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.

Review: The Spell Book of Listen Taylor by Jaclyn Moriarty

The Spell Book of Listen Taylor by Jaclyn Moriarty

Author: Jaclyn Moriarty. Website, Blog

Published: 1 April 2011 (Young Picador)

Pages: 490

Buy: Amazon, Waterstone's, Book Depository

Source: Bought from Oxfam Books.

Plot Summary:
 Since Listen Taylor's dad started dating a Zing, her life has gone from unusual to downright weird. The delightfully mad Zing family live in a world of unexplained projects, coded conversations and state-of-the-art surveillance equipment - all to protect the Zing family secret, one so huge it draws them all, including Listen's dad, to the garden shed for meetings every Friday night. And Listen isn't invited. But Listen also has things she'd rather keep hidden - a secret too heartbreaking to share and an unconventional spell book (with a spell to make a vacuum cleaner break and another to make someone eat cake? ) that might be the answer to her problems.

My Review:
Before I jump into my review, I think it's important to give a little history about the background of this book. Upon researching it a little further, I discovered that The Spell Book of Listen Taylor is a young adult adaption of the book I Have a Bed Made of Butetrmilk Pancakes - an adult book written by Jaclyn Moriarty. I haven't read the original so I can't compare the two, but I think it's interesting and is something that definitely explains some of the things I thought whilst reading the book. You can find out more about the differences between the two books here.

This book tells the story of several characters - Listen and her dad, her dad's new girlfriend Marbie, Marbie's sister Fancy and her daughter Cassie, and Cassie's schoolteacher Cath. Listen's story focusses on her starting year 7 and the ups and downs that brings. On the way she discovers a mysterious spell book which she turns to throughout the year.

I really liked Listen's story. I think we can all relate to starting secondary school and the huge shift that brings. I found myself wishing the story was more about her, probably because it was what I was expecting with her name being in the title, but also because she was a really compelling character. She's definitely the most sane character within the book. One of the problems with the older characters in the story was that there were just too many eccentric characters. I'm all for strange and wacky, but I found myself slightly distracted by just how barmy some of the adults were!

The first half of the book dragged a little for me. I love Moriarty's quirky writing style, but as the book went on I just kept waiting for the point where everything would fall into place. It seemed all these characters had random stories that didn't really fit together and at times I'd just get plain confused.

However, the second half totally saved the day. Things finally started coming together and my faith in Moriarty's story-telling was restored! The way the mysteries unfoled was very reminiscent of Becoming Bindy MacKenzie (the third book in Moriarty's Ashbury/Brookfield series) and for the last 100 pages or so I couldn't put it down. I didn't see any of the twists coming and I was really excited when stuff started to be revealed.

I think this book could have done with being 100 or so pages shorter, and I was disappointed that some of the background characters were forgotten towards the end. I really liked the conclusion to Listen's, story though, and I finished the book with a smile on my face.

I didn't quite live up to the Ashbury/Brookfield series to me, but it was still well worth a read.

Rating: 3*
What to read next: Feeling Sorry for Celia by Jaclyn Moriarty, book one in the Ashbury/Brookfield series.
Books like this: Becoming Bindy MacKenzie by Jaclyn Moriarty.

Review: The Rock Star's Daughter by Caitlyn Duffy

The Rock Star's Daugher by Caitlyn Duffy

Author: Caitlyn Duffy. Website, Twitter
Published: 5 July 2011 (Lovestruck Literary)
Pages: 319
Buy: (free downloand) Kindle, Smashwords

Source: Free download from the Apple iBooks store.

Plot Summary: (from Amazon)
When Taylor 's mom unexpectedly dies the summer before Taylor starts her junior year, she receives a crash course in fame. She has no choice but to join her father and his new family on their summer concert tour before she has even had a chance to mourn the loss of her mother. Life as the daughter of a rock star seems like it would be enviable, but Taylor can't figure her dad out. He seems like a supportive authority figure (even if he's kind of a fashion tragedy) , but she is collecting a growing pile of evidence that he's a liar and a cheat. Her stepmother, Jill, can’t seem to decide if she wants to treat Taylor like a girlfriend or a nuisance. Having had no time to grieve and say goodbye to her childhood before being thrust into the limelight, Taylor is suddenly finding herself in situations she could have never imagined before this summer.


