Review: Tunnelville (Mad World, #2) by Erin Callahan and Troy H. Gardner

Spoiler warning! This is the 2nd book in the Mad World series and so this book will contain spoilers from the 1st book. You can read my review of Wakefield here instead. You have been warned!

Tunnelville by Erin Callagan and Troy H. Gardner

Author: Erin Callahan and Troy H. Gardner Website|Facebook
Published: 28th June 2013 (MuseItUp)
Format: Kindle e-book
Pages: 420
Buy the e-book: Kindle|Kobo

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

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
Following their panicked escape from Wakefield, Astrid Chalke, Max Fisher, and their friends find themselves adrift and on the run in western Massachusetts. After picking up a young thief with a complex philosophy, and dealing with the pains of prescription drug withdrawal, they make their way to Boston.

Drained by a long trek to the city, the damaged teens settle in an underground tunnel community—a city below the city that appears to lie on the fringes of both the world above and the world of magic. Among the eccentric tunnel folk, they encounter the fabulous Angie DeVille, a self-made hipster and socialite who takes them under her neon wing and envelops them in her breathless and fast paced life.

My Review:
I really enjoyed the first book in this series so I was delighted to have the opportunity to read the second! Tunnelville follows Max and Astrid as they and their fellow Wakefield patients go on the run and face the trials of life on the streets, whilst trying to escape the clutches of Dr Lycen.

The last book ended on a cliffhanger so I was excited to dive right in and pick up the story! Tunnelville opens with a prologue where we catch up on some of the happenings at Wakefield, then joins Max, Astrid and the others as they seek a place to hide. I loved the opening few chapters where the kids have to rally together and figure out what to do and where to go. There was that real survival, adventure feel about it and I could feel their fear and desperation.

Once again the book is told in alternating chapters between Max and Astrid, and it was great to see their friendship as a real backbone to the story. There was also the odd chapter from some of the adult characters which again was done in the previous book, and was very effective in this one. I particularly liked the chapters told from the view of a private investigator helping to track down Astrid. With the gang being on the run and very isolated from everyone, it was exciting to get an insight into what was happening back at Wakefield and keep an eye on who was chasing them. It definitely added to the suspense! I think the only downside was that I'd sometimes lose track of whose chapter I was reading (Max or Astrid) if I put the book down for a while and came back to it. The two are so similar that they sometimes merged.

There were some interesting new characters introduced in Tunnelville. The guys run into Colby, another runaway who certainly makes an impression. I liked seeing how all the characters bounced off him. I think my favourite new character was Timothy who I was very curious about! Then there were the host of people they met during their time on the streets who help them out. One of the nice things about Tunnelville was despite the fact that the kids were in a pretty sticky situation, they still managed to help each other out and keep the humour amongst themselves.

One thing I was really exited about in this book was exploring the kids' abilities more fully, as well as discovering more about the wider magical world. Getting out into the big wide world means they start to come across people like them and find themselves in situations that put their powers to the test. I really liked that world building and getting to see just what they were capable of. I think the premise of the series is really exciting.

I also really enjoyed the setting of Tunnelville. Wakefield was set in such a confined environment so it was great to break out of that, and I thought the city of Boston make a great backdrop to the story. It's not somewhere I've ever been or know too much about but I could completely visualise everywhere the characters ended up as they travelled around.

I mentioned earlier that Wakefield ended on a cliffhanger and Tunnelville was no different - man these books know how to grab you! The climax to the story was really exciting and left so much potential for future books. I love the urban fantasy vibe and can't wait to discover more of the world, and the characters kept me entertained throughout. A really enjoyable read!

Rating: 4*
Books like this: The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

July's Book of the Month!

At the end of each month I pick one stand out book (that I've read in that month, not necessarily released that month) that did enough to earn a 5* review and shower it with even more praise!

So without further ado, July's book of the month is...

Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer!



This book was everything I hoped for and more. The idea behind the story was wonderful, the book itself was beautiful, I was captivated throughout and I felt it was a book that all book-lovers would appreciate. You can read even more of my thoughts on Between the Lines in my review right here!

