Novella Review: Double Crossed by Ally Carter

A Spies and Thieves Story

Published by: Disney Hyperion
Rating: 4/5

Copy provided by NetGalley

Macey McHenry—Glamorous society girl or spy-in-training?

W.W. Hale V—Heir to an American dynasty or master thief?

There are two sides to every coin. Whether these two can work together is a tossup.

Born into privilege, Macey and Hale are experts at mingling with the upper class. But even if they’ve never raised an eyebrow at the glitz, neither teenager has ever felt at home with the glamour.

When Macey and Hale meet at a society gala, the party takes a dangerous turn. Suddenly they’re at the center of a hostage situation, and it’s up to them to stop the thugs from becoming hostile. Will Macey’s spy skills and Hale’s con-man ways be enough to outsmart a ruthless gang? Or will they have to seek out the ultimate inside girl to help?

The worlds of Heist Society and the Gallagher Girls collide in Ally Carter’s fast-paced, high-stakes and tantalizing new story. Get a behind the scenes glimpse as Ally delivers an irresistible thriller that is full of her signature style and savvy twists.

This was fun. This novella is pure fangasm for readers of Carter's Gallagher Girls and Heist Society series. It combines the essence of both series flawlessly and by the end of it there is no doubt that these two series make up parts of one world.

I loved the interaction between Macey and Hale especially as they were trying to work each other out while trying to stop the bad guys. There was also that moment at the start when Macy tried to flirt with Hale, definitely a squee moment for Kat/Hale shippers.

I also liked how we got to see some of the other characters from each series, especially Kat. Her role in the novella really showcased her character without taking it away from the main characters. I also thought how her night ended was a really nice touch. And I definitely have to agree with Macey, Kat and Cammie need to meet at some point, I think it would be epic.

This novella really worked and was a clever move of Carter's part as those who may have read one series but not the other are given enough juicy content to entice them to go straight to the book store and buy the other books.

Book Review: Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr

Carnival of Souls #1

Published by: HarperCollins
Rating: 3/5

In a city of daimons, rigid class lines separate the powerful from the power-hungry. And at the heart of The City is the Carnival of Souls, where both murder and pleasure are offered up for sale. Once in a generation, the carnival hosts a deadly competition that allows every daimon a chance to join the ruling elite. Without the competition, Aya and Kaleb would both face bleak futures--if for different reasons. For each of them, fighting to the death is the only way to try to live.

All Mallory knows of The City is that her father--and every other witch there--fled it for a life in exile in the human world. Instead of a typical teenage life full of friends and maybe even a little romance, Mallory scans quiet streets for threats, hides herself away, and trains to be lethal. She knows it's only a matter of time until a daimon finds her and her father, so she readies herself for the inevitable. While Mallory possesses little knowledge of The City, every inhabitant of The City knows of her. There are plans for Mallory, and soon she, too, will be drawn into the decadence and danger that is the Carnival of Souls.

This book was like walking into the supermarket and buying your favourite flavour of Pringles - for me, Sour Cream and Onion - only to get home and open it to find that it's half full; it's disappointing but at the same time you still get to experience half the deliciousness. And that's exactly how I felt reading this book, the blurb promised so much awesomeness but once I opened it and start reading I found it just didn't quite hit all the marks.

The world-building: I love it when an author gets world-building right because it makes a book all kinds of awesome. Unfortunately, Marr didn't quite always get it right. The concept was really interesting and well thought out but there were a lot of things I felt I just didn't get. I think the main issue was there was a lot of telling and what was being told was pitted with holes. How does the world of The City connect with our world? What exactly are the daimons? Werewolves? Shifters? Something completely different? What are the Watchers? And what on earth do the blue masks do? Seriously, did I miss that because I understand red and black? Just to name a few. That being said the parts that made sense were amazing, the world of the The City is so rich and colourful and I was left wanting to know more and understand how it works better. There was only one other gripe I had and that was the use of the word breeder. I got that it was part of the world building as daimons are canines, and as such the language that builds their hierarchy and their lives reflects this but I couldn't help but feel offended about how it was used at times. It connotes a patriarchal society where women are viewed as lesser beings then men and are there to look after the house and have babies. Now don't get me wrong I'm not die-hard feminist but breeders is just an awful term especially when there weren't any female characters who were rising above the system (I'm not counting Aya because nowhere does it state that that is one of the issues she wants to change).

