction right now. I was over the moon when I received a copy!

Much like This Book is Gay, Mind Your Head is written equal part serious and witty. Juno is so great at making really important topics so easy to read for many audiences. Mind Your Head is a book you could devour in a night or so – I found all of the information in there incredibly useful and informative. It’s so brilliant that, despite not being an incredibly long book, Mind Your Head takes time to explore many different types of mental health issues and causes.

I can never fault Juno’s writing – she’s just perfect at writing anything for teenagers, no matter the genre or topic. With any similar sorts of books to this, I’d expect the information to be quite bombarding or written in a very straight-to-the-point detached style – but this book is nothing like that! The topics covered in this book are very serious and are rightly treated so – but Juno is so good at making reading about these things so engaging and accessible.

I think the input from clinical psychologist Dr Olivia Hewitt was really great! Her writing can be found in small extracts across the book, describing some details in a more in-depth style.

And, of course, I can’t not mention Gemma Correll. I adore her illustrations, as they’re all over the internet and are a fantastic addition to Being a Girl, another Hot Key non-fiction title. They’re just so funny and are a great addition to the book.

Overall, Mind Your Head is awesome – it’s a really well written, much needed book for all ages, and an important, informative book whether you are experiencing and mental health issues, or want to learn more. The book and its contents are presented in an engaign, visual way, with varied formats, visuals and illustrations. Definitely recommended. What can’t Juno write?! 🙂

My Rating:

four

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

COVER REVEAL: The Map of Bones by Francesca Haig

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It’s taking me a while to write coherent sentences for this post. I’m SO EXCITED GAAAHHHH.

Around this time last year a mysterious looking proof copy arrived at my house; branded with an A on the front, for Alpha. I still think the proof copy campaign for Alphas and Omegas is the coolest thing I’ve seen a publisher do, and The Fire Sermon was definitely a hugely talked about (and brilliant) book. I really enjoyed it. And now, the sequel is released very soon!

Today is the cover reveal for Map of Bones, out on the 7th of February. So, here it is!

I love it – from the Alpha and Omega symbols in the title, to the eerie skull which I’m curious to find out the meaning of!

What do you think of the cover?

Have you read book one and will you be reading the sequel?

Be sure to leave a comment with what you think! 🙂

Book Review: INFERNO by Cat Doyle

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Published January 7th 2016 by Chicken House Books.

Goodreads Synopsis: Sophie’s life has been turned upside-down, and she’s determined to set things right. But Nic, the Falcone brother who represents everything she’s trying to forget, won’t give up on their love – and it’s Luca’s knife she clutches for comfort. Soon another mafia clan spoils the fragile peace – and with her heart drawn in one direction and her blood in another, Sophie’s in deeper than ever.

My Review: Vendetta was, undoubtedly, one of the biggest UKYA books of last year – it was an epic story and it was everywhere online. When I read it, I enjoyed it, but not as much as others, which I was kind of sad about.

When I was asked if I’d like to read Inferno, I jumped at the chance to, because I really wanted to know what happened next! I ended up devouring the story over Christmas, and I enjoyed this instalment so much.

I think I enjoyed this book more because it was full of even more action and drama, and a little less romance. There are so many shocking plot twists, more than I remember there being in the first book. It was great! In Inferno, the story takes even more complicated turns: tensions between the Mafia families of Chicago are heightening, and rivalry is starting to result in violence. It was a nail-biting ride from start to finish!

The ending was fantastic, and fit the story perfectly – what Sophie discovers, and what happens as a result of that, is both horrifying and emotional. I guess it was inevitable, but I didn’t see it coming.

Sophie’s character really grew on me in this book. I didn’t dislike her before, but I just feel like this book displayed her personality so much better, and she develops so much more in this sequel. I’m really loving her story, and the complexity of it all.

Overall, Inferno was such a brilliant read! Packed full of action, tension and a little romance, it’s got something fro any YA reader. I’m really looking forward to the next book, now!

My Rating:

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

2016 Releases: Books on my To-Read List!

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Here’s a list of some books coming out in the next few months that I can’t wait for.

Also on this list (but with no final cover art yet, so I couldn’t make matching graphics!) are The Last Beginning by Lauren James, When She Came Back by Michelle Harrison and As I Descended by Robin Talley.

What new books are you looking forward to reading this year?

Book Review: Moth Girls by Anne Cassidy

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Publisher January 7th 2016 by Hot Key Books.

27766357 Goodreads Synopsis: Helplessly drawn like moths to the light, two girls go missing in an evocative and gripping tale . . .
They called them the Moth Girls because they were attracted to the house. They were drawn to it. Or at least that is what is written in the newspapers that Mandy reads on the anniversary of when her two best friends went missing. Five years have passed since Petra and Tina were determined to explore the dilapidated house on Princess Street. But what started off as a dare ended with the two girls vanishing. As Mandy’s memories of the disappearance of her two friends are ignited once again, disturbing details will resurface in her mind.

My Review: I really enjoyed Anne Cassidy’s Looking for JJ and Finding Jennifer Jones quite recently – so when I heard of her latest book, I was really looking forward to reading it!

Cassidy is a master of YA crime books – a genre I feel is a little neglected. Her writing is fantastic, her stories always suspenseful and addictive to read. This one was no different – I was sucked into the story straight away, eager to know what happened to Tina and Petra, the two girls who went missing after entering an almost-abandoned house. The pages were pretty much turning themselves – I read this over a day, I was so engrossed in it!

I really liked the angle of the book; it heavily focuses on how Mandy, the girl who didn’t go to the house, is affected by the events half a decade later. The emphasis on Mandy’s psychological state, and how she was affected by her relationships with the two girls, was really interesting – I would have loved to see more scenes of her counselling sessions, as the way Mandy unravels how she feels is so well written.

The book isn’t just centered around the main crime story – I found the back-story of Petra, one of the missing girls, to be my favourite part of the book. Cassidy tackles a lot of very sensitive themes well, I think, and some scenes between Petra and her father felt quite unnervingly real.

The story is told in various parts, switching between before the vanishings, and five years after them. The mystery unravels slowly throughout the book, and as soon as you think you’ve figured out what happened, there’s another plot twist. The ending did feel a little disjointed to me, as the final elements of the puzzle seemed to be put together a bit too fast. Although it did leave quite an adept cliffhanger, I would have liked to know one tiny bit! [The next sentence is a spoiler – highlight to read] I think the story with Mr Merchant and his money could’ve been solved a little better – what was it all about?

Overall, I think Moth Girls is a perfect, relatively short read for fans of crime, or those who want a brilliant book to get into the genre with. The plot is inventive, unexpected and hard to stop thinking about once you’ve started reading! Anne Cassidy’s characters are always so well-developed and enjoyable to read about. Recommended!

My Rating:

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