Tag Archives: romance

Witchstruck

By Victoria Lamb, published by Corgi.

Goodreads synopsis: Meg Lytton has always known of her dark and powerful gift. Raised a student of the old magick by her Aunt Jane, casting the circle to see visions of the future and concocting spells from herbs and bones has always been as natural to Meg as breathing. But there has never been a more dangerous time to practice the craft, for it is 1554, and the sentence for any woman branded a witch is hanging, or burning at the stake.

Sent to the ruined, isolated palace of Woodstock to serve the disgraced Elizabeth, daughter of Henry VIII and half-sister of Queen Mary, Meg discovers her skills are of interest to the outcast princess, who is desperate to know if she will ever claim the throne. But Meg’s existence becomes more dangerous every day, with the constant threat of exposure by the ruthless witch-finder Marcus Dent, and the arrival of a young Spanish priest, Alejandro de Castillo, to whom Meg is irresistibly drawn – despite their very different attitudes to her secret.

My Review: Witchstruck was an extremely enjoyable book! I wasn’t entirely sure it would work at first, quite honestly- a paranormal romance? In the Tudor era?- but I still was really curious to see what the book would be like. On reading it, I was totally sucked into Meg’s world full of witchcraft, secrets, and lies. The concept definitely worked, and it’s so original. From the first page I was really interested in Meg’s story, as she assists with her aunts’ illegal magick with Elizabeth in a dark cell in the middle of the night. Very rebellious with a paranormal twist, so I instantly fell in love with this idea. Who wouldn’t? I also loved the setting. As already said, Witchstruck is set in the Tudor era. The author has captured this medieval world immaculately, and I found myself not wanting to leave it once the book ended! More specifically, the book is set in an isolated-to-the-world area, called Woodstock, where Meg Lytton waits on Elizabeth, after she was banished by her sister. It was all so realistic, because it is actually true that Elizabeth was under house arrest in Woodstock. I found it very clever how Victoria Lamb has entwined the fantasy with the facts, keeping everything accurate but adding a fantastical element that makes the story so exciting!

The plot was really great. There was a great build up to the story, with the beginning pages showing Meg, her aunt, and Elizabeth committing treason of Witchcraft. That set the tone for the rest of the story very well. It was so predictable that Meg was going to fall head over heels for Alejandro, a Spanish priest sent to keep Elizabeth true to Catholic faith, practically as soon as she saw him, but it was pretty enjoyable to read their journey, as they meet and get closer. The synopsis of this story, and the blurb of the book makes the book seem ridiculously romantic, but I didn’t really see it like that. It was more of rebellion, in my opinion, as I think the most romantic pages of the book were the last few: where a really happy ending (or beginning, as it is for book two!)take place, that I won’t tell you, so you’ll have to read this to find out, takes place!

Meg was a really great character. I understood her straight away; realised she was so scared of being caught but so eager to practice her paranormal gift. I really admired that determination with her- as that seemed to make her such a realistic, three-dimensional character. I really enjoyed watching her become close to Alejandro, and her emotions were just so real… and very well shown through the writers words. As well as Meg, I also quite liked Alejandro. He was a little mysterious: not much was revealed about him. However, he was made to be such a likeable character. He seemed to me like the Jace Wayland (heartthrob of City Of Bones, by Cassandra Clare) or the Tudor era!

As for the writing, Victoria Lamb obviously has some real talent. She’s made a subject, the Tudor era- a topic I’ve been over so many times in school, seem fresh and new, and much more fun to read about. I love her style of writing so much. I got a detailed, brilliant understanding of Meg and her struggles through a flawless narration!

Overall, Witchstruck was a really great piece of historical fiction. I’m really starting to get into the genre, though I’ve only ever read as historical as the Victorian Era. However, Witchstruck has given me a great introduction to Tudor stories, and ‘m really looking forward to reading more books like this! The plot was really great, and the author’s idea just genius. She’s combined interesting, intriguing facts with imaginative magick that spices up the story. I really loved it! Thanks to the amazingly awesome Harriet, I have a copy of Witchfall, the sequel, too. I really can’t wait to begin it; the effective ending to this book was a really shocking cliffhanger, in a way!

My Rating:

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

Nineteen Eighty-Four

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By George Orwell, published by Penguin.

