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: Cuckoo Song - Frances Hardinge

GENRE: Supernatural YA

PAGES: 416
PUBLISHER: MacMillan

FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars
 

SUMMARY

The first things to shift were the doll's eyes, the beautiful grey-green glass eyes. Slowly they swivelled, until their gaze was resting on Triss's face. Then the tiny mouth moved, opened to speak. 'What are you doing here?' It was uttered in tones of outrage and surprise, and in a voice as cold and musical as the clinking of cups. 'Who do you think you are? This is my family.' When Triss wakes up after an accident, she knows that something is very wrong. She is insatiably hungry; her sister seems scared of her and her parents whisper behind closed doors. She looks through her diary to try to remember, but the pages have been ripped out. Soon Triss discovers that what happened to her is more strange and terrible than she could ever have imagined, and that she is quite literally not herself. In a quest find the truth she must travel into the terrifying Underbelly of the city to meet a twisted architect who has dark designs on her family - before it's too late ...

 

REVIEW

I had been meaning to read this for a long time, and as soon as I picked it up I couldn't put it down! It's such a unique and haunting novel, each character is well defined and the journey Tris goes on is really interesting and moving.

 

I would recommend this to anyone who likes something a little extraordinary, or Coraline by Neil Gaiman.

 

-Gem.

REVIEW: Read Me Like A Book - Liz Kessler

GENRE: YA

PAGES: 304
PUBLISHER: Indigo

FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 5 Stars
 

SUMMARY

Ashleigh Walker is in love. You know the feeling - that intense, heart-racing, all-consuming emotion that can only come with first love. It's enough to stop her worrying about bad grades at college. Enough to distract her from her parents' marriage troubles. There's just one thing bothering her . . .

Shouldn't it be her boyfriend, Dylan, who makes her feel this way - not Miss Murray, her English teacher?

 

REVIEW

I've read a couple of Liz Kessler's middle grade books, so I was excited about this YA offering, and it didn't disappoint. Ash is a great character - funny, sarcastic, insecure, and really relatable. It was really interesting to see how how her character developed as she tackles dealing with her parents marriage problems, her love life and her college work. It's her love life which plays a major part of this story, and it deals with some intense issues in a really sensitive way. There's some good shocks and twists in it which I found really enjoyable.

 

 I can't wait to read more YA from Liz.

 

- 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.

REVIEW: Shadow and Bone - Leigh Bardugo

GENRE: Fantasy
PAGES: 352
PUBLISHER: Indigo
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 5 Stars

SUMMARY

The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on human flesh, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka.

Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the lavish world of the kingdom’s magical elite—the Grisha. Could she be the key to unravelling the dark fabric of the Shadow Fold and setting Ravka free?

The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfill her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him.

But what of Mal, Alina’s childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can’t she ever quite forget him?

REVIEW

An outstanding start to a fantastic trilogy. Any one who likes fantasy should read this trilogy, it's full of action, mystery, friendship, romance and drama. Alina is a wonderful character who is thrust into a situation like no other, and must be strong to survive the trials that lie ahead for her. As soon as you finish this you will immediately want to go on to Seige and Storm and then Ruin and Rising. I have read them all twice now, and will be re-reading them time and time again.

- Gem.

REVIEW: Split Second - Kasie West

GENRE: YA
PAGES: 360
PUBLISHER: Harper360
FORMAT: Hardback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

Check out Gem's review for Pivot Point here.

SUMMARY

Life can change in a split second.

Addie hardly recognizes her life since her parents divorced. Her boyfriend used her. Her best friend betrayed her. She can’t believe this is the future she chose. On top of that, her ability is acting up. She’s always been able to Search the future when presented with a choice. Now she can manipulate and slow down time, too . . . but not without a price.

When Addie’s dad invites her to spend her winter break with him, she jumps at the chance to escape into the Norm world of Dallas, Texas. There she meets the handsome and achingly familiar Trevor. He’s a virtual stranger to her, so why does her heart do a funny flip every time she sees him? But after witnessing secrets that were supposed to stay hidden, Trevor quickly seems more suspicious of Addie than interested in her. And she has an inexplicable desire to change that.

Meanwhile, her best friend, Laila, has a secret of her own: she can restore Addie’s memories . . . once she learns how. But there are powerful people who don’t want to see this happen. Desperate, Laila tries to manipulate Connor, a brooding bad boy from school—but he seems to be the only boy in the Compound immune to her charms. And the only one who can help her.

As Addie and Laila frantically attempt to retrieve the lost memories, Addie must piece together a world she thought she knew before she loses the love she nearly forgot . . . and a future that could change everything.

