Review: The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

 The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes Website|Twitter
Published: 7 November 2013 (Quercus)
Format: Paperback (proof)
Pages: 352
Buy the paperback: Amazon|Hive|BookDepository
Buy the e-book: Kindle|Kobo

Source: Received free proof copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thanks Quercus!

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
Cassie Hobbes is not like most teenagers. Most teenagers don’t lose their mother in a bloody, unsolved kidnapping. Most teenagers can’t tell who you are, where you’re from and how you’re likely to behave within moments of meeting you. And most teenagers don’t get chosen to join The Naturals.

Identified by the FBI as uniquely gifted, Cassie is recruited to an elite school where a small number of teens are trained to hone their exceptional abilites.

For Cassie, trying to make friends with the girls, and to figure out the two very different, very hot boys, is challenging enough. But when a serial killer begins recreating the details of her mother’s horrific crime scene, she realises just how dangerous life in The Naturals could be...

My Review:
I've been seeing this book featured in Waiting on Wednesday posts for a while and it had really piqued my interest! The Naturals follows Cassie Hobbes, who has a talent for reading body language, as she finds herself whisked away to Washington to join fellow gifted teens who are being trained up by the FBI.

I was really excited by the premise for this one because FBI? Yes please! When the book arrived I thought I'd just read the first couple of pages to see what it was like, and after that I just could not put it down. I was hooked instantly! It felt so different to anything I've read before. It was darker, and as a huge fan of crime and thrillers, I was completely on board with that. I read a lot of this type of book in my adult reading, but not so much in YA. I want more YA like this please!

The Naturals is full of mystery and suspense, has a good deal of gore and will have your heart pounding for sure! This is my first book by Jennifer Lynn Barnes and it's safe to say it won't be my last. The writing was so sharp. I found the dialogue snappy and realistic, especially the conversations between the groups of teens which never felt forced or awkward. Barnes has the dynamic between them spot on. Throughout the book there was great humour on top of that fantastic tension, and book is incredibly fast-paced. I wasn't bored once!

I think the characters were a real winner for me. There was such a great mix of personalities. I really liked Cassie herself. When we meet her, she's working as a waitress (and hating it) and living with her Nonna. Her mother has been missing presumed dead for years, and her father isn't present in her life. The opening scenes where we get to see her wicked ability at reading  body language were some of my favourites. It was great to get inside her head and see this rare ability she has. Early in the book we're introduced to Michael who I loved. Like, a lot. He may be rich and snobby but he was also quite funny and I loved the tension between him and Cassie. I thought Cassie's new roommate Sloane was brilliant too. Her talent is numbers and probabilities and she just jumps in with all these facts and figures all the time, usually when it's least appropriate! Then there's bitchy Lia who I sort of loved to hate. You need a bad girl in there. My love of these characters was firmly cemented during a game of truth and dare, which was both entertaining and got inside the heads of each character.

Now I know not everyone likes a love triangle, but there is a bit of that in The Naturals. When Cassie moves into the house with the other teens on her program, two guys are vying for her attention. Another girl in the house also throws herself into the mix as a rival for both boys, so I guess you could even say it's a love square. So I've already mentioned Michael, but then there's Dean - a profiler like Cassie. He spends the whole book being moody and mysterious. I was definitely intrigued by him, and I wanted to find out more. I thought his back story was really interesting and the scenes with him and Cassie working together were scenes I liked because they made a great team. But deep down I am all about Michael. Maybe because he's introduced first and my heart was already set on him. Either way, I'm dying to talk to people who have read this book so I can probe them about who they liked better! Even if you don't like love triangles, I wouldn't let that put you off. Both guys are great characters, and the book is definitely more action focused than romance focused. Cassie's attention is definitely more on the work at hand than on the boys.

The FBI program Cassie ends up in provides the book with a fantastic plot. Cassie and the others end up looking at a number of old cases to try and get to grips with their skills, but all the while the agents training them are working on a real life, current mystery which carries on throughout the book. The main chapters from Cassie's POV are interspersed with chapters simply titled "You" and written in second person. These provide a glimpse of what is going on in the bigger mystery and ramped up the suspense. Those chapters felt like right out of  a crime novel and were extremely dark, which I loved. The Naturals feels very much like a TV show. My instant comparison is to that show Criminal Minds (a show that focuses on the team profiling the killer) which is where I first heard the term UNSUB - used in The Naturals to describe an unknown subject. If you're a fan of that kind of show then definitely grab this book!

The Naturals is full of twists and turns and cliffhangers. There was one twist about halfway through the story that I had seen coming for a while. That did disappoint because to me it was a bit too obvious, and yet Cassie who is supposedly incredibly smart hadn't gotten there at all. Saying that, the rest of the book builds to an incredible climax. The final few chapters had me reading, jaw dropped because despite my earlier reservations, there was one huge twist I just hadn't seen coming! I was not expecting that reveal so I was pleasantly surprised and shocked when it came. I'm still reeling from that ending!

I really hope this is a start to a series because there is huge potential for these characters, and the ending kind of hints at more to come. The Naturals was a refreshing read that isn't afraid to dive head first into that dark, criminal world. It was exciting to be able to read a YA novel like this and I hope to see more of this kind of book in the future. I'm really excited to read more by this author.

