Tag Archives: YA

Book Review: Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

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Published May 2014 by Piccadilly Press.

21367449Goodreads Synopsis: In the tradition of Out of My Mind, Wonder, and Mockingbird, this is an intensely moving middle grade novel about being an outsider, coping with loss, and discovering the true meaning of family.

Willow Chance is a twelve-year-old genius, obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions, who finds it comforting to count by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but that hasn’t kept her from leading a quietly happy life . . . until now.

Suddenly Willow’s world is tragically changed when her parents both die in a car crash, leaving her alone in a baffling world. The triumph of this book is that it is not a tragedy. This extraordinarily odd, but extraordinarily endearing, girl manages to push through her grief. Her journey to find a fascinatingly diverse and fully believable surrogate family is a joy and a revelation to read.

My Review: When I started Counting by 7s, I knew I was in for a very emotional book. I think I probably underestimated just how emotional, though. Holly Goldberg Sloan’s novel was heart breaking and heart warming simultaneously. It makes you laugh. It makes you cry. And everything in between. I really, really highly recommend it; it’s been a while since I finished it and I still can’t stop thinking about the characters!

Admittedly, it did take me quite a while to get into the story. I was a little confused by the narrative at first, as it does switch between Willow’s first person voice, and a third person focus on supporting characters and I got a little bit mixed up. I think one reason for that, though, was that was I started this in the middle of exams and revision, so I only had the chance to read a couple of pages at a time.

However, once I got into the story properly, Willow’s narrative had me completely hooked and didn’t let me go until the really teary, beautiful ending. Twelve year old Willow’s voice is very powerful, very unique and special – she reminded me a lot of Auggie from Wonder, who also has a really powerful young voice. I think Willow will be loved by anyone who picks up the book, adults and children alike.

Willow was an amazing protagonist. I loved her narration, which was very different to recent books I’ve read, all short, choppy, hard hitting sentences. She goes through so much and I really just wanted to hug her. And I wanted to hug everybody else too, like the friends Willow makes and Pattie and Dell. Every character was really well fleshed out and I do probably say this quite a bit in book reviews, but I really, really did feel like I knew and lived with them. The main characters all come together in such unlikely ways and it made for such a lovely ending.

Counting by 7s deals with grief and loss and family in a very raw and emotional way, and while I was thinking about the themes I found the raw intensity of everything reminiscent of a few of my favourite books. If you loved Annabel Pitcher’s books, or Bird by Crystal Chan – I really definitely recommend it.

Overall, Counting by 7s was such a compelling MG/YA contemporary read. The characters were all really fascinating, and I’m still thinking about them and the ending, even though I’ve read five books since finishing it! To sum it up; it’s raw, emotional and poignant. I’m definitely going to look out for more by Holly!

My Rating:

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I received a copy of Counting by 7s from the publisher, in exchange for a review. In no way at all did this affect my thoughts.

My top 5 Coming-of-Age novels

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Hope you liked the infographic! I’d love to hear what similar books you enjoyed:D

I haven’t been posting as regularly as I usually do, and I have a few books I need to write reviews for. I only have three exams left at school, then I’ll be posting all the things I haven’t had time to!(:

 

New Books! #49

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A huge thank you to the publishers who mailed me some of the books in this haul- I’ve been really excited for all of them for literally months, so I really can’t wait to get reading & reviewing them!(: Below I’m talking about a couple of titles that I’m most excited for:

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Trouble by Non Pratt: I finally managed to buy a copy of this at the lovely A Bundle of Books in Herne Bay! (I stumbled across the store when I was visiting the village, and if you’re nearby, it’s definitely worth checking out- it’s a really gorgeous Children’s & YA exclusive bookstore.)  Non Pratt will be at a Young Adult Literature Convention event I’m (hopefully!) going to later this year- So this has gone straight to the top of the TBR so I can read it by then!

The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson: One of my really awful book habits is that I’m often put off by huuuuge-looking fantasy novels… But this sounded completely amazing, and after reading about it on Ruby’s blog Feed Me Books Now & Ruby recommending it to me, I decided I’d buy it! I’ve wanted to read a book by Sanderson for a while now and so I really can’t wait to get around to this. 

The School For Good and Evil: A World Without Princes by Soman Chainani: Eeeeeep! I completely fell in love with this new MG/YA fantasy world when I read Soman’s debut last year, and I’ve been eager to read the sequel ever since I knew there would be a second book set around Agatha! Thank you so much to Harper Collins for this title- I’m really looking forward to starting it… and the cover is so beautiful!

Mila 2.0- RENEGADE by Debra Driza: Basically what I wrote above applies to this book, too! When I finished Mila 2.0 last year I knew I needed to read the sequel, asap. It was such a brilliant action novel. Thanks to Harper Collins again, for sending the sequel- Again, I’m looking forward to reviewing it! (:

 

 

Book Review: Stitch Up by Sophie Hamilton

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Published 1st May 2014 by Templar books.