Nineteen Eighty-Four Goodreads synopsis: Winston Smith works for the Ministry of truth in London, chief city of Airstrip One. Big Brother stares out from every poster, the Thought Police uncover every act of betrayal. When Winston finds love with Julia, he discovers that life does not have to be dull and deadening, and awakens to new possibilities. Despite the police helicopters that hover and circle overhead, Winston and Julia begin to question the Party; they are drawn towards conspiracy. Yet Big Brother will not tolerate dissent – even in the mind. For those with original thoughts they invented Room 101 . . .

My Review: Nineteen Eight-Four was such a brilliant read! I’ve been meaning to read it for ages, and finally spotted it in my school library. Then borrowed it. Then devoured the whole thing in about a day, because it was just so addictive!

The story began really well. Instantly, I disliked Big Brother- from the first paragraph, describing that super creepy poster. The whole set-up was very eerie and suspicious. The world that Orwell has built in this book is just so imaginative; intriguing and scary at the same time. The Big Brother and the Government are trying to develop a new language to avoid people being able to speak rebellious thoughts, and telescreens in every single room monitor actions and can call in police if you stick one foot out of line. It’s a pretty terrifying vision of the future!

The plot was great, too. Well written, and rich in detail, it was just so entertaining to read. Throughout the whole story,I honestly didn’t have a clue where the story line was headed. I loved how Winston was mislead by Julia’s spy-like actions, and then how they came together and became a rebellious duo. Towards the ending, there were some truly brilliant plot twists that threw Winston and Julia apart in the most unpredictable of ways. I’d been brainstorming ways Winston and Julia might face capture, but the way they did was so unexpected, and left me in a state of shock for the rest of the novel. There were lots of pretty scary parts, too, at the ending. Room 101 terrifies me, thanks to Winston’s terrifying encounter with it. If I ever have another English class in that room (one of my school English classrooms is 101!), I think I might be more than a little scared.

Winston, at first, I didn’t really like. His negative thoughts towards Julia, before they were together, were really a little too harsh, and made me think that he was always going to be a really bitter character. In fact, it wasn’t for a while that I started to like him. As his relationship with Julia began to blossom, he didn’t seem to really, truly care about her much. However, all of that was abolished when things began to get more dangerous in the city, and I was totally rooting for him to get out of everything okay near the ending.

I think that Julia was an okay supporting character. Nothing too special, but made for an enjoyable character to read about. She was quite basic- not much background information was given on her, much unlike Winston. Maybe, if I’d gotten to know a bit more about her, and if Orwell had given her some visible emotions, I would have loved her much more.

Overall, Nineteen Eighty-Four was a really great classic read. It’s a brilliant dystopian, and obviously a must for fans of dystopic novels- because, as I’ve heard, most are based on Nineteen Eighty-Four! The world-building was just immaculate- it felt so real. The setting definitely had a big impact on me as a reader, because it’s believable, in a way, that London could actually soon become this. I liked the characters, and although they’re not my favourite protagonists ever, I do admit that I really did enjoy reading about them. If you’re a fan of classic novels, dystopia novels, or looking for a very terrifying read, then Nineteen Eighty-Four is definitely for you!

My Rating:

I honestly had a very hard time rating this book! The characters put it down a little bit at the beginning, but the world building was just so brilliant. So, my original rating of three has now gone up to a four, just because of the plot and setting, really.

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I borrowed a copy of Nineteen Eighty Four from my school library.

The Taming of the Tights

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By Louise Rennison, published by HarperCollins.

The Taming of the Tights (Misadventures of Tallulah Casey #3) Goodreads synopsis: Gadzooks! It’s another term at Dother Hall for Tallulah and her mates. But can they keep their minds on the arts with all those boys about…
After the thing-that-will-never-be-mentioned last term, Tallulah is keen to put all thoughts of Cain behind her. But that seems like that the last thing he wants.
Their performing arts college may have been saved by Honey’s mystery benefactor, but for how long is anyone’s guess. So will Tallulah finally get to wear those golden slippers of applause or will Dr Lightowler swoop down on her glory days?
Don your craziest tights and Irish dance your way to some surprising and hilariously unexpected answers…

My review: Hooray, more Tallulah!! I loved the first two books in the Tallulah Casey series so much, and was ridiculously excited when this came. Louise Rennison’s previous books have been so brilliant, quirky and hilarious, and this one was no different. Before Tallulah had even arrived at Dother Hall for another term, she’d already made me laugh out loud a good few times. Things only got wittier as the term started, with Tallulah’s crazy love life, teachers, and friends. The plot was just brilliant, again focused around a school play (The Taming of the Shrew, hence the altered title of this book). I sped through the book, desperate to know what happens to all of my favourite comedy characters, and there wasn’t a single chapter that was boring.