Rating: 4*
What to read next: The Naturals is the first in a planned series
Books like this: I'd Tell You I Love You but Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter

Review: Department 19 by Will Hill

Department 19 by Will Hill

Author: Will Hill Website|Twitter
Published: 1 September 2011 (HarperCollins Children's Books)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 509
Buy the paperback: Amazon|BookDepository
Buy the e-book: Kindle|Kobo

Source: Bought

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
Jamie Carpenter's father is dead, his mother is missing, and he was just rescued by an enormous creature named Frankenstein. Now Jamie is pulled into a secret organization responsible for policing the supernatural, founded more than a century ago by Abraham Van Helsing. . . . Department Nineteen takes us through history, across Europe, and beyond - from the cobbled streets of Victorian London to prohibition-era New York, from the icy wastes of Arctic Russia to the treacherous mountains of Transylvania. Part modern thriller, part classic horror, it's packed with mystery, mayhem, and a level of suspense that makes a Darren Shan novel look like a romantic comedy.

My Review:
This was another book I bought before Leakycon as Will Hill was going to be speaking there. I read a free short story set in this world and really enjoyed it, so I was excited to dive into this one. Department 19 follows Jamie Carpenter as he is suddenly swept into the secret world of a government department set up to control vampires.

I read a lot of vampire novels so when I find something with a unique twist it makes me happy and Department 19 definitely had that! I love anything to do with spies and government agencies that give you plenty of action and this is what this book delivered by the bucketload.

Department 19 starts off with a great prologue where we glimpse the incident which killed Jamie's dad. From then on we learnt that Jamie has been moved around a lot because of his dad's reputation and the fact he was accused of leaking government secrets. I immediately liked Jamie and had a lot of respect and sympathy for him, because he clearly wants to clear his father's name.

What was great is that throughout Department 19 you get chapters which go back to the 1800s where you see the origins of this secret government department. I love those little flashbacks and how the whole history of the world was developed so brilliantly. You aren't just told about them, you get to actually see what happened which is way more exciting. The book doesn't stick to Jamie's POV so we get to see what's happening with other characters which was great.

During the course of the book we meet female vampire Larissa who was one of my favourite characters because she's just so intriguing! There's a real connection between her and Jamie which I liked. She listens to him when the other people around Jamie have a tendency to talk down to him and patronise him. I loved that we really get to delve into Larissa's backstory as well, because thete's a lot more to her than meets the eye and she's not just your typical baddie.

I think the coolest part of Department 19 is how it takes ideas of vampires that already exist in literature and integrates them into the story and the world. So Dracula and Frankenstein are real characters who had a place in the history of the department. And seriously, Frankenstein was my one of my favourite characters which seems like a weird thing to say!

It's quite a long book so it took a while to get to the build up, but the ending was fast paced and crazy and a bit more emotional than I was expecting! I really loved the unique world and I'm excited for the next book (even if it is even longer!).

Rating: 4*
What to read next: The Rising by Will Hill, the second book in the Department 19 series
Books like this: Insignia by S. J. Kincaid, The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson, Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Review: Unravelling by Elizabeth Norris

Unravelling by Elizabeth Norris

Author: Elizabeth Norris Website|Twitter
Published: 7 June 2012 (HarperCollins Children's Books)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 445
Buy the paperback: Amazon|BookDepository
Buy the e-book: Kindle|Kobo

Source: Borrowed from library

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
STOP THE COUNTDOWN. SAVE THE WORLD…

Leaving the beach, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit head on by a pickup truck.

And killed.

Then Ben Michaels, resident stoner, is leaning over her. And even though it isn’t possible, she knows Ben somehow brought her back to life…

Meanwhile, Janelle’s father, a special agent for the FBI, starts working on a case that seems strangely connected to Ben. Digging in his files, Janelle finds a mysterious device – one that seems to be counting down to something that will happen in 23 days and 10 hours time.

That something? It might just be the end of the world. And if Janelle wants to stop it, she’s going to need to uncover Ben’s secrets – and keep from falling in love with him in the process…

My Review:
I'd heard great things about this book so when it was right in front of my face on the library shelves, I couldn't resist checking it out! Unravelling tells the story of Janelle whose world is rocked my a near death experience. On top of that, there's some pretty weird stuff going on with a case her dad is working on with the FBI and Janelle is determined to get to the bottom of it all.

The concept of Unravelling is what really won me over.  Each chapter starts with a countdown so it's obvious that the book is building to something that may just threaten the world, and that information is slowly pieced together throughout the course of the story. For a lot of the book Janelle doesn't know what's happening so that mystery really added to the craziness and I loved her drive to get to the bottom of things. I'm on a sci-fi kick at the moment and Unravelling definitely fulfilled that need for some sci-fi! I adored the combination of clever ideas and how they were explained.

The characters were also a highlight for me. I really liked Janelle herself.  I loved her sharp tongue and clever wit. Some of my favourite scenes were the ones where she's in school and we get to see her brains and her potential. She's also kind of forced to be strong throughout several areas of her life which endeared me to her even more. As well as the action and suspense, the book provided some really moving moments that I just was not expecting! I got so attached to the characters and what happened to them. I liked that there were some darker subjects touched upon throughout the book as well, for example Janelle's mother's bi-polar disorder and Janelle's own traumatic experiences. Plus, it was quite refreshing to have a main character who is predominantly surrounded by males.. There's Janelle's best friend Alex, Nick, Ben plus her brother Jared and her dad and his colleagues. The brother-sister relationship between Janelle and Jared was really moving.

