Review: Echo Boy by Matt Haig

 Echo Boy by Matt Haig

Author: Matt Haig Website|Twitter
Published: 27 March 2014 (Random House Children's Books)
Format: Kindle e-book (ARC)
Pages: 416
Buy the book: Amazon|Hive|BookDepository
Buy the e-book: Kindle|Kobo

Source: Received free copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks Random House!

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
Audrey's father taught her that to stay human in the modern world, she had to build a moat around herself; a moat of books and music, philosophy and dreams. A moat that makes Audrey different from the echoes: sophisticated, emotionless machines, built to resemble humans and to work for human masters.

Daniel is an echo - but he's not like the others. He feels a connection with Audrey; a feeling Daniel knows he was never designed to have, and cannot explain. And when Audrey is placed in terrible danger, he's determined to save her.

THE ECHO BOY is a powerful story about love, loss and what makes us truly human.

My Review:
I've read one book of Matt Haig's before (The Radleys) which I really enjoyed, so I was keen to check out his new YA offering. Echo Boy follows Audrey, the niece of a powerful businessman who creates Echos - robots designed to serve humans.

There was plenty to enjoy about Echo Boy. It definitely appealed to the sci-fi/post-acpocalyptic fan in me! The story is set in 2115 in a word dominated by advance technology, particularly the Echos. I liked how the author has posed a lot of questions about whether the technology has gone too far in Audrey's world.

The book is told from both the perspective of Audrey and Daniel, a prototype Echo who is a lot more human than other robots. Their entries take the form of "mind logs" implying a kind of diary journalling their experiences, but it didn't really feel like reading a diary. I think it was more a way to tie in the storytelling to the world. I liked the alternating points of view, and I really loved getting an insight into Daniel. His character was a real highlight for me. The two characters develop a bond throughout the book and I liked that they could both identify as being different, with Daniel standing apart from Echos, and Audrey being an orphan who doesn't fit in with her new family.

Whilst the story had enough to keep me interested, I spent a lot of my time reading Echo Boy feeling a little disappointed. I love this genre of YA, and yet I think that was the downfall of this book. Not a lot of it was original. The technology was interesting, but I just felt so much of it had been done before. Every time a new piece of terminology was introduced I would find myself questioning where I had read it previously and getting that feeling of de jav u. It may have stood out a bit more a few years ago, but it just felt a little bit dated now there are so many similar novels out there that I enjoyed a lot more.

I had a few problems with the pacing as well. The story tended to get bogged down with exposition meaning you would leave the action at key points just to explain how some piece of equipment worked or explain the history of something which would end up having little relevence to the present situation. There was one moment towards the climax of the book where Audrey stopped to explain the material the walls of a particular building were made out of some fancy futuristic material that just baffled me and took me out of that exciting scene.

I didn't dislike Echo Boy, but it just left me feeling a little flat. There are some good action scenes in there, and I enjoyed the ending which provided a few last minute twists I thought were smart, and I thought Audrey's uncle made a great villain. I was perhaps just hoping for a little more.

Rating: 2.5*
Books like this: Cinder by Marissa Meyer, Hope's Daughter by Melanie Cusick-Jones

Review: Jessie Hearts NYC by Keris Stainton

 Jessie Hearts NYC by Keris Stainton

 

Author: Keris Stainton Website|Twitter

Published: 7 July 2011 (Orchard)
Format: Paperback
Pages:
Buy the paperback: Amazon|Hive|BookDepository
Buy the e-book: Kindle|Kobo

Source: Borrowed from library

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
Jessie's just arrived in New York, hoping to forget about her awful ex.

New Yorker Finn is in love with his best friend's girlfriend.

They might be perfect together, but in a city of eight million people, will they ever find each other?

My Review:
Jessie Hearts NYC follows Jessie and her best friend Emma as they head across the Atlantic to spend time with Jessie's mother in New York. The girls soak up the city whilst Jessie tries to put her ex-boyfriend Tyler behind her. Meanwhile, New Yorker Finn must deal with his feelings for his best friend's girlfriend.

I loved this book. Really loved it. Read it in one afternoon kind of loved it (and I never read books in one afternoon). It was exactly the kind of fun, escapism that I needed, with a brilliantly clever plot that kept me hooked to the pages.