I fell in love with Tallulah’s personality all over again in this third book in her series. Usually in books, I don’t like the make-up loving girly-girls, and prefer the kick-butt heroines, but Tallulah is one of my exceptions. She’s just so funny! A unique, cheeky protagonist, Tallulah always seems to make a mess of things in the most humorous ways possible. I just adore her, and I really like how she got really close to Charlie in this story. They make such a cute couple, and their date-ish thing about two thirds into the book just made me laugh so much.

As well as Tallulah, I also love her friendship group, The Tree Sisters. All of them are really awesome. They’re not as funny as Tallulah (though Jo kinda was in this installment), but I really do enjoy reading about their misadventures too. Jo in this book had quite a large part, thanks to the hilarious incident with Phil. I won’t go into detail about it, but it is one of the funniest points in the book.

Ooh, another point- THE DEAD RABBIT WAVING!!! You probably now think I’m mad. But, in the past two books, Rennison has put in the author’s note that she had this grim scene of a dead rabbit, but her family wouldn’t let her put it in. However, she snuck it in here. I’ve been wanting to read the scene so badly, even though it’s only a paragraph long. I was absolutely ecstatic when it appeared in the book. Look out for it. You shall laugh your head off, or cry because of the grimness. I laughed.

Overall, The Taming of the Tights was another brilliant read from another brilliant author. It’s crammed with ridiculously funny characters, and events, and there’ll be at least one point where you’ll find yourself laughing. Although I think the ending was a little too cheesy for me, the plot was just amazing. I honestly can’t wait for a next book (hurry, Louise Rennison, I want more!! :)). Just don’t read this in public, because people will probably give you funny looks because you’ve suddenly burst out laughing on the train, or something. This series is an absolute must for teenage girls!

My Rating:

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I received an ARC of The Taming of the Tights from the publisher, in exchange for a review. In no way at all did this affect my thoughts.

GLOSS

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By Marilyn Kaye, published by Macmillan.

Goodreads synopsis: New York, 1963.
Fashion, music and attitudes are changing, and there’s nowhere in in the world more exciting. Sherry, Donna, Allison and Pamela have each landed a dream internship at Gloss; America’s number-one fashion magazine.
Each girl is trying to make her mark on New York and each finds herself thrown head-first into the buzzing world of celebrity, high-end fashion and gossip. But everything isn’t as glamorous as it seems – secrets from the past threaten to shatter their dreams.
They’re finding out that romance in New York is as unpredictable and thrilling as the city itself.

My review:

GLOSS was a seriously great read. I requested a copy because it looked like a really good introduction for me to a genre I don’t normally read. I wasn’t quite sure if I would enjoy something that wasn’t fantasy/set in the modern era, but GLOSS was brilliant!

The story started off with Sherry, the first of the four new interns at the 60’s fashion magazine, GLOSS. I didn’t really like her character from the first chapter. She was portrayed as the kind of girl who was popular, and a bit of a show-off. However, as I got to know her a bit more throughout the story, I grew to like her much more. The same went for Pamela, another intern. The other two protagonists, Alison and Donna, I really liked straightaway because of their unique personalities that made them different to the other glamour-loving GLOSS interns. All four main characters were likeable once I’d gotten to know them. I felt sympathy for them and they really did feel like real, three-dimensional people that lived off of the ages. They all had brilliantly developed backgrounds that were just so realistic- one especially was terrifying. Everything about them was in detail, also the author has written their stories perfectly. The novel’s focuses were shared out equally between the four interns with chapters that had switching between characters.

I think the idea was really great, and there’s really not anything like it on YA store bookshelves at the moment. The story is set in 1963, where fashions are changing rapidly and four teenage interns are about to start summer working at the offices of GLOSS, the biggest teenage fashion magazine of the decade. I’ve never really ever come across Young Adult books set in the sixties, despite it being a pivotal decade for teenagers. GLOSS has captured the era perfectly and effectively. It’s the perfect setting for the characters and the plot. The offices are in New York City, where each of the girls have their own place of interest to explore. I think that the setting was really effective because the four teenagers discovered so much about the city that never sleeps- the good and the bad aspects.