The relationship with her and Ben was one of my favourite parts once it really kicked off. There was this obvious connection between the two of them and that intensity that had me rooting for them and dying to know what the bigger picture was. Plus Ben himself is just so awesome. He's really smart and helpful and looks out for Janelle. There was a bit of uncertainty for me at the beginning because we're introduced to another potential love interested in the shape of Nick. I don't know if it was really necessary to have him there because it distracted a bit from Janelle and Ben's story.

I really enjoyed the secret FBI investigation side of Unravelling. It just made it feel like a TV show or film with all this super cool secret stuff going down. There's also a lot of suspicion shed on several characters that had me hooked to find out who was up to what. It's one of those books that's incredibly hard not to spoil because Janelle doesn't find out a lot of what's happening until midway through the book.

The only downside for me was the crazy amount of characters I had to keep up with because I am just not good with that many people. Half of the important characters I haven't even mentioned in this review because I just wanted to focus on my favourites! Even though the plot itself was quite intense, I loved all the scientific shenanigans that were happening and I am so excited to read the next book because there seems to be so much potential to explore Norris' incredible world and the ending of Unravelling broke my heart a little. It'is a must for sci-fi fans.

Rating: 4*
What to read next: Unbreakable by Elizabeth Norris, the sequel to Unravelling
Books like this: Parallel by Lauren Miller, After Eden by Helen Douglas

Review: Cruel Summer by James Dawson

Cruel Summer by James Dawson 

Author: James Dawson Website|Twitter
Published: 1 August 2013 (Indigo)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 324
Buy the paperback: Amazon|BookDepository
Buy the e-book: Kindle|Kobo

Source: Bought

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
A year after Janey’s suicide, her friends reunite at a remote Spanish villa, desperate to put the past behind them. However, an unwelcome guest arrives claiming to have evidence that Jane was murdered. When she is found floating in the pool, it becomes clear one of them is a killer. Only one thing is for certain, surviving this holiday is going to be murder…

My Review:
I loved Hollow Pike by James Dawson, and was completely intrigued by the idea of his latest book! Cruel Summer follows a group of friends as they come to terms with their friend's apparent suicide. But there's just that niggling doubt in all of their minds that something wasn't quite right that night, and that someone in the group knows more than they're letting on. As the group take up residence in a holiday villa in Spain, there's no place to hide and secrets start to come to light.

So let me start off by saying that when I'm not reading YA, I am devouring crime. One of my favourite authors of all time is Mark Billingham, a British detective fiction writer. When I heard about Cruel Summer and the fact is was a murder mystery - a YA murder mystery - I knew I HAD to get my hands on it. Luckily the author was at Leakycon, as were some very lovely booksellers, so I managed to grab myself a copy.

The prologue opens with Janey's death, which is the spark of the story. Then we're introduced to Janey's group of friends which includes Ryan and his bff Katie, Katie's on-again-off-again boyfriend Ben, twins Alisha and Greg and Greg's girlfriend Erin, as well as super-bitch Roxanne. They're such a fantastic bunch of characters with wicked personalities, and as it becomes clear that one of the group is hiding something, suspicion turns to literally everyone. I had no idea who to trust or who to suspect but I loved that it kept me guessing!

My favourite thing about Cruel Summer, and therefore one of the things I have to mention early in my review, is the way the story is narrated. The book is told in third person from various characters POV, but the predominant character is Ryan, and Ryan admits he sees his life like a TV show. That means the book is narrated as such, with chapters titled "scene one" or  "flashback" and Ryan gives this little commentary on what would be happening right now if it were in fact a TV show. I thought it was just a fantastically brilliant way of telling the story. It made it more exciting and visual, and really fitted in well with the plot and style of the book. Even when we get to see chapters from other characters perspective, such as Alisha, they take on Ryan's style and reference his quirky way of referring to things like a TV show.

I think a great thriller needs to deliver plot twists, and have the ability to get you so caught up in the plot that it can make you squirm. Cruel Summer delivered on both of those points. I probably use the phrase jaw-dropping a lot in reviews, but never has that phrase been so freakingly accurate as my reaction when reading this book. There were plot twists all over the place, and cliffhangers that meant I couldn't bare to put the book down. And it so delivered on the creepy factor! I also loved how all the little bits of information that don't seem that significant at the time are dotted throughout the book, later coming back to play a huge role. It was so cleverly done.

The book is set the summer after most of the gang's first year of university, and involves a lot of reflection over their last year of school. As well as the mysterious death they have to deal with, there's also a bucket load of unresolved drama between the group with love triangles and friendship dramas aplenty. I particularly liked Ryan's storyline which I can't say too much about for fear of spoilers! And Alisha had some fantastic moments too. I thought the relationship between the friends was spot on. I loved the dialogue between them and how, even though this is a thriller, I still laughed a lot. The writing was modern and slick, and the little pop culture references dotted throughout the book just added to my enjoyment of the story and made the characters and story feel pretty darn realistic.