Firstly, I love books that transport you to new places. Reading Jessie Hearts NYC felt like I was getting on that plane with Jessie, and when she was seeing the sights and exploring, I was right there with her. I finished the book and wanted to plan my own trip to NYC right away! What I loved was the inclusion of references to films and TV shows set in New York. I'm a huge Friends fan so obviously I was waiting for those mentions (and I wasn't disappointed!) but I just loved how it incorporated all the pop culture stuff. It really helped me feel like I was escaping.

The book is told in third person and flicks between Jessie and Finn's perspectives. Their stories start out quite separate and they're brought together by being in the same place at the same time. One minute you're with Jessie in a coffee shop, the next you're with Finn in that same coffee shop. There are little interactions between the two characters and you end up rooting for them to finally meet properly and get a chance to speak to each other. I loved how the book played with the idea of fate and being in the right place at the right time.

One of my favourite things about the book was Finn himself who is so just so loveable! When we meet him he's head over heels for his best friend Scott's girlfriend Sam and he just dotes on her all the time. He's caring and sweet and you want to bash Sam over the head for not seeing that. At the same time he's still a great friend to Scott. He's definitely up there with my favourite male YA characters.

Both Jessie and Finn are at a time in their life where they're having to make decisions about their future. I really related to that and how they're spending the summer discovering more about themselves and what they want. For Jessie, that means deciding whether her heart lies in New York with her mum or back in Manchester with her dad, and for Finn he must decide what he truly wants to study as opposed to what his parents want him to. As well as being relatable these decisions also really drove the plot forward and kept me hooked to find out what the two characters would end up doing.

Jessie Hearts NYC is definitely a book I wish I'd read when I was younger (or a book I wish I'd written when I was younger!). It encapsulates a lot of those fears you have as a teen about relationships and family. I loved the relationship between Jessie and her mum and how they have to overcome that tension between them caused my her mum's work and the distance between them. I also loved getting inside Jessie's head as she worries about boys.

There's so much more I could say about this book but for now I'm just going to urge you all to go out and read it. It has everything you could want in a YA novel from friendship and family to a wonderful love story and some great humour. I can see it being a book I go back to year on year to take with me whilst I go on holiday or something. And I can't wait to read more by this author!

Rating: 5*
What to read next: Emma Hearts LA by Keris Stainton
Books like this: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Review: Soulmates by Holly Bourne

 Soulmates by Holly Bourne

Author: Holly Bourne Website|Twitter
Published: 1 September 2013 (Usborne)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 544
Buy the paperback: Amazon|Hive|BookDepository
Buy the e-book: Kindle|Kobo

Source: Bought

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
Every so often, two people are born who are the perfect matches for each other. Soulmates. But while the odds of this happening are about as likely as being struck by lightning, when these people do meet and fall in love…thunderstorms, lightning strikes and lashings of rain are only the beginning of their problems.

Enter Poppy, the 17-year-old cynic with a serious addiction to banana milk, and Noah, the heart-throb guitarist; residents of mediocre Middletown, sometime students, and…soulmates.

After a chance meeting at a local band night, Poppy and Noah find themselves swept up in a whirlwind romance unlike anything they’ve ever experienced before. But with a secret international agency preparing to separate them, a trail of destruction rumbling in their wake, (and a looming psychology coursework deadline), they are left with an impossible choice between the end of the world, or a life without love…

My Review:
I've been dying to read this book for ages because there was a lot of buzz surrounding it, and it's UKYA which always gets me a bit more excited! I bought myself a copy of the paperback a while ago, and it won a poll on my blog for which book I should read next. Soulmates follows Poppy, a complete sceptic when it comes to love, as she finds herself swept away by guitarist Noah. But this isn't a traditional love story. Poppy and Noah's relationship will affect everyone around them, because their love is causing havoc.

Every so often you read a book where you want to pause whilst reading it and applaud. Soulmates was one of those books. I absolutely adored the idea of the story and it is honestly one of the smartest books I have ever read. Imagine every cliche about young love you can think of; instant attraction, sparks flying, feeling sick, not being able to cope without them. In Soulmates each of these ideas is a physical reality for Poppy and Noah. Being near each other is causing physical reactions to their bodies, they're relationship is causing electrical storms, freak weather and power cuts, they touch and there's sparks. This is not your average love story. It's sort of the anti-YA-love-story book. And that was incredibly refreshing.