The characters: I can't say I became too attached to the main characters. Mallory was almost non-existent, and when she did feature I was unsure who she was. On the one hand I was being told she was a good fighter and on the other I was being shown that she had no clue what was going on or what to do. In one fight scene she bumbled around and had no clue what she was meant to be doing, which is not the mark of someone taught to fight. I also didn't really connect with Kaleb and Aya. The thing is they were well written and fleshed out. Kaleb was far more than a fighter and an assassin, and Aya was, well, she was pretty much just a women seeking power in the naive hope she could change the world by herself. The one character that I loved and I hope will be featured more in the next book is Zevi. He was one of those lovable characters who have so much strength and courage.

So this is my half full pack of Pringles, left with the feeling of being cheated something truly special. I do look forward to reading the next in this series and hope that it leaves me feeling more satisfied than this did.

Book Review: The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling

Published By: Little, Brown a& Co.
Rating: 3.5

A BIG NOVEL ABOUT A SMALL TOWN ...

When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock.

Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.

Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils ... Pagford is not what it first seems.

And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?

Social commentary; the act of using  rhetorical means to provide commentary on issues in a society.

I'm going to put it out there that like most others, if not everyone, I read this because it was written by Rowling. For me if I like a book or series an auhtor has written, chances are I am going to pick up their other published work, so despite not being a fan of delving into the genre of social commentary I gave it a go. Therefore, I went in having no disallusions; this was not going to be Harry Potter, I was going to take a while to read it, and I probably wasn't going to like it all that much. Much to my surprise I only got one out of three right - this was no Harry Potter.

This book takes a snapshot of the lives of various people living in a small English town called Pagford. Not everyone is easily placed as good or bad, and life isn't all rainbows and butterflies. This is where I most enjoyed the story and where a lot of people will hate it. It is about "real" people, in a "real" situation, teenagers swear and have sex, people take drugs, relationships falter, people are abused and raped, bullying occurs, there are clear societal divides, death, and politics get nasty. Welcome to the real world people minus witches, wizards, and the good guys coming out on top.

The writing is in the same simplistic style of Harry Potter. It is a style that works for this book making it fairly easy to read, and I feel it would translate well into other genres of adult novel. The only issue I had was at times it felt a bit choppy and didn't flow as well as what it could have.  I also found that it took me the first 100 or so pages to be able to place who was who and where they fit into the story. This made it difficult to really enjoy the story to begin with but is a hazard when alternating chapter perspectives from a wide variety of charcaters. In the end it was worth it as viewing characetrs through different eyes really added depth, and seeing how everything fitted in and came together was a pleasure to read. The characters were well-written ensuring that I loved them, hated them and everything in between.I was to be made to laugh, cry and feel for them, and that is one of Rowling's strong points. She has the ability to write people with depth, no one is perfect, and that is what really comes out in this book.

Not everyone will like this book as it caters to a select readership and can be quite full-on at points. I do not recommend it for younger readers, however, some mature young adult readers may be able to handle it. If you're going in expecting Harry Potter don't even bother because you will be sorely disapponted. But, if this is you're genre or are intrigued to see what else one of the best known authors of our time has to offer, there is a good chance you will enjoy or appreciate this novel.

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #1

Published by:  Harlequin Teen
Rating: 4.5/5

Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’d dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

I really liked this book, more so than it's predecessors. The writing has greatly improved, charactarisation is better, and it just seemed to gel better for me as a whole. What I really liked though was seeing how the characters had developed since the end of the previous series, especially Ethan. This is not the cute, sweet little Ethan we read about in The Iron Fey series, he's all grown up and hasn't exactly been coping well with his sister leaving and the knowledge of the existance of the fey. He's mean, closed off, rude and all round unapproachable, at least that's what he likes to make everyone think but you can see that it's all just a mask he created as a way to deal with everything and underneath it all is the same boy we were introdiced to in The Iron King. I did find him a bit whiny at times but I understood the need for it, you don't get over a hatred of something just like that, it takes time and there will be whiny-ness along the way.

Keirran...I'm not really sure where I stand with him. At times I liked him and other times I wan't whack him upside the head. There's also the fact the the event of Iron's Prophecy hanging over this book so I can't help but dislkie him a little bit, especially at the end of the book where he needed a good kick to his nether regions to knock some sense into him.

Kenzie was kinda cool, she showed enough strength and vulnerability to be three dimensional and enjoyable to read. I also enjoyed how we got to see some of our old faves from the The Iron Fey. I only wish the first scene with Puck didn't seem so pointless, it felt like he only appeared to show the readers he was still around and satisfy their Puck needs. Ash was awesome, while I wasn't on the Ash bandwagon through the original series I liked the parental role he took on in this book, it really worked for me.