The climax of Cruel Summer was definitely an adrenaline rush. I was reading the book in the same room as my sister and I kept shouting things like "no way!" and thoroughly confusing her with my outbursts. But guys, this book is incredible. I want more YA murder mysteries like this please! The characters were incredible, the plot was gripping and tense and the writing was fantastic. I'll be recommending this book a lot in future.

Rating: 5*
Books like this: Hollow Pike by James Dawson, The Night She Disappeared by April Henry

Review: Hold Your Breath by Caroline Green

Hold Your Breath by Caroline Green

Author: Caroline Green Website|Twitter
Published: 1 June 2013 (Piccadilly Press)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 244
Buy the paperback: Amazon|BookDepository

Source: Received free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review (thanks Piccadilly Press!)

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
Tara has the power to find missing things and people, but it’s only been a source of trouble for her so far and she’s relieved when her family move house so she can make a fresh start and try to forget about the odd images in her head.

Making friends at her new school hasn’t been easy, especially with mean girls like Melodie Stone running the show. Then Melodie disappears. Tara’s not too sorry, but she starts to see strange images of a captive girl who she gradually realises must be Melodie. Tara tries but fails to ignore the pictures in her head and finally goes in search of Melodie, with the help of Melodie’s attractive half-brother. She finds herself trapped with her former enemy, and Tara and Melodie must work together to get free, with the help of Tara’s gift.

My Review:
I came home from work one day to find this book had popped through my letterbox and I was eager to start because I hadn't heard of it (or the author) before, and I love going into a book blind! Hold Your Breath follows Tara who as the strange ability to know where lost things are through her visions. Not so bad when it's missing keys or a missing phone, but when she sees visions of missing people she finds herself drawing unwanted attention to herself in her quest for answers.

Hold Your Breath is something I love and don't see enough of - a YA mystery/thriller. Tara finds herself playing detective and trying to get to the bottom of things after a girl from school disappears. It has that added supernatural element of Tara's visions, but what I loved is that the focus was very much on the gritty realistic side, so it felt more like a thriller than it did a supernatural novel for instance. It made for a perfect balance and a very tense and exciting story.

The writing style took a little getting used to for me because it's very descriptive, but I grew to really like it and was able to immerse myself in those vivid descriptions like during the scenes by the river where I could lose myself in the setting. The writing was also really effective at creating that suspense and giving that creepy nature to the book that made some of the scenes quite chilling and unnerving. There were plenty of lighter moments, however, for example the humour included in the scenes between Tara and her brother Beck.

There are some great characters to get your teeth stuck into in Hold Your Breath. I really liked Tara herself. She has a lot to overcome because she's had to move away from her old life under a cloud of suspicion and she's had to put up with a fair bit of bullying. Now she's hiding her powers from her parents which makes her feel really isolated, so I did feel for her a lot, but at the same time her determination to get to the bottom of things really earns her your respect. I loved her curious nature and how she managed to grow in confidence.

As well as everything else going on, there's a little bit of romance thrown in there for good measure. Tara is getting over her jerk of an ex-boyfriend Jay and I think a lot of people relate to those feelings she goes through as she reflects on how he treated her, yet how much she misses him in spite of it. But the developing storyline with Leo was really sweet and I liked how that relationship played out.

Throughout the story there were plenty of twists and turns and so many complex and interesting characters to raise your suspicions. The climax of the story was fantastic because I was on the edge of my seat waiting for everything to unravel itself. I had one of those moments where I hadn't quite seen everything coming and ended up kicking myself because when you look back, everything is so well set up and weaved together throughout the story. I raced through the last few chapters because I was hooked on the action!

I love it when you read a book and it just feels so British and so familiar, so if you love your UKYA then this is definitely one to check out. I'm really excited to read more of this author's books because it wasn't someone I'd heard of before (shame on me!) but I'm definitely impressed and eager to read more of her work.

Rating: 4*
What to read next: Dark Ride by Caroline Green, Cracks by Caroline Green
Books like this: In Your Dreams by Amy Martin, Spooked by Tracy Sharp

Review: Gemini Rising by Eleanor Wood

 Gemini Rising by Eleanor Wood

Author: Eleanor Wood Website|Twitter
Published: 7 June 2013 (Carina)
Format: Kindle e-book
Buy the e-book: Kindle|Kobo

Source: Received free copy to review from author/publisher via NetGalley

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
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…

My Review:
Gemini Rising tells the story of Sorana, whose world is tipped upside down by the arrival of two new girls at her school; twins Elyse and Melanie. Suddenly weird stuff is happening and the social spectrum is changing as Sorana and her friends get caught up in the twins' lives.

I could tell I was going to like this book from early on, because as soon as I started reading it I fell straight in love with the British setting. I love books set in the UK (and don't read nearly enough of them!) so it was really refreshing to dive straight in to a book set in a British sixth form. The scenes were so familiar and the pop culture references were spot on and made me laugh. I think I enjoyed the story even more because of that feel to it.

When Elyse and Melanie arrive Sorana finds herself drawn to them, as does the rest of the school. The twins were these fascinating characters who provide the backbone to the story, even though it's told from Sorana's point of view. I loved how different they were. Elyse was this bold, outgoing, loud character who completely dominates every scene she's in and Mel was really quiet. My curiosity about Mel was piqued all the way through and I couldn't wait to find out more about her because I just couldn't shake that feeling there was more than meets the eye! The story itself is completely gripping because of that constant feeling of there being something bigger going on and it all leading to something, and throughout the book the suspense just builds and builds. 

The characters were the real strength in Gemini Rising and they were all incredibly well developed. Sorana herself is likable and has a great voice that narrates the story. I adored the relationship with her mum and sister as well as her mum's boyfriend Pete. The family dynamic was just spot on! Her mum is slightly overprotective yet they still seem to have a strong bond underneath it. It was interesting to see how Sorana juggled her moral compass when it came to trying to gain a bit of independence.

The book tackles some really great issues and ideas. Elyse is putting a lot of pressure on Sorana and her friends Shimmi and Nathalie, and the things she manipulates them into doing aren't that nice. There's shoplifting, drugs and bullying, but it demonstrated a very realistic take on things like that. I was impressed by how well the author managed to display Sorana getting swept up in these things but without making her a horrible character. Sorana is somebody who gets manipulated and controlled by peer pressure and I think it's a situation she has very little say in. Elyse spends all this time making her feel special and important and I think Sorana is very vulnerable to that because she feels like an outcast. There's a really great line in the book where Sorana talks about finding her "soulmate like friends" and I could completely relate to that desire to want to fit in and have a place in a group of friends, because that's something we've all felt at some point, even if that desire is misplaced.

Another thing I really enjoyed in Gemini Rising was the presence of music within the story. Sorana is obsessed by Trouble Every Day - a local band. I remember what a huge part of my life music was at that age (for me the obsession was Green Day!) and so I was really excited to see Sorana getting excited about gigs and finding other people who loved the band as much as she did. It's only a small detail but I think it was hugely important in creating that completely realistic feel of the book. I also found the focus on astrology really intriguing. Elyse has all this knowledge but the author has done really well at integrating it into the story so it doesn't feel like some sort of astrology textbook. It was interesting without being dull!

It couldn't be a YA novel without a touch of a love story and I enjoyed seeing Sorana juggle her feelings for the two main male leads. There's Josh, a son of one of her mum's friends who she's got history with, and the mysterious Jago who catches her attention. It didn't dominate the story but it was really nicely weaved in. I think because I came to care so much about Sorana I really enjoyed seeing her get a chance at finding a bit of love and attention!

I think Gemini Rising will appeal to a good range of people, from fans of contemporary to those who love a good mystery or thriller. It reminded me in places of Em Bailey's Shift so if you loved that then I'd definitely recommend getting your hands on this one, because I loved it even more. Gemini Rising created the perfect balance of fun characters with great senses of humour, drama by the bucket-full and this underlying tension which made it ultra creepy. Reading it really kept me on my toes and I was so desperate to keep reading and find out just what was going on and about to happen. The ending was a fast-paced, roller-coaster ride that really toyed with the emotions! It's a book I'll definitely be recommending from now on and I hope to see more from this author in the future.

Rating: 5*
Books like this: Shift by Em Bailey

Review: The Madness Underneath (Shades of London, #2) by Maureen Johnson

 Spoiler warning! This is the 2nd book in the Shades of London series and will contain spoilers from the 1st book, The Name of the Star. If you haven't read that book then look away now! I'm yet to review the 1st book on the blog but you can check out the book on Goodreads here. You have been warned!

 The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson

 

Author: Maureen Johnson Website|Twitter
Published: 28 March 2013 (HarperCollins Children's Books)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 290
Amazon: Paperback|Kindle
Waterstone's: Paperback|e-book
Book Depository: Paperback

Source: Borrowed from library

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
When madness stalks the streets of London, no one is safe…

There's a creepy new terror haunting modern-day London.
Fresh from defeating a Jack the Ripper killer, Rory must put her new-found hunting skills to the test before all hell breaks loose… 

My Review:
I have to admit I was nervous about starting this book. I adored The Name of the Star and had read mixed things about The Madness Underneath. I'll start by saying I had nothing to worry about! The Madness Underneath picks up with Rory living in Bristol and attending therapy after her attack. Soon Rory ends up back at her old school, still dealing with the aftermath, and there are new murders happening. 

I really loved this book. Straight away I fell back in love with Rory's voice as she narrates the story. Even though she's been through quite an ordeal, I still loved the wit and humour she brought to the story. I love reading her observations on British life which are just as funny in this book as they were in the first. I really felt for her throughout the book as she tries to get on with life again, particularly when she returns to school and finds herself falling hopelessly behind with her work. Perhaps that's because I have my own experiences of missing school and struggling to keep up, as well as the pressure it puts on friendships and relationships. I just thought that was really well done.

With the Ripper story seemingly concluded at the end of the last book I was wondering what the main plot was going to focus around this time, and I was so happy to see there were some new mysteries to get my teeth into! I really love crime fiction anyway so a book with a good mystery is always going to grab me. The mysterious murders happening suspiciously close to Rory's school took centre stage for The Madness Underneath, and I found myself completely engrossed in what was happening. Just when I thought I knew where it was going there'd be some new drama added into the mix. It really kept the plot moving and I was gripped the whole way through.

I particularly loved Rory's role in discovering just what was going on. She's found herself with extra powers after the attack which gives her a great sense of responsibility. I liked how she put together a lot of the bits of the mystery together herself as well. It showed her to be a strong, clever main character and I loved that about her. There were some new characters in this book to add to the action which kept the story feeling fresh. I won't give away too much but they were the kind of characters you're instantly suspicious of and you end up almost shouting at the page as you read because you can sense something bad is going to happen with them! I loved the return of the old familiar characters as well, especially Boo and Callum whose banter added a great dynamic.

I devoured this book in about the space of a day. It's under three-hundred pages so it's a pretty quick read anyway, but there's so much action and suspense crammed into the story for a short book. Like I said, I couldn't keep away from reviews before starting The Madness Underneath and I'd seen a lot of people say it was really bleak, but I didn't really find that. Yes, Rory has some issues she has to deal with but at the same time, she still has that great wit and charm, and manages to put her brains to the tasks at hand. The tone of the book didn't put me off at all. I couldn't find anything to fault this book.

The climax in particular was incredible. There's so much action in the last fifty pages and the ending had me absolutely jumping up and down in anticipation of the next book. I can't wait to find out what happens! If you liked The Name of the Star then I'd definitely recommend picking this book up as soon as possible.

Rating: 5*
What to read next: The Shadow Cabinet by Maureen Johnson, the 3rd book in the Shades of London series which is due out next year
Books like this: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare, Existence by Abbi Glines

Review: Seizure (Virals, #2) by Kathy Reichs

Spoiler Warning! This is the second book in the Virals series and so this review will contain spoilers from the first book. You can check out my review of Virals here instead. You have been warned!

Seizure by Kathy Reichs

[Goodreads page]

Author: Kathy Reichs. Website|Twitter
Published: 11 October 2012 (Arrow)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 496
Amazon: Paperback|Kindle
Waterstone's: Paperback|e-book
Book Depository: Paperback|Hardback

Source: Borrowed from library

Plot Summary:
A 300-year-old legend
Rumour has it that notorious pirate Anne Bonny hid her treasure somewhere in Charleston in 1720. No-one knows where, but Tory Brennan - great-niece of famous forensic anthropologist Dr Tempe Brennan - is certain that the Virals can work out Bonny's cryptic clues.
A deadly path
It isn't long before the Virals are on the right track. But they aren't the only ones searching for the treasure.Someone is following them, and will stop at nothing to get their hands on it.
Dead bodies litter the trail. Time is running out before the island will be sold.
Will the Virals' special powers be enough to save them? 

My Review:
I read the first book in this series recently after getting it for Christmas, so I was delighted when I stumbled across the sequel in the library so soon after! Seizure picks up the story of the Virals - Tory, Ben, Hi and Shelton as they come to terms with their powers and try to learn more about them. After learning about a pirate named Anne Bonny, the group set about finding out more, including a missing treasure supply that would provide money they desperately need.

The book, like Virals, starts out with a prologue which drew me in straight away. The prologue introduces the pirate backstory which instantly intrigued me and I was delighted once that element weaved its way into the main, present day plot.

There was a lot of re-capping which I always find useful to remind me what happened before. It struck me that this book could probably be read on its own because of the amount of explanation of what happened in Virals. Because I like to have that reminder it didn't put me off, but I could maybe see it being annoying to others. But if you accidentally picked up this book not realising it was the second in a series then you'd be able to keep up.

As with the first book I really enjoyed the relationship between the main four characters. There were hints in this book that there might be something to come between Ben and Tory which I liked, but it very much took a back seat to the rest of the story. I was slightly disappointed it wasn't explored more in this book but hopefully it'll be something that's addressed again throughout the series. Tory's relationship with her dad becomes a lot more interesting in this book as there's the threat that they may have to move, unsettling Tory once more. I thought that was a really great avenue to explore.

The book is mainly told from Tory's perspective but every so often you get chapters from a few other characters - the slightly shadier ones! It really helped keep the suspense up and I liked the short glimpses at what was going on elsewhere. What really hooked me was the mystery and the constant twists and turns. I think it helped that the group had real motivation to get to the bottom of things and every time the answer slipped away you could feel their frustration. I really loved the adventure the group went on to discover more about Anne Bonny and her treasure. It was great seeing them use their new found powers as well.

The only flaw for me really is that sometimes things felt far too convenient - like a problem was overcome too easily or something was handed to them on a plate. I also had a few niggles about things the group did whilst trying to solve the mystery (like stealing something they could have just taken a photo of). 

Other than that, I really enjoyed this book. I thought, after reading Virals, that there was a lot of potential for this series and I feel that has absolutely been realised. It's a great premise and I've really grown to like the writing and the characters. I'm excited to check out the next book! 