My runners up:
Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness



Friday Finds - 27th July

FRIDAY FINDS is hosted over at Should Be Reading and showcases the books you ‘found’ and added to your To Be Read (TBR) list… whether you found them online, or in a bookstore, or in the library — wherever! (they aren’t necessarily books you purchased).

My finds for this week!

The Rainbow Maker's Tale by Melanie Cusick-Jones. I finished Hope's Daughter this week and really loved the dystopian concept. This book is tells the story from Balik's point of view. I really loved his character and wanted to know more about him after reading Hope's Daughter so I look forward to checking this out!

Inbetween by Tara Fuller. I've seen a lot of people talking about this lately and I came across the author on Twitter and Goodreads. The premise sounds really intriguing! A love story between a girl who escapes death and the reaper who couldn't let her die.

Gone by Michael Grant. "In the blink of an eye. Everyone disappears. GONE.

Except for the young. Teens. Middle schoolers. Toddlers. But not one single adult." (from Goodreads) Ok so I've heard a lot of good things about this book in the past but I'd completely forgotten about til now, so on the to-read list it goes!

Uglies by Scott Westerfield. When I came across this book on Goodreads I wanted to read it straight away. The book is based around a society where at at 16 you get turned "pretty". Sounds really good!

Review: Hope's Daughter by Melanie Cusick-Jones

Hope's Daughter by Melanie Cusick-Jones

Author: Melanie Cusick-Jones. Website, Twitter
Published: 1 December 2011 (Bookbaby)
Pages: 389
Buy: Amazon: Kindle Kobo Store: e-book

Source: Received free copy from author to review.

Plot Summary: (from Goodreads)
Life should be simple for Cassie.

For the small population of Earth survivors who live on the Space Station Hope everything they do is planned and scheduled, down to the cyclical food menus, their roles in the station, even how many children they have.

Despite rigid controls directing her life, Cassie feels more out of synch than ever and worries she won’t find a place for herself within the station community. Perhaps that’s because she’s hearing things inside her head that can’t possibly be real. Or maybe it’s the regular elopements of her peers, heading off to a romantic future in the Married Quarter of the space station, whilst she’s never even been attracted to a boy – no matter how hard her best friend Ami pushes them at her. Then there are the odd questions her work placement partner Balik keeps raising. His questions are just as troubling for her as his distracting smiles and eyes that seem to see inside her.

My Review:
I was very kindly sent a copy of this book to review after expressing interest in the book to the author. I love dytopian/post-apocalyptic YA novels so Hope's Daughter really appealed to me. The book tells the story of Cassie, who has spent all of her live on the space ship SS Hope. When she starts a work placement she finds herself spending more and more time with Balik, and together they begin to discover more about the strange, isolated life they've come to know.

I really liked the beginning of this book and the concept was fascinating. I loved the futuristic lifestyle of the space ship and the slightly creepy nature of Cassie's world. Everything is rigorously controlled, from their meal times to what their homes look like and you got this sense that something wasn't quite right. I was so wrapped up the whole idea of the ship and how it worked. It was brilliant. The mysteries throughout the book had me really intirigued and I couldn't wait to find out what exactly was going on.

The story focusses a lot on the relationship between Cassie and Balik. Cassie finds herself being drawn to him despite never having spoken much to him in the time they've been at school. I thought Balik was a really interesting character and he balanced out Cassie perfectly. He's all logic and science whereas she struggles to question the things around her. I did have some problems with their relationship, the main one being that there was far too much flirting! The spend so long in each others' company just talking as Cassie tries to figure out her feelings for him. It just felt like they went around in circles for a bit.

There were a few other issues I had with the overall pacing. The beginning was fine and I was completely hooked, but towards the middle of the book some chapters felt quite slow when Cassie was trying to figure things out on her own. There were some moments where I had to wait a long time to find out something I'd wanted to know chapters ago. Whilst those bits dragged a bit I had the opposite problem towards the end of the book. There was a lot of information crammed in in a short space of time which could maybe have been revealed more slowly. I found myself a little confused at times.

I was won round by the ending though. When the reveals came it was totally not what I was expecting! I'm definitely going to check out the next book because I need to know what happens.

