REVIEW: Vendetta - Catherine Doyle

GENRE: YA Romance

PAGES: 352
PUBLISHER: Chicken House

FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars
 

SUMMARY

When five brothers move into the abandoned mansion next door, Sophie Gracewell's life changes forever. Irresistibly drawn to bad boy Nic Falcone, Sophie finds herself falling into an underworld governed by powerful families. When Sophie's own family skeletons come to life, she must choose between two warring dynasties \- the one she was born into, and the one she is falling in love with. When she does, blood will spill and hearts will break ...

 

REVIEW

A wonderful take on the star-crossed lover genre. Featuring a strong cast of characters, all of who add the the plot in their own way, it's a really immersive story and I soon found myself caught up in Sophie's ever more dangerous world. A great story of family, love, secrets and lies... and when the truth comes out Sophie had better take cover! A fantastic debut novel.

 

-Gem.

REVIEW: Red - Alison Cherry

GENRE: Contemporary YA

PAGES: 320
PUBLISHER: Quercus

FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars
 

SUMMARY

Top student. Beauty queen. Girlfriend of the hottest football jock. Felicity's got everything. And it's all down to her red, red hair. Felicity lives in Scarletville, the world's only redhead sanctuary, where red hair is celebrated, protected - and the key to success. But Felicity has a secret. A red hot secret. And if anyone finds out, she's finished. Because Felicity's actually a natural blonde. And in Scarletville, blondes need not apply.

 

REVIEW

A funny and entertaining read - I read it in a morning!

A wonderful concept that takes serious issues of image, identity and staying true to yourself and deals with them in an interesting and original way. It's fairly obvious what is going to happen overall, but there are some great bits all the way through the book.

I'd definitely recommend this to people who like an easy and fun read.

- Gem.

REVIEW: The Mime Order - Samantha Shannon

GENRE: Adult Fantasy
PAGES: 528
PUBLISHER: Bloomsbury
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 5 Stars

SUMMARY

Paige Mahoney has escaped the brutal prison camp of Sheol I, but her problems have only just begun: many of the survivors are missing and she is the most wanted person in London...As Scion turns its all-seeing eye on the dreamwalker, the mime-lords and mime-queens of the city's gangs are invited to a rare meeting of the Unnatural Assembly. Jaxon Hall and his Seven Seals prepare to take centre stage, but there are bitter fault lines running through the clairvoyant community and dark secrets around every corner. Then the Rephaim begin crawling out from the shadows. But where is Warden? Paige must keep moving, from Seven Dials to Grub Street to the secret catacombs of Camden, until the fate of the underworld can be decided.

 

REVIEW

The Bone Season was one of my favourite books of 2013 and I was impatiently waiting for the next instalment. Samantha Shannon has created such an intricate alternative world, complete with a whole host of mind-blowing characters. Paige is still in terrible danger as she is now the most wanted person in London, and the fugitives from Sheol I are all being hunted by the Rephaim.

 

The language and words that have been created really add to the originality of the story, and the way that the plot races forward with action and excitement on each page kept me so gripped I was fully submerged in Paige's world. Everything is described so well that despite it being so fantastical you can really see it. I'm not saying anything about the story because it's so much more fun to be shocked by all the incredible action! If you haven't read The Bone Season yet you really must, and be sure to make use of the glossary at the back (but ensure you don't read the last page or you'll spoil it!).

 

I cannot wait for the film of TBS and I am so excited to see what happens next for Paige.

 

- Gem.

GUEST REVIEW: The Mara Dyer Series - Michelle Hodkin

  

 

Summary

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger. She wakes from a coma in hospital with no memory of how she got there or of the bizarre accident that caused the deaths of her best friends and her boyfriend, yet left her mysteriously unharmed. The doctors suggest that starting over in a new city, a new school, would be good for her and just to let the memories gradually come back on their own. But Mara's new start is anything but comforting. She sees the faces of her dead friends everywhere, and when she suddenly begins to see other people's deaths right before they happen, Mara wonders whether she's going crazy! And if dealing with all this wasn't enough, Noah Shaw, the most beautiful boy she has ever seen can't seem to leave her alone...but as her life unravels around her, Mara can't help but wonder if Noah has another agenda altogether...

 

This book trilogy is one of my favourites purely because I fell in love with three things:

• The Plot
• The Characters
• The Endings (even though the second one wanted me to cry for ages)

 

The plot:

 The plot of the three books of course are an after effect of what happened in the previous book (except for Unbecoming as it was the beginning which caused the after effects). The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is about a 16 year old girl called Mara who discovers she is an only survivor a terrible accident. And she is terrified. To make this even harder for Mara she cannot remember anything from the accident, which killed her three closest friends is very traumatic for her. To try and escape from the relentless guilt, she convinces her family to move the Florida. However, Mara’s misfortunes soon catch up to her and she finds herself finding it hard to run away from her problems. In the midst of all of her problems…she falls in love. What eventually happens to Mara? Does she defeat all the odds and comes standing tall with her lover by her side? Or does she have a reoccurring person from her past who is set in destroying everything she loves?

