The Night Book

By Richard Madeley

I didn't expect to enjoy this at all but I was pleasantly surprised!  Despite having read a review with spoilers by accident on Amazon (thank you to whoever posted that!!!) I did still manage to enjoy this.

Almost everyone who was alive in 1976 will remember the summer being the hottest on record.  In the Lake District, there are warnings not to swim, due to the high number of drownings caused by the hot weather.  Where better for Meriel Kidd to take revenge on her abusive husband?

First of all, the blurb for this book is very misleading.  It describes Meriel as "biding her time", when in fact she has never seriously considered killing her husband.  Fantasised about it yes, but she never planned to go through with it. When she does cause his death, it's done on a whim and she surprises even herself.  

Although I did enjoy this, Meriel's relationship with the other main character, Seb, is totally unbelievable.  It springs up out of nowhere and I suppose could be described as "love at first sight".  They fall in love immediately and the things they call each other and the way they speak to one another are totally cringeworthy.  I don't know if this is what every couple were like back then but I couldn't help but roll my eyes whenever they spoke to each other.  Having said that, I did root for them and I wanted them to get their happy ending, I could've just done with the soppiness.  I did like both of them individually.  Meriel had that likeability that made you want to get away with killing her husband despite knowing yourself that it is wrong.  Because of what she'd been through at the hands of him you wanted her to get her happy ending.  However, there are a countless number of other characters present in the book that I found difficult to keep track of and so I had to keep looking back to see who was who.

I also loved the setting.  I've never visited the Lake District but after reading this I definitely would like to go (although I don't think I'll ever set foot in one of the lakes!).  The descriptions were done very well and I managed to picture everything clearly.  The only thing that I wasn't that keen on was the time setting - I couldn't grasp that it was set in the 1970s.  I often forgot and would imagine them in modern cars and clothes and I often wondered why they wouldn't text or email each other for example.  This was minor, however.

I did love Madeley's writing style but I don't think I'll pick up any of his existing books - they don't really seem my thing.  If he does release a book that is similar to this I'll definitely pick it up though.

Rating: 7.5/10

Date read: June 2017.

The Kind Worth Killing

By Peter Swanson

I honestly can't believe I put off reading this for so long! One of the best thrillers I have ever read.

When Ted Severson meets Lily Kintner in an airport bar when their flight is delayed, he jokes how he wants to kill his adulterous wife.  Without blinking, Lily offers to help him carry out the task...

This was just amazing.  Honestly.  I couldn't put it down.  The characters were superbly written and I was hooked from the start.  What I found weird and unsettling was that as I was reading, I was rooting for the two characters.  I wanted them to succeed in their mission in killing Ted's wife and getting away with it, even though we all know killing is wrong.  I loved their backstories - particularly Lily's, as it was revealed she had already killed people numerous times, beginning in her youth.  She believed her reasons were always justified.  Because I loved her character, I agreed with her and thought that they deserved the fate she gave them.  I was probably wrong in thinking this as after I finished the book I actually began to think that she was a bit of a psychopath - she often expressed her desire to kill.  But she was just wonderfully written that she was so likeable and you actually wanted her to get away with everything.  Ted's backstory was also very interesting - it details how he found out about his wife cheating and how he came up with his ideas of killing her.

I also loved the setting.  Since the two characters met in Heathrow Airport, I thought that most of the book would be set in the UK (not realising that since they met in the airport bar they were most likely taking a flight out of Britain).  Most of the book is set on the east coast of the US, which I loved, with only a fraction of one character's backstory being set in London.  

The plot twists were done brilliantly and were totally unexpected.  I'll admit that the one in the middle I did consider early on but then dismissed so I was still completely shocked when it happened.  I thought that if it was going to happen then it would be right at the very end.  The connection between the characters was also unexpected - after the connection was revealed I then noticed the various clues that had been presented throughout the book.  There's also a major plot twist on the very last page that was BRILLIANT.  On the second last page I thought that the book was ending brilliantly and then it came out of nowhere and threw me.  It was brilliant.

I love Peter Swanson's writing style and so I will definitely pick up his other thrillers.  I've read quite a number of books this year already and this is in my top two.  I would definitely recommend!

Date read: June 2017

Rating: 10/10.

Enders (Starters #2)

By Lissa Price

"Trust no one but yourself, and then question that".

I am so conflicted on this.  I loved the first book - it's one of my favourites ever - but I really don't know about this one.  On one hand I think it's awful and on another I think it's actually a very satisfying sequel.