I'd recommend this book if you like all things dystopian/post-apocalyptic. Whilst felt a little slow in places, it's definitely a story worth sticking out til the end.

Rating: 3*
What to read next: Outlanders by Melanie Cusick-Jones, the unreleased sequel to Hope's Daughter.
Books like this: Matched by Ally Condie, The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness.

Teaser Tuesdays - 24th July

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!

"Percy," my mom said, "there's too much to explain and not enough time. We have to get you to safety."

- page 36 (e-book), Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan.

Weekly Book Round Up! 16th - 22nd July

Weekly Book Round Up!

16th - 22nd July

Here's a round up of what I've been reading this week!

Currently reading: Hope's Daughter by Melanie Cusick-Jones. The author very kindly sent me a free copy of this book to review. It's a dystopian/post apocalyptic story which is one of my favourite genres to read. I'm really enjoying the world it's set in. Look for my review some time this week!

Books finished: Paper Towns by John Green, Stargazer by Claudia Gray, Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick and Catching the Fever by Kylee Gwartney. Reviews for the last two will be coming soon!

And that's pretty much it in terms of a round up! Next weekend I go away (a certain sporting event in London is calling...) and so I won't be able to do as much blogging as I'd like. I'm hoping to have some drafts saved and scheduled before I go, though, so keep checking back for reviews and updates! Obviously I'll be taking some books away with me. I have a mammoth reading list and plenty of books on my shelves that have been neglected for too long. Still trying to narrow it down to which books to take! There probably won't be a round up/IMM next Sunday so I'll just have to post a mega long update when I get back.

Hope you've all had a great weekend. Happy reading!



Review: Stargazer (Evernight book #2) by Claudia Gray

Spoiler warning! Stargazer is book 2 in the Evernight series. If you haven't read Evernight the avert your eyes now! Or you can check out my review of Evernight right here. You've been warned!

Stargazer by Claudia Gray

Goodreads Page

Author: Claudia Gray. Website, Twitter

Published: 29 April 2010 (Harper Collins Children's Books)

Pages: 256

Buy: Amazon: paperback|Kindle Waterstone's: paperback|e-book Book Depository: paperback

Source: Borrowed from library.

Plot Summary: (from Goodreads)
The vampire in me was closer to the surface...

Evernight Academy: an exclusive boarding school for the most beautiful, dangerous students of all—vampires. Bianca, born to two vampires, has always been told her destiny is to become one of them.

But Bianca fell in love with Lucas—a vampire hunter sworn to destroy her kind. They were torn apart when his true identity was revealed, forcing him to flee the school.

Although they may be separated, Bianca and Lucas will not give each other up. She will risk anything for the chance to see him again, even if it means coming face-to-face with the vampire hunters of Black Cross—or deceiving the powerful vampires of Evernight. Bianca's secrets will force her to live a life of lies.

Yet Bianca isn't the only one keeping secrets. When Evernight is attacked by an evil force that seems to target her, she discovers the truth she thought she knew is only the beginning....

My Review:
I had a bit of a love/hate relationship with Evernight, the first book in this series, but the parts of it I really liked were enough to make me want to check out the rest of the books. Stargazer is the second book in the series and follows Bianca as she comes to terms with her looming transformation into a vampire, tries to carry on her relationship with Lucas and attempts to discover more about Evernight Academy.

I really loved the character of Bianca in Evernight and I felt exactly the same way in Stargazer. I love her little quirks and her vulnerability. Mostly, though, I loved the development of other characters in this book. We get to see a lot more of Balthazar who I adore! And I really enjoyed getting more of his back story. There's also more glimpses into Raquel's past which I loved reading about.

One of the most exciting things about the book was learning more about the world in which is takes place. We know about the vampires but there are even more creepy things going on in the school this year which kept the story feeling fresh. I do really love the spooky nature of the school in this series and how there's always something to be discovered. There's lots of suspense in this book.