So the idea of the book is fantastic, and it's delivered brilliantly through an exciting cast of characters. Poppy is brilliant. Within a few chapters I knew I loved her, and she has definitely become one of my favourite female YA characters. She's incredibly sarcastic and smart, and stands out with her sceptical views on everything from her overly middle class hometown to society's attitude to love and romance. I adored her brutal honesty and how she really speaks her mind. As well as Poppy herself, we get to see her relationship with her three best friends - Lizzie, Ruth and Amanda. I found their friendship to be incredibly true to life and instantly recognisable. I could picture my own secondary school friends in each of their places because I think they summed up that teenage friendship perfectly. There's awkwardness, jealousy, and pressure to do well at school. I loved the British college setting with the girls working towards their A Levels because it made it so much more relatable.

The book is told in first person POV from Poppy's perspective, but every couple of chapters you get an insight from the government workers who are tracking Poppy and Noah's relationship. This was where the book became even more genius for me. These added chapters helped give you the bigger picture, filling you in on the extra bits of information that Poppy and Noah are oblivious to. It gave you a hint at what was to come and really ramped up the tension and suspense.

Whilst the book itself is a fantastic take on love and the idea of soulmates, the main relationship between Poppy and Noah is still incredibly enjoyable. I really loved some of the scenes between them, especially once they become more comfortable around each other. Noah is completely lovable, and he plays in a band which is always pretty cool. I think my favourite scenes were the ballet and final gig. The characters are sixth form age and a lot of the story focuses on the taking of their relationship to the next level and what consequences that would have. It was great seeing the characters address those dilemmas sensibly and the "will they, won't they" situation really drove the story forward. I really liked Frank as well, Poppy's classmate who is thrown in as a sort of anti-soulmate. They have a great friendship based on a similar sense of humour, but it's nothing compared to this dramatic reaction she gets around Noah. I think it was great to see that contrast so you could see just how powerful the idea of soulmates in this novel is.

I also loved the references to other literature and pop culture and how that compares with Poppy's idea of love. She's studying Romeo and Juliet at school, and then she and Noah end up watching the first Twilight film, so you've got all these comparisons of how love is perceived thrown into the mix to get Poppy's message across. I think the fact I was reading Twilight at the same time as this book was an incredibly appropriate coincidence!

The ending of Soulmates is an absolute adrenaline rush. I couldn't put it down. All that build up throughout the book brings you an incredible climax that is well worth the wait. And the last few chapters will absolutely shake you up and tug at your heartstrings. I've already started recommending this book to people and I think I will continue to do so for a very long time. It pushes the genre boundaries because it's a contemporary with a little bit of something extra which I think will add to the appeal. It's just such a brilliant idea which has been incredibly well executed, and is the perfect remedy to anyone who's found themselves sighing with frustration at stereotypical YA romance.

Rating: 5*
What to read next: Holly's next book, The Manifesto on How to Be Interesting, will be published in 2014.
Books like this: Shift by Em Bailey, Hold Your Breath by Caroline Green

Review: Gemini Falling by Eleanor Wood

Gemini Falling by Eleanor Wood

Author: Eleanor Wood Website|Twitter
Published: 29 October 2013 (Carina)
Format: Kindle e-book (ARC)
Pages: 43
Buy the e-book: Kindle|Kobo

Source: Received free copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks Carina!

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
‘First of all, let’s get something straight. This is not going to be one of those stories where the school bitch turns out to have a heart of gold,’

Amie’s the most popular – and the meanest –girl at her exclusive private school, with her trusty second in command Lexy by her side. And she likes it that way. Lexy knows that she deserves Amie’s prized position just as much but dethroning the Queen Bee just isn’t done.

Until mysterious twins Elyse and Melanie arrive mid-term, with a magnetic power that’s impossible to deny, and shake up the school’s social rules. As the twins leave darkness and devastation in their wake, Lexy’s suddenly discovering her own powers of manipulation.

Whilst Amie’s about to learn that it’s not just lonely at the top – it’s terrifying.

My Review:
I really loved Gemini Rising, so when I saw this companion novella was available to review, I just couldn't resist putting in a request! Gemini Falling gives you scenes from the perspective of Amie and Lexy as their worlds are rocked by the arrival of twins Elyse and Melanie.