With the body bank finally shut down, Callie thinks that she and her brother will be able to live their lives in their new home.  But people are after her, eager to experiment on her because of the chip left in her brain.  When she starts hearing the voice of the Old Man in her head, Callie is determined to find out who he really is.  And when she starts to hear her father's voice in her head, her life is thrust into turmoil.  Is he really dead?  Who is real and who is masquerading in a teen body?

There are a few new characters in this book that weren't in the first one, namely Hyden. He was likeable enough, but when Callie started to get feelings for him, I couldn't help but yawn.  Now we have a love square - is that even what you'd call it? - her, Blake, Michael and now Hyden.  Really, Callie?  I don't want to give away anything but there's a nice little twist towards the end that put this love square into perspective and explained it all.  With it now making sense, I thought that the whole plotline regarding her feelings for all three was done incredibly.  I really didn't see what was coming, and so I felt bad for judging her throughout the whole book.

I wish that the headmistress of Institution 37 had a bigger part in the book.  Whilst the Old Man was creepy, she was just terrifying.  

I didn't enjoy the setting as much as the first book.  I felt that the descriptions in the first book were better, as was the plot.  Starters was very fast paced and exciting, but Enders just wasn't.  Nothing really happened in the first 90% of the book.  The last 10% was definitely the best part, although I thought it was a little rushed.  I wish Lissa Price had spent more time drawing it out a little longer and making it more exciting, and giving us more on the big reveal at the end.  

I'm not saying Callie's dad is actually alive, you'll have to read it yourself to find out.  Why would she assume he was dead in the first place though?  It really was not clear throughout the book whether it actually was his voice Callie was hearing or whether it was just the Old Man up to his old tricks.  

The book did end nicely but as I said, it was a bit rushed.  I didn't think the book was bad, it just wasn't great either.  I actually thought at times it was like a different author had wrote this and Starters, they were so different.  

Date read: May 2017

Rating 6/10.

Starters (Starters, #1)

By Lissa Price

I think this is my favourite YA book ever.  I don't understand why it hasn't got more attention because it sure as hell deserves it!!!!  I've read it three times now and loved it every single time.

Starters is set in a futuristic Los Angeles, in the aftermath of a devastating war.  The only people alive are those below the age of 20 (the Starters) and over the age of 60 (the Enders), who were the only ones vaccinated against the spores released in the war.  The Enders rule the roost, with none of the Starters being allowed jobs.  This results in our main character, Callie, who lives on the streets with her brother Tyler, to turn to Prime Destinations, a company which will rent out her body to Enders seeking to relive their youth.  But when her microchip malfunctions and she wakes up before the rental is over, she quickly discovers that her renter has planned to use her body to do something she never would have imagined...

If I'm honest, if I had known this book contained a love triangle I would probably have avoided it.  Anyone who has read my other reviews will know how much I DESPISE them.  Having said that, I really didn't mind it in this book.  The characters and story were written so well, it actually added to the plot rather than being an annoying trend.  Callie was wonderfully written; she's probably my favourite protagonist in any YA book I've ever read.  She's so determined to help her brother and friend Michael that she would do anything for them, including renting out her body.  Her relationship with both was very believable, particularly with Tyler, with her protective instinct always being at the forefront of her personality.  The villains in the book all gave me the creeps - particularly the Old Man.  In fact, the whole aspect of renting out a body to some random old person gave me the creeps.  Imagine getting put to sleep knowing that someone is going to be living inside your body for a month!!!

The world building was done really well I thought.   I managed to visualise an LA in the aftermath of a war very clearly.   The only thing I would have said could have been improved was the background into the war like what caused it and what happened elsewhere in the world, but all in all it was done really well.

There's a nice little plot twist at the end that I didn't see coming.  Like many other parts of the book, this was very creepy and seemed so cruel after everything Callie had been through.  The ending sets things up nicely for the sequel. 

I'm planning on rereading the sequel next.  I can't remember exactly what happens but I'm really looking forward to reading it again.  If you haven't read this book and love dystopian novels, pick it up now! I've read a few and in my opinion this is the best of the lot.  The book deserves so much more attention.

Rating: 10/10

Date read: May 2017 (third read).

Shadow and Bone (The Grisha #1)

By Leigh Bardugo

I did really enjoy this! I wanted to give it more than three stars on Goodreads but I can't quite stretch to four.  It is really good, but has its flaws.

Alina, who has lived her life as an orphan, one day discovers a mysterious power she didn't know she had.  She is thrust into the world of the elite - the Grisha.  Could she be the answer to the impenetrable darkness that is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka?  