REVIEW

After having read and loved Pivot Point, Split Second picks up where PP finished and Addie is just as awesome as ever. This novel differs as it tells the story from both Addie and Lailia's view points, allowing us to see both inside the compound and outside and in the norm world. The action kicks in immediately as Addie and Laila try to piece together a trail of breadcrumbs leading towards a conclusion that could change their lives forever. It's difficult to say much about this book without giving away big spoilers, but suffice to say it's awesome! I wish there were going to be more books in this series :)

- Gem.

REVIEW: Dorothy Must Die - Danielle Paige

GENRE: Faiytale/Fantasy
PAGES: 464
PUBLISHER: Harper360
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

SUMMARY

I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero. But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you know?

Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little blue birds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still the yellow brick road, though—but even that's crumbling.

What happened? Dorothy. They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe. My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas. I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked. I've been trained to fight.

And I have a mission.

REVIEW

This. Is. AMAZING!

From the first page I was utterly hooked by this fabulous spin on the Wizard of Oz classic. It's been some years since I read the original novels, but reading this bought it all back. Amy's narration was compelling, at times I felt sorry for her, sometimes wanted to tell her to run away and always rooted for her to best her enemies and come out on top! It really is an incredible book, as soon as I finished it I wanted to reread it, and I know it's a book I'll read many, many times. The way it takes characters we all know and transforms them into something totally unrecognisable was so clever, and despite the macabre nature of the plot, Amy's sarcasm adds a element of humour and fun to stop it being too dark. It would work so well as a TV show!

- Gem.

REVIEW: A Little Something Difference - Sandy Hall

GENRE: Contemporary/Romance
PAGES: 272
PUBLISHER: Macmillan
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

SUMMARY

Lea and Gabe are in the same creative writing class. They get the same pop-culture references, order the same Chinese food and hang out in the same places. Unfortunately, Lea is reserved, Gabe has issues, and despite their initial mutual crush it looks like they are never going to work things out. But somehow, even when nothing is going on, something is happening between them, and everyone can see it. Their creative-writing teacher pushes them together. The baristas at the local Starbucks watch their relationship like a TV show. Their bus driver tells his wife about them. The waitress at the diner automatically seats them together. Now they just need to realize that they're meant for each other, and start falling in love...

REVIEW

The most enjoyable romance book I have read for a long time! This book was so refreshing, it took the basic principle of two young people falling in love and deals with it in an interesting and touching way. Told from the point of view of 14 people (it's easy to follow despite so many view points), each person has their own take on Lea and Gabe, and each of them has their own personality that makes it really fun to see what they think is happening. My favourite is Inga, I wish I had had a teacher like her! This is such a great book, the perfect book to curl up on the sofa with and the next thing you know you'll have read the entire thing and be grinning from ear to ear! I knew I was going to like it after 7 pages when there was a Buffy reference... Read this now :)

- Gem.

REVIEW: Twisted - Laurie Halse Anderson

GENRE: Contemporary/Issues
PAGES: 240
PUBLISHER: Scholastic
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

SUMMARY

Seventeen-year-old Tyler is totally enjoying his position as high school Alpha male after years of being "the geek". But then Bethany - rich, blonde, beautiful and the girl Tyler wants - is the victim in a teenage sex scandal, and somehow Tyler is the prime suspect. Tyler had nothing to do with it, but when everyone - including his hard-nosed father - believes he did, Tyler starts to spiral into a nightmarish, paranoid state of mind. He is desperate to find a way out of the mess he's in ...Will he have the courage not to take the easy option?

REVIEW

A quick read, this tale of one boys struggle against gossip and scandal is fascinating. Tyler is snarky, funny and interesting, and it was great to see how he dealt with the situation he found himself in...he is accused of a crime he didn't commit and his family is a total nightmare. I honestly didn't know how it was going to end, and once I'd read it I found myself flicking back through to reread passages I liked. Perfect for an indulgent afternoon of reading!

- Gem.

REVIEW: City of Halves - Lucy Inglis

GENRE: Fantasy
PAGES: 352
PUBLISHER: Chicken House
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

SUMMARY

London. Girls are disappearing. They've all got one thing in common; they just don't know it yet... 

Sixteen-year-old Lily was meant to be next, but she's saved by a stranger: a half-human boy with gold-flecked eyes. Regan is from an unseen world hidden within our own, where legendary creatures hide in plain sight. But now both worlds are under threat, and Lily and Regan must race to find the girls, and save their divided city.