This novella could either be read before or after Gemini Rising as it doesn't really spoil anything, just gives you some scenes from the POV of different characters. The first half of the novella is told from Amie's point of view, whilst the second jumps to Lexy's perspective. I think it would be a great taster of the first book for someone who hasn't read it, but as someone who has I really appreciated the insight into different characters. It was really interesting to see Sorana (who's POV we get in Gemini Rising) viewed from a different angle to show just how others see her.

What the author has done so well in Gemini Falling is get into the heads of these completely bitchy characters. Both Amie and Lexy are part of the popular gang at school, known as "the A group", and I loved seeing the story from their side, even if they do have a bit of an attitude problem! It didn't put me off reading about them, far from it! I think it's totally refreshing to have characters who are brutally honest and don't sugar coat their opinions. You really get the chance to see their way of thinking, however flawed it is. I loved the scheming and plotting and that undercurrent of jealousy running through both girls' thoughts.

I think the situations the girls find themselves in in regards to friendship drama and school are ones a lot of people can relate to. There's a lot of focus on Amie and Lexy's jealousy over Sorana's relationship with cute guy Josh which was interesting to see. Plus there's one scene where Amie makes comments about Sorana's weight, stating how Sorana can get away with eating loads and being super skinny. I thought that was a really brilliant observation and I was pleased a character could acknowledge that some people are just naturally thin, plus it highlighted some of Amie's own insecurities.

I really enjoyed seeing the relationship between Amie and the twins, who totally creep Amie out. It gives you a hint at their unnerving nature and really helped develop the story from Gemini Rising. This novella also gave you a good look at the relationship between Amie and Sorana from the other side of the coin. I already loved the incredible range of characters and getting to know them even better and get stuck into their thoughts and motivations made for a gripping read.

For a short story there was a lot of substance and some great scenes to sink your teeth into. It reminded me just how much I love these characters and the slick writing. For fans of Gemini Rising it is well worth checking out, and if you want a taster of the world then I'd highly recommend it as it'll suck you in and leave you wanting more!

Rating: 5*
What to read next: Gemini Rising by Eleanor Wood

Project UKYA Blog Tour: Interview with Eleanor Wood

Today I'm extremely excited to be part of the Project UKYA blog tour! Below you'll find my interview with Eleanor Wood, author of the UKYA novel Gemini Rising. Be sure to visit the Project UKYA blog to follow the tour throughout November and find out more about UKYA!

Interview with Eleanor Wood

TTF: Your book is set in a British sixth form. Did you draw on your own experiences from school?

EW: Definitely!  None of the characters are real and none of those specific situations actually happened to me, but the dynamic was based very much on real life.  I went to a very small, quite strict girls’ school in the west London suburbs, so it was quite an unusual environment, but I hope it has a certain recognisable British-ness.

TTF: Is there any advice you'd give your younger self looking back?

EW: Basically, all the challenges I set Sorana in the book are like a direct address to my past self – don’t care what people think, stay true to yourself, don’t waste time on people who don’t matter.  Most importantly, then and now: be kind.

TTF: I loved Sorana's obsession with her favourite band Trouble Every Day. What music did you obsess over growing up? And what music do you love now?

EW: I still listen to a lot of the same music I’ve loved since I was a kid – Nirvana, Hole, PJ Harvey, Leonard Cohen, Sonic Youth…  In my teens, I was weirdly obsessed with the band Placebo.  To a slightly crazy degree.  My friend Neil and I still go to see them once a year and reminisce about the days when our bedrooms were shrines to Brian Molko.  These days I’d add to the list: Bat for Lashes, Tied to the Mast, Cat Power, Jack Lucan…

TTF: Gemini Rising was published by Harlequin's Carina imprint. Tell me a little bit about the journey to getting published.

EW: It was, as these things tend to be, quite circuitous!  The first full-length manuscript I ever wrote was nominally an ‘adult’ novel, a coming-of-age tale, which had a couple of near-misses but didn’t end up selling to a publisher.  The best thing that came out of this was that I signed up with my fantastic agent, Caroline Hardman (who previously worked for Christopher Little, but now has her own agency Hardman and Swainson).  It was actually Caroline who then suggested I try writing a YA novel.  That seems funny to me now, as I feel so strongly that it’s my perfect style.  The result was Gemini Rising – when I finished it at the end of last year, there was some interest from a few editors, and the most enthusiastic was Anna at Harlequin, who was in the process of helping to launch the Carina imprint.