The romantic storylines kept me pretty hooked. I love the Lucas-Bianca-Balthazar-almost-love-triangle. It provided plenty of drama without being too cheesy. I definitely have a preference for one of these boys (*cough* Balthazar *cough*). There's some really exciting action sequences as well which kept the pace up. The writing is beautiful, too. There's plenty of attention to detail from Bianca's love of astronomy to the fencing lessons. I loved how Gray referenced Shakespeare. There were literary references in Evernight, too, and I always think it adds a little bit extra to the book! And there's some really beautiful description.
My only flaw is that sometimes a few of the plot points felt a little convenient for me. Just as the characters were getting into trouble an idea or solution would come to them a bit too easily.

Overall though I felt it was a huge improvement on the first book. Definitely a series I'm going to stick with!

Rating: 4*
What to read next: Hourglass by Claudia Gray, the third book in the Evernight series.
Books like this: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead, The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson.

Teaser Tuesdays - 17th July

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!

As the metal clicked, I flinched, but fortunately the loud music in the cab must have covered it. Quickly I hopped inside among the bundles of laundry and pulled the doors shut behind me as the truck took off again.

- page 50, Stargazer by Claudia Gray (Evernight book #2)

Review: Paper Towns by John Green

Paper Towns by John Green

Author: John Green. Website, Twitter
Published: 3 May 2010 (Bloomsbury)
Pages: 320
Buy: Amazon (paperback|Kindle), Waterstone's (paperback|e-book), Book Depository (paperback)

Source: Borrowed from library.

Plot Summary: (from Waterstone's)
Who is the real Margo? Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs into his life - dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge - he follows. After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. She has disappeared. Q soon learns that there are clues in her disappearance . . . and they are for him. Trailing Margo's disconnected path across the USA, the closer Q gets, the less sure he is of who he is looking for. A boy, a girl, revenge and a long drive across America.

My Review:
This is the third book of John Green's that I've read. I put in a request for this book at the library so I was really excited when it became available. The story is about Quentin "Q" Jacobsen who has a fascination with his next door neighbour Margo. When she disappears he takes it upon himself to unravel the clues to where she might be.

I've said this before but I'll say it again: I love John Green's characters. They're most definitely the best part of his books for me and Paper Towns was no different. The main ensemble of characters in this book were Q and his friends, who are just some of the most realistic teenage boys I've ever read about. They're not glamorous and perfect and popular. They're a bit nerdy and play in the school band, spend hours gaming and are slightly awkward when it comes to girls. But they're brilliant and quite often hilarious. I mean characters that makes jokes about incorrect grammar?! Yes please!

I love Green's writing style, too. He has this amazing way with words and manages to make references to other literary works fun. There are so many lines I stumbled across that slightly took my breath away just because they were such a perfect way of describing something or someone.

I wasn't totally sure about the plot. I had the same problem with An Abundance of Katherines where I wasn't entirely sure why the characters were doing what they were doing and it all seemed a bit over the top and pointless. Maybe pointless isn't the right word, but I struggled to see just why the characters went to the lengths they did. I had a few problems with Margo, too. I just didn't really like the things she did which made it hard for me to sympathise with Q's fascination with her.

There were a few pacing issues for me. I spent the first two thirds of the book wondering when something was going to start happening and maybe getting a little bored. But it did pick up nearer the end and the characters started to come into their own. The road trip part of this book was definitely the highlight.

I was torn over what rating to give this book. I think it needed to grab my attention more for a higher rating so I'll give it 3*, but a very high 3*. More a 3 1/2 really. Brilliant characters and beautiful writing make it a book I would recommend.

Rating: 3*
What to read next: The Fault in our Stars by John Green.
Books like this: An Abundance of Katherines by John Green, Holes by Louis Sachar.

In My Mailbox - 15th July

In My Mailbox is hosted over at The Story Siren and showcases the books you received throughout the week. Be sure to pop over there to see some great books!

In My Mailbox

This week is a library special IMM! Ok, so I get most of my IMM posts feature library books but this one is a bumper library special because I got my hands on some pretty awesome books.

First up - Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver.

Eek! I've been waiting so long to read this book. I requested it from the library and I've been waiting for them to order it in. Finally got the email this week. I've finished it already and I absolutely loved it! I just adore Lauren Oliver's writing.