 

GUEST REVIEW: Famous In Love - Rebecca Serle

GENRE: YA Romance
PAGES: 432
PUBLISHER: Macmillan
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

SUMMARY

Paige doesn't think she's particularly special, but after getting the starring role in a massive film adaptation of the bestselling Locked trilogy, the rest of the world would disagree. Now she's thrown into the spotlight, and into a world of gossip, rumour and deceit. The only people who know what she's going through are her two male co-stars, and they can't stand the sight of each other. Paige knows it's a mistake to fall in love on the set of a movie, but days of on-screen romance and intensity start to change her mind. The question is, can she keep what happens behind the scenes a secret when the world is watching her every move?

REVIEW

I was immediately drawn to this book because a) I’m a sucker for romance stories and b) it is about a girl who is cast in a major book to movie adaptation. I did actually end up enjoying it as well. Once I got into it, I couldn’t put it down and I kept reading until I finished. Every time I tried to put the book down and go back to sleep, I kept thinking about what was going to happen next so I had to pick it up again. It was fast paced and despite there being no action, I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happened.

Paige was an interesting main character. Her views about major book to movie adaptations really made me think about how some big actresses may feel about appearing in them e.g. Jennifer Lawrence. She was constantly worried about messing it up or not doing it right for the fans. And when she went out to go sign books, her shock over the screaming fans really made me think about how hard it must be for these stars to deal with screaming fangirls. I am definitely not a screaming fangirl but it made me think about the way people view actresses. Paige found it hard to deal with the major change in her life that acting bought about, despite it being something that she has wanted for her whole life. Basically throughout the whole book ,she was dealing with some sort of issue but I didn’t mind it. I didn’t actually dislike her which is good.

Now here is where it gets complicated. The boys. Rainer was introduced quite early on in the book and we were made to like him and while he was cute and adorable, I was quite skeptical of his actions. He was too good to be true in my opinion and then when Jordan entered, I immediately loved him for some reason. I did end up liking both the boys because Rainer was sweet where as Jordan was brooding. Though I have to say I personally prefer Jordan myself but I do like them both for Paige. Saying that, the one thing I disliked about this book was the ending. I felt that it was rushed and a lot of the big things that we were waiting to happen happened within less than 50 pages. I also didn’t like who she ended up with and the actual ending. I mean, what about the other two movies? Did the fans like the movie? Surely her feelings would change? Also how did the book in the book end? Who did August choose? And another main question came from the beginning. Does she know that she chose the wrong person? I’M SO CONFUSED.

Never the less I really enjoyed the book as a whole so I’d probably give it about an 85% so 4 out of 5 stars. It is enjoyable and I do recommend you pick it up when it is released. That’s all from me today. Thanks for reading and see you soon.

- Sofia.

REVIEW: Eren - Simon P. Clark

GENRE: YA
PAGES: 208
PUBLISHER: Much-In-Little
FORMAT: Hardback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

SUMMARY

People are keeping secrets from Oli - about where his father is, and why he hasn't come to join them at his uncle's house in the country.

But Oli has secrets too.

He knows what lives in the attic. Eren - part monster, part dream, part myth. Eren who always seems so interested, who always wants to hear more about Oli's life. Eren, who needs to hear stories to live, and will take them from Oli, no matter the cost.

REVIEW

Eren is one of the strangest books I have ever read, and it's a debut that's one of the most unique and exciting stories I've read this year.

When Oli's Mum moves him away from his London home he begins to feel isolated from his life. He goes to live at his Uncle's house and when exploring the attic meets a very strange creature... Eren. Eren feeds off stories of all sorts, and the more detailed and imaginative the better. They make him stronger. He begins to take over everything in Oli's life.

Eren is really a story about what happens when children are protected from the hardships of adult life. By not telling Oli what is happening with his Dad or why they had to move to London, Oli's imagination begins to take on a life of his own, spreading from simple storytelling to reconstructing his own history with the detail and flourish that Eren keeps pushing him for.

Storytelling affects everyone. Everything is an interpretation of the truth and affects the way we see ourselves and our histories. It can bring magic and wonder, sometimes giving us new ways to see situations, to understand and explore emotions.

Eren is a beautifully produced fairytale for both adults and children, about the power of imagination and how easily it spills into and influences our everyday lives.

- Bex.

GUEST REVIEW: Lies We Tell Ourselves - Robin Talley

GENRE: YA
PAGES: 384
PUBLISHER: MIRA Ink
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 5 Stars

SUMMARY

Lie #1: I'm not afraid. 

Lie #2: I'm sure I'm doing the right thing. 

Lie# 3: I don't care what they think of me. 

It's 1959. The battle for civil rights is raging. And it's Sarah's first day of school as one of the first black students at previously all-white Jefferson High. No one wants Sarah there. Not the Governor. Not the teachers. And certainly not the students - especially Linda, daughter of the town's most ardent segregationist. Sarah and Linda are supposed to despise each other. But the more time they spend together, the less their differences matter. And both girls start to feel something they've never felt before. Something they're determined to ignore. Because it's one thing to stand up to an unjust world - but another to be terrified of what's in your own heart.

REVIEW

It’s 1959 and the world is changing for two teenage girls who are thrown into each other’s paths as Jefferson High introduces black students to its halls for the very first time. Lies We Tell Ourselves is told between Sarah and Linda two girls who at the start of the book appear to be very different but little do they know are actually the flip side to the same coin in the battle for civil rights.