TTF: Do you have a writing routine?

EW: It’s a pretty ramshackle affair.  I try to avoid too much routine, as I find it easy to slip into superstitions – and then that destructive mindset of ‘I can’t possibly write without my favourite chair/a view of the garden/red lipstick/total quiet/etcetera’.  So I deliberately mix it up – writing on the train, in front of the TV, in bed at night or at the kitchen table.  However, I hate to write in silence and I think I write best in the mornings.

TTF: Any advice or tips for aspiring writers?

EW: It sounds pretty harsh, but my main advice to anyone is to stop talking and get on with it!  It sounds cheesy, but if I need a bit of motivation, I just ask myself ‘don’t you want to be the kind of person who actually does things?’ and it works.  I should also note that I would be lost without the help of my brilliant agent – so I would recommend doing all you can to find one, and listening to their advice.

TTF: Let's talk UKYA! What do you think makes UKYA stand out against other YA novels?

EW: I love reading books in which I can recognise myself in some way.  Obviously, the setting isn’t essential to this, but I do feel that it helps.  When I was a teenager, there wasn’t much around and I was in thrall to the exotic world of American high schools – talk of sophomores and homecoming games that had no bearing on my own existence.  Obviously there is still a place for this, but I am delighted that there is a broader spectrum now, and a lot of it is much more realistic and relatable.  Plus, I may be biased, but I think that British writers can bring a special kind of pathos and humour to the table!

TTF: Who is your favourite British author?

EW: I particularly love Emma Forrest and Esther Freud.

Favourite UKYA novel?

See the two writers above – Namedropper by Emma Forrest and Peerless Flats by Esther Freud are my two all-time favourites.  More recently, I’ve really enjoyed You Against Me by Jenny Downham, My Fat, Mad Teenage Diary by Rae Earl and The Perfect Suicide by my friend Lotte Worth.

TTF: Any unreleased UKYA novels you're eagerly anticipating?

EW: I always look forward to a new Sarra Manning.

And now some British themed questions!

TTF: Marmite: love it or hate it?

EW: I can’t get through the day without it.

TTF: Coronation Street or Eastenders?

EW: Corrie – absolute genius writing.

TTF: X Factor or Strictly Come Dancing?

EW: Strictly – Sophie E-B for the win!

TTF: Favourite seaside resort?

EW: I choose to live in Brighton (the San Francisco of the UK!), which is my favourite seaside city.  So, I’d say my favourite resort for visiting purposes is Kingsbridge in Devon.  My godmother lives there and it’s a truly beautiful place.

TTF: Favourite slang word? (Keep it clean!)

EW: There is surely no more evocative word than ‘snog’!

TTF: And finally, what are you currently working on? Any more books in the pipeline?

EW: I’ve written a companion novella to Gemini Rising (out at the end of October) – called Gemini Falling, which tells the story of Amie and Lexy, the perceived ‘mean girls’ of the original novel.  It solves a few mysteries from Gemini Rising and tackles further the idea that you can’t presume to know what another person might be going through behind closed doors.  I really enjoyed writing it.  I’m now working on a new full-length novel – another spooky YA, unrelated to Gemini Rising.  I’m nearly finished and really excited about it!

A huge thank you to Eleanor for answering my questions and to Lucy at Project UKYA for organising the tour! Find out more about Eleanor's books and Project UKYA below:

Gemini Rising: 

How far would you go to fit in? Sorana Salem is ok with being not quite bottom of the pile at her exclusive private school. Until the mysterious Johansson twins arrive unexpectedly mid-term. Hypnotically beautiful and immensely cool, magnetic Elyse and mute Melanie aren’t like the school’s usual identikit mean girls.Soon Sorana’s sharing sleepovers and Saturday nights out with the twins. But their new world of Ouidja boards and older boys might not be as simple as it seems. And the dark secrets that they share could be about to take Sorana down a path that’s impossible to turn back from…

Gemini Falling:
‘First of all, let’s get something straight. This is not going to be one of those stories where the school bitch turns out to have a heart of gold,’

Amie’s the most popular – and the meanest –girl at her exclusive private school, with her trusty second in command Lexy by her side. And she likes it that way. Lexy knows that she deserves Amie’s prized position just as much but dethroning the Queen Bee just isn’t done.