At the same time, I also requested Paper Towns by John Green. Ta da!

I've read bought The Fault in Our Stars at the start of the year when it came out, and since then I've been slowly working my way round John Green's back catalogue.

Next up it's Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick.

I've been wanting to read this for ages! I nearly took it out a few weeks ago but I was on a library ban at the time (too many books to read!) and so my friend took it out instead. She said it was good so when I saw it in front of my this week I couldn't resist taking it out.

And finally Stargazer by Claudia Gray.

This is the sequel to Evernight which I read last month. I had a sort of love/hate affair with the first book but I liked it enough to want to carry on with the series, so I'm looking forward to reading this.

I mentioned in my last IMM that I've been using my library's e-book lending service. There's so much good stuff on there! I've downloaded Percy Jackson and the Lighning Thief from there this week because it's a book I've been wanting to read for absolutely ages and I'm probably one of the few people on the planet who still hasn't read it. Time to change that!

Also, one last book I want to mention (even though it isn't YA) is Separate Lives by Kathryn Flett.

This was my first ever Waterstone's review copy that I won as part of their cardholder review scheme. If you haven't signed up to the scheme then it's totally worth it! It's free to get a Waterstone's card (find out how here) and I've seen a few YA titles on their read and review page before. (For their read and review scheme you receive a free copy of a book in exchange for a review on the Waterstone's website.) This came as a total surprise when the postie delivered it this week! I loved the book so if you're a chick-lit fan I'd highly recommend it.

Weekly Book Round Up!

Currently reading: Paper Towns by John Green.

Books finished: Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult, Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead, The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness and Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver. (plus non-YA - Separate Lives by Kathryn Flett)

Friday Finds - 13th June

FRIDAY FINDS is hosted over at Should be Reading and showcases the books you ‘found’ and added to your To Be Read (TBR) list… whether you found them online, or in a bookstore, or in the library — wherever! (they aren’t necessarily books you purchased).

I appear to have added quite a few books to my to-read list this week, so here's a random selection! These were all found online either through blogs or Goodreads.

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry. I've seen reviews of this everywhere, all saying good things! It's YA contemporary romance I think. Looking forward to checking it out.

Send Me a Sign by Tiffany Schmidt. Came across this on The Story Siren. It's about a girl with cancer and looks like a worthwhile read!

Confessions of an Angry Girl by Louise Rozett. This sounds right up my street!

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons. Another post-apocalyptic YA novel which is one of my favourite kinds of YA novel! Must check this one out soon.

Variant by Robison Wells. Read a lot about this recently, too! Sci-fi/dystopian type stuff, again.

News Round Up!

A few news stories have popped up on my radar recently, surrounding some of my favourite teen fiction fandoms. Here's a quick catch up!

Robert Sheehan cast as Simon in City of Bones
Cassandra Clare is spoiling us with goodies this week! I'm super excited to see Simon finally cast. I haven't watched Misfits before but I have seen Cherrybomb and loved Robert Sheehan in that. He seems a pretty good fit to me!

City of Bones teaser poster released
More City of Bones stuff *squees* Ok, so it's over a year to go but I'm already majorly excited ;) The cast are in Toronto reading for the start of filming. You can check out pictures of that on TMI Source right here. And check out the poster below!



(Don't forget to check out the newly released book cover for Clockwork Princess right here, too!)

First four Chamber of Secrets chapters now available on Pottermore
For those of us who were lucky enough to get into the Pottermore beta it seems like an absolute age since we had new material to look at. Ok, so it may be slightly our own fault (I'm not the only one who rushed through it in pretty much one sitting, am I?) which is why I'm happy that we just have 4 chapters to explore as of yesterday. Slytherin Pottermore members got a sneaky peak a day earlier after being crowned winners of the first ever Pottermore House Cup (I'm still a bit bitter - Hufflepuff came last and were pretty much never in with a shout, although I suppose that makes it more realistic...). There's plenty of new items to collect, more beautiful artwork and of course, most importantly, new snippets from J.K. Rowling herself. Have you checked out the new information? Do you still use Pottermore or has the novelty worn off? I'm interested to hear your thoughts so do leave a comment!