Sarah is one of the first black girls to be integrated and right from the first chapter I was equally horrified and heartbroken for her and the abuse she had to go through. Linda is a popular white girl who’s been told all her life that black people are beneath her and so when she gets to know Sarah during a school project she’s confused and torn by what she herself is learning to be true and wanting to uphold her family’s reputation and please her father whose career is built on segregation. Both girls are equally interesting to read about as they go on a tremendous journey to figure out for themselves what’s wrong and what’s right.

Lies We Tell Ourselves is set at a point in history where people’s minds were slowly changing towards equality and so I found it really interesting that author Robin Talley decided to take a look at gay rights as well for comparison. I thought this was well explored through Linda’s best friend Judy who’s one of the only white students to accept Sarah yet sees homosexuality as sinful and wrong. It was interesting to read about how minds move and at what pace especially when it comes to equality.

There’s a lot of important messages and themes throughout Lies We Tell Ourselves but my personal favourite is one that I believe stands the test of time and is at the root of all good change and that is to do what you feel in your heart to be right rather than what you’ve been told is right. Seeing Sarah and Linda find their own way and the strength it takes to do that is an incredibly empowering thought to take away from this book.

Every now and then a Young Adult book comes along that I want to push into every readers hands both young and old and Lies We Tell Ourselves is that book for 2014.

- Jess.

GUEST REVIEW: The Queen Of The Tearling - Erika Johnasen

GENRE: Adult Fantasy
PAGES: 448
PUBLISHER: Bantam Press
FORMAT: Hardback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 5 Stars

SUMMARY

Kelsea Glynn is the sole heir to the throne of Tearling but has been raised in secret by foster parents after her mother - Queen Elyssa, as vain as she was stupid - was murdered for ruining her kingdom. For 18 years, the Tearling has been ruled by Kelsea's uncle in the role of Regent however he is but the debauched puppet of the Red Queen, the sorceress-tyrant of neighbouring realm of Mortmesme. On Kelsea's 19th birthday, the tattered remnants of her mother's guard - each pledged to defend the queen to the death - arrive to bring this most un-regal young woman out of hiding...

And so begins her journey back to her kingdom's heart, to claim the throne, earn the loyalty of her people, overturn her mother's legacy and redeem the Tearling from the forces of corruption and dark magic that are threatening to destroy it. But Kelsea's story is not just about her learning the true nature of her inheritance - it's about a heroine who must learn to acknowledge and live with the realities of coming of age in all its insecurities and attractions, alongside the ethical dilemmas of ruling justly and fairly while simply trying to stay alive...

REVIEW

I really loved this book! It had many flaws but I was so engrossed in the plot that I completely ignored them and absolutely loved the book anyway!

Kelsea Glynn is an amazing character! In fact she’s quite possibly of my favourite fictional characters (up there with Hermione Granger, Hazel Grace Lancaster and Celeana Sardothien!) She is strong (but not necessarily physically like Celeana, Tris or Katniss) ! I’ve never known a character with so much resilience! Despite the fact that attempts are constantly made on her life she stays determined and focussed on being a good queen and restoring the Kingdom. I found her incredibly inspirational! Kelsea doesn’t develop much over the book (she had her strength and courage from the beginning) but I still really loved her!

Out of all of the books I have read recently, I have found most of them predictable! However ‘The Queen of the Tearling’ had me gripped throughout trying to work out what was going to happen next! I really felt that anything could happen and that made my reading experience more thrilling!

My favourite genres are dystopian, fantasy and historical and I was delighted to find that this book is a combination of the three making it the perfect choice for me! Whilst being set in the future, the world was very simplistic and the whole book is centred around the Monarchy, giving The Queen of the Tearling a historical feel. There are a few fantasy elements too!

So this book is already set to become a film (starring the wonderful Emma Watson.) I think it would make a really awesome film and I would love to see the book come to life on screen!

- Priya.

GUEST REVIEW: This Book Is Gay - James Dawson

GENRE: Non-Fiction
PAGES: 272
PUBLISHER: Hot Key
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 5 Stars

SUMMARY

A funny and pertinent book about being lesbian, bisexual, gay, queer, transgender or just curious - for everybody, no matter their gender or sexualityFormer PSHCE teacher and acclaimed YA author James Dawson gives an uncensored look at what it's like to grow up as LGBT. Including testimonials from people across the gender and sexual spectrums, this frank, funny, fully inclusive book explores everything anyone who ever dared to wonder wants to know - from sex to politics, how to pull, stereotypes, how to come-out and more. Spike Gerrell's hilarious illustrations combined with funny and factual text make this a must-read.

REVIEW

I didn't really know what this book was about really, well I had a general idea, but I was so happy with what I got. This is such a great book that I think it should be required reading at all schools. It would help any young people that are wondering about their sexuality and also it could help other people to understand people from the LGBT community. 

Not only is it helpful it was also quite funny. Yes at times it had to get serious because some of the issues in this book are very serious and it wouldn't have been the same if it didn't. One example is the chapter on HIV. I obviously had my prejudices about this and I thought I knew all about it but this book told me otherwise and now I know better. I really loved that it was illustrated too because that always just adds more to the book and makes it a little more special especially after the seriousness. 