Overall, this was an excellent additon to the series and fans will eat it up before demanding seconds and probably thirds. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Book Review: Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke and Bone #2

Published by: Little Brown Books
Rating: 5/5

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Karou must come to terms with who and what she is, and how far she’ll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, mysteries and secrets, new characters and old favorites, Days of Blood and Starlight brings the richness, color and intensity of the first book to a brand new canvas.

Once upon a time there was an angel and a devil who fell in love and dreamed of a world of peace and where they could be together openly. So they fought hard and the day finally came where there were no more massacres or torn throats, and no more children taken from their mothers. Their dreams of happiness made in the moon's secret temple had come to pass and they lived happily ever after.

This is not that world and this is not their story.

This is a story of revenge, betrayal, deceit, of love lost and rivers of blood. But it also a story of hope and dreams of a better future.

 
I love this series. Laini Taylor is a wonderful story effortlessly weaving together the story of two worlds and two races at war. Days of Blood and Starlight explores the result of the choices Akiva and Karou made at the end of Daughter of Smoke and Bone and it's not pretty. Rivers of blood run through Eretz with both sides killing mercilessly and without remorse, targeting innocents as well as the soldiers. Karou has become the chimera's resurrectionist taking over from her mentor and father-figure Brimstone. But life under Thiago is not easy and his endgame unclear. Akiva has rejoined the ranks of the Misbegotten, attempting to uncover the truth of the thurible he found in the Kirin caves while undermining the orders or Joram. Who can they trust? Who is on their side?

So many twists and turns take place in this book and just when you think you know where it’s going Taylor throws another spanner in the works. I gave up trying to work out what will happen and just enjoyed the ride. It was fun, exciting, gasp-worthy and endearing; I ran the whole gamut of emotions making my way through this book.

The characters in this book are something special. Karou was heart-breaking to read, following her as she broke under Thiago only to find the courage to keep going, and when her friend was returned. Her despair over Akiva and the shame she burdened herself with was probably the hardest of all to read as through all the pain and anger she couldn’t help but love him, all the while knowing that it could never be again. Akiva can’t stop wanting her and through all the nasty words thrown at him he will do anything for her. I really want these two to get back together; I could feel their longing and their pain and just wanted everything to get better for them. Unfortunately, I feel Taylor is not one to give fans a happy ending just for the sake of it and fear that these two will never get to be together. But it wasn’t just these two that made the story. The secondary characters were just as amazing and quite a few had surprising development. I do not think there was a single character that I did not feel something for.

This is a dark and horror filled book where deeds of great evil are done but if you look beyond the surface there is friendship, love and hope. Fans of Daughter of Smoke and Bone will not be disappointed.


And as the angel and demon looked at each other from across the fire they knew the wall between them built from the events of the past could not be breached easily, if at all. But despite this their shared dream lived on. It would be a hard path and one that was different to that they first imagined. However, they still hoped and dreamed.

All the while the traitor king sat on his throne ordering blood to be spilt, and dreaming of being god.

Book Review: The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Fey #1

Published by: Harlequin Teen
Rating: 3.5/5

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.

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

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

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

This book was quite enjoyable and if it weren't for a few flaws it could've been a 4.5/5. The plot was very intriguing and was pulled off quite well. The fae is not a race that is common in YA PNL at the moment (compatred to vampires and angels). So for me this felt new and fresh even if the faery lore stuck within it's pre-existing lore, which I will add I liked. In particular I liked the A Midsummer Night's Dream influences that were peppered throughout the book. What I found most interesting was the idea that the faery only exist as long as people remember them. It is an element I look forward to exploring more in the other books in the series. I must also raise my glass to Kagawa for not being afraid to swear. In the real world people swaer, teenagers swear, to completely ignore this in factor of life in books just because your're writing YA is silly and I appreciated Kagawa for using it as a tool in her book for bringing the characters to life without overdoing it.

Meghan and I had a love/hate relationship. I loved how much sass she had and how she continually persisted but mostly I loved how she wasn't a Bella clone who's shy, clumsy, suposedly smart, and well you get the gist. But as much as I loved her I hater her too. I get that when she first gets to Nevernever she doens't know the rules, mistakes will be made but when you're told specifically what not to do ie make deals with faery do not continually make deals with them. That's just dumb! It's also very frustrating for the reader becuase I just wnated to bang my head against the wall in frustration. Use your brain and find a different way. There were also times she came across as ungrateful but I will conceded on this in that she is a sixteen-year-old girl there's bound to be this kind of behaviour and thought at that age.

