Tag Archives: contemporary

Book Review: Looking at the Stars by Jo Cotterill

Published by Bodley Head, 31st January 2014.

18041951 Goodreads Synopsis: Amina’s homeland has been ravaged by war for many months, but so far she and her family are safe, together.

When a so-called liberating force arrives in the country, the family think their prayers for peace will soon be answered, but they are horribly wrong . . . The country is thrown into yet further turmoil and Amina’s family is devastated . . .

Through it all, Amina has her imagination to fall back on – of a better place and time. But can her stories get her through this?

My Review: I’ve never read a book by Jo Cotterill before, but I’ll definitely be reading more from her! Looking at the Stars was beautifully written, uplifting and hopeful and influenced by recent wars and disasters. Looking at the Stars is set in an un-named country and revolves around a controlling, violent group, making it really relevant to recent events. It’s eye-opening, memorable, and a beautiful read.

The story begins with Amina, a girl living in her tense home country as foreign soldiers ride in, to hopefully help everybody out of the situation. Right away, I clicked with Amina; I really felt for her and her family as she went through devastating events, and some hopeful ones.

She’s a really relatable character, held back from letting her imagination out because she’s not allowed to go to school because she’s a girl. The things she went through completely broke my heart! However, Amina’s the brave, memorable, inspiring character I was hoping for and more. She develops so much throughout the story, and I found myself wanting to read more books about her after I closed the book.

The story is so easy to get lost in. From the first page, with that first line that hooked me in, I couldn’t tear myself away! I It’s gritty, sad and violent, not as I’d thought it would be, but it’s also a beautiful story of how hope can turn things around. Amina’s adventure is full of ups and downs as she loses people and finds friends. The story, especially in the last half, focuses largely around storytelling, and I really, really loved that. The imagery was so vivid and beautiful, especially in Amina’s fantastical stories! Jo’s writing is gorgeous.

Overall, Looking at the Stars was a moving read, full of heartbreak and friendship. It’s unpredictable; dark at some parts but really beautifully written. It focuses on current world topics that I don’t think I’ve ever read books about before- so I really recommend it! Amina and her sisters were so loveable, as were the rest of her family and the friends that they make along their journey. I can’t recommend Looking at the Stars enough; it’s definitely one of the most emotional, but the most eye-opening books I’ve read this year.

My Rating:

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

If you’re interested about Looking at the Stars and want to read more about the book, the blog tour is continuing today over at Readaraptor! Make sure to check out the blog tour post, and the finale tomorrow. If you’d like to catch up on the blog tour, here’s the schedule! Clicking on the image will bring you to my post from the blog tour.

Book Review: Leopold Blue by Rosie Rowell

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Published by Hot Key Books, 2nd February 2014.

Leopold Blue Goodreads Synopsis: Meg Bergman is fifteen and fed up. She lives in a tiny town in rural 1990s South Africa – a hot-bed of traditionalism, racial tension and (in Meg’s eyes) ordinariness. Meg has no friends either, due largely to what the community sees as her mother’s interfering attempts to educate farm workers about AIDS. But one day Xanthe arrives – cool, urban, feisty Xanthe, who for some unknown reason seems to want to hang out with Meg.

Xanthe arrives into Meg’s life like a hurricane, offering her a look at a teenage life she never knew existed. But cracks quickly begin to show in their friendship when Meg’s childhood friend Simon returns from his gap year travels. LEOPOLD BLUE is an emotionally taut and beautifully-written story from a debut author with a mesmerising voice.

My Review: I began Leopold Blue not entirely knowing what it would be about; only knowing that it was centered around a powerful friendship, in 1990’s South Africa. I had heard lots of really amazing things about it, though- so I started with high hopes! I really was quite blown away. Leopold Blue is a poignant and beautifully written debut. It’s captivating and emotional. The book begins with English Meg and her sister, living in a small town in the middle of nowhere, South Africa. Zanthe, rebellious and unique, starts at Meg’s school, and soon Meg realises Zanthe is a person she want to be like, and the two form an unforgettable bond, until things begin to slowly change after the arrival of Meg’s childhood friend.

I really loved the characters. Meg was quite likeable- I enjoyed reading about her, and her friendship complications. She’s a perfect representation of a teenage girl, who’s struggling to find her place. Zanthe is her almost her complete opposite; she’s ruthless, and rebellious, and I think I may have loved her a little more! I guess I liked Zanthe for her personality, though the ending was pretty… Whoa Zanthe Whyyyy??