20434644Goodreads Synopsis: Information is power, but image is everything…

Dasha Gold enjoys a life of indulgence, made possible by her powerful and wealthy parents. But this privilege comes at a price – extreme image control, including cosmetic surgery to transform her into a living logo for their brand.

Presented with a way out, Dasha embarks on a hunt for the truth that takes her across a divided and CCTV-dominated city, in the company of maverick Londoner Latif.

But money talks and the Golds own the media. Who can Dasha really trust?

My Review: When I started Stitch Up, I knew I was in for an action packed, thrilling read- but I think I underestimated just how action packed and thrilling it would be! Stitch Up had me completely hooked, right from the beginning.

The world building was so amazing. Stitch Up really stood out as a dystopia novel; Sophie Hamilton’s vision of a near-future London was so memorable. It’s controlled by media giants, visibly divided between the rich and the poor and is pretty much on the brink of a big-brother style society, with CCTV around every corner. In a lot of aspects, it is actually very similar to London right now, which gave it a really scary edge!

I really grew to like all of the characters- especially Latif, who’s the supporting character and the teenage, ‘rebel’ boy who saves Dasha from a dangerous London street just after she’s run away. I really did like Dasha; she’s in a really complex decision at the beginning of the book (should she run away, and be free but have to live as lower class and in the shadows, or should she stay with the Gold family, live a life of luxury… but have major plastic surgery to become a living logo?) and she felt very realistic, making really harsh decisions. She was quite relatable. One thing I didn’t really like about her though was the fact that she seemed snappy towards the people who help her, and cover up all of her traces.

The plot progressed in a way I wouldn’t have ever imagined! Every few chapters or so, just as the reader thinks they’ve got the resolution sussed out, there’s a shocking plot twist or event that changes the entire course of the story. It’s ridiculously clever, too. I loved the way everything came together towards the ending- all of the pretty complex drama fit together like a jigsaw and I was left gob-smacked, kicking myself for not sussing it out!

Overall, I really enjoyed Stitch Up. I began it hoping for a pretty fun read, and I got way more than what I expected. This is Sophie Hamilton’s début novel… And so I can’t wait to read more from her in the future (Especially the sequel to this book, Mob-Handed!). The characters are relatable, modern and generally just awesome. I found the plot scarily possible, and really interesting. I’ve never seen the topic of image, and media handled like this in a book before. I highly recommend Stitch Up if you’re looking for a new favourite thriller novel.

My Rating:

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

Book Review: American Savage by Matt Whyman

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

Published June 5th 2014 by Hot Key Books.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Rating:

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

Book Review: Bet Your Life by Jane Casey

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Published by Corgi Children’s books, February 2014.

18041969Goodreads Synopsis: Jess Tennant has now been living in Port Sentinel for three months, and is just beginning to relax and think of it as home after the murderous events of the summer. But in the small hours of a dark night, a teenage boy is left for dead by the side of the road. Seb Dawson has a serious head injury and may not survive – and Jess decides to find out who beat him up, and why?
As she investigates, Jess discovers that Seb was involved in some very dangerous games. A secret predator around girls, he would do whatever it took to abuse them, from lying and blackmail to spiking drinks. Could a group of vengeful victims be behind his attack? Or is there someone else with a grudge against Seb and who will stop at nothing to silence him?

My Review: I really wanted to re-read How To Fall again before starting this… but I just had to read Bet Your Life asap, I was so excited! I couldn’t remember all of the details from How To Fall, but that was okay because Bet Your Life does work on its own (though OBVIOUSLY I command thee to go buy both, they’re equally amazing. :P). Bet Your Life was probably up there in the top five books I was most looking forward to this year- and it didn’t let me down!

I forgot how much I loved Jess Tennant. Right from the beginning of this story I clicked with her again so well, and I loved following her as she worked on solving the mystery behind Seb. She’s so confident and smart- easily likeable. Jess’s love story is complicated, and it plays a big role in this instalment. I really enjoyed that! I can’t really say who the real villain is, exactly… but it was completely unexpected, and really shocking. My mouth was hanging open for quite a while toward the end of the book!

Jess Tennant’s life takes a much darker turn in book two of her series. This story’s definitely much scarier than the first, especially the ending. I was pretty terrified for Jess, after what antagonist-I-won’t-name-here had been doing. The plot develops brilliantly- I was mislead a bit and the outcome wasn’t what I expected. Jane Casey is amazing at creating genius, suspenseful plots that keep the reader reading. Luckily I was off from school (well, lucky-ish, I was ill :P) while I was reading this, so I could read the majority in one sitting- I couldn’t let go of my kindle!