The plot played out really well, and I enjoyed it so much. The plot covered teenage love life, sixties fashion, journalism, and so much more in a brilliant story-line. I think that the flashbacks to Donna’s past were really gripping and moving. They added a kind of haunting hint of nostalgia to a bit of the plot. The other events played out really well. Many parts were very shocking and unpredictable- a lot of things were going on at once between all four characters but I think that just pulled me in and kept me reading.

Overall, GLOSS was such a great read, and I’d really recommend it to fans of contemporary fiction and real-life dramas. At some points, it felt modern. At others, it was like a flashback to the most brilliant musical, fashionable moments of the nineteen-sixties. The whole story, I think, was probably really hard to pull off- four different girl’s separate adventures in one book could have easily been confusing and too jam-packed for a single novel. However, I think Marilyn Kaye has written the book really, really exceptionally well. From a teenager’s point of view, it was uplifting, gripping, and shocking all at once. I loved all of the characters, especially Donna, and I was thinking about them long after I put the book down. A great read for teenage girls with an interest in vintage fashion or pursuing a journalism career!

My Goodreads rating: 4/5!

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

Half Lives

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By Sara Grant, published by Indigo (Orion).

Goodreads synopsis: Present day: Icie is a typical high school teenager – until disaster strikes and her parents send her to find shelter inside a mountain near Las Vegas.
The future: Beckett lives on The Mountain – a sacred place devoted to the Great I AM. He must soon become the leader of his people. But Beckett is forced to break one of the sacred laws, and when the Great I AM does not strike him down, Beckett finds himself starting to question his beliefs.
As Beckett investigates The Mountain’s history, Icie’s story is revealed – along with the terrifying truth of what lies at the heart of The Mountain.
Sara Grant’s HALF LIVES is a dystopian chronicle of the journeys of two unlikely heroes in their race against time to save future generations.

My review: Half Lives is, possibly, the most emotional and brilliant book I have read all year! I was really looking forward to reading it, seeing as I’d seriously enjoyed Sara’s Dark Parties. It started off really well- I was immediately absorbed into the life of Icie, and everyday teenager, and was curious to see how Icie’s world was going to change forever and why. Then, the narrative switched to that of Beckett, who worships ‘The Great I AM’ on the same mountain Icie is travelling to take refuge on. I was really confused at how that related to Icie’s tale, but after a few chapters in the different perspectives, both hundreds of years apart, I got the hang of it and it really was quite clever.

Icie’s story was a brilliant mix of dystopia and hope and survival. After this disease (Which I would’ve liked a bit more explanation of) was released and the general chaos in America began, this heart-stopping adventure ensued for Icie, and she picked up three very different people on the way. I liked the constant conflicts between the four unlikely survival group as they tried to start over a new life in a cave with limited food supplies. Just past the middle, things in Icie’s apocalyptic world began to fall apart and spiral out of control as the disease began to claim the mountain. I can’t really say anything more about it, because I’ll end up revealing the plot twists towards the end! What I will say, though, is that it gets heart-breaking and terrifying, with some real knuckle-biting moments, but then the ending for Icie’s tale is actually really sweet and brought a happy tear to my eye.

Icie was such a brilliant protagonist. She went through so much throughout the book and there was a lot of visible development in her character. Her relationship with Chaske was a little predictable- of course she’d win him!- and I really liked her friendships with Marissa and Tate, the other survivors. She adapted to her whole new, changed and broken world like any human would- which is what I loved about her. Her emotions and actions were really realistic and believable. I really felt like she was a real person, and that I was with her during her terrifying tale. I was so happy for her at her happy ending to a sad story!

Beckett’s world was so much different from Icie’s. He lives on the mountain Icie did hundreds of years before him, and is a heavy worshipper of ‘The Great I AM’ who generations before him- you’ve probably guessed who that really is. I actually found a lot of the worships and prayers quite funny, because Beckett and his ‘cheerleaders’ (You’ll get why they’re called that a while into the book) kept referencing to ‘The Great Facebook’ and things like that, from The Old World. The now sacred mountain made a really great setting for his story, and so was the surrounding town of Vega. Well, it’s based on Vegas, but I’m guessing it’s named Vega in the future because the S fell off the sign or something. Sara Grant has created such a horrifying, dystopic vision of the future, and it really was quite scary.