The setting was the perfect backdrop for the story. The town, despite being too small and boring to Meg, is home to a lot of racial tension. I don’t know much about S.A., especially from the 90’s, but I think Rosie Rowell has definitely captured everything so well! The story and the setting was so vivid in my head. I loved Rosie’s writing- it was so beautiful!

The plot was really interesting. It covers friendship, and family, and has themes of peer pressure. It’s so relevant, to so many teenagers; definitely essential for young adults! I got a really great insight into 1990’s rural S.A., and enjoyed it all. There were some really shocking parts that I definitely wasn’t expecting. I think the main thing that I didn’t really enjoy, was the ending. It was so well written, and I think it was satisfying, but it seemed… abrupt? I wasn’t expecting the book to end like that; although it was a clever place to end the story, I still think I want to hear a lot more!

Overall, Leopold Blue was a really stunning debut, and as it says in the synopsis: Rosie Rowell really does have a mesmerising voice. I loved her writing- it just flowed so well, beautifully and packed with emotion. The characters were brilliant; especially Zanthe… I’m not sure how other people will see her, after certain points, though! Set in an exciting country at a really important time, I can’t recommend this more to every teenager for its themes, and to anybody who’s looking for a next big debut.

My Rating:

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

Page to Film: Adaptions I’m most excited for in 2014!

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There are so many other movies to be excited about,too! Debbie @ Snuggling on the Sofa made this brilliant post about them.

Leave a comment with what you’re most excited for! (: As well as these, I’m also excited about all the Marvel movies out soon, like X Men: Days of Future Past, Captain America: Winter Soldier, and Guardians of the Galaxy! I hope you enjoyed the graphic-y thing (:

Book Review: Boys Don’t Knit by T. S. Easton

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Published by Hot Key Books, 2nd January.

Boys Don't Knit Goodreads Synopsis: Ben Fletcher must get to grips with his more ‘feminine’ side following an unfortunate incident with a lollipop lady and a stolen bottle of Martini Rosso from Waitrose. All a big misunderstanding of course.

To avoid the Young Offenders unit, Ben is ordered to give something back to the community and develop his sense of social alignment. Take up a hobby and keep on the straight and narrow. The hot teacher he likes runs a knitting group so Ben, reluctantly at first, gets ‘stuck in’. Not easy when your dad is a sports fan and thinks Jeremy Clarkson is God.

To his surprise, Ben finds that he likes knitting and that he has a mean competitive streak. If he can just keep it all a secret from his mates…and notice that the girl of his dreams, girl-next-door Megan Hooper has a bit of a thing for him…Laugh-out-loud, often ridiculous, sometimes quite touching, and revelatory about the knitting world, Boys Don’t Knit is a must for boys and girls…

My Review: I was not expecting so many laughs and so much fun from this. I devoured the whole book cover to cover in one sitting; I literally couldn’t put it down! Tom’s book definitely isn’t one to miss this year.

Boys Don’t Knit is different from anything I’ve read. I read quite a lot of contemporary, but I’ve never come across something so original and something that brings such a big smile to my face as this. Ben’s accidental crimes were so funny, I couldn’t help but laugh as well as feel a little sympathetic. Ben decides a knitting class is the best for him out of a rather unappealing selection, mainly because the teacher he has a crush on is said to be running it. Ben’s knitting adventure is full of mishaps and classic laugh-out-loud moments. I loved reading about it! I literally had no idea where the book was going, but I wasn’t disappointed.

Ben reminds me of a male version of Tallulah Casey, from my old favourite Louise Rennison series, because they’re both such hilarious, brilliant protagonists. His family’s rather strange, and his secret obsession is the last thing boys are expected to be taking up, and anyone who reads his story will at least smile. Ben and his knitting obsession is hard to dislike. He’s so different from his friends, and really stands out. I loved the way that his knitting club, something he was half-dreading, turns into a lifestyle, and completely changes his life in a lot of ways. Ben’s such a memorable character. More like him in books in future, please!

I was giggling like a maniac for the most part, literally from the first page. The story starts at a hilarious point with his parents and from then on, I knew the book definitely was as hilarious as I’d been told. Reading this in one sitting at home, I guess I was kind of lucky. People would’ve thought I was a bit made if I read it in public. Tom’s writing is witty and sharp, and it’s so hard not to giggle at a lot of points. It’s a book I think both girls and boys will love, and I’m definitely going to be recommending it to anyone and everyone.

Overall, Boys Don’t Knit, was just awesome. The plot was witty but captured a teenage boy’s life really well, and how hard it is to fit in when you have a hobby no one else has. I’ve never seen or read a book anything like it before, and it’s a must whether you’re a boy or a girl, a teenager or an adult. It’s a laugh-out-loud book that I think might be the funniest book I’ve read in a good few months! Bonus: HUNGER GAMES REFERENCES. (“I’m Katnisssssss!” – you will understand after reading). I loved Ben, and Megan and Ben’s teacher-crush and practically everyone. I can’t recommend it enough!