Mockingjay film split confirmed
First up in Hunger Games news is the confirmation that the final instalment of the trilogy will be split in to two films. This had been rumoured for quite a long time but now the two films have official release dates. Mockingjay Part 1 will hit cinemas on 21st November 2014, followed by Mockingjay Part 2 on 20th November 2015. It's a pretty long way off and Catching Fire is still in the casting stage (see next story) but hey, something to look forward to, right? Obviously with the announcement of a film split comes the inevitable Harry Potter connection. HP did it, then Twilight did it. The Hobbit is doing it. Splitting a book to make two films seems to be the "in" thing, that's for sure. Whether it'll prove to be the right decision, well, time will tell. I'm not convinced. But when I finally get round to re-reading Mockingjay I'll be able to judge it better. To see how the fansites want it to be split, check out this article on Hollywood.com.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman cast as Plutarch Heavensbee in Catching Fire
Most of the world is still waiting for Finnick casting news but we'll take what we can get ;) Read more about Phillip Seymour Hoffman's casting here on Mockingjay.net. Lionsgate has also revealed a section of their Facebook page dedicated to casting news, which you can find at this link.

Review: The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Author: Patrick Ness. Website, Twitter
Published: 14 October 2008 (Walker Books)
Pages: 496
Buy: Amazon (paperback|Kindle), Waterstone's (paperback|e-book), Book Depository (paperback)

Source: Borrowed e-book from library.

Plot Summary: (from The Book Depository)
Imagine you're the only boy in a town of men. And you can hear everything they think. And they can hear everything you think. Imagine you don't fit in with their plans... Todd Hewitt is just one month away from the birthday that will make him a man. But his town has been keeping secrets from him. Secrets that are going to force him to run.

My Review:
The Knife of Never Letting Go (book 1 in the Chaos Walking series) originally popped up in my Goodreads recommendations. I started to read a few reviews that really raved about it so I bumped it up my to-read list! This book is all about Todd Hewitt, who lives in Prentisstown in New World, a post-apocalyptic society where there are only men and where everyone can hear each other's thoughts (their "Noise"). Todd is the only boy left, approaching his 13th birthday when suddenly he is forced out of Prentisstown.

The first thing you notice when you start reading this book is the way it's written. The book is narrated by Todd, who is unable to read or spell, so a lot of the words are spelt phonetically, as well as reflecting his accent. I really loved that way of writing, though. It makes Todd feel totally real and you can hear his voice as you read. It takes a little getting used to, as any book written in a slightly unconventional way does, but it became one of my favourite things about the book and something that makes it really stand out.

The story centres around Todd's escape from Prentisstown and becomes all about his fight for survival and the journey he takes. Sometimes with books that are so focussed on characters escaping or travelling somewhere there can be a lull in the action whilst they figure out what to do etc. That wasn't the case in The Knife of Never Letting Go. There was constant action and a real sense of doom and danger. The suspense was kept up all the way through and there was so much stuff that happened along the way that I wasn't expecting!

There are some pretty out there ideas surrounding the post-apocalyptic world this story takes place in. When I first read it I was kind of taken aback, because it's nothing like the dystopian stories I've read before! It was so well done though. The ideas could have sounded ridiculous but the way they're put together in this story made it work. The plot is so intricate and as Todd discovers more and more information about the world he's living in I just found myself totally gripped, waiting to learn more.

I liked that there's a strong focus on war. In a similar way to Suzanne Collins in The Hunger Games, Patrick Ness has weaved his own views on war into the story, making you really think about the issues Todd has to face.

It's hard to get across how genius this book is without giving away some key plot points, but it's totally unique and a book I would definitely have down as a must read. There's action, friendship and danger all threaded throughout this novel and it's truly a brilliant piece of literature.

Rating: 5*
What to read next: The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness, book 2 in the Chaos Walking series.
Books like this: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

In My Mailbox/Weekly Round Up - 8th July

In My Mailbox is hosted over at The Story Siren. Be sure to pop over there and check out a great selection of books and blogs!