Honestly I feel like this is such a helpful book to anyone who feels like they are unsure about their sexuality and/or gender which makes its a total 5 star book. Also even if you aren't unsure or curious about your sexuality/gender you should still pick this up and give it a read because there is nothing wrong with understanding other people a little better.

- Hannah.

GUEST REVIEW: My True Love Gave To Me - Various

GENRE: Anthology
PAGES: 368
PUBLISHER: Macmillan
FORMAT: Hardback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 5 Stars

SUMMARY

A collection of joyful festive stories that will keep you warm during the cold winter months On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me ...This beautiful collection features twelve gorgeously romantic stories set during the festive period, by some of the most talented and exciting YA authors writing today. The stories are filled with the magic of first love and the magic of the holidays. This hardback edition features a ribbon marker and pink sprayed edges, and is the perfect gift. Includes: Ally Carter Holly Black Laini Taylor Rainbow Rowell Matt de la Pena David Levithan Stephanie Perkins Kiersten White Kelly Link Jenny Han Gayle Forman Myra McEntire.

REVIEW

Hey! Today I’m going to review a book that was probably one of my most anticipated releases of the year and that is My True Love Love Gave To Me. Why was I so excited for this book? Well first off it’s a selection of 12 winter romances and if you know me at all, then you know that I am a sucker for romance stories. The main reason I was so excited for this book was because of the amazing authors involved in it. It is all edited by Stephanie Perkins, who I absolutely adore, and it includes stories by Rainbow Rowell(EEP!!!),Jenny Han, David Levithan, Gayle Forman. As well as this it included some authors who I’ve never read anything by but I have heard nothing but good things about and these are Laini Taylor, Kiersten White, Holly Black, Ally Carter. It also included some stories by some authors that I’ve never even heard of such as Matt De La Pena, Kelly Link and Myra McIntyre. So I think it’s fair to say that I had very high expectations going into this book and it did not disappoint! While I didn’t enjoy some of the stories that much, most of them were amazing and I loved them all. I have been trying to figure out how to structure this review for quite a while now and I’ve decided to do a mini review for each story and rate each one seperately. Let’s get started.

Midnights by Rainbow Rowell

The book started off with Rainbow Rowell’s story so I was immediately in love. Rainbow Rowell’s story was about two friends called Noel and Mags and it was structured in a similar way to One Day by David Nicholls. Every mini chapter was set on New Year’s Eve, exactly a year later. I honestly fell in love with this story. Rainbow Rowell has this thing where she can make you fall in love with characters really easily but I didn’t expect to fall in love with them so much in a short story. Noel was outgoing whereas Mags was somewhat shy and I loved the contrast between them. I am officially under the impression that everything Rainbow Rowell writes is pure gold. This was probably my favourite story in the whole book and I’ve already reread it about 3 times. Overall this story obviously got 5 out of 5 stars.

The Lady and the Fox by Kelly Link

Well this one was slightly disappointing. First of all a little sidenote, I was under the impression that these would be 12 winter romances that were set in our world. However, this story had some supernatural element to it, I think. I finished this story almost a week ago and I’m still not quite sure what happened in it. I really didn’t understand it at all. The main protagonist, Miranda, wasn’t anything special. I didn’t really feel anything towards her. I didn’t like her but I didn’t dislike her. She was just there. And I felt similarly about the other characters. I think it might have been the writing but I’m not sure.I have never read any of her novels but I don’t think I will be. I just didn’t feel anything while reading it and that really disappointed me. I can’t give this story higher than 2 out of 5 stars but I feel really bad about it.

What even happened in that story? I still don’t even know.

GUEST REVIEW: The Best Thing That Never Happened To Me - Laura Tait & Jimmy Rice

GENRE: Contemporary/ Romance
PAGES: 368
PUBLISHER: Corgi
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 5 Stars

SUMMARY

Everyone remembers their first love. Holly certainly remembers Alex. But she decided ten years ago that love wasn't about mix tapes and seizing the moment - though she's not exactly sure it's about secret dates with your boss, either. But what if the feelings never really went away? Alex wants to make every moment of his new job count. It's a fresh start in a big city, and he's almost certain that moving to London has nothing to do with Holly. Almost. How do you know if it was meant to be ...or never meant to happen at all?

REVIEW

I recently got a copy of The Best Thing That Never Happened To Me by Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice and I knew that this book will be amazing (I got a feeling). The only book that I have read that two authors writing one book is Will Grayson, Will Grayson (by David Levithan and John Green) so the format is similar to that.

This book is about Alex and Holly who had a teenage friendship but they lose contact with each other and do not rekindle their relationship until they are nearly thirty. Holly doesn’t really know what love is. She doesn’t think that it is about giving each other mix tapes to remind them of you or living in the now and forgetting about the future. She doesn’t think having a secret relationship with her boss is what love is really about. Alex, however knew what love is. He has always loved Holly, however when they started to drift apart and stopped talking to each other, he had doubts about whether he actually did love Holly in the first place. However, when he moves to London (where Holly lives) he thinks that he is moving for himself, not for Holly but he has his own doubts about this theory.

Main Characters:

Alex: Alex is a babe. Honestly. His character is very interesting because he has tried to convince himself that he doesn’t like Holly anymore but really his feelings for her grow stronger as the book continues. What I also love about his character is that the humour is lacking but for me that makes Alex hilarious. He never forgot about Holly (which is really sweet), she was always that friend that got away and never came back.

