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: 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.

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.

Review: Pandemonium (Delirium book #2) by Lauren Oliver

Spoiler Warning! Pandemonium is the second book in the Delirium trilogy. If you haven't read Delirium then please look away now! (or read my review of Delirium right here) You have been warned!

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Author: Lauren Oliver. Website, Twitter
Published: 1 March 2012 (Hodder & Stoughton)
Pages: 336
Buy: Amazon (hardback|Kindle), Waterstone's (hardback|e-book), Book Depository (hardback)

Source: Borrowed from library.

Plot Summary: (from Amazon)
Love, the deadliest of all deadly things.
It kills you when you have it.
And when you don't.

I'm pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

My Review:
I absolutely loved the first book in this trilogy and I've been waiting and waiting to read this book! My library finally got it in this week and so I dove straight in.

Pandemonium stars off with Lena not entirely where you'd expect from the end of Delirium. The way this book is structured is with chapters titled "then" and "now" and so we're effectively getting two stories running alongside each other. One plotline is Lena's escape into the Wilds, and the second is the present day where she is working undercover. I won't give too much away but I think this way of doing it was absolutely brilliant. It means you have to wait in anticipation to find out just what happened to Lena after the climax of Delirium, whilst being curious about just what she's up to now. You get double the cliffhangers as each part of the story concludes a chapter and you'd have to wait two chapters to wait and find out happened, whilst all the time being gripped to the current chapter. It's the perfect balance of suspense and revelations. I loved it!

One of my favourite parts of the first book was Lena as a character. She underwent such a vast change from a girl who was willing to go along with what she'd been told to someone who rebelled against the system. Her character develops even more in Pandemonium which I was really glad to see. She's constantly having to adapt to the world around her as she tries to survive and carry on with her fight. You get to see such a different side of her as she finds herself in some really sticky situations.

There's plenty of new characters to get to know as well; both good people and bad people! I really liked some of the new additions and their back stories were so well told. The interactions with Lena and the new characters made for some really tense and emotional moments.

I'm such a fan of Lauren Oliver's writing style. I think she conjures up such beautiful images and gets across the harshness of the world the book takes place in just perfectly. In every book of hers I just get so wrapped up in the words. This book was no different. I savoured every line!

There's plenty of action and it more than lives up to the previous book. Pandemonium real heart-wrenching, jaw-dropping moments and I'm eagerly awaiting the next book!

Rating: 5*
What to read next: Requiem by Lauren Oliver, book 3 in the Delirium trilogy (released March 2013).
Books like this: Crossed by Ally Condie, Insurgent by Veronica Roth.

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.

Review: Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer

Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer

Author: Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer. Website, Twitter

Publsihed: 5 July 2012 (Hodder & Stoughton)

Pages: 384

Buy: Amazon, Waterstone's, Book Depository

Plot Summary: (from Goodreads)

What happens when happily ever after…isn’t?

Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book—one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah.

And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He’s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He’s sure there’s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom.

My Review:
I'm a huge Jodi Picoult fan and I've been looking forward to this book since she first announced she was writing a YA book with her daughter. Jodi Picoult + YA is literally a dream come true for me! I was worried about how I'd review this; whether I'd be comparing it to her other books etc. but this book completely stands out on its own, and it's going to be pretty easy to talk about!

Firstly, this book is beautiful. Not just the cover, but the stunning illustrations that appear throughout the book, and the way the chapters are given different fonts and even different colour text. It's obvious that so much love and care has been put into making this a book that you'll want to treasure. I had to be so careful reading it because I didn't want to damage it at all! (Ok, so I'm like that with all my books but this one even more so). There's several full page illustrations which are just wonderful, and smaller, cute little silhouettes dotted throughout some of the chapters. I just want to stroke this book all day long!

Now on to the actual story. The book tells the story of Oliver and Delilah. Oliver is a character in a fairy tale. When the story is being read he must act out his part in it, fighting to rescue Seraphima and live happily ever after. But when the book is closed the characters are alive, waiting until the next time someone reads the book and they have to spring into action. Delilah is a misfit teenager; unpopular, always last in swimming races and happiest with her head in a book, particularly this one fairy tale. Then she realises that the characters are alive and strikes up a friendship with Oliver.

The whole story is so brilliantly done. It's such a fab little idea! I think what impressed me most is that it's exactly the kind of story a dedicated reader should love. Not only is Delilah a girl who loves reading, but the whole story bases itself on the idea that characters are alive when we're not reading them. I think the best books and the best characters are those where you play out scenes with the characters in your head, long after you've finished the book. Between the Lines really plays on that idea and turns it into something even bigger. What if the characters are only acting? What if you could change the ending of a story? What would happen if you could speak to your favourite character? What happens when you close a book? Plus, if you've ever read a book and been able to totally relate to a character and wish they were real (who hasn't?!) then you will love this story.

The story is told from both Delilah and Oliver's perspectives, with the chapters alternating between the two, and between chapters of the fairy tale from Delilah's book. Not only is the main story between Oliver and Delilah brilliant but the fairy tale itself is an absolute delight to read! I loved reading those parts and escaping into that world just as Delilah does, with the magical tale of a prince and princess, plus added dragon, mermaids and fairies really hooking me in.

I couldn't put this book down. I just loved spending time with the characters and waiting to find out what would happen. It's not like anything Picoult has ever written, but it makes me want her to write more YA in the future. I'm so glad she helped her daughter's idea come to life! (Samantha originally pitched the idea to her mum and they decided to write it togther). It's a book I know I'll want to re-read over and over.

Anyone who loves and appreciates books should absolutely adore this one. If you love fairy tales then it's a must as well!

Rating: 5*
What to read next: Of Poseidon by Anna Banks.
Books like this: The Iron King by Julie Kagawa, Enchanted by Alethia Contis.

Review: Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Author: Christopher Paolini. Website, Twitter
Published: 6 January 2005 (Corgi)
Pages: 528
Buy: Amazon, Waterstone's, Book Depository

Source: Bought (with Waterstone's gift card)

Plot Summary: (from Goodreads)
When Eragon finds a polished stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself. Overnight his simple life is shattered and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands.

My Review:
This is the first book in The Inheritence Cycle series, and I bought this with a gift card in the post-Christmas sales. It just so happened to be about a month after the latest book in this series had been released, so there were displays everywhere and I'd heard a lot about it. I'd been wanting to read more fantasy so it seemed like a good place to start.

I honestly can't understand how this book has gotten so much hype. From a couple of pages in the book started to drag, mainly due to the writing. It felt like it needed editing; a lot. Every other word, to me, felt like the author had used a thesaurus. (You know that episode in Friends where Joey uses a thesaurus on every word in his letter to the adoption agency? That's what Eragon felt like.) Not only that, but there was a horrible amount of unnecessary adverbs, adjectives and dialogue tags. The whole thing felt clunky. As soon as you have problems with the writing it takes you right out of the story, and unfortuately that's what it did for me.

I found it very difficult to get interested in the plot. I thought it showed potential at first, when Eragon learns he can communicate telepathically with his dragon. But the problem was that he could communicate with her that way from the very start. There was absolutely no development in that relationship, and after Eragon set off on his journey, his dragon felt very much like a plot device used to show what's happening miles ahead of his as the dragon flies above.

I soon lost interest on why he was on this journey and what exactly the point was. I didn't feel any sense of danger so I didn't care what happened to the characters. So much of it was just one long conversation between two of the characters which got boring pretty fast. Every chapter seemed to start with Eragon waking up. I had to skim read the last 150 pages because I'd stopped caring about anything and wanted to get to the end.

I could go on, but I think I've said all there is to say about this book. I didn't like it. There are plenty of 5 star reviews on Goodreads if you want to find some positive comments, but there's nothing good I got from it. I won't be bothering with the next book in the series.

Rating: 1*
What to read next: Eldest by Christopher Paolini, book 2 in The Inheritence Cycle series.
Books like this: Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke, The Fire Within by Chris d'Lacey

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.