Until mysterious twins Elyse and Melanie arrive mid-term, with a magnetic power that’s impossible to deny, and shake up the school’s social rules. As the twins leave darkness and devastation in their wake, Lexy’s suddenly discovering her own powers of manipulation.

Whilst Amie’s about to learn that it’s not just lonely at the top – it’s terrifying.
 

 Eleanor Wood's Blog

Eleanor Wood on Twitter

Gemini Rising on Goodreads|Gemini Falling on Goodreads 

Gemini Rising on Amazon|Gemini Falling on Amazon

My Review of Gemini Rising

Project UKYA Blog

Project UKYA on Twitter

Review: Night Witches by L. J. Adlington

 Night Witches by L. J. Adlington

Author: L. J. Adlington Website|Twitter
Published: 5 September 2014 (Hodder Children's Books)
Format: Paperback (proof)
Pages: 336
Buy the paperback: Amazon|Hive|BookDepository
Buy the e-book: Kindle|Hive|Kobo

Source: Gifted proof copy from author. Thanks Lucy!

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
TWO NATIONS AT WAR. ONE GIRL CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE.
Rain Aranoza is a teenage bomber-pilot from Rodina, a nation of science and fact ruled by the all knowing Aura, where the belief in witches or any type of superstition is outlawed. Rain's regiment is made up of only teenage girls and their role is vital to the war effort against the Crux, a nation of faith and belief, where nature and God are celebrated and worshipped.

But Rain is struggling with another battle. She's always had a sense that her nature is different from everyone else's, and that a dormant power threatens to burst out of her.

My Review:
I'd been using a Night Witches promotional bookmark all summer after picking it up at Leakycon, so I was really excited when the author got in touch with me after discovering we were both from the same city! She very kindly offered me the chance to read and review the book. Night Witches follows Rain as she trains to become a fighter pilot as the war between Rodina and the Crux intensifies.

The book is told from Rain's point of view and at the beginning of the book we're introduced to her and her family. Throughout the book the story focuses on Rain and her cousin Zoya as the two of them train to become pilots. I loved the relationship between the two of them. They're very different, yet are still able to look after each other in their increasingly difficult missions.

Night Witches is set in a sort of futuristic/dystopian world. Rain and Zoya live in the city of Rodina which has shunned religion and old fashioned manufacturing techniques. Everything is made from a material called Bioweave as opposed to the wood and other materials of the Old Nation. The city is at war with the religious people - known as the Crux - and there are legends of witchcraft that the people of Rodina are either frightened of or quick to deny any belief in. It made for a great mix of ideas and genres. I liked the technology Rain and her people use, such as being able to connect to "Aura" - a sort of online hub of information that everyone can use to message each other. I liked what I learnt of the war between the two sides, but I would love to have discovered more about the city and why things had come to be that way. It seemed like there was a lot of unlocked potential there and Night Witches just scratched the surface.

As well as the relationship between Rain and Zoya, there was also a great camaraderie between the girls and their fellow trainees. I liked the humour and dialogue between the two and how they bounced off each other. I really came to feel for them all as they go through some traumatic times and tense battle scenes throughout the book. I also enjoyed the romantic storyline involving Reef and how he and Rain are drawn to each other in the midst of all this craziness.

The real winner for me in Night Witches was the writing which I found to be beautiful and poetic. I loved the dialogue and the slight dialect of the characters. I just got swept away in the story and the wonderful, haunting descriptions. I'll definitely be reading more of this author's books because I adored the unique style.

All throughout the book there was this hint at something more going on and that there was something about Rain herself that was special. I loved the suspense and tension, and the twist towards the end had me hooked and left me unable to put the book down. I loved how everything came to be revealed.

I think overall I would have liked to know more about this wonderful world and discover a bit more of the history, but what was there was thoroughly enjoyable. I loved Rain and Zoya's story and parts really tugged at the heartstrings. If you like books with action, a touch of sci-fi and a bit of supernatural then this book is for you!

Rating: 4*
What to read next: The Diary of Pelly D by L. J. Adlington
Books like this: Fearsome Dreamer by Laure Eve, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein