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.