While I wasn't sold on Meghan I loved all the other characters, especially Puck. He was just so sweet and charming and loveable and funny. He reminded me of that silly lovable guy friend who has a bog heart. I really felt for him when Meghan didn't get the hint, and do I oh so wish she did becuase I feel that I may be a shipper. Compared to the jester best friend Ash is the bad boy. He cold, calculating and threated to kill Meghan more than once, usually a big tick in the shipper status but not this time. Yes, there were moments where they were together and it was sweet but I wasn't sold. Maybe in the following books this will change but for now I'm Meghan/Puck all the way. And then there's Grimalkin. Oh how I loved him!  His motives kept me guessing and he was a bit of fun. The only downside was that all I could see was the Chesire Cat from Alice in Wonderland and despite trying to find any difference that would make him stand out above his predecesor there was none.

I certainly look forward to reading the next installment in this series.

Book Review: Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick

Hush, Hush #4

Pubished by: Simon & Schuster
Rating: 3/5

Will love conquer all?

Nora and Patch thought their troubles were behind them. Hank is gone and they should be able to put his ugly vendetta to rest. But in Hank's absence, Nora has become the unwitting head of the Nephilim and must finish what Hank began. Which ultimately means destroying the fallen angels - destroying Patch.

Nora will never let that happen, so she and Patch make a plan: lead everyone to believe they have broken up, and work the system from the inside. Nora will convince the Nephilim that they are making a mistake in fighting the fallen angels, and Patch will find out everything he can from the opposing side. They will end this war before it can even begin.

But the best-laid plans often go awry. Nora is put through the paces in her new role and finds herself drawn to an addictive power she never anticipated.

As the battle lines are drawn, Nora and Patch must confront the differences that have always been between them and either choose to ignore them or let them destroy the love they have always fought for.

Warning there are some spoilers in this review.

Surprise. Surprise. Fitzpatrick did the unexpected and actually created a half decent book. Going into Finale I had low expectations, after all the last two books in this series were nothing short of horrible, but I gave it a shot hoping it would get better and I was rewarded. That's not to say that I didn't have a few gripes with this book but there were considerably fewer than expected.

The plot wasn't too bad, there was enough going on that it kept my attention but it was also kinda predictable and not in a good superman-will-always-save-the-day kinda way. I really wanted to be surprised in parts but I ended up feeling kinda meh about it all. But overall, the plot was way better than the previous three. I even liked the way she handled the whole Nora and devilcraft situation. I felt she hit the major issues that she needed to and sent the right message. Although, I still have gripes about the lack of information about devilcraft and it's use.

There were some issues I had. At the end how was the gate opened? Surley it can't be that easy to open the gate to hell and release the fallen angels. Yet, that's how it comes across. No explanation, nothing. It's almost as if all Dante had to do was knock on the door and ask the devil politely to open it. This glancing over plot points is something that Fitzpatrick needs to keep an eye on. She also needs to keep her facts in check as there was one line, "...jam-packed with bodies producing enough sweat to take greenhouse gases to a whole new level." Now correct me if I read this wrong but this sentence to me reads that sweat produces greenhouse gases....ummmmm ok, that's a new one. Please do your homework next time, it saves me wanting to throw your book against a wall.

Fitzpatrick seemed to be on a role in this book as the characters didn't bug me as much. Nora has grown a bigger backbone and is actually bearable. She's come into her own as leader of the Nephilim, even though at times she does put her problems in front of everyone else. Overall, her growth since the last book was great, I don't think I could've dealt with Silence Nora for another book. Even Patch got better!  Really he was much less of a dick in this book than the others. It was frustrating though because one minute he was all normal and then I would be swearing because he said or did something assholey again. His jealousy is way too OTT sometimes but the emphasis on it being unhealthy isn't given the prominance that it should have.

I was so glad to see Scott back in this book and not just as a tool for information dumping. He would definitely have to be one of my fave characters in this series so while I was glad how much featured in this book, I was sad about how it all ended. Vee also got better in this book, she was far less b*&%@# and disresepctful. I did however have to wonder what the point of her was for most of it. The whole big reveal of her secret proved to be unnecessary as in the end it played no part in effecting the overall plot. It just seemed that Fitzpatrick thought it would be cool and give another gasp factor but I just felt that is wasn't needed. And finally Dante. He was really rather transparent and I had him pegged as his role since early on in the book. Again Fitzpatrick's writing left me having trouble picturing him.

Overall, the book wasn't too bad and it gave a satisfying ending to the series. For those of you who loved the first three books this one will not disappoint.