My Rating:

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I received a copy of Boys Don’t Knit from the publisher, in exchange for a review. In no way at all did this affect my thoughts.

The Christmas Spirits

A Boy Called Hope

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By Lara Williamson, published by Usborne.

Goodreads Synopsis: I’m Dan Hope and deep inside my head I keep a list of things I want to come true.
For example, I want my sister, Ninja Grace, to go to university at the North Pole and only come back once a year.
I want to help Sherlock Holmes solve his most daring mystery yet. And if it could be a zombie mystery, all the more exciting.
I want to be the first eleven-year-old to land on the moon.
I want my dog to stop eating the planets and throwing them up on the carpet.
And finally, the biggest dream of all, I want my dad to love me.
A Boy Called Hope is a brave, bold and funny debut about family in all its shapes and sizes.

My Review: Upon finishing this, I literally had no words. I was actually speechless: I wasn’t expecting such a poignant, beautifully written, heart-breaking-and-heart-warming story- from a debut novel! As soon as I’d finished the last chapter (for the fourth time) I knew this had to be my new favourite title of the year. A Boy Called Hope is set to become an outstanding, award winning novel, I’m sure, thanks to the unforgettable plot and the beautiful writing style.

A Boy Called Hope is about Dan, an eleven year old whose dad left his family years ago. His father is now famous, his dog keeps eating everything, his sister is a Word Ninja, and his friend is obsessed with religious artifacts. Dan’s story is about his search to see if his dad, who never kept contact, still loves him. Along the way there he has to face so many other difficulties: family-wise and friendship-wise. Lara Williamson has captured an eleven year old’s voice perfectly! The story was so believable. I didn’t want to let go of the characters, and the story, when I was nearing the end. It was reminiscent of John Green’s and Annabel Pitcher’s writing, as it was brutally honest and emotional.

Dan is really three-dimensional character. He’s funny at points, clever at others, and always carries this inspiring amount of hope with him wherever he goes. Dan put a smile on my face with every page and I’m sure every reader will fall in love with his personality. His story is so heartwarming. At the same time, it’s also heartbreaking. A Boy Called Hope covers a lot of issues, though mainly it’s about a father-son relationship. I think Lara captured that bond, and the effects of it breaking, so effectively. It brought tears to my eyes- happy ones as well as sad ones! His family life is complicated, but I could connect to all of the characters in his life in one way or another. The ending for Dan’s family was sad in one aspect, though brilliant and uplifting in another!

Overall, A Boy Called Hope is a 2014 debut that you do not want to miss, whatever age you are. The writing is beautiful, honest, and enjoyable: Lara Williamson made me feel like I was really reading a diary from an eleven year old boy. Her writing is honest, heart-wrenchingly sad and powerful… but it’s uplifting and fun too. The plot is so unpredictable- a real roller-coaster, and the ending was definitely not what I expected! You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll fall in love with the characters and the ending will make you itch for more about Dan and his unforgettable life. A Boy Called Hope isn’t to be missed- it’s essential for Middle-Graders and up… make sure to look out for it in March!

My Rating:

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

Pivot Point

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By Kasie West, published by Harper Collins (US).

Pivot Point (Pivot Point, #1) Goodreads Synopsis: Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

My Review: WOW. Just, quite simply, WOW. This book was just mind blowing. It was so original, and thought provoking, and a brilliant science-fiction twist on a real-life situation, and I could literally talk about the concept for hours.

Addie is a girl living in a compound that we never get to know the full secrets behind, which annoyed me. (Though I’m guessing that’s to come in book 2, Split Second!) IT’s a mysterious town hidden away in America, where all of the residents have different kinds of powers- mostly mind powers. Some are telekinetic, or telepathic, or if you’re like Addie; at points where you have to make decisions, you can view the two paths you could take, before choosing one. Not reading the synopsis properly, I didn’t realise that the book was split into two worlds; two alternating chapters…

Addie comes home from her high school, to find out that her parents want her to make a life-changing decision: Who does she live with, Mum or Dad, when they split up? Utterly torn by the decision, Addie uses her Search skills, to view the futures she would have in either path, Mum or Dad. I was confused at first because I didn’t realise that every other chapter was of the different search, but once I’d realised that, I was amazed. I was really worried that the story would jumble up- there are, effectively, two different stories happening at once- but miraculously, it didn’t. Kasie West’s writing is immaculate. I understood everything perfectly- and the format was so original, and unlike anything that I’ve ever seen before.

Both plots (I’ll have to refer to them as two separate things! Though, they do link in places- that sounds confusing… but read this and it’ll all make sense!) were really well thought out. I couldn’t decide which one I preferred. In one Path, Addie moves out of the Compound to live in the real world, where she must conceal her powers. In another world, she stays in the Compound with one parent, but in both of the Paths, events behind to take place that shake everything up. I was so hooked on both of the stories; devouring each chapter, eager to read on. Kasie’s cleverly used cliffhangers to her advantage., and it definitely worked.

Addie is a character that I loved to read the story of. I could relate to her really easily, through her realistic teenage problems, to her love of books (yay!). She has a best friend who I also absolutely adored… and the last events of the book had me so scared for her, but I don’t think I can say much more than that without spoiling things. Addie has a very complex sort of love story woven into her life (lives?). IN one path, she meets a new boy who isn’t Gifted like her. However, in another path, she dates a boy with Gifts, who she has known vaguely for a while. Though you don’t get to know much about Addie’s opinions on her Path choices, you can interpret them- it’s obvious she really struggled with what side to pick. I loved her final decision, though.

As I was reading quite fast, utterly addicted to the story, I found the ending to the novel quite abrupt. I had to read over it a few times, for the result to actually sink in, and was a little bit disappointed the epilogue wasn’t slightly longer. I’m really interested to see what happens in the sequel, Split Second. I hope it’s in a format like this one was, with two different choices, and more detailing on the background of this supernatural Compound. Though, I think Pivot Point would be good as a simple standalone, because it keeps you thinking about the plot and the character long after you put it down.

Overall, Pivot Point is, as I said at the beginning, mind blowing. The concept is very powerful, and there is actually nothing I can compare it to. Well done, Kasie, for creating a book that I think I’ll be re-reading a lot, until I can grab a copy of the sequel! Addie is such an unforgettable protagonist. I loved her Talent, and the way that she dealt with everything. The plots were quite different but some of the events were similar- the two Paths were cleverly linked in places. I’m now really excited for the sequel, Split Second- As I have no idea what could happen in that, but I really badly want to re-visit Addie’s unique world again.

My Rating:

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

Amber

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By Julie Sykes, published by Curious Fox Books.

Amber Goodreads Synopsis: How do you live by the rules if you don’t know what they are?

Amber’s lost her memory. She doesn’t even know her real name. The only clues to her identity are a beautiful amber necklace and a broken mobile phone. She’s determined to learn the truth about her past life, and the secrets she’s hiding, but how many rules will she break along the way?

My Review: I was so excited to start this! Pretty cover? Check. One of the first titles from a new publisher? Check. Mysterious synopsis? Check. 😀 I read this in October and thought I had published the review, but found out that I hadn’t! A HUGE apology to Curious Fox! (I can still be in #TeamFox, right…? ;D)

The synopsis made me want to read this story so much, so I dived straight in, as soon as my copy arrived. Luckily, I wasn’t disappointed. Amber was packed full of action, drama, and a splash of romance that livened up the otherwise rather dark aspects of the story.

The plot was really great. I was hooked on this story; reading it between lessons at school was really hard- I just wanted to ignore maths and get on with it! Addictive is a very appropriate word. I devoured the story in a couple of days, utterly absorbed into the story, and sitting on the edge-of-my-form-class-seat, holding back fangirly gasps from the plot twists, so my class wouldn’t think I was weird. Amber was a really unpredictable book- one minute, I thought I had everything sussed out- but I hadn’t. I was so far off the actual result. A real thriller of a book!

The story begins as what seems like a contemporary book, with the summer camp. I just got used to that, enjoying the tension between some characters, almost forgetting that Amber has this special past. Then, things started to unravel for Amber, and the rest of the book was very clever, in terms of plot twists, form then on!

Amber was a character that I loved throughout. She was as confused as me about her past from the beginning of the book. That’s what I love about this book: You form a bond with the main character, because you’re both shocked as more is revealed about the character’s past. There’s a really intriguing supernatural conspiracy to it. I found some parts a little strange- for example, I couldn’t get on with the idea of Amber’s real past at first, and a few parts were revealed quite quickly. The reveal of Amber’s past could have been more suspenseful, but it was interesting all the same. Also, Amber, to me, didn’t seem that emotional about her past, to me, and I’m not sure why.