Rating: 4*
What to read next: Code by Kathy Reichs, book 3 in the Virals series
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Review: Virals by Kathy Reichs

 

Virals by Kathy Reichs

[Goodreads page]

Author: Kathy Reichs. Website|Twitter
Published: 27 October 2011 (Young Arrow)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 464
Amazon: Paperback|Kindle
Waterstone's: Paperback|e-book
Book Depository: Paperback

Source: Own (received as present)

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
Tory Brennan, niece of acclaimed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan is the leader of a ragtag band of teenage "sci-philes" who live on a secluded island off the coast of South Carolina. When the group rescues a dog caged for medical testing on a nearby island, they are exposed to an experimental strain of canine parvovirus that changes their lives forever.

My Review:
I've had one of Kathy Reichs' adult novels on my shelves for months and months and still haven't got round to reading it, but when I received this one for Christmas I thought, as her first YA book, it would be a good place to start! Virals follows Tory Brennan and her friends as they make a series of discoveries on a nearby island used for medical research. Can they get to the bottom of what's happening there and what has happened in the past?

The start of Virals was a little slow for me. There seemed to be a lot of description and explanation which didn't all feel necessary and wasn't particularly smooth. There was a lot of time spent describing the location, which whilst it was necessary to the plot, got a bit dull (especially when there's a map included at the front of the book anyway). It just felt like a lot of information crammed into a short period, but once I was sixty or so pages in and had got my head around the characters and the setting then I really started to get into it.

One of my favourite things was the relationship between Tory and her three best friends, who all happen to be guys. They're sort of outcasts, attending a posh private school only because all their parents work for the local university, so they don't fit in with the rich elite. I really liked the humour and how they bounced off each other, and Tory herself was different, with her interest in science and animals - not your typical female lead character.

I found myself struggling to put Virals down most of the time due to the brilliant combination of action, mystery and suspense. Tory and her friends are trying to get to the bottom of several mysteries, which involves a lot of sneaking around and getting chased by people - always exciting! The mystery running throughout the story really appealed to me as I'm a huge fan of crime fiction. It's quite hard to some up the genre of this book, as some of the revelations (which I don't want to spoil) really change the feeling of it, but I'd say the mystery and suspense dominate the general feel.

Apart from the slow, clunky start I found myself really enjoying this book. It had a bit of everything - action, mystery, suspense, teenage friendship and family drama, school drama - and so it just ticked all the boxes for me. It'll definitely make me look up other books by this author and I'm really excited to read more of this series, as Reichs has created characters with real potential.

Rating: 4*
What to read next: Seizure by Kathy Reichs, book 2 in the Virals series
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Review: In Your Dreams by Amy Martin

In Your Dreams by Amy Martin

[Goodreads page]

Author: Amy Martin. Website|Twitter
Published: 16 August 2012 (self-published)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 253
Amazon: paperback|Kindle
Smashwords: e-book
Barnes & Noble: paperback|Nook

Source: Received free copy from author for review

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
Sixteen-year-old Zara "Zip" McKee lives for three things: basketball, books, and bailing out of tiny Titusville, Illinois, where the junior high and high school are in the same building and everyone's known everyone else since birth. But when Kieran Lanier moves to town and passes out on her desk on his first day at school, Zip's life gets complicated in a way she never dreamed.

Kieran has narcolepsy, and although he sometimes struggles to stay awake, he has no trouble capturing Zip's heart and trusting her with his most guarded secret--he sees bits and pieces of the future in his dreams.

My Review:
I was sent a copy of this book by the author and after reading the plot summary I was completely intrigued! In Your Dreams tells the story of Zip, who ends up befriending the new guy Kieran when he starts at her school. Kieran has narcolepsy, and when Zip witnesses one of his attacks she soon becomes someone he can confide in, and there's a lot more to Kieran than meets the eye!

I was completely hooked from the first couple of pages of this book. I really loved the writing style and Zip was a character I was drawn to instantly. She's smart and great at basketball, and I just loved her voice throughout the book. Then we're introduced to Kieran and his sister Kayla. Kieran was a totally lovable guy character and I really enjoyed his developing friendship with Zip. I thought Kayla was a fascinating character, too, and she really added some depth to the story. She's been the one that always looks out for her brother so when Zip gets close to him, there's some jealousy there which added a bit of drama. I found the exploration of Kieran's narcolepsy really interesting. I don't think I've ever read anything that explores that condition.

As the book goes on we learn Kieran has another secret. I was expecting it to turn into a fantasy/paranormal story at that point but it didn't, and that's something I really loved about this book. Instead of using magic the book sticks to scientific and medical reasons to explain what's going on. I won't go into it in too much detail but it meant the book kept that contemporary/realistic feeling which I really liked. It was a completely fresh approach and made it stand out from a lot of other books I've read.

The second half of the book focuses on more secrets being revealed. That added a mystery element to the story which kept my attention. I sometimes got a little confused with the back story and had to re-read a few sections, but I think that was just down to the upping of the pace from the first half of the book. When the action kicked in towards the end I couldn't put the book down!

There's a sequel planned for this book and I'm intrigued to see where it ends up. I'd really recommend it book if you're looking for something a bit different!

Rating: 4*
What to read next: The as yet untitled sequel to In Your Dreams will hopefully be released in 2013
Books like this: Justice by Jade Varden

Review: The Tower by Jade Varden

Spoiler warning! This is the 2nd book in the Deck of Lies series. If you have yet to read Justice then look away now, or read my Justice review right here!