REVIEW

I absolutely loved this book! I really liked the fact it was set in London - the familiarity of the London backdrop made the whole thing seem real, despite the fantastical creatures and goings on. The plot was interesting and the prophecy element gave it an extra depth. I usually prefer novels in first person as it makes me feel closer to the character, but this was so well written that I felt like I'd been transported into Lily's world. I can't wait to find out what happens next!

- Gem.

REVIEW: Has Anyone Seen Jessica Jenkins? - Liz Kessler

GENRE: Contemporary

PAGES: 256

PUBLISHER: Orion

FORMAT: Hardback

BUY IT: Waterstones

RATING: 4 Stars

SUMMARY

Jessica Jenkins is missing...Jessica Jenkins has always thought she was a perfectly ordinary girl, until the day that part of her arm vanishes in the middle of a Geography lesson! Her best friend Izzy is determined to help Jessica realise what a great opportunity the power to turn invisible could be, but where has her new ability come from? Does this mean she's a superhero? And, when her friends are threatened, can Jessica use her superpower to help?

REVIEW

This an exciting and enjoyable book, perfect for 9-12 readers who love Cathy Cassidy and Jacqueline Wilson. I thought the plot was inventive and clever, and the kind of thing I wish would happen in real life - being able to turn invisible! As the plot progressed, Jessica has to solve the mystery of what is happening to her and her friends. Although it says it is a standalone novel I felt it would make a great series as it was so different from anything else I'd read for this age group, and the way the theme of friendship was dealt with was really clever. I'll definitely recommend this book to people.

- Gem.

REVIEW: Will Grayson, Will Grayson - John Green & David Levithan

GENRE: Contemporary/Romance
PAGES: 3852
PUBLISHER: Penguin
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 5 Stars

SUMMARY

One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, Will Grayson crosses paths with...Will Grayson. Two guys with the same name, running in two very different circles, suddenly find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, and culminating in epic turns-of-heart and the most fabulous musical ever to grace the high-school stage. Told in alternating voices from two award-winning authors.

REVIEW

I completely and utterly loved this book, and then joy of joys, I read that David Levithan is going to be doing a Tiny Cooper spin off! How fabulous!

I really enjoyed the split narration, each Will Grayson had their own idiosyncrasies and when they met I was excited to see what would happen. The book deals with some serious issues of friendship, sexuality and relationships so it was very relatable and felt honest. It's quite "american" with the whole musical aspect - I can't imagine it having happened in my school, but then again that was about 15 yrs ago (Chris I feel old...)

Regardless, I loved it and will now be reading David Levithan's other books.

- Gem.

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: Only Ever Yours - Louise O'Neill

GENRE: Dystopia/Issues

PAGES: 400

PUBLISHER: Quercus

FORMAT: Paperback

BUY IT: Waterstones

RATING: 5 Stars

SUMMARY

Freida and Isabel have been best friends their whole lives. Now, aged sixteen and in their final year at the School, they expect to be selected as companions - wives to wealthy and powerful men. The alternative - life as a concubine - is too horrible to contemplate. But as the intensity of the final year takes hold, the pressure to be perfect mounts. isabel starts to self-destruct, putting her beauty - her only asset - in peril. And then into this sealed female environment, the boys arrive, eager to choose a bride. freida must fight for her future - even if it means betraying the only friend, the only love, she has ever known...

REVIEW

Ever since I have read this book I simply cannot stop raving about on our Waterstones Birmingham High St Young Adult Twitter @yabirmingham, in fact I think it's almost to the point of utter fangirl obsession!

It truly is a great book. It's clever, unique, interesting, and downright compelling. 

It touches on serious issues and deals with them in a scenario that is unreal and yet believable... it's full of dark humour, and it's not a book that everyone will "get" but I am really excited to be able to recommend this book to people, and can't wait for more people to read it as Louise O'Neill is a very talented writer.

- 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

REVIEW: The Jewel - Amy Ewing

PAGES: 368
PUBLISHER: Walker Books
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

This book will be published September 2014.

SUMMARY

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. It will appeal to fans of dystopian, dark romance, stepping beyond the paranormal craze. It is perfect for fans of Allie Condie and The Hunger Games

REVIEW

"The Selection meets The Handmaid's Tale in this darkly riveting debut filled with twists and turns, where all that glitters may not be gold"

That tag line alone would entice me to read this book, and having read it now I agree with the comparisons to The Selection and The Handmaid's Tale, I'd also say it has shades of Megan McCafferty's Bumped in there too.

Violet is a wonderful character and I loved seeing the Jewel through her eyes as she tries to adjust to this new world into which she is forced. Amy Ewing has created a world in which girls like Violet have no choice in their future, they will become surrogates for the Royalty and the way in which this is described is brilliant - it felt scarily believable. 