Overall, Amber was a really thrilling read- apologies for what’s not the greatest review ever- this was half-written from straight after I’d read the book, and half written-just-now as I realised I’d never gotten this post up! The plot was really great, and had me hooked on the story. I loved Julie’s writing, and I’d really enjoy reading more books by her in the future- especially a sequel to Amber! (Hint, hint!) This book has a memorable protagonist, who you can relate to, as well as supernatural aspects that means any sci-fi lover will enjoy it. Fans of both contemporary and sci-fi will devour this book, as I did!

My Rating:

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

The Memory Game (Buddy Read with Charli!)

UNREST

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We’re drawing closer to Halloween now… and what better book to be one of the finishing Halloween Reads recommendations than a spine-chilling, ghostly thriller? This book was terrifying- great to curl up with when you’re not trick-or-treating this Halloween!

By Michelle Harrison, published by Simon & Schuster.

Unrest Goodreads Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Elliott hasn’t slept properly for six months. Not since the accident that nearly killed him. Now he is afraid to go to sleep. Sometimes he wakes to find himself paralysed, unable to move a muscle, while shadowy figures move around him. Other times he is the one moving around, while his body lies asleep on the bed. According to his doctor, sleep paralysis and out of body experiences are harmless – but to Elliot they’re terrifying. Convinced that his brush with death has opened up connections with the spirit world, Elliott secures a live-in job at one of England’s most haunted locations, determined to find out the truth. There he finds Sebastian, the ghost of a long-dead servant boy hanged for stealing bread. He also meets the living, breathing Ophelia, a girl with secrets of her own. She and Elliott grow closer, but things take a terrifying turn when Elliott discovers Sebastian is occupying his body when he leaves it. And the more time Sebastian spends inhabiting a living body, the more resistant he becomes to giving it back. Worse, he seems to have an unhealthy interest in Ophelia. Unless Elliott can lay Sebastian’s spirit to rest, he risks being possessed by him for ever, and losing the girl of his dreams…

My Review: UNREST was an awesome ghost story. Right from the beginning I was captivated by Michelle Harrison’s terrifying plot! This book’s perfect for a Halloween read- or if you want a serious scare…
Plot wise, the book was brilliant. It’s a bit disappointing, actually, that the synopsis gives quite a lot away. Without that blurb on the back, it would be utterly unpredictable. Apart from the parts of the book it talked about on the blurb though, it was very hard to predict! I wasn’t expecting any of what happened. Michelle is an expert at writing terrifying, layered plots, packed with plot twists.

There were a lot of intertwining parts of the story, and I was kind of scared that ends wouldn’t tie together very well. It was less than a hundred pages from the end, and not much had been resolved… there was the mysteries behind Hodge; Ophelia; Tess the ghost; Sebastian the ghost… I was scared things would be forgotten and I’d be left wanting more of the story. Well, everything was resolved and linked together in a way I can’t describe in words other that genius, and I was left wanting more for a GOOD reason!

Michelle’s writing was brilliant. I can’t remember much of her writing style in the Thirteen trilogy, sadly, thought I can remember loving those books a couple of years ago. UNREST was written superbly. Harrison’s writing conveys so much tension and suspense, and I felt like I was there. I know I probably say that a bit in reviews, but this time it was vivid- I really did feel like I was watching Tess in an out of body experience; I felt like I’d had my body stolen by Sebastian; I felt like I was watching ghosts appear on a museum tour. I found the writing so descriptive and beautiful.

Elliott was such a flawless main character. He was very realistic, and his background was really well explained. I knew exactly what had happened to him, and it made me sympathize with him throughout the whole story. His story was riveting, and scary- I’d never be able to confront ghosts like he does, in this book! I adored his relationship with Ophelia: She was, too, a really amazing character. They’re both really unique protagonists. I want to read more about them! (Hint, Michelle Harrison, hint! :D). There were multiple points when I didn’t trust multiple character. A main one was Hodge. I can’t really detail on this- but I’ll just say that some characters can’t be trusted…

Overall, Unrest was a novel I absolutely loved reading, and it’s a book I think I’ll re-read again and again. The character were unforgettable, and I didn’t want to let them go at the end of the book. The setting was interesting, and so was the ghostly aspect of the book. I’ve also gotten really interested in the subject of out-of-body experiences now! The plot is complex and clever- the twists and turns in the story will get you hooked on this book. It’s a great novel as a standalone- I don’t think anything should be added, in fear of spoiling the story- but I want to read more at the same time! I can’t wait for more books from Michelle Harrison. She’s a fantastic author… I’ll stop now. I’ve written a long enough review!

My Rating:

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My Dad received a copy of UNREST in exchange for a review. Then I stole it a while after to review it myself. In no way at all did this (The source, not the stealing-from-Dad’s-bookshelf, obviously ;D) affect my thoughts.