In My Mailbox

This week the latest book by one of my favourite authors was released! Between the Lines is a YA novel written by Jodi Picoult in collaboration with her daughter. It arrived on Friday morning and I couldn't have been happier with it! I don't want to talk too much about it now because I sense an epic review coming next week ;) Here's my copy <3

Love the cover!

And the illustrations are so beautiful <3

Mug shot! Me and my book.

I tried holding off and saving my money but I just couldn't resist. Jodi Picoult books are the books I always have to have as soon as they come out! I was lucky enough to meet her at a signing last year for Sing You Home. I think she's brilliant.

I've also been trying out my library's online e-book borrowing service this week. I was amazed at their range of YA titles! I've just downloaded 2 for now which I'm hoping to read soon. The books I've downloaded are The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness, which I've read amazing things about, and Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. I've been wanting to read this series for a while but the library didn't have it in physical form so thank goodness for e-books!

 

I also received an e-book to review this week - Catching the Fever by Kylee Gwartney which sounds like a really cute read.

Weekly Book Round Up!

2nd - 9th July

Currently Reading: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Books finished: Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer (review coming soon!) Silenced by Simon Packham, Evermore by Alyson Noel, The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter by David Colbert, Justice by Jade Varden, Eragon by Christopher Paolini.

Library books: The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness and Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead.

Review: Evermore by Alyson Noel

Evermore by Alyson Noel

Author: Alyson Noel. Website, Twitter
Published: 3 October 2009 (Macmillan Children's Books)
Pages: 384
Buy: Amazon, Waterstone's, Book Depository

Source: Bought from The British Heart Foundation charity shop.

Plot Summary: (from Goodreads)
Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch.   Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste . . .

My Review:
I picked this book up a few weeks ago after I saw it in a charity shop, having seeing it online and adding it to my to-read list the night before - it was a sign! I had a few books I needed to read but after picking this one up and scanning the first few pages I was hooked in and so I set about reading it straight away.

This is the first book in Noel's The Immortals series and tells the story of Ever, who has lost her parents and little sister in a car accident and since then has been able to see people's auras and hear their thoughts. She is also receiving visits from her dead sister Riley. Then the mysterious Damen starts at her school and sits next to her in English, and suddenly things start to happen around her.

I really liked Ever and her abilities. I liked that she could see auras and hear people's thoughts, and her relationship with Riley was really funny and sweet. I loved the trio of her and her friends, too, them being the misfits at their school who don't fit in with anyone but each other. They made me laugh and felt very true to life. They even reference the TV show Friends (which is something I do all the time with my friends) so I loved that!

It took me a while to warm to the relationship between Damen and Ever, but I didn't hate it. I can be a bit sceptical with relationships so that's not an unusual feeling for me! And as more information began to reveal itself I think it's something that worked out nicely towards the end of the book. I like that Ever is feisty and doesn't always take rubbish from him!

The writing style kept me interested throughout (although my one niggle is the author's repeated use of the phrase "she pressed her lips together"). I was sometimes a bit confused as to what exactly was established in the world in which the story takes place. Ever knows she has powers but as far as she's aware, nobody else knows about them or has powers like hers. She refuses to share her secrets with anybody but Riley, but it's obvious that there other things happening that Ever is refusing to acknowledge. I didn't know if I as a reader was supposed to believe in other supernatural powers existing around her. Because it's all from Ever's point of view, I think it made you follow her train of thought about what was happening instead of what you thought yourself which was distracting.

Other than that, though, it was a really enjoyable read. There's plenty of action to look forward to near the end of the book and I was really interested in what happens to the characters. I think the world this story is set in has plenty of potential and as this is the start of a series, it left me really excited to know more in the following books. This book mainly establishes the characters and the world but it does a really good job of making it exciting and gripping.

Rating: 4*
What to read next: Blue Moon by Alyson Noel, the second book in The Immortals series.
Books like this: Intangible by J. Meyers.