Beckett’s half of the book, told between Icie’s chapters, was differently written. Icie’s stuff was told in first person perspective, but Beckett’s was portrayed from the third person, and focused on the people around him too. That difference was a good thing, though, because I got to see was the other members of his religious tribe thought about him. I really liked the protagonist Beckett because he was so passionate and willing to do and sacrifice anything for his religion. Her was a very strong character. The plot for his story was so different to Icie’s plot, but it was still really brilliant and teaches lessons about love, hope, and betrayal. His ending, too, was really great. I loved the discovery he made and how that affected his whole personality and beliefs. His last chapter was the last one in the book, and it finished off the story ever so brilliantly.

Overall, Half Lives is possibly the best book I have read this year. Honestly. It was so riveting and I really couldn’t stop reading. The backdrop was scary and dystopic, with a unique and original twist. The characters of Icie and Beckett were totally unforgettable, and I’m still thinking about them now- a day after I put the book down. I can’t recommend this enough to YA’s, fans of dystopia, and fans of stories with unique formats. It’s just so great, go get a copy now!

My Goodreads rating: 5/5!

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

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.

City of Lost Souls

Ink

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By Amanda Sun, published by Mira Ink.

Ink (Paper Gods, #1)

Goodreads synopsis: On the heels of a family tragedy, Katie Greene must move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.
When Katie meets aloof but gorgeous Tomohiro, the star of the school’s kendo team, she is intrigued by him…and a little scared. His tough attitude seems meant to keep her at a distance, and when they’re near each other, strange things happen. Pens explode. Ink drips from nowhere. And unless Katie is seeing things, drawings come to life.
Somehow Tomo is connected to the Kami, powerful ancient beings who once ruled Japan-and as feelings develop between Katie and Tomo, things begin to spiral out of control. The wrong people are starting to ask questions, and if they discover the truth, no one will be safe.

My Review: I’d been so looking forward to this book, and had pretty high expectations. I was so happy to receive and read this, and the book was absolutely brilliant! The plot had a really original idea, and I liked the tie-in with Japanese culture. Amanda Sun has invented this believable type of Japanese Heavenly descendant, called a Kami, whose drawings can come to life. I really loved reading about it- the idea was really interesting. Right from the start I was totally sucked into this imaginative, fast-paced and fantastical world.

I also really enjoyed reading about Katie, an American girl, and her experiences living in Japan- a country totally out of her comfort zone with way different cultures and activities and rules. It was funny to see her accidentally forgetting to take of her shoes, etc., but was also great to see her settle in to this new country and lifestyle.

Katie was a really great protagonist because of the above sentence. I loved reading her journey. I felt a lot of empathy for her about her family situation, and was rooting for her throughout as she went through many complicated events. Her relationship with Tomohiro was predictable from the start, but really fun to see develop. Whilst Katie Greene was a pretty straight-forward, easy to understand character through the narrative, Tomohiro was much more complex and it was intriguing to figure him out. He was quite a mystery-man from the start, and even though Katie discovered his ancestry involving the Kami God, he was still a little secretive- but I liked that element of suspicion very much. He was described really well, and I loved his growing relationship with Katie and how he would give up anything for her towards the ending.

Overall, I enjoyed Ink so much, and couldn’t believe it was a debut novel, really. The snippets of the Japanese language thrown in were a tiny bit hard to grip at first, but I got the hang of it and really enjoyed the informative side of the Japanese culture, too. I could tell that the author has packed in her own experiences (as in the lifestyle and culture, not the drawings coming to life- obviously!), and I think that gave this book a really realistic touch. I also liked the gang references too, as they carried some very strong messages about getting involved with the wrong people. The writing was beautiful, and I also really loved the accompanying illustrations. Highly recommended for Urban Fantasy fans, and I can’t wait for a sequel!

I received Ink via the publisher on Netgalley, in exchange for a review.

Clockwork Prince

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By Cassandra Clare, published by Walker.

Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices, #2)

**To read my review of the first in The Infernal Devices, click HERE**

After the events of Clockwork Angel, Tessa has finally found safety in the sanctuary of the Shadowhunter Institute of London. As training commences for Tessa , rogue forces inside of the Clave are plotting to kick Charlotte out of the Institute, which she is the head of. This would leave Tessa on the streets with nowhere to go, so an adventure begins for her and her new Shadowhunter friends, to find the enemy and stop them. But this enemy has connections to the Magister- which amps up the danger levels. As Tessa works with Will and Jem on a terrifying and perilous journey full of lies and betrayal, she begins to fall for Jem, who fears he has little time before death. As she becomes closer to him, Tessa begins to feel tension between her and Will. Who will she choose?