My Review:
So I got this book after browsing the Apple iBook store on the lookout for freebies. This was available for free so I got it, scanned the first few pages and suddenly I was hooked! I couldn't stop reading.

This story is about Taylor who, after losing her mum, is forced to spent the summer with her rock star father. He's never been present in her life - only supporting her by sending money to her mum and paying for her boarding school fees, so their relatiosnhip is practically non-existant.

I really liked Taylor and despite the ridiculousness of the situation she finds herself in, you could still really feel for what she's going through. Her dad has remarried and so she finds herself with a new stepmum and stepsister to get to know. I loved her personality, though, and her view of the world. She was a really captivating main character.

The story was a lot more interesting than I was expecting, too! Taylor has to trail around with her dad's band as they tour the U.S which means visiting new cities and getting to know the only other people her age on the tour - including Jake, the token eye candy. Their relationship wasn't the main focus of the story but I liked that it sort of ran in the background.

Overall I really enjoyed the book. There's plenty of adventures and ups and downs along the way. With the rock star lifestyle comes the dilemmas of alcohol, drugs and boys and even the adults are battling their demons, but it's all written from Taylor's point of view and I think her views on these subjects are what makes it interesting. I loved the writing style which kept me gripped and I was really happy with how the charatcers changed and grew throughout. I'm really glad I stumbled across this book!

It's Y.A meets chick-lit - a perfect summer read for a bit of escapism into the celebrity lifestyle!

Rating: 4*
What to read next: The Believer's Daughter by Caitlyn Duffy, the second book in the Treadwell Acadamey series..
Books like this: 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson.

Review: The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Author: Kelley Armstrong. Website, Twitter.

Published: 7 April 2011 (Atom)

Pages: 384

Buy: Amazon, Kindle, Waterstone's

Source: Borrowed from a friend.

Plot Summary: (from Goodreads)
Strange things are happening in Maya's tiny Vancouver Island town. First, her friend Serena, the captain of the swim team, drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. Then, one year later, mountain lions are spotted rather frequently around Maya's home and her reactions to them are somewhat . . . unexpected. Her best friend, Daniel, has also been experiencing unexplainable premonitions about certain people and situations.

It doesn't help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret, and he's interested in one special part of Maya's anatomy - her paw-print birthmark.

My Review:
This book follows on/runs alongside the Darkest Powers trilogy but from reading this book, I can't see that you need to read that trilogy to enjoy this one. I'd really recommend those books anyway, though! And there's a few crossover characters and references you'd pick up on only if you've read the Darkest Powers books. Nothing in this review should spoil them though. Now, on with The Gathering!

Maya lives in Salmon Creek, as isolated medical research town with a tiny population. After losing her best friend, Maya is trying to get back on track and enjoy her life again.

Firstly, what struck me about this book was how different it felt to the Darkest Powers trilogy. The writing and the feel of it just felt a lot more gentle, and the pace especially was a lot slower. I really loved Maya from the start, though. She's such an interesting main character and I really enjoyed reading about her and her closeness to her animals, her friendship with her best friend Daniel and her relationship the with new boy Rafe. I think she's far from your typical teen girl heroine; she's not overly girly and she doesn't go gooey over boys. She's confident and has a good relationship with her parents and as the book went on you got to see some of her flaws which I really liked. Daniel, too, was a really great character and I loved finding out more about him and his background

I found the plot really engaging. It was clear from the beginning that there was more to the town and the people than met the surface, and throughout the book you got this sort of uneasy feeling. It was great at keeping the suspense for a while but towards the latter stages of the book I found myself really wishing for something to actually happen and for the big reveal to hurry up already, because all the action and drama comes very late on. It was worth it when it came but for 50 pages or so beforehand I was getting a bit bored just waiting and waiting.

Overall though I absolutely loved it. I really like Kelley Armstrong as a writer, based on what I've read previously, and it was great to dive into a new trilogy and new characters. This book had a really great ensemble of characters, exciting twists and lots of suspense.

Rating: 4*
What to read next: The Calling by Kelley Armstrong, the second book in the Darkness Rising trilogy.
Books like this: The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong.

Review: My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher

My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher

Author: Annabel Pitcher. Website, Twitter.
Published:  29 September 2011 (Indigo; Mass Market Paperback edition)
Pages: 240
Buy: Amazon, Kindle, Waterstone's
Source: Borrowed from library.