Veronica Roth, author of the Divergent series, described this as being unlike anything she has ever read.  In my opinion, this is ABSOLUTELY ridiculous!  The first half of the book reminded me so much of Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas that it actually put me off a little - that was not a book I enjoyed at all.  I found out after I finished it that this was actually published before A Throne of Glass so perhaps if I had read this first I would have enjoyed it more.  Overlooking that, so far so good.  The world building and characters are far superior.  But then the love triangle appears - how often does this appear in YA novels???  Far too much - still unlike anything you've ever read Veronica Roth???   One thing I would say is that this love triangle has a very different ending than anything else I've read so Bardugo gets points for that.

The world building was great but not perfect.  I was able to picture everything clearly in my head perfectly.  I was confused in parts however - the book is set in a country like Russia and so there are a lot of words mentioned that are not explained.  It would be nice if there was a little glossary at the beginning to avoid this confusion.  I did like these references however, it really added to the world building, but a little explanation wouldn't have gone amiss.

I did like all the characters.  Because I kept comparing it to Throne of Glass, I kept comparing Alina to Celaena (I think that's her name!) - even their names are similar!  Alina is far more likeable and much less stubborn.  She was a character I rooted for.  I didn't see her fascination with Mal but then towards the end this is explored a bit more and you begin to understand.  The Darkling was quite likeable also.  I did wonder for the first half of the book where the story was going with the lack of a villain but then around the halfway mark it takes a dark turn.  From this point it was much more enjoyable and I felt that this was where I stopped comparing it to Maas' book. 

The ending was done really well - I really had no clue whether or not Alina would manage to get out of the predicament she found herself in but it was really exciting to see her try. 

Although not amazing, I did really enjoy this and loved Leigh Bardugo's writing style, so I will definitely be picking up books 2 and 3.

Rating: 7/10

Date read: May 2017.

Say Her Name

By James Dawson

I really didn't think I was going to enjoy this.  I'm not sure how long I've had it on my kindle, but I was stuck for something to read and this was the only thing that caught my eye.  Surprisingly, I really enjoyed it!

Everyone in the UK knows the story of Bloody Mary.  Say her name five times in front of a mirror and she will appear and try to kill you.  Bobbie and two others are dared to do so - thinking it's all just a joke.  Nothing happens, or does it?  The morning after Bobbie finds a message on the bathroom mirror: "FIVE DAYS".  She and her friends are now on a race against time before Mary comes for them, as she has done for countless others...

I loved the setting.  Set in the real world, in a boarding school for girls, there was a real sense of mystery with all the secret passages.  The parts of the book involving Mary were REALLY creepy - think of the grudge crawling out of a mirror at every chance they could get.  Mary's backstory was quite interesting, and I couldn't really work out why she was haunting everyone who had summoned her.  Once her character is explored, you find this out.  Even the parts of the book where she was alive, she seemed really creepy. 

I loved all the other characters.  Bobbie was a strong female who was determined not to give up, and wanted answers.  Her love interest, Caine, was likeable.  Whilst there was a little bit of romance, it wasn't a huge part in the story.  I was so glad of this - I'm not really a person who looks for romance in a book.  Her best friend, Naya, was really likeable too.  She was so funny at points, always making jokes despite their predicament.  I thought the other characters, like Grace and Caitlin were a bit cliché at first, sucking up to the teachers and Grace in particular revelling in her power as head girl, but then I suppose that every school has people like this.

Don't get me wrong, this isn't the best book in the world, but it is really entertaining.  Far-fetched and exciting, there were no parts of it where I was bored.  The descriptions of things and people aren't that detailed, but this is something I don't mind as I was able to imagine them however I wanted.  I don't actually think I've read a book before that has given me the heebie-jeebies as much as this has.

All in all, a good, quick and easy read.  I will definitely check out more by the author. 

Rating: 8/10
Date read: May 2017.

In a Dark Dark Wood

By Ruth Ware

Although this is the second book by Ruth Ware I've read, it's her debut.  I did enjoy this, but struggled to get through parts of it.  It's nowhere near as good as her second novel, The Woman in Cabin 10.

In a Dark Dark Wood is about a young woman named Nora, who hasn't seen her best friend from school, Clare, in over ten years.  She is surprised, therefore, when an invitation to Clare's hen party arrives.  It seems like the perfect opportunity to catch up and reconnect, but something goes very, very wrong.

The setting is similar to Ware's second novel, which is set on a cruise ship.  In a Dark Dark Wood is set in a luxurious cottage deep in the Northumbrian woods. Like the cruise ship setting, this often gave me a sense of cabin fever.  A large portion is also set in a hospital, with the events of the novel being explored through flashbacks.  I didn't particularly like this way of telling the story, as it took much of the suspense away.  Also, for the first half of the book, NOTHING happens whatsoever.  The book is marketed as a thriller, and so with every new chapter, I kept thinking that something exciting was going to happen, but it just didn't.  Then, eventually, when it did, we are whisked to a hospital a day later with the flashbacks beginning.

The characters in this book were quite weird in that I don't know whether I liked or disliked them.  The main character, Nora, was a bit annoying.  Clare was likeable, but I didn't find her that interesting.  Tom was the same.  Flo, I found the most interesting although she was instantly dislikable.  Her obsession with Clare was weird.  The way she spoke was weird.  I thought she was up to something the entire book.  

One thing Ruth Ware is good at is her ability to create a mystery.  Like her other book I've read, I had absolutely no clue who was behind the events of the book.  But I just simply didn't enjoy this as much; I struggled to get through this and it took me over a week and a half to read.  The characters and setting just didn't draw me in.  

Although I didn't think this was brilliant, I am looking forward to Ruth Ware's new thriller due out this year.

Rating: 6/10

Date read: May 2017.

The Black Sheep

By Sophie McKenzie

A bit unrealistic, but still really enjoyable.  I first discovered Sophie McKenzie with her YA novels years ago, but I think her adult thrillers are much better.

The Black Sheep is about a woman called Francesca, whose husband was murdered a year before the book began.  At his memorial service, a man approaches her and tells her that there was more to her husband's death than what was reported and that members of her family were involved.  This leads Fran to investigate which leads to an exciting and riveting climax.

One thing I think Sophie McKenzie is brilliant at is her ability to tell a story.  She isn't the best writer in the world but she is still able to write a story that immediately draws you in.  She has a unique writing style, and I've read enough of her books that I'd immediately be able to tell she wrote it without seeing the title or cover.  She is fantastic at creating characters that you can relate to.  Most of her books are centred around people who are ordinary people doing 9-5 jobs, and have been caught up in something awful.  Francesca is like that, going about her life looking after her kids and doing the school run.  I thought she was a great main character but she did annoy me slightly - it was clear that she was not able to trust any of her family and yet she still chose to confide in almost every member who ultimately could have been behind her husband's death.  Harry is also another likeable character, as are the rest of them.  I don't want to mention anything else about them, as I think I might end up spoiling the book for those who haven't read it.  Only Fran's Uncle Perry was dislikable I thought, constantly putting Francesca down but he too is fighting his own demons.

The setting was really good.  It was set in London, and being British myself I was able to picture everything clearly.  I actually imagined parts of the book to take place in real-life areas close to me, something I've only ever done a handful of times.  I think this helped me to enjoy it more.  The plot was a bit unrealistic and far-fetched, but I don't mind this; I think it adds excitement.  Who wants to read a boring book anyway?

While I mostly read books for pleasure and enjoyment, I also think it is great when authors write about issues that are relevant in the real world.  Abortion is prominent throughout the book and the ethics behind it, and one character suffers from bad mental health.

All in all, another great thriller from Sophie McKenzie.  It isn't the best book in the world and probably won't win any awards, but there are definitely worse books out there.  I'd recommend picking this up if you want something easy to read, that, although unrealistic, can just swoop you in and take you into its world.  I look forward Sophie McKenzie's next thriller.

Rating: 8/10

Date read: April 2017.

The Woman in Cabin 10

By Ruth Ware

This is the first book by Ruth Ware that I've read, and while I did really enjoy it, I don't think it was amazing.  I got major The Girl on the Train vibes, and the book seems to copy a lot of aspects of that book.  

The Woman in Cabin 10 is about a young woman named Lo Blacklock, who is a travel journalist.  She accepts an assignment on the maiden voyage of a small cruise ship, which she believes will help her open doors and possibly get her promoted.  All starts of well onboard, with just a handful of luxury cabins, but when Lo think she witnesses a woman being thrown overboard, the cruise takes a downward turn.  With all the passengers on the ship accounted for, who was the woman in cabin 10?

First off, I really liked the setting.  Set on a small cruise ship with only a handful of accessible rooms, it helped you realise the feeling of unease.  There really was no escape for Lo, who has no idea about who the potential murderer could be and if they will strike again.  The more she digs to try and get information, the more this seems possible.  I did get a sense of cabin fever reading this though, as it was set in the same small area constantly.  If the cruise ship had been a bit bigger, this might have been avoided, but then it may have caused the book to have a completely different tone and atmosphere.

On to the characters, as another reviewer mentioned on Goodreads, I absolutely hated Lo.  She reminded me so much of the main character in The Girl on the Train, Rachel.  Both are heavily dependent on alcohol and are really dislikable.  All Lo does is moan and make stupid decisions, which again she moans about later - countless times she asks herself "how could I have been so stupid?".  You'd think with all that was going on she'd be a bit more cautious and take more time to think about things.  She is also horrible to the people around her - her ex, Ben, and her current partner, Judah.  Whilst she was dislikable, I sometimes think that it is good for the main characters in books to be like this.  It shows that they are flawed and makes them seem more human, I think.  I also liked the fact that a lot of emphases was put on her mental health as I think that this is hugely important; there is also a lot of stigma shown to this by the other characters that I think is present in everyday life.  Mental health is something that shouldn't be shied away from in order to make characters more likable.

At times I often found it too difficult to keep up with the other characters - there were just so many.  Throughout the book, I constantly had to flick back to see who was who.  I did like that they all seemed like they could be villains and I had no idea who was behind throwing the woman overboard.

The final reveal occurred somewhat earlier than I expected, and I didn't see it coming at all.  I would say that the book was a bit unrealistic overall, however.  

As I said, this is the first book I've read by Ruth Ware, and because I really enjoyed it, I will definitely be picking up her debut and her next book which is due out soon.

Rating: 7.5/10

Date read: April 2017.

Carve the Mark

By Veronica Roth

Good, but I expected more from the author of the Divergent series.

Carve the Mark is centred around two main characters, Cyra and Akos.  Cyra's brother, Ryzek, is a tyrant who rules the country of Shotet, and uses her to torture his enemies because of her currentgift.  Akos is the son of an oracle, and when he and his brother are kidnapped by Shotet soldiers, he vows to do anything to get them both out alive.  He is forced to step in to help Cyra, who is having trouble controlling her currentgift, and if you've read any other YA novels where two characters from opposing sides are forced together, you can probably already tell what happens next. 

One thing I can't deny that Veronica Roth is excellent at is world-building.  The world she created in the Divergent series was very well thought out and the world in Carve the Mark is just as good.  I didn't like the setting however, but I think that this was just because of the type of book that this is.  I admit that I didn't know anything about this book before I started to read it - I just saw that it was written by Veronica Roth so I immediately bought it.  If I'd read the blurb I probably wouldn't have been in such a rush to read it.  

The characters in Carve the Mark were all quite well thought out, I thought.  Cyra and Akos were both interesting protagonists coming to terms with their newly developed currentgifts.  Ryzek was a good villain - I liked how his backstory was explored, and that him and Cyra used to be close when they were younger, but he was corrupted by his father so he could rule Shotet.  On the other hand, I just thought that there were too many characters in the book to keep track of, and I had to keep checking back to see who was who.  

Although I did enjoy this, the book is riddled with problems.  I thought there was an important plot hole surrounding the oracles, but if I try to explain it I think I might spoil too much of the story.  There is also the issue of racism which is quite prominent in Carve the Mark - if you google this then you'll get a much better explanation than I can probably give.

I don't think I'll rush to by the sequel when it comes out.  It was good, but nowhere near as good as Divergent.  It took me a week to read it, and if I had enjoyed it a bit more then I would have flown through it a lot quicker.

Rating: 5/10
Date read: April 2017.

Caraval (Caraval #1)

By Stephanie Garber

This book wasn't what I expected but I did really enjoy it.  I was expecting it to be similar to the Hunger Games, but other than a "game" being the central aspect there is nothing similar between the two books.  Throughout most of the book I got major Alice in Wonderland vibes.

'Caraval' is about two sisters, Scarlett and Tella, who live on a tiny island in the Conquered Isles.  They are abused physically by their father, and when Scarlett finally receives an invite to Caraval, a performance held once a year, they finally believe that they may have a chance of escape.  Upon arrival, Scarlett quickly discovers that the whole point of this year's performance revolves around her younger sister's kidnap, and she sets off on a perilous journey to try and get Tella back.

I thought the world-building in this book was great but not perfect.  Not much detail is given to the world as a whole but I found it really easy to visualise the setting once Scarlett arrived at Caraval.  There is a map at the beginning of the book which helped, but to be honest this was not needed as the descriptions given throughout the book were really good.  I did keep forgetting that most of the book was set at night, rather than during the daytime, and found it difficult to picture it like this.  