Overall, Bet Your Life was an amazing read. If you’re a crime/thriller fan, I can’t recommend this highly enough. Casey’s writing is flawless, I literally couldn’t find a fault with the book, straight from the prologue I was completely hooked. The protagonist, Jess, is probably my favourite character out of all the crime fiction I read. I love her so much! (: Bet Your Life’s story is clever, dark, and packed with tension. There are parts that make your jaw drop, there are parts that make your pulse quicken, and there are parts that make you smile, too. If you haven’t read book one, How to Fall, yet, (WHY HAVEN’T YOU?! :D) you can check out my old review of that here.

My Rating:

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

Mini Reviews: CRUSHER and INCINERATOR by Niall Leonard

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I read Crusher a while ago, in January, though I didn’t get to write a review of it! I was sent a copy of the sequel which was released really recently (Thank you, Random House!) and I thought it would be nice to do a joint-mini-review post, reviewing the series so far- Book three, Shredder, will be out soon. Enjoy!

17307328Crusher: By Niall Leonard, published by Corgi in September 2012.

Goodreads Synopsis: The day Finn Maguire discovers his father bludgeoned to death in a pool of blood, his dreary life is turned upside down. Prime suspect in the murder, Finn must race against time to clear his name and find out who hated his dad enough to kill him.
Trawling the sordid, brutal London underworld for answers, Finn exposes dark family secrets and faces danger at every turn. But he’s about to learn that it’s the people you trust who can hit you the hardest…

My Review: Crusher was a really, really exhilarating read! I really enjoyed it, for the most part. It’s really shocking, and packed with some brilliant plot twists that keeps the reader completely engrossed. The plot’s very unique, but at the same time, a very gritty urban murder mystery- who killed Finn’s dad with his own award? Though I did enjoy most of the plot, there were a few parts I couldn’t really agree with… I couldn’t really understand Finn’s choices a lot of the time, and I felt some points were a bit rushed. It is a fast paced novel, but I did feel like a lot happened at once, and some bits were… too freaky!

At first, I really liked the main protagonist. Finn was so determined and prepared to tackle his father’s killer. He’s a very realistic teenager- one I think a lot of YA readers will definitely be able to relate to. Then, when he meets the first love interest of sorts in Crusher, I really started to dislike his new attitude- he was so obsessed with her and I hated him for seeming to completely forget about the whole mystery behind his dad…

17612844 Incinerator: (Newest release- just published!) By Niall Leonard, published by Corgi in January 2014.

Goodreads Synopsis: London gang-lord The Guvnor is in hiding, and Finn Maguire has begun a new life running a boxing gym with his old friend and coach Delroy. But when Finn’s lawyer Nicky Hale vanishes overnight with all his money, Finn finds himself in hock to a loan shark with a vicious gang of enforcers. Desperate to track down Nicky and repay his debts, Finn investigates her other clients and soon finds himself engulfed in a web of lies, betrayal, malice and madness, with only his wits and his fists to keep him alive.

My Review: Incinerator was probably my favourite of the two books in the Crusher trilogy so far! I felt that it was very fast paced too, but definitely enjoyed the themes a lot more. It shows that Finn’s developed so much- now trying to get out of the violence, and into business- though that doesn’t work for very long. I really enjoyed the plot of Incinerator- it had me even more hooked than Crusher. Niall Leonard’s writing is really great, and captures the urban setting so well.

I really liked Leonard’s writing, as it’s edgy and gritty, going with the setting and the themes really well. I definitely grew to like Finn Maguire a lot more in this installment as well. Beforehand, in book one, I couldn’t get on with him for a portion of the book. Though, I really liked seeing his character develop a lot in Incinerator. He was even more determined than ever and I’m looking forward to hearing what awaits him in Shredder! 

My Ratings:

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I received Crusher from my dad.

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

Review-Graphic: GOOSE by Dawn O’Porter

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I really loved Goose! It was the sequel to Paper Aeroplanes, which I really enjoyed last year. I decided to a graphic for this review, though it’s not as cool as I hoped it would be… I hope you enjoy it! Goose, even though it’s the second book, also works as a standalone too… And both titles are definitely worth picking up!

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

Review-Graphic: Banished by Liz de Jager

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I read Banished, book one of the Blackhart Legacy, over the weekend- and I loved every second of it. It’s a brilliant new urban fantasy, and I think it’s going to be huge! I tried drawing Kit, the protagonist. Yup, obsessiveness. I decided to make a review graphic of the book, because I haven’t done one in a while- and the design & colour scheme for the cover is awesome! So, enjoy (: If you find any parts of the image hard to read, just click on it to bring up a bigger version.

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Banished is published by Tor books UK, February 27th 2014.

Note: I just want to point out that my review is not biased in any way- I do know Liz in person (she used to co-run a book blog!) but in no way at all did that affect my thoughts on the book. My review is completely honest and all my opinion.

I purchased a copy of Banished from a bookstore.