Plot Summary: (from Goodreads)
Ten-year-old Jamie hasn't cried since it happened. He knows he should have - Jasmine cried, Mum cried, Dad still cries. Roger didn't, but then he is just a cat and didn't know Rose that well, really.

Everyone kept saying it would get better with time, but that's just one of those lies that grown-ups tell in awkward situations. Five years on, it's worse than ever: Dad drinks, Mum's gone and Jamie's left with questions that he must answer for himself.

This is his story, an unflinchingly real yet heart-warming account of a young boy's struggle to make sense of the loss that tore his family apart.

My Review:
This book is all about Jamie and follows his life after he moves away from London following the death of his sister. It's a really sweet, poignant book that deals with some pretty tough issues, but it's absolutely wonderful.

Jamie as a main character is everything you want. He's coming up to his tenth birthday and loves Spider-Man and his pet cat Roger. He likes drawing and hot Ribena. He's literally adorable! The book is told from his point of view and you get his perspective on everything which is so effective. The book deals with such strong issues such as terrorism, bullying, racism and eating disorders but all told through Jamie's eyes, with that childlike innocent view kids have on things. I sometimes have problems with child POV when the writing doesn't feel realistic, but this absolutely does.

It honestly made me want to reach inside the pages and give Jamie a massive hug which shows how attached to the story I got! I know not everyone likes reading books dealing with so much sadness but this book is aimed at readers of all ages, including younger children, so it's not too daunting or miserable.

A really charming, beautiful read. I'm giving it four stars because I don't think it's the kind of book I'd read again and again, but it's definitely a book that everyone should read at least once.

Rating: 4*
What to read next: Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher, released November 2012.
Books like this: Small Change for Stuart by Lissa Evans.

Review: The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Author: Julie Kagawa. Website, Twitter
Published: 21 January 2011 (Mira)
Pages: 384
Buy: Amazon, Kindle, Waterstone's

Source: Borrowed from library.

Plot Summary (from Goodreads)
Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

My Review:
This is the first book in The Iron Fey series and cropped up on my radar thanks to Goodreads recommendations. As soon as I saw it I put it on hold at the library thinking it looked pretty good. The story follows Meghan as she goes from worrying about not having enough money and her mother not noticing her, to having to deal with a missing brother and the discovery of a whole other world.

I'll start with the positives! This book is very pretty, both the cover and the chapter designs. I know, I know, never judge a book by its cover, but it's a very nice looking book! The book takes place partly in the mortal world and partly in Faeryworld or the "Nevernever" and I really loved the vivid descriptions of all the magical locations. Meghan is guided through the world by a very cool cat named Gremalkin who is totally the highlight of this book. He's funny and sarcastic and really adds an edge to the story.

Overall, though, I struggled a bit with the vast amount of information there is to absorb in this book. There's a whole load of fantastical creatures to get to grips with, a myriad of locations the characters journey to and lots and lots of terminology. If you're really into your fantasy then I don't imagine this will be too much of a problem but for me it was a bit much. I'd find myself having to go back and re-read whole paragraphs to make sense of everything and sometimes the characters moved around so fast that I'd lose track of where they were. I could have done with a bit more of the beginning of the story to ease me into the book.

I had problems with the romantic sub-plot, too. I didn't find it all that believable, even though I saw it coming from early on in the story.

I didn't hate it, though. I liked the world the book is set in and the ending had me wanting to grab the next book. I think it's a series I'd have to put time aside to really immerse myself in instead of being a quick, light read.

Rating: 3*
What to read next: The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa, the second book in The Iron Fey series.
Books like this: Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.

Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

 Author: Lauren Oliver. Website, Twitter.
Publsihed: 4 August 2011 (Hodder)
Pages: 416
Buy: Amazon, Kindle, Waterstone's

Plot Summary: (from Goodreads)
Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love

My Review:
After reading Lauren Oliver's previous book "Before I Fall" I was really excited to read more from her. This book follows Lena, who lives in a society where love is seen a disease. At age 18 everyone must undergo a procedure to "cure" them from the effects of love. The story picks up in the months leading up to Lena's procedure and despite her nerves about her upcoming evaluation to find a suitable "pair" (future husband for after she is cured) she knows that this is what everyone has to do; it's the norm.

The fact she is so accepting of this world she lives in makes for a haunting, and at times, disturbing read. This turns into a gripping tense story as she slowly learns more about the world and the lies she and her whole society has been fed on. Some of the discoveries she makes are so beautifully written and I found myself really feeling for Lena.