Holly: Holly is such an amazing character. She is ambitious, hard-working and determined to be successful in life, which is what we all strive to be, she is just a regular person (with a irregular relationship with her boss). Due to her personality, she wants her boss to announce that they are a couple but he doesn’t, which really annoys her. I love her character because regardless of what happens, she sticks to what she believes in.

I love this book because it jumps from present day, back to the past and then back to the present so you get to see how the characters have developed without having to read masses of paper. This book is also very funny and it is very enjoyable. THE ENDING WAS AMAZING.

This book is such a good read, when you are feeling down, it will honestly warm your heart.

- Ambi.

GUEST REVIEW: The Jewel - Amy Ewing

GENRE: Dark Fantasy
PAGES: 400
PUBLISHER: Penguin
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

This review refers to an uncorrected proof edition.

SUMMARY

The Handmaid's Tale meets The Other Boleyn Girl in a world where beauty and brutality collide. Violet Lasting is no longer a human being. Tomorrow she becomes Lot 197, auctioned to the highest royal bidder in the Jewel of the Lone City. Tomorrow she becomes the Surrogate of the House of the Lake, her sole purpose to produce a healthy heir for the Duchess. Imprisoned in the opulent cage of the palace, Violet learns the brutal ways of the Jewel, where the royal women compete to secure their bloodline and the surrogates are treated as disposable commodities. Destined to carry the child of a woman she despises, Violet enters a living death of captivity - until she sets eyes on Ash Lockwood, the royal Companion. Compelled towards each other by a reckless, clandestine passion, Violet and Ash dance like puppets in a deadly game of court politics, until they become each other's jeopardy - and salvation.

REVIEW

One fatal blood test and Violet's future was determined forever. Being a surrogate mother comes at a price, and a price that Violet has no choice but to pay.

Brought up in the Marsh, Violet is a country girl with a stubborn flair and the most unusual eye color. Living in the South gate foundling house, she meets Raven, with her quick remarks and a tendency to disobey, Raven and Violet become dear friends over their four years at the founding house, but that friendship cant last forever. Each surrogate must be sold, at the annual auction. Every girl must be sold,and Violet is no exception. 

Violet is sold to the House of the Lake, it comes with it's privileges and things that Violet has never experienced before become normal daily routine for her. However,the lady she is sold to is somewhat strange and unpredictable. Her time in the castle as the surrogate is fairly pleasant and she becomes good friends with her Lady In Waiting Annabelle and a member of the preparation team, Lucien. Violet has her own tea parlor,drawing room and other luxuries. This does not change her desire to get out of the palace and away from being a surrogate mother. 

This book will certaintly leave every reader wanting more. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I believe it is one of the best books I have ever read. Everything is described in such detail and it is so different to any other book I have ever read. I lost myself in this book, once I started to read the first few pages I couldn't put it down.I got so involved in the book that I can imagine clearly in my head what each of the characters look like. It is in some chapters, quick a dark book as it can be quite sad however there must be a happy ending and everyone loves a happy ending. With Violet being a strong and determined character, I believe this book trilogy could be as popular as The Hunger Games and Divergent as they both have such strong female leads and I believe Violet has the same Characteristics as Katniss (Hunger Games) and Tris (Divergent). I really recommend this book to anyone who enjoys adventure, romance and believes that things can change for the better.

- Lauren

@_itslauren_JLS

GUEST REVIEW: Silver Shadows - Richelle Mead

GENRE: Dark Fantasy
PAGES: 400
PUBLISHER: Penguin
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

SUMMARY

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists. Now, in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive. For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him...Their worst fears now a chilling reality; Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour.

REVIEWSo when Silver Shadows came out, I started fangirling slightly about the fact that I will finally be able to read this book after waiting months for it. I had to wait an extra day to get my hands on it and I didn’t really get to read it until yesterday because I have been quite busy over the last couple of days however when I did get into it, I couldn’t stop reading. I literally sat down for two hours and just read. If you’re unaware of what Silver Shadows is, it is the 5th book in the Bloodlines series by Richelle Mead which is a spin off series of Vampire Academy. I can’t tell you what Silver Shadows is about because I can’t even tell you what Bloodlines is about without spoiling Vampire Academy for you but know this, both of these two series are amazing despite the terrible names and covers. You should definitely go read the Vampire Academy series because it is honestly one of my favourite series.

Silver Shadows is most likely my favourite one in the series so far. This one is in duel POV which made me love it a bit more. As many people know Adrian is one of my top 10 bookish boyfriends(check out the list here) so seeing his POV was honestly amazing. I loved reading from his perspective because Sydney can get slightly annoying at times. The last half of the book was full of action which I loved but I also loved the first half. The first half was where we got to see the characters deal with some pretty difficult things especially Sydney(I’m trying so hard not to spoil the series for you!) and this was interesting to see just how strong willed these characters are. The plot of this book was intriguing and I kept wanting to read more of it.

Sydney has really grown over the books and I love that. At the start of the series, she’s quite uptight and reserved and a lot of people don’t like that. None of my friends have made it past Bloodlines because they really don’t like Sydney but they don’t release how much growth she goes through as a character. In this book, we really see just how much she’s changed and what she’d do to save those she loved. You really learn to respect Sydney a lot more in this book and she may even be one of my top 10 female protagonists now(I’ll make a list of them really soon). I honestly can’t wait to see just how amazing she’ll be in the final book in the series.