I did like most of the characters, especially Scarlett.  She was a strong lead and I really rooted for her.  Tella, on the other hand, really annoyed me.  She seemed to be so reckless and not think about her actions, but there is a nice little plot twist towards the end surrounding her that I didn't see coming.  Julian, the main love interest, was another character I really liked.  He was really mysterious.  I kept wondering whether he was on Scarlett's side or whether he was working against her.  Legend himself is another mysterious character, again you wonder whether he really is the villain that's he's portrayed as throughout the entire book.  Scarlett and Tella's father was the only one I was certain was a real villain, but is all as it seems?  I didn't like him as a character but he was a good antagonist.  The secondary characters who appear throughout the story are all really likeable and I was always wondering who had an ulterior motive and who did not.

I really liked the writing style; as I've said it was really easy to visualise what was happening in my head.  Towards the end of the book I didn't really see how it would work as a series as it seemed to come to a satisfying end but there is a nice plot twist at the very end that set things up nicely for the rest of the series.  The book as a whole was very mysterious and I often thought I had things figured out when in reality I couldn't have been more wrong.  I will definitely be picking up further books in the series.

One thing that did annoy me was the UK cover.  The US cover is so much nicer but having read the book I kind of feel that the UK one does fit the story more.

Date read: March 2017
Rating: 8/10.

The Road to Winter (Winter #1)

By Mark Smith

**Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

For the first few chapters I really did not think I was going to enjoy this at all. I think it was just the style of writing that put me off but the book as a whole ended up being quite good.

The book starts off telling us about the virus that hit the world and wiped out most of the population, and how the main character, Finn, survived after losing his parents. One day whilst surfing on the beach he meets a young girl, Rose, who is on the run from a group of "wilders" who are wreaking havoc throughout the country. Finn agrees to help her try and escape them and find her sister, who she lost a few days before whilst on the run from them. I won't say much more than that but the pace of the story really picks up from that point and is where it starts to get more enjoyable.

The two things that I make a book really enjoyable are the characters and setting. I loved every character in this book, even the villains. Finn was a strong lead who had been through a lot and I really liked him, along with Rose and her sister. Ramage was a great villain, who, despite not having much at his disposal like antagonists in other similar novels, still managed to be quite terrifying. It was maybe because you don't see him a lot in the novel, but hear a lot about him from Rose, and so he never really seems to disappear and you always know he was hot on the characters' heels. The setting was good, but with the descriptions given I often found it difficult to build up images in my head, and I felt with a little more description this could have been better. Not much detail is given to the mysterious virus and this is something I would have liked to have known a little more about.

As I've said, the writing style wasn't the best but the characters in this book really sold it for me. The novel ends on a cliffhanger and sets things up nicely for a second instalment, which I'd definitely be interested in reading.

Date read: March 2017
Rating: 7/10.

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3)

By Suzanne Collins

***MINOR SPOILER ALERT***

I read this for the first time about five years ago and thought it was a really weak ending to the Hunger Games series. I decided to reread the series but wasn't particularly looking forward to reading Mockingjay again as I knew how bad it was compared to the first two books.

However, I did enjoy it a lot more second time round but I still don't think it's perfect. Katniss still annoyed me for the majority of the book. In the first two I really rooted for her and she was such a strong character, but in this one all she does is moan and is so much more stubborn. I get that she had been through a lot but she was like a completely different character from the Hunger Games and Catching Fire.

I hated the ending first time round but thought it was actually really well done this time. I still thought it was a bit rushed but the whole drama with President Snow and Coin was done really well. The epilogue is still awful - think of the one at the end of the last Harry Potter but with less detail and a quarter of the length and you have the epilogue from Mockingjay. It was so rushed.

Although I think Suzanne Collins could have spent more time tying up a few loose ends that were left unresolved, I do think Mockingjay is a satisfying end to the series.

Date read: March 2017.

Rating: 7/10.

Cradle and All

By James Patterson

I was initially going to give this 3 stars but I thought the ending was brilliant and I did not expect it at all.

This is the first proper novel by James Patterson that I've read, and having heard so much about him I was a bit disappointed. His writing style is very poor. I felt as if the whole book was rushed and not very detailed, and the chapters were so short it was annoying. The book follows various different characters and you don't even get the chance to connect with them before the chapter ends - most of them only lasted two or three pages.

The novel itself was so unrealistic and unbelievable. I did notice a few plot holes, one of which was when a character was viciously attacked but then their injuries are never mentioned again and they seem fine for the rest of the book. As I mentioned though I did really enjoy the ending and it had a really good twist.

Date read: February 2017
Rating: 5/10.

The Passenger

By Lisa Lutz

This was nothing like I expected it to be but I still couldn't put it down! I can't believe I didn't read it sooner! It was so good.

I'll admit for the first few pages I didn't think I was going to enjoy it. But as soon as Tanya/Amelia or whatever you want to call her goes on the run, the suspense didn't stop and I couldn't put the book down.

