Review: Before You Sleep (In Your Dreams, #3) by Amy Martin

Spoiler warning! This is the 3rd book in the In Your Dreams series and this review will contain spoilers from previous books. You can read my review of In Your Dreams here or As You Wake here instead. 

Before You Sleep by Amy Martin

Author: Amy Martin Website|Twitter
Published: 13 February 2014
Format: Kindle e-book (review copy)
Pages: 288
Buy the book: Amazon
Buy the e-book: Kindle|Kobo|Smashwords

Source: Recieved free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
As researchers close in on a treatment for her boyfriend Kieran’s strange sleeping disorder, Zara “Zip” McKee is hopeful that she and Kieran will soon be able to stop worrying about Kieran’s condition and focus their attention on other matters—such as the looming college decisions that may force them into a long-distance relationship.

But when their friend Cooper Halloran, who shares Kieran’s strange condition, undergoes the treatment and is afflicted with a devastating side effect, Zip and Kieran must decide if the treatment is worth the damage it could inflict on their relationship and their lives.

Join Zip, Kieran, and their families in the third installment of the In Your Dreams series as they wrestle with the question of what to do when the cure for a condition could be worse than the condition itself.

My Review:
I adored the first two books in this series and I was excited to be reuinted with Zip and Kieran in Before You Sleep. The book sees the two explore the possibility of a solution to Kieran's sleep problems, whilst also dealing with the ups and downs of teenage life and finishing school.

What I loved about this book was that it focuses a lot on choices and making decisions. As the series has progressed, it's great to see the characters grow and develop and face new challenges. Zip and Kieran's relationship has evolved so well. The two of them are only young and they're facing choices that could have a huge impact on their future. I liked how it wasn't always easy and we see them both go through the pros and cons of the choices they have to make. I love their relationship so much, and they come across as very mature. Despite all the pressures of their lives, they still manage to remain strong and fight for each other and what is right

Despite the fact they are dealing with very much fictional circumastances, huge parts of their relationship are incredibly relatable, and I think what the author has managed to do is create a very realistic relationship that isn't glamourised or used for any kind of dramatic effect. Alongside the issues with Kieran's disorder, they also have a lot of decisions to make when it comes to schooling and the physical side of their relationship, and I love that the two of them can talk openly with each other - unlike so many other YA novels I've read where the girls and guys are constantly trying to figure each other out without actually communicating!

I really loved the relationships between all the characters and especially how the families have become so close. The interactions between everyone always feel so familiar and never forced, and I love the sprinkling of humour that keeps the story light.It was great to find out a bit more about Cooper as well.

I think As You Wake is still my favourite book of the series. This book felt like more of a slow build that really focused on the characters, but I did like that about it. I adored Zip and Kieran. They make my heart skip! And I need to know what happens because the ending left me on edge and tugged at the heartstrings just a bit! I think it's safe to say I'm completely emotionally invested in these characters and I'm very excited to see there'll be a fourth installment in the series. Bring it on!

Rating: 4*
What to read next: The next book in the series is scheduled for this year.
Books like this: Tunnelville by Erin Callahan and Troy H. Gardner

Review: Take Back the Skies by Lucy Saxon

Take Back the Skies by Lucy Saxon

Author: Lucy Saxon Website|Twitter
Published: 5 June 2014 (Bloomsbury)
Format: Kindle e-book (ARC)
Pages: 496
Buy the book: Amazon|Hive|Waterstones
Buy the e-book: Kindle|Kobo

Source: Received a free copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks Bloomsbury!

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
Hugely energetic and entertaining fantasy adventure from an amazing 18-year-old author. The first in major sequence of novels.

Catherine Hunter is the daughter of a senior government official on the island of Anglya. She’s one of the privileged – she has luxurious clothes, plenty to eat, and is protected from the Collections which have ravaged families throughout the land. But Catherine longs to escape the confines of her life, before her dad can marry her off to a government brat and trap her forever.
So Catherine becomes Cat, pretends to be a kid escaping the Collections, and stows away on the skyship Stormdancer. As they leave Anglya behind and brave the storms that fill the skies around the islands of Tellus, Cat’s world becomes more turbulent than she could ever have imagined, and dangerous secrets unravel her old life once and for all . . .

My Review:
I'd seen a few friends talking about this book so I decided to request a review copy because it looked very much like my kind of thing. Take Back the Skies follows Catherine as she escapes her controlling father and finds refuge with the crew of a skyship.

The beginning of the book took a little while to get in to. I was weary of the amount of description which was slowing the pace down a bit. I wanted to be straight into the action! It picked up pretty quickly, though, and soon I was hooked.

The story follows the main character Catherine, who soon becomes known as Cat after running away and disguising herself as a boy. I quickly sympathised with her as she's escaping a rich, powerful father who doesn't seem to care about his daughter's happiness or desires, and her mother is sick and helpless. I really liked that she still had a bit of innocence and naivete about her as well. She's come from this rich background, so when she's thrown into a life of little she has to adjust, but she never comes across as spoilt or horrible. She's instantly likable, but she still goes through a lot and learns from her experiences.

The rest of the characters were utterly charming as well, especially the mysterious Fox. Cat is drawn to him pretty much from the moment she meets him so there's some romantic interest there, but it didn't overpower the story and I loved the way the relationship between them develops slowly as they suss each other out. With Cat disguising herself as a boy, it was great to see her mix amongst some male characters. I also loved Alice, the skyship cook, who provided the motherly figure to Cat as a nice balance to all the boys.

What Take Back the Skies managed to achieve was something pretty special with me. It nailed that sense of adventure perfectly so that soon I swept away with Cat as she travels the skies and meets these wonderful people. I became so wrapped up in the story that it was the perfect bit of escapism I needed. I loved seeing the challenges Cat had to face and the new experiences she goes through, both physically and emotionally. My favourite scenes were definitely those on the skyship.

I think this book will appeal to a wide range of people. For anyone who loves adventure it's a must, and the sci-fi elements of the story are fantastic. There's also a great political side to the story for those who love a bit of uprising against the government. The book is the first in a planned series, and I'm pleased to hear there'll be more. This book has an epilogue which sort of rounds up the story, but there's definitely potential to explore the world more. There were parts that were only touched upon that I was left wanting to know more about.

Overall I was really impressed with Take Back the Skies and will definitely be reading more by this author in the future.

Rating: 4*
What to read next: This is the 1st in a planned series
Books like this: Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, Cinder by Marissa Meyer, Echo Boy by Matt Haig

Book Snacks! Homemade Cereal Bars

So recently I've picked up a love of baking. When I can't sit still long enough to read, I find channeling my energy into baking very therapeutic. I've decided to share a few of my favourite recipes here on the blog, because books and food go pretty darn well together!

Today I'm going to share my recipe for homemade cereal bars. This is by far the thing I make the most often. I was looking for a healthier alternative to the shop bought ones which are filled with all kinds of junk. I take these to work to keep me fuelled up, but they're perfect as a mid-morning snack with a cup of tea and a good book!

I adapted the recipe from this one I discovered online (I'll link back to the original one when I can find it again!). I had to make some tweaks to get the ingredients into grams and have also tweaked the amounts and ingredients to my taste.

Ingredients:
150g porridge oats
160g wholemeal flour
150g dried fruit*
3/4 tsp cinnamon
170g honey
50g olive oil
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Margarine (for greasing)

* I find plump sultanas work best (as opposed to rasisins) as they stay soft, but this part of the recipe can be adapted to whatever you have lying around! I've used chopped up dried apricots which work well too. For a sweet treat you can add glace cherries.

Method:
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees (fan oven).
Grease a 8inch x 8inch square tin.
Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir thoroughly.
Pour mixture into the tin, spread out and press down with the back of the spoon or a spatula.
Bake for 15 minutes approx.
Leave to cool for five minutes then cut into bars or squares.

"Recently Read" Round Up! Reviews of Wintergirls, The Elites, Independent Study

I've been a bit behind with reviews lately, despite having finished a few books, so to catch up I've given you three reviews for the price of one! Here are three of the books I've read recently with a mini-review of each one. I hope you enjoy!


Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Published: 19th March 2009 (Marion Lloyd)
Pages: 278
Rating: 5*

My thoughts: I was both excited and nervous to read this book. I'd heard amazing things about the author but had never read any of her books. I've also known a few people close to me with eating disorders so reading a book about a girl battling an ED was something I wanted to do but was also hesistant of. Would it be accurate? Would it be emotional? With this book it was both.

Halse Anderson has written an incredibly honest book which I could instantly recognise as something that has been well researched and beautifully executed. The book is written from main character Lia's POV and you get to read some of her deepest and darkest thoughts as she battles against anorexia. I was relieved to find it wasn't sugar coated or sensationalised or made to be anything that it's not, it was just one very honest and open account of a girl's fight to stay alive.

I loved the relationships between the characters and I think a lot of people will relate to Lia's family situation. There were a fantastic range of personalities that stirred up every emotion, from rage, to making your heart melt! It wasn't always an easy read but it's one that comes highly recommended, and I can't wait to read more by this author.

The Elites by Natasha Ngan

Published: 5th September 2013 (Hot Key Books)

Pages: 368

Rating: 4*

My thoughts: I'd been dying to read this book and it had been sitting on my wishlist for a while, so when I spotted it for a bargain price I just had to snatch it up. The Elites follows Silver - an Elite working to protect the council. Set in a futuristic city cut off from the outside, residents are fitted with birthchips that can used to be track activity.