Oh Adrian in this book was honestly so perfect. The first half of the book made me upset because Adrian was in so much pain and I couldn’t take it but as the book goes on and he cheers up, I just kept smiling. Happy Adrian makes a happy Sofia. I love Adrian as a character and I can’t wait to read more about him in the next one. Adrian and Sydney in this book were so cute and I was just so happy for them. Throughout the whole book I went through a lot of emotions because of them. Definitely one of my main ships. I love them so much.

This was basically me throughout the book.

The thing that is making me sad right now is the fact that there is only one book left in this series. It comes out next year but there’s only one left. I don’t wait this series to end.

There’s only one left

I really hope that Richelle Mead decides to carry on writing in the Vampire Academy world because I am honestly not done with any of these characters especially Adrian. Adrian needs to be in more books because I need more of him. I’m excited for The Ruby Circle even though it’s coming out in February 2015! I need this book ASAP especially after that cliff hanger ending.

This review is all over the place because I found it hard to write a non-spoilery review of it because so much happened that I wanted to talk about. Also because I had to be careful not to spoil the rest of the series. I hope you enjoyed it anyway.

- Sofia.

GUEST REVIEW: Eleanor And Park - Rainbow Rowell

GENRE: Contemporary
PAGES: 336
PUBLISHER: Orion
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 5 Stars

SUMMARY

Eleanor is the new girl in town, and she's never felt more alone. All mismatched clothes, mad red hair and chaotic home life, she couldn't stick out more if she tried. Then she takes the seat on the bus next to Park. Quiet, careful and - in Eleanor's eyes - impossibly cool, Park's worked out that flying under the radar is the best way to get by. Slowly, steadily, through late-night conversations and an ever-growing stack of mix tapes, Eleanor and Park fall in love. They fall in love the way you do the first time, when you're 16, and you have nothing and everything to lose. Set over the course of one school year in 1986, Eleanor & Park is funny, sad, shocking and true - an exquisite nostalgia trip for anyone who has never forgotten their first love.

REVIEWSo Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell is one of my favourite books so, why not tell you guys why you should read one of the best books known to the YA universe. I love Eleanor and Park, the whole is book beautiful from the first letter to the last, I loved it.

Eleanor and Park is about a girl called Eleanor and her difficulties at home from her abusive stepfather and her almost absent mother (her mother is always there but never for her daughter). She doesn’t have proper clothes so she has to do with what she got. She sits next to a boy called Park. In a normal situation, you think they will talk, seeing they go to the same school, but no, not for while that is. They soon develop their relationship by Park lending his comics that he reads, then his mix tapes and then finally they TALKED. Even though their relationship started in an ordinary way, it became an extraordinary romance (Eleanark FOR LIFE). However Eleanor, throughout this book, has so many tough experiences from being bullied, to be fearful from her stepfather. Park is to be part of the popular crew (due to him being the only Asian at the school, ASIANS ARE AMAZING) however he is also judged as his father doesn’t think he is masculine enough.

Main Characters:

Eleanor Douglas: Eleanor is amazing. She is strong, beautiful, amazing and just so warming to read about her, shes just awesome. I love her amazing red hair, that gives her character that extra depth. Eleanor kept her head up throughout all the hard times she faced and she never thought the worst in people. Eleanor goes through so many difficult experiences, which is so unfair to her because she is portrayed as such a lovely person like how can you harm a hair on her body, like how?

Park Sheridan: Park is perfect. I love him, I love him, I LOVE HIM. Anyone who knows me, I love PARK. I even have a T-Shirt with his name on it (look at bottom for pics). He is just an amazing character, he always made Eleanor smile (which made me smile) through her bad times, and he always was her comfort blanket (and became mine).

What does Eleanor and Park teaches us?

It is so easy to judge someone so easy and we should never judge anyone. Never ever EVER. It makes the person feel like crap, and we shouldn’t judge someone by the way they look. Eleanor dressed they way she looked because she couldn’t afford to dress in the latest trends. Park doesn’t want to be muscular like his dad wants to him to be. That’s because he doesn’t want to, he feels different. That’s okay. It is okay to be different because it is our life, and we can do whatever we want, and other people shouldn’t judge because we don’t know the full story about why they look like the way they do, or why they act the way they do.

Eleanor and Park is such an amazing book because you get such feeling reading the book, that it just warms your heart and feels with such comfort that undescribeable. It has the teenage awkwardness that we get everyday yet it is prosed so beautifully that if you feel that you are actually living in that moment, and that is what any book should be about; living in the moment of the book.

Eleanor and Park (like Rainbow’s other books) is written beautifully and it is just perfect, honestly. Perfect. However, there is one thing I don’t like; the ending. (You’ll see why).

 

- Ambi.