I really liked Tanya as the main character. It was interesting to see her original backstory detailed in the emails throughout the book, although I was a bit confused to begin with. As the book goes on, a lot of things become clear, like why she ran away when she found her husband dead rather than report it to the police. Blue was another good character, but she wasn't in it as much as the blurb suggested. It was nice to see her return at the end of the book.

As I read the last few pages I thought that the book was ending nicely, and then something got revealed that I wasn't expecting at all. It put the events of the whole book in perspective and made everything make much more sense. I couldn't believe it.

I'd say the book was a bit far-fetched but that did not stop me enjoying it.  It was total escapism.  I would definitely read more by the author.

Date read: January 2017

Rating: 10/10

Graduation Day (The Testing #3)

By Joelle Charbenneau

***MINOR SPOILER ALERT***

WHAT THE HELL????????

I loved the first two books but this one was awful in comparison. The first half dragged for what felt like forever and was basically just Cia saying "okay this is what I have to do but how do I do it??" over and over again, along with the recaps about what happened to the world before the book began. It was so slow. Then, the second half felt so rushed. It would have been better if the first half was shortened and the last half lengthened. 

The plot was so unbelievable. To think that the president gives Cia such a challenging mission when she has so many others that can do it is just ridiculous. The two deaths at the end were so predictable and I knew that both of them were going to happen way before they did. One of them was so similar to the one at the end of the Hunger Games it was unbelievable. 

Having said that, there was a nice little twist towards the end that I didn't see coming, but because I was so disappointed with the book as a whole this didn't save it for me.

Date read: January 2017

Rating: 3/10.

The Diabolic

By S.J. Kincaid

This was quite good and I’m so glad it is a standalone instead of the first book in a series. It was nice to actually read a book and not have to wait for another year or two before finding out what happens. The ending was quite satisfying I thought, and there were no parts where it was dragged out to make the story last longer.

Having said that, it wasn’t perfect. The romance felt quite forced and unbelievable but as Nemesis is a diabolic this makes sense on her part. Many of the characters seem to drop like flies and no one seems to care. The world building was quite sketchy as well – it was like places were just given names but none other details. This lack of good world building is another reason I’m glad this is a standalone. The world didn’t really pull me in and so I’m not sure I’d want to invest time in reading more if it was series.

Date read: January 2017

Rating: 6/10.

Scythe (Arc of a Scythe #1)

By Neal Shusterman

I really enjoyed this book, but it wasn't as good as Neal Shusterman's other series, Unwind.  For the first few chapters, I thought it was going to be really similar to Unwind, but it ended up going in a completely different direction.  There wasn't any major villains in the book, and the villains that were there weren't that threatening, which made the majority of the book very slow paced.  Having said that, it was never really boring.

The "romance" between the two main characters was not weird exactly but a bit unbelievable.  It just seemed to spring up out of nowhere and wasn't that well developed.  I did like that it was very minor, however, and that the book did not revolve around it.

I thought that the world building was quite good - something I think Shusterman is consistently good at.  It really made you think what would happen if humans managed to actually conquer death and people could wake up completely fine a few days after sustaining a major injury.  I also found it interesting that everything in the world had been learned about and that there was nothing else to be discovered.  I did think that some details were a bit vague - not much detail is given about the levels of technology the world had and I would have liked to find out more about the Thunderhead.

Towards the end of the book, I didn't really see how this would work as a series but the last few chapters set things up really nicely and so I would definitely read more.

Date read: January 2017

Rating: 8/10.

Enclave

By Ann Aguirre

I did really enjoy this but thought it lost its way around the middle. It started off well in the tunnels from the old subway underneath what was New York City, with the main character Deuce just trying her best to help herself and others survive. The community that had been built in the depths of the tunnel was interesting and I would have liked to have seen this developed more with the tension occurring within and the threats from outside, but this never happens as Deuce and her hunting partner Fade are quickly exiled.

From there, I thought the book quickly got boring. I thought that what happens up in the city was similar to various other dystopian novels I have read. Deuce and Fade quickly realise that if they want to survive then they must head north out of the city. It began to get more exciting as soon as they had left the city limits, with them picking up a few new friends along the way. The last quarter of the book was just as good as the beginning.

I thought the characters themselves were well developed – I liked the fact that they all had their flaws, especially Stalker. He and Tegan add more excitement to the story as I thought it would have been boring had Deuce and Fade been running around for the majority of the book on their own.

The story itself is a mix of The Walking Dead and Fallout. I’d have liked to find out more about the “Freaks” so hopefully more detail will be given later in the series as to what they are and where they came from. The ending left things open for future books in the series. I did enjoy the book, and I’d like to read the rest of the series but I don't think I'm in any hurry to do so.