The Tower by Jade Varden

Author: Jade Varden.Website, Twitter
Published: 28 May 2012 (CreateSpace)
Pages: 160
Amazon: paperback|Kindle
Smashwords: e-book
Barnes and Noble: Nook


Source: Free download from Smashwords (during sale)

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
Death brings some families closer, but it’s ripped mine apart. I wanted to convince the police that they had the wrong suspect...but I never expected them to start suspecting me. Now, I have no choice but to keep searching for the truth, even if all my relationships fall to pieces around me.

Someone is trying to make me look guilty. I never thought my mission to prove my own innocence would lead me to more family secrets. I thought I had already discovered the truth about myself. But every answer raises more questions, and everything I think I know is about to change...again.

I have to find the truth, no matter how much it hurts -- before I get charged with murder.

My Review:
I really enjoyed Justice and I've been looking forward to reading The Tower for a while now. Picking up after the events of the previous book, Rain must try and get to the bottom of Laurel's murder and try and clear River's name.

As with the first book, I really loved the mystery element of the story. I really like crime fiction and having the police investigation and Rain's ongoing confusion and suspicion throughout the story made for a gripping, tense read in places. I really like Jade Varden's writing style. It's just so seamless and creates a great atmosphere.

I felt for Rain as she suddenly finds herself in the spotlight. Her determination to find out just what happened to Laurel kept me rooting for her. I really like the high school drama and atmosphere of Sloane Academy and I think my favourite scenes are probably those that take place at the school. Rain's friendship with Fallon was something I really liked in this book as well.

The first couple of chapters of the book go over what happened in Justice as a kind of recap. As Rain's love interests were recapped it reminded me that I really didn't like the number of romantic links she has. She's with boyfriend Owen, trying to clear River's name and at the same time trying to rebuild a relationship with Sawyer. It was just too much, and I became very confused as to where Rain's loyalties actually lie. I don't like Owen, and I was really hoping to hear more about River in this book but his character made very little appearance which was disappointing.

Just when I was really getting into the murder investigation, the book started to take some other twists. At first I loved the extra drama and all the things the author had managed to weave into the story. But after a while it just got too hard to keep track of. The book delves more into Rain's past and by the end I was not only lost as to who was who, but annoyed that yet more elements of Rain's past had been thrown into doubt. It just felt like one or two steps too far. There were a lot of names and connections to process and seeing as I didn't really like the twist in the first place, it was hard to remember and take in everything towards the end.

I feel like this series has a lot of potential. I like the writing, and the mystery and drama has me hooked for the most part. I just think it's gotten a little too out there. I'll probably still check out the third book because I really want to know what happens after the end of this one. A little disappointing, sadly.

Rating: 3*
What to read next: Death by Jade Varden, book 3 in the Deck of Lies series.
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Review: Justice by Jade Varden

Justice by Jade Varden

Author: Jade Varden. Website, Twitter
Published:  24 December 2011
Pages: 190
Buy: Amazon, Smashwords

Source: Received free e-book copy from the author to review.

Plot Summary: (from Goodreads)
A House of Cards...

When you build an entire life on a foundation of lies, it only takes one truth for the whole thing to come crashing down. I never invited the truth in. I never went searching for it. I never had any reason to suspect that the two people I loved most were dishonest with me every second of every day.

I made one bad decision, and in a single day my entire world changed. If I'm ever going to discover the truth about myself and my parents, I have to trace all the lies back to their source. I have to try to find the truth that they're hiding.

The more I discover about myself, and my past, the more I realize that lies really are better than the truth. But now that I know the lies are all around me, I can't stop until I've discovered them all. I'll pull each lie away, one by one, and examine it to see what's underneath…until this house of cards crumbles into dust at my feet.

I just hope I can survive the crash

My Review:
I was sent a copy of this book and I've been meaning to read it for a while. This is the first book in the Deck of Lies series and I wasn't really sure what to expect (the cover doesn't give much away!) but as soon as I started it I was pretty much hooked. The story is all about Rain Ramey who, after winning a scholarship to the prodigious Sloane Academy, suddenly starts to discover things about her past and her family that she never could have dreamt were true.

The plot itself was gripping. There's plenty of mystery as Rain has to discover just what's happened to lead her to the situation she's found herself in. With a little help from a guy named River she has to do a little detective work. I love mystery books so it was great finding such an interesting mystery in a YA novel. There were plenty of twists and turns as well, so much I wasn't expecting!

I really loved the main character. You sympathise with her straight away and feel for her as her life is flipped upside down. It's told from Rain's perspective and I just loved her voice throughout the story.

Rain gets a few romantic interests in the story which I liked. It kept me as guessing as to who she would end up with! The male characters are really interesting people, too. There was maybe a little too much juggling of male interest at one point but for the most part I liked those subplots.

The only thing that bugged me a little was when Rain's narrative flashed back and forth from past to present. At some points she was narrating as if everything had already happened, but for most of the book she was in the present so it took me out of the story a little each time.

I really enjoyed reading this book, though, and it only got better towards the end. I can't wait to read the next instalment in the series. There's so much more I want to know! Justice is a really great YA mystery and a book I'd definitely recommend.

Rating: 4*
What to read next: The Tower by Jade Varden, the second book in the Deck of Lies series.
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