GUEST REVIEW: Love Letters To The Dead - Ava Dellaira

GENRE: Contemporary/Fantasy
PAGES: 336
PUBLISHER: Hot Key Books
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 5 Stars

SUMMARY

It begins as an assignment for English class: write a letter to a dead person - any dead person. Laurel chooses Kurt Cobain - he died young, and so did Laurel's sister May - so maybe he'll understand a bit of what Laurel is going through. Soon Laurel is writing letters to lots of dead people - Janis Joplin, Heath Ledger, River Phoenix, Amelia Earhart ...it's like she can't stop. And she'd certainly never dream of handing them in to her teacher. She writes about what it's like going to a new high school, meeting new friends, falling in love for the first time - and how her family has shattered since May died. But much as Laurel might find writing the letters cathartic, she can't keep real life out forever. The ghosts of her past won't be contained between the lines of a page, and she will have to come to terms with growing up, the agony of losing a beloved sister, and the realisation that only you can shape your destiny.

REVIEW

I received a free copy of this book from Hot Key Books in exchange for a honest review. This does not affect my review/opinions in any way. Thank you Hot Key!

I read Love Letters to the Dead during exam week and I seriously regret it. No, I don't regret reading it, I just regret reading it right before an exam.

Because... it's one of those books that stays on your mind for a long time. In that respect (and that respect only), I'd compare it to The Book Thief.

Because... it makes you think. Laurel's history is one quite similar, yet so different to my own. And I wonder, if I'd ever have written letters, or done anything like this, what difference it would have made to me.

Because... it shows what words can do. What they can do to heal. What they can do to help. What they can do to hinder.

Because... it has gorgeous writing. Dellaira captivated me throughout the book, and it never stopped. Even when I should have been thinking about chemical formulas, I just couldn't stop thinking about it.

Because... I loved it. Many are saying it is too much like The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and I guess certain elements are similar, but this book, to me, is completely unique. It's absolutely beautiful, both on the inside and out.

- Charli.

REVIEW: Blue - Lisa Glass

GENRE: Contemporary/Romance
PAGES: 384
PUBLISHER: Quercus
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 5 Stars

SUMMARY

Surfing is sixteen-year-old Iris's world, and when the ultra-talented Zeke walks into her life, it soon becomes her passion. Over one amazing summer, as she is drawn into his sphere, she experiences love, new friendships, but also loss, with an intensity she never dreamed of. But is Zeke all he seems? What hides beneath his glamorous and mysterious past? When Iris decides to try for her own surfing success, just as her ex-boyfriend comes back into her life, she will test her talent, and her feelings for Zeke, to the limit...

REVIEW

Ok, I have to say it, please don't be put off with the cover - unless half naked boys are how you choose your books ;) - because this story is very original and engaging.

Iris is a wonderful character, she knows her own mind and is inspiring as she is not afraid to try new things and fight for what she believes in. The main two points of the plot (very simply put!) are the romance element and Iris entering a surfing contest - I know nothing about Surfing and thought this might put me off, it didn't, what it did was transport me into a world I'd never experienced and made me feel as if I was there with her. The romance element was fab and really interesting to see how it developed and how she dealt with the issues that arose.

The end was so unexpected I felt like I was holding my breath! I can't wait for more from Lisa.

- Gem.

REVIEW: Code Red Lipstick - Sarah Sky

GENRE: Contemporary/Humour

PAGES: 336
PUBLISHER: Scholastic
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 5 Stars

SUMMARY

Jessica Cole is just your average teenager, except when she's strutting down the glamorous catwalks of Paris. When her father, a former spy, vanishes mysteriously, Jessica takes matters into her own hands. She's not just good at striking a pose, she's going to take on MI6 and beat them at their own game. Following her father's trail, Jessica's investigation lands her hot on the heels of a deranged former supermodel, Allegra Knight, who plans to unleash mayhem on an unsuspecting teenage population with the launch of her new miracle face cream, Teenosity.

REVIEW

A fun and fresh take on contemporary fiction - it blends everything I love about books; engaging characters, an exciting plot and the ability for me to picture what is happening. 

Jessica Cole is great - a modern day Nancy Drew (kind of like a grown up Ruby Redfort by Lauren Child) combined with an even more sarky version of Harriet Manners in Holly Smale's Geek Girl. Even though I'm comparing the characters, they are different enough for it to be a totally different reading experience - Jessica is involved in both the modelling world and that of spying, full of high tech gadgets and dark and deadly secrets. I found myself completely captivated by Jessica's world, I read the book so quickly because I wanted to know how she was going to save the situation... 

I can't wait to read the next instalment :)

- Gem

REVIEW: The Manifesto On How To Be Interesting - Holly Bourne

GENRE: Contemporary/Issues

PAGES: 464
PUBLISHER: Usborne
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 5 Stars

This book will be released on 1/08/14 and can be preordered in store with a £3 deposit.

SUMMARY

Bree is a loser, a wannabe author who hides behind words. But when she's told she needs to start living a life worth writing about, The Manifesto on How to Be Interesting is born. Six steps on how to be interesting. Six steps that will see her infiltrate the popular set, fall in love with someone forbidden and make the biggest mistake of her life.

REVIEW

Wow, this book is awesome!

Bree is my ideal main character - she is relatable, funny, observant and even before she tried to become interesting, I wanted to know about her and her situation. 

After being rejected for a publishing deal for a second time something in Bree cracks and she feels she NEEDS to transform herself for the sake of the writing, and being able to see her transformation is brilliant. Holly touches upon lots of pop culture references and combines them all the create something new and unique. Important issues are dealt with and they never feel gratuitous, there is a point for them being in the story and I felt they were dealt with sensitivity and the Q&A with Holly at the end further highlights the importance of these issues (can't say what they are or I'll spoil it!).