A lot of my love for this book comes from my love of Silver, who is a wonderful main character. The author has managed to make you really root for her. She's a bit of an underdog for a few reasons. She makes a few mistakes which made her instantly relatable - I like it when characters mess up and aren't perfect all the time! She's also victimised for being a  "Red" - someone of Chinese ethnicity. The Elites does a great job at tackling racism and portraying discrimination in Silver's society.

There's a fantastic range of characters, both good and bad (and some you're not sure about!). I really liked Butterly, although he was the one character I wished I knew more about. The book jumps around so you get to see lots of people's points of view which I liked. It gave you a chance to see all sides of what was happening which really ramped up the tension. Each chapter has a title which gave you a hint of what was to come. I liked this little touch most of the time, but there were maybe a few instances where it gave away something that could have been a surprise.

The writing in The Elites was beautiful and atmospheric. It was the perfect novel to escape into. It's one of those books where the descriptions of the food leave you salivating! I'd definitely read more by this author. A must for dystopian fans.

Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau
Published: 1st January 2014 (Templar)
Pages: 383
Rating: 4*

This is the second book in The Testing series so I'd shy away from this mini-review if you haven't read book one!

My thoughts: I thoroughly enjoyed The Testing so I was excited to start on the sequel, which sees Malencia Vale face the new challenges of university, as well as the gruelling tests that come with it.

Firstly, it was great to be reunited with Cia. I loved her in book one because she's so incredibly smart, and once again she gets a chance to shine in Independent Study. The book is set after the Testing as she moves on to university with the hope of gaining an internship in her preferred specialty. As with all sequels, I was worried it would feel a bit repetitive. But with Independent Study, it really felt like a progression. The challenges Cia must face are bigger and you see her under pressure. She also has to face more moral dilemmas as well which was interesting to see.

I loved the growing sense of unease and rebellion throughout the book. It's not in your face like it is in some other dystopian novels I've read. It's very subtle and leaves Cia having to figure a lot out for herself. The pacing was spot on as the book gradually builds up the tension. You know something is coming but you don't know what. There were several twists that took me completely by surprise, so the pay off for waiting was well worth it. Those who read the previous book will know there are things Cia needs to rediscover, so that really helped ramp up the tension as she tries to figure out just what has happened to her in the past.

Once again there are a great bunch of characters, with Cia meeting new people at university. Trying to figure out who was trustworthy was just as hard for me as it was for Cia! In fact one of my favourite things about Cia is that she doesn't really care about what other people think, she goes with her own judgment and relies on herself a lot rather than other people. I think Charbonneau has done a great job at making Cia likable and warm, despite the fact she focuses on herself a lot. It's never a bad thing. I enjoyed the continued relationship with Tomas and her interactions with new characters such as Ian.

The writing in this book was just as impressive as the first. I love how smart and clever everything is. I've only marked it down a star compared to the first book due to the fact I loved that one so much, but this comes a very close second. I think the only thing I could mention that brought the rating down was maybe the pacing as it took a little while for the action to get underway. Overall this is a series I've loved being part of.

Book Haul! 14th May

Instead of having regularly weekly posts discussing what books I've bought, I thought I'd just do a little round up as and when I have something to talk about. I've picked up a few books this week so I thought I'd share them!

Firstly, I won an advance proof copy of James Dawson's new thriller Say Her Name from Luna's Little Library (thank you!). I'm a huge fan of James Dawson having loved his previous books Hollow Pike and Cruel Summer. I also met him at Leakycon last year and had the chance to chat with him and get books signed. I was delighted that this copy I won was signed as well as it means I have a full set! I can't wait to read the book.

I also got two awesome bookmarks signed by Erin Lange. I'd been looking at Butter in a bookshop recently so I might have to sneak back and get it!

I also picked up Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy from a charity shop this week. I read Northern Lights when I was quite young and didn't enjoy it, but when I picked up the next two books in my teens I adored them. Unfortunately my copies got thrown out years ago so I've been meaning to replace them! I've been wanting to re-read the first book now I'm a bit older as I think I was just too young to enjoy it first time round, and I haven't read the whole trilogy together before so I'm excited to do that.

Plus how gorgeous are these covers?! I love them! I couldn't resist a matching set.

Have you picked up any books lately? I'd love to hear if you have!

Waiting on Wednesday (#26): Graduation Day by Joelle Charbonneau

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine and gives bloggers the chance to highlight upcoming releases we're excited about.

Graduation Day by Joelle Charbonneau

Published: 1 June 2014 (Templar)

Buy the book: Amazon|Hive|Waterstones

Why I'm Waiting: I just finished Independent Study so I'm dying to get my hands on the next installment! This has been one of my favourite dystopian series because I adore the incredibly smart writing and brilliant twists. I love Cia as a character and can't wait to see what happens next. Bring it on!

Teaser Tuesdays (6th May): The Elites by Natasha Ngan

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: • Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"Something about what he'd just said felt wrong to Silver. She felt her heart twist."

- page 257, The Elites by Natasha Ngan