Review: Silenced by Simon Packham

Silenced by Simon Packham

Author: Simon Packham. Website, Twitter
Published: 1 June 2012 (Piccadilly Press)
Pages: 192
Buy: Amazon, Waterstone's (e-book), Book Depository

Source: Received free copy from the publisher to review.

Plot Summary:
It wasn't grief; grief I could have learnt to cope with.
It was so much worse than that.
When Chris's best friend is killed in a car crash, Chris is struck dumb – literally.

My Review:
This book tells the story of Chris, who becomes mute following the death of his best friend Declan in a car accident. We follow his journey as he comes to terms with what happens and tries to find his voice again.

I really loved the idea of this story. It's showing the reality of grief through a teenager's eyes, and even though what's happening to Chris is a tough subject matter, the way this book approached it was brilliant. Both the topics of grief and mental health are handled really well - not once did I sit there feeling depressed or uncomfortable, but at the same time you felt the realness of what Chris was going through. I think this book is a prime example of how to tackle these subjects for young adult readers.

The way the book is narrated was one of the things I loved most. The story is told through Chris as if he were talking to Declan. This means we get a real insight into their friendship even though his best friend is no longer alive. It also helps give Chris this really witty, brilliant personality, even though for most of this book he isn't able to speak.

There's some really great humour in this book too - totally not what you'd expect when you hear the plot summary! But Chris and Declan saw themselves as comedians; dreaming of the Edinburgh Fringe and writing their own sketch show, so with Chris's point of view comes all these fantastic witty lines and observations. I'd find myself chuckling along throughout!

I loved that the book felt really current, too. In a generation of Facebook and smartphones this book felt like it fitted right in with teenage life, and even what happens to Declan is something you hear about on the news far too often.

The climax towards the end maybe felt a little rushed - maybe I just wanted more time with the characters! But I really liked that every character got their own sort of conclusion. It was a very satisfying ending.

It's a nice easy read; fairly short length and not too wordy. I'd thoroughly recommend this book to anyone of any age, young and old as I think anyone could get something out of reading it. I look forward to reading more by this author!

Rating: 4*
What to read next: Comin 2 Gt U by Simon Packham.
Books like this: My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher.

In My Mailbox/Weekly Round Up - 1st July

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted over at The Story Siren. Be sure to check out the books and blogs over there!

In My Mailbox

I was lucky enough to receive two awesome books in the post this week. Book post makes me happy! Check them out below.

(Blogging fuelled by a cup of tea as always!)

I've already finished Writing Advice for Teens. You can find my review of that here! I really enjoyed it and learnt an awful lot - I'd really recommend it for any writers/aspiring writers.

I also received a copy of Silenced by Simon Packham which is about a boy who becomes mute after the death of his friend. I'm about halfway through so far and really enjoying it! Hopefully a review will be coming tomorrow once I've finished it so keep an eye out for that. You can read a summary of the plot below.

It wasn't grief; grief I could have learnt to cope with.. It was so much worse than that.
When Chris's best friend is killed in a car crash, Chris is struck dumb – literally.
Mysterious, funny this is a first-class exploration grief and friendships for teenagers.

Weekly Book Round Up!

Here's a quick catch up on what I've been reading this week!

Currently reading: Silenced by Simon Packham.

Books finished: The Spell Book of Listen Taylor by Jaclyn Moriarty, Writing Advice for Teens by Mike Kalmbach, Wonder by R.J. Palacio, The Rock Star's Daughter by Caitlyn Duffy.

I'm still waiting on the following books from the library - Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver, Paper Towns by John Green and Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. I'm getting impatient for them now! ;) If none of them arrive this week then I have Evermore by Alyson Noel, Eragon by Christopher Paolini and Sabriel by Garth Nix lined up to read.

Released this week: A book I've really been looking forward to is out on Thursday: Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer. I've entered a few competitions to win a copy so I'm waiting to see what comes of those before I order it as I can't really afford more books right now. It's going to be hard to resist, though! Picoult is one of my favourite authors and this book is a YA novel written in collaboration with her daughter. It sounds amazing. You can see the trailer for the book right here!

That's it for this week! Keep an eye out for more reviews next week or check back next Sunday for a round up of what's been happening :)