The main plot is interesting, and lots of sub-plots add further intrigue! The last few chapters really ramped up the pace and the cliffhanger ending left me wanting to move straight onto book two! The only problem with reading proofs is that it's always so long before the next book comes out! I will definitely be reading the next instalment.

REVIEW: More Than This - Patrick Ness

PAGES: 480
PUBLISHER: Walker
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

SUMMARY

From two-time Carnegie Medal winner Patrick Ness comes an enthralling and provocative new novel chronicling the life - or perhaps afterlife - of a teen trapped in a crumbling, abandoned world. A boy called Seth drowns, desperate and alone in his final moments, losing his life as the pounding sea claims him. But then he wakes. He is naked, thirsty, starving. But alive. How is that possible? He remembers dying, his bones breaking, his skull dashed upon the rocks. So how is he is here? And where is this place? It looks like the suburban English town where he lived as a child, before an unthinkable tragedy happened and his family moved to America. But the neighbourhood around his old house is overgrown, covered in dust and completely abandoned. What's going on? And why is it that whenever he closes his eyes, he falls prey to vivid, agonizing memories that seem more real than the world around him? Seth begins a search for answers, hoping that he might not be alone, that this might not be the hell he fears it to be, that there might be more than just this...

REVIEW

This book is awesome; Beautifully written, wonderfully inventive and thought-provoking and completely captivating. It was structured really well; I enjoyed finding out more about Seth's character as the book progressed through the flashbacks he encounters. 

For a book told in third person, I still felt incredibly close to the character and the situation he was in; Patrick's descriptions of what Seth was thinking, feeling and seeing were brilliant. As the story develops it becomes more and more enticing, yet as a reader I still didn't have any clue where exactly it was going or how it would end - sometimes that can be frustrating but in this case it just made me want to read more, I was desperate to know what would happen! 

It's such an original book, and the synopsis on the back is deliberately vague so as not to give away any key plot points so all I'll say is it's fantastic!

- Gem.

REVIEW: Deep Blue - Jennifer Donnelly

PAGES: 320
PUBLISHER: Hodder & Stoughton
FORMAT: Hardback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

SUMMARY

When Serafina, a mermaid of the Mediterranean Sea, awakens on the morning of her betrothal, her biggest worry should be about reuniting with handsome Prince Mahdi, her childhood crush. Instead she finds herself haunted by strange dreams foretelling the return of an ancient evil, and dealing with the deaths of her parents as assassins storm the betrothal ceremony, plunging the city into chaos. Led only by her shadowy dreams and pursued by the invading army, Serafina and her best friend Neela embark on a quest to avenge her parents' death and prevent a war between the mer nations. In the process they discover a plot that threatens their - and our - world's very existence.

REVIEW

I loved how well imagined the undersea world was; everything was brilliantly described and I could clearly picture everything that was happening. Serefina was a good character, she starts off just a typical mermaid princess (if there is such a thing!) and soon has to become a stronger person, and prepare herself for both her impending quest and ruling the realm. 

I loved the interactions between her and Neela (my favourite character) and the language that J.Donnely has created is amazing. It was sometimes a bit confusing but that was because I didn't notice there was a glossary (if i turn to the back i have a bad habit of reading the last line!) but despite this it still flowed well. It's obvious that this book was just introducing the characters and setting them up for the quest to find the talisman's, I look forward to the next instalment when they are all together much more, and no doubt in more danger!

- Gem.

REVIEW: Don't Look Back - Jennifer L. Armentrout

PAGES: 368
PUBLISHER: Hodder & Stoughton
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

SUMMARY

What if you had the chance to start again...but only if you promised never to look back? Samantha is popular, rich, and seemed to have it all...until the night she and her best 'frenemy' Cassie disappeared and only Sammy resurfaced, with no recollection of who she is or what happened. Sammy's a stranger in her own life - a life she no longer wants any part of. Losing her memory is a chance to start again. Then Sammy begins receiving mysterious notes warning her about that night, urging her to not look back. But she can't let it go. As she starts poking around in her past she begins to remember...and something sinister begins to surface.

REVIEW

I loved Don't Look Back, my two favourite genres are YA and Crime and this was a perfect blend of both. Samantha is a fantastic character, I really enjoyed seeing how she developed as a person with every flash of memory that came back, and every interaction she had with one she knew. The writing was brilliant, I guessed very early on who the killer was from a subtle line, and there were other little clues along the way, although there were obviously a lot of red herrings too. I think the only reason I guessed so early was because I've watched so many episodes of crime shows and am usually right about the killer (geek!). 

Any one who likes fast paced and tense novels will love this, and I'd definitely read more from this author

- Gem.