Date read: December 2016

Rating: 6/10.

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1)

By Sarah J. Maas

I officially do not get the Sarah J. Maas hype.  Don't get me wrong, her world-building is brilliant, but there's things her books severely lack, and I have no idea what it is. Maybe it's just the genre that I don't like but I don't know.

I really wanted to like this book after hearing so many good things about it, but I really didn't. I feel like I'm in the minority for not liking it. It's the second book by this author that I haven't enjoyed, but I actually managed to finish this one. 

First of all, it could be half the length. I expected the competition to have a huge part in the book but not much time is given to it. The tests themselves were short and rushed. I only thought that the duel at the end was particularly interesting. 

I didn't like Calaena that much as the main character. She was described as being the most feared assassin in the world, but this is not shown at all. This could have been explored a bit more in the tests and maybe I would have believed it a bit more, as like I said, they were rushed. You'd think that after being held prisoner for over a year that she would be keen to practice her skills again, but she spends most of the book doing nothing but wandering around the hallways of the castle and playing piano. The other criminals in the competition were not believable either - half of them didn't even get a name.

I don't even have to mention how annoying and bad the love triangle was. How often does this happen in novels when it is not needed? 

Having said all of that I did like the world Sarah J. Maas built and I would be interested to find out more about it. I'd also like to see what happens in the rest of the books, I just don't think I can be bothered to read through five more to find out.

Oh and by the way, the US cover is stunning. I do like the UK one but it's nowhere near as nice.

Date read: December 2016

Rating: 3/10.

Ida

By Alison Evans

**Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

This book wasn’t what I expected it to be – I thought it was going to be something similar to Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy with the travelling between parallel universes, but it was completely different. For the first few chapters I didn’t think I was going to enjoy it, but as I read on I was more and more pleasantly surprised.

This is one of the few books I have read where I did not dislike any of the characters. Ida and Daisy were written perfectly and their relationship was believable. I thought Frank should have had a bigger part in the plot as I really liked him as well. The romance between Ida and Daisy was also done really well I thought – it wasn’t overdone and although it was a prominent part of the story, the plot did not revolve around it. 

The only part of the book where I felt I was let down was with the ending. Ida spent a lot of time on her own in the last half of the book, which I disliked. I liked all the other characters and would have liked if they had played a bigger part in the story. The answer that Ida was looking for was staring her in the face for half the book and seemed so obvious, and when she finally does discover it the story ends very abruptly. 

If this is the start of a series then I would definitely read more – Ida gets an interesting job offer towards the end of the book which would be interesting to read about, to see if she can maybe help others that are in the same situation as she was. All in all, a quick, easy and enjoyable read. 

UPDATE: I've been thinking about this book a lot since I read it back in December and I think I enjoyed it a lot more than I first thought.  I keep thinking about the characters a lot, and I might reread it sometime soon.  I've never read an LGBT themed story before but I really liked this and I'd be interested to read more by the same author.

Date read: December 2016
Rating: 7.5/10.

New World: Rising

By Jennifer Wilson

I really enjoyed this book. I’ve had it on my kindle for a while and can’t believe I haven’t read it sooner. There are a few similarities to other dystopian novels such as Divergent, The Hunger Games and the Moon Dwellers Saga – all of which I loved – but New World: Rising still manages to stand strong on its own.

I loved the characters in the book. The main character, Phoenix, annoyed me a little bit however as she constantly moans about how she is not good enough for anyone, but other than that I did really like her. The romance in the book was done nicely as well; there was no annoying love triangle that we see in so many novels.

I also really loved the world that Jennifer Wilson built, both inside the wall and outside. One thing that did irk me a little was that I would have liked for it to have been explored a bit more, with most of the novel being set somewhere safe from those locations. Hopefully this can be done in future books in the series. 

The ending of the book was done really well and was a good set up for the rest of the series. I will definitely be picking up book 2!

Date read: December 2016
Rating: 8/10.

Rise (Trifecta #1)

By Luis Almonte

I was so conflicted for the first half of this book. It starts off pretty well in the prologue and then not much happens for the first 100 pages or so. It wasn't boring, just nothing exciting happened. However, as soon as Alexia enters the Trials, it is full of action and is like a different book which I found difficult to put down. Towards the end, the character of Kaleb is explored a bit more, which gives him a purpose, as I thought he was pretty pointless to begin with. All in all, a good read. I will definitely read the next one in the series, but only because the amazing second half made up for for the not so amazing first half.

Date read: November 2016

Rating: 8/10.