As you can tell, I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more from this author (I've already read and LOVED Soulmates, so bring on book 3!)

- Gem

GUEST REVIEW: Lola and the Boy Next Door - Stephanie Perkins

GENRE: Contemporary/Romance
PAGES: 384
PUBLISHER: Usborne
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 3 Stars

SUMMARY

Budding designer Lola has an outrageous sense of style, a hot rocker boyfriend and big plans for the future. Everything is perfect - until Cricket Bell returns to the neighbourhood. When he steps back into her world, Lola must reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door. And perhaps discover that true love can be closer than you think.

REVIEW

So Lola. Strange but cool. When I say I love this book, I seriously mean it. This book is beautiful.

I love how Anna and Étienne feature in this. I adore the fact that Anna has taken a big sister role over Lola. But I have to be honest. I love Étienne way more than I do Cricket Bell.

Cricket Bell is adorable in all aspects but he is no Étienne. Let’s be real now. No-one can be as beautiful as Étienne is.

Serious question though. How do you get from Delores to Lola? This is the one thing that bothered me throughout the whole book. I love the name Lola because it’s one of my own but how do you get such a drastic name change?

Anyway back to the point.

I like Lola because she is strange and cool. The issues she has with Calliope Bell are certainly interesting and the young romance with Cricket are some of the aspects that I love the most about this book.

Cricket is cute. I definitely imagine him as tall and quietly handsome. He is a very quiet character and I love him for it but I think that this is one of the reasons I prefer Étienne- he shows his affection more openly.

I like the fierceness that Calliope shows and she reminds me of Isabelle Lightwood (The Mortal Instruments, Cassandra Clare) in that sense. Calliope is one of those characters you don’t expect to change but you hope for it to happen.

My favourite line in this book would have to be the last but you can read that for yourself. When you read the whole book and the get to that last line, it just made me smile so I am hoping to share the joy.

- Makayla

GUEST REVIEW: Solitaire - Alice Oseman

GENRE: Contemporary

PAGES: 400
PUBLISHER: HarperCollins
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 5 Stars

This book is released in July and can be preordered in store now for a £3 deposit.

Find out details for the Solitaire launch party in Birmingham here.

SUMMARY

In case you're wondering, this is not a love story. My name is Tori Spring. I like to sleep and I like to blog. Last year - before all that stuff with Charlie and before I had to face the harsh realities of A-Levels and university applications and the fact that one day I really will have to start talking to people - I had friends. Things were very different, I guess, but that's all over now. Now there's Solitaire. And Michael Holden. I don't know what Solitaire are trying to do, and I don't care about Michael Holden. I really don't.

REVIEW

Oh God, I don’t even know where to start. I’ll begin with saying that this book is definitely a ten out of ten, and that I couldn’t fault it even if I tried. 

The protagonist, Victoria Spring (or Tori as she prefers to be called) is not a brave, out of this world character. But rather a real teenager that suffers through the days the same ways we do. I found that this was the main message of the book, not love or bravery or being above average, but being a teenager in this screwed up world, and how Tori grew as a person. She was so easy to relate to and I found myself on multiple occasions thinking to myself “That is literally me” or “THANK YOU for expressing my thoughts so perfectly!” The fact that she is so pessimistic and hates pretty much everyone, and simply can’t care makes it so easy for me to just relate to her. I also dislike many people at my school, I generally don’t get along with many people and just like Tori, I’d rather just sleep and blog. 

Michael Holden. Michael is one of those boys that you are likely to encounter at some point in your life. He’s not a strong, cool dude who everyone seems to love (I hate people who everyone loves), he’s a boy who is also trying to figure himself out, and figure the world around him. He’s real and honest. He’s also crazy and a bit weird, but that’s what made me love him. Lucas, Becky, Charlie and Nick are also very interesting side characters who make the book all that more interesting (and can I please have Becky’s hair??)

I loved that no one in this book seemed to be completely fine; no one seemed to have a perfect life either. Everyone had something going on, they all made mistakes, and that reflected life so perfectly. Even Solitaire, a blog that everyone suddenly started following and loving, made silly mistakes (like almost killing some people)- showing that even a strong figure that people look up to will make mistakes, and this reflected life so perfectly. 

The fandom mentions and school references (like PEE, ugh.), made the book even more real and agh, I love this book so much.

I did guess who was behind Solitaire quite early on (and got it right, whoop!), but the element of mystery was always there, and I was always second guessing myself and wondering whether I was just an idiot ha!

The ending of the book was not perfect, there was no real closure. But that’s what I loved most, the sheer honesty of it. Problems don’t get solved when you find romance or when you make up with your friends, some problems take years to go away, and some never do. 

I cannot recommend this book enough, go and preorder it ASAP if you haven’t already. Alice Oseman is going to be famous, I just know it. 

Also, follow Alice’s blog ( http://chronicintrovert.tumblr.com/ ) and her twitter. ( https://twitter.com/AliceOseman )

Thank you to Harper Collins for sending me the book, follow them on twitter too!( https://twitter.com/HarperCollinsCh )

- Maryam