The book keeps up a high level of suspense throughout and like Before I Fall I struggled to put it down. It's dystopian with a really great twist so if you've read and enjoyed things like Matched and Divergent then you should absolutely eat this up.

Oliver's writing is beautiful and captivating, wrapping you up in the descriptions and really bringing the characters to life. A definite recommended read!

Rating: 5*
What to read next: Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver, the second book in the Delirium Trilogy.
Books like this: Matched by Ally Condie, Divergent by Veronica Roth

Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Author: Veronica Roth. Website, Twitter

Published: 3 May 2011 (Harper Collins Children's Books)

Pages: 496

Buy: Amazon, Kindle, Waterstone's

Plot Summary: (from Goodreads)
In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

My Review:

I first started to seek out more dystopian young adult fiction after reading The Hunger Games (like many others I suspect) and this was a title I kept seeing crop up, so I decided to check it out. The book tells the story of Beatrice (known later as Tris) who is approaching the time of her life in which she will have to choose which "faction" (sections of society based on specific traits) she will choose to live with, and whether or not to isolate herself from her family.

These teen dystopian books can start to feel a little formulaic once you've read a few, but I still found this story/concept to be gripping and exciting which says a lot when taking into account the huge competition. The book focuses on a great group of characters which helps keep the story interesting, and the undercurrent of suspense and knowing that something has to give makes you keep reading.

The idea of factions was something I loved. They're sort of extreme Hogwarts Houses (based on personal characteristics and strengths) but with added choice, and a much more difficult initiation!

I thought the descriptions of Tris' world really brought it to life and there's some intense action, and enough romantic subplot to keep you really invested in the characters (no teen novel is complete without one!) A must read if you loved THG.

Rating: 5*
What to read next: Insurgent by Veronica Roth, the sequel to Divergent.
Books like this: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

Review: Matched by Ally Condie

Matched by Ally Condie

Author: Ally Condie. Website, Twitter

Published: 2 Jun 2011 (Puffin)

Pages: 384

Buy: Amazon, Kindle, Waterstone's,

Plot Summary: (from Amazon)

On her seventeenth birthday, Cassia meets her Match. Society dictates he is her perfect partner for life.

Except he's not.

In Cassia's society, Officials decide who people love.
How many children they have.
Where they work.
When they die.

But, as Cassia finds herself falling in love with another boy, she is determined to make some choices of her own.

And that's when her whole world begins to unravel . . .

My Review:
Matched tells the story of Cassia who lives in a society where who she spends the rest of her life with is chosen for her, and each aspect of her life is controlled by "officials". It's a great dystopian story and sticks to the teen dystopian template, but that doesn't mean it's a predictable read, oh no.

The concept and plot are both brilliant and gripping and we're thrown into the action straight away, as we join Cassia on her journey to her matching ceremony. This is familiar territory in teenage dystopian fiction (the Reaping in The Hunger Games, Evaluation in Delirium etc.) but Condie really builds up the spectacle. When everything doesn't go quite as plan I couldn't wait to know more, and the twists and turns kept on coming.

Cassia is a fascinating main character who really makes the story what it is as she develops and becomes more aware of the world she lives in and fights her feelings, the feelings that could change everything around her. It's pretty cliche to say she goes on a journey but you become utterly gripped by her internal monologue as she questions her society, makes startling discoveries and begins to fight against what she has been raised to be.

As the book is based around the pairing of boys and girls you can bet there's going to be some romance, and it doesn't disappoint! Cassia's discovery of the guys around her, and one boy in particular, leaves you really rooting for her, and when a couple has to fight to be together it makes you invest in them even more. I found myself left wanting to know more about Cassia and her love interest in the story, as there's obviously a reason the two of them are brought together, but as this is the first book in a trilogy I have high hopes for more to come out in the remaining books. As well as seeing her romantic feelings develop, we also see her relationship with her younger brother, parents and her grandfather which make for some really touching moments in the book (grab the tissues).

In conclusion, a highly recommended book for any lovers of dystopian fiction. I can't wait to read the next instalment of the series!

Rating: 5*

What to read next: Crossed by Ally Condie, the 2nd instalment in the Matched Trilogy. Available now.
Books like this: Divergent by Veronica Roth, Delirium by Lauren Oliver, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.