After seriously enjoying Clockwork Angel, and waiting for about a month to read the next instalment, I was so excited to start reading this. It didn’t let me down at all, in fact, it was even more amazing than the first book in the series.

I loved the plot so much. It was layered with a different and detailed story for every major character, and full of so many plot twists that kept me constantly reading. I absolutely loved the twist involving Jessamine (I’m trying to write a spoiler-free review, so I won’t say what she does!) shocked me so much. She was the last person I would expect to change the course of the story entirely, and I loved her sudden, major involvement! As always, Cassandra Clare has astounded me again with her writing. It was so complex, with switching paragraphs to different characters, but stayed understandable and enjoyable. I just love how she has about five different sub-plots going at once, and then entwines them all together in such a clever and intriguing way.

Tessa was awesome. She really came out of her shell a lot more, emotionally, in Clockwork Prince. I think she gained a whole new level of confidence too. I absolutely loved seeing her develop throughout the course of events of this book. I think she got in on the action a bit more, because she went all undercover and used her abilities for the first time since the Dark (pardon the pun, which you’ll only get if you’ve read the books (; ) events of Clockwork Angel. I also liked her developing relationship with Jem. I had felt so sympathetic for Jem in the end of the last book, and when they became a kind-of-secret item in Clockwork Prince, I did a little dance for joy. I loved Jem’s development in confidence and emotion in the book, and I loved to see that also in Will. Both of them made serious competitors for Tessa’s love in this book, and it was such a hard decision for Tessa, and I was heartbroken and overjoyed at the same time- does that make sense?- at the outcome.

Overall, Clockwork Prince was absolutely breathtaking, with a captivating plot that gripped me from the start and didn’t let me go until the last page. I fell in love with all of the character and can’t wait to read more about them! And, as this ended on such a cliffhanger, I now can’t wait to read Clockwork Princess, the last in the Infernal Devices trilogy!

Delirium

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By Lauren Oliver, published by Hodder.

Delirium

Seventeen year old Lena lives in a dark vision of the future where love has been diagnosed as a deadly disease. Once you turn eighteen in this love-less version of America, you must under go The Procedure, which removes the part of the brain the ‘loves’- so that you can live a life without affection. Lena has always played by the rules, and never put her foot out of line in her strict society, but then she meets Alex. Alex has many dark secrets, and is strikingly beautiful. What will Lena do- run away into the wilds with him, or stay and have her mind swiped of love, which will wipe Alex from her memory?

I loved Delirium so much! It had a very original idea and was written beautifully. I thought that the world that Lauren Oliver has created was absolutely brilliant: a kind-of Big Brother Society (which is becoming pretty common and popular in teen fiction), but was still so much different from anything I have ever read before. The governments actions on events in the book totally shocked me- it was ruthless! Also, there was a ‘Matching’ procedure- very much like in the book Matched– which shook up the ending, a little, and I liked its effect on the characters and the plot. The whole idea of removing the love from a human being was really shocking and made me want to read on to find out why the government decided on doing it. It also interested me, scientifically. I would’ve liked to see a bit more scientific details as to how exactly the procedure worked, as it was pretty vague.

I loved the character Lena, the protagonist, so much. She developed a lot throughout the course of the book- from becoming the rule-abiding, good girl to to the rule-breaking, rebellious one. The gradual changes in her emotions and feelings towards her society were shown really well through the author’s writing. I really liked her relationship with her best friend Hana: this story was not only about breaking out of a strict, love-less society, but it was also about testing friendships, too. The decision the Hana made at the end broke my heart. I also really liked Alex, the love interest, right from his introduction to the story- when Lena found him during a (rather hilarious) protest against the procedure. He was a love-able character throughout, probably mostly because of the things her did for Lena and his life-long rebelliousness towards the American government. I loved how he stuck with Lena through thick and thin… especially at the ending (Oh, gosh, the ending! It was on such a cliffhanger. Now I need to hurry up and read the sequel!!).

My only problem with the story, in total, was the romance. As much as I liked the character’s secret, forbidden and undying love for each-other, I think that there could’ve been some more great plot twists if one was to accidentally betray the other, or something along those lines.

Overall, Delirium was a really fun read. I loved everything about it- from the genius and unique idea, to the well structured plot and the unforgettable characters- who were really realistic. Definitely recommended for YA’s- and I can’t wait to start the sequel- Pandemonium!