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REVIEW: Salvage by Keren David

I must write a warning before I get into the proper review: my review will not do this book the justice it deserves. Believe me, it blew me away, and it takes a real stunner of a book to do that.

Adopted when she’s very young, Cass doesn’t often thing about her life before, let alone her brother. So when a boy contacts her on Facebook one day, claiming to be her brother, she should ignore it, shouldn’t she? But her adoptive family is falling apart and Cass is drawn more and more to a life unlike the stable and normal one she’s lead so far. Aidan, though, has a past totally different to Cass’, and not all of it has been respectable.

The one thing about David’s books that I love is that she can write about any subject and deal with it in just the right way. Never in this book was there an uncomfortable moment and every single word urged me forward. I read Salvage in a day and couldn’t stop thinking about it afterwards. UKYA is known for its gritty topics and this is especially gritty.

One of the themes that most interested me was the class differences between Cass and Aidan. Even though they had the same blood running through their veins, shared the same mother, Cass was privileged and lived with a politician, whereas Aidan had a low-paying job and a girlfriend and her child to support. The differences were always there at the back of your mind and the dissimilarity between the two was clear.

I enjoyed seeing Cass’ naïveté because it helped me to understand Aidan’s life better. I’ve never lived like he does so I think seeing things through Cass’ eyes helped to get to know him more. My mum even says I look like Cass from the back cover, so it was hard not to like her!

Speaking of Aidan, I found him interesting to read about because of the reasons above. I found it fascinating to think that his life could have been so different if he was adopted by the right person. The insight into the life in care and foster homes was thought-provoking and I found it very easy to comprehend.

Salvage was riveting and compelling and I couldn’t put it down. It’s a real eye-opener and I think everybody should read it. It’s a book I think could be taught well in schools and readers will become easily invested in the story. David has produced a masterpiece that I can’t give enough praise to.

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REVIEW: The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

What can I say about The Darkest Minds that will sum up its total awesomeness? I was a little worried about starting it because of how much hype surrounds it, but I wasn’t let down at all and I ended up loving it.

When kids starting coming down with IAAN, and then dying, the remaining children are left with supernatural powers. When Ruby wakes up on her tenth birthday, she has changed, and a freaky accident leads to her being sent to one of the brutal rehabilitation camps. There the kids are sorted into groups and barely survive. Every day brings another struggle. At sixteen, Ruby manages to escape, but is life outside of the camps any easier?

It’s so easy to get lost in the world created in The Darkest Minds. I was so invested in the lives of the characters that I felt what they were feeling. My facial expressions must have been a sight to witness when I read this because the imagery used makes everything feel very realistic. Not to mention that I’m the same age as many of the characters so, if this was real, I would be in the same situation. Let me tell you that I would not survive a day.

The camps reminded me a lot of Nazi concentration camps during the Second World War and there were many similarities – the human testing and the harsh work, for example. I can’t imagine being put into one of the camps, helpless and frightened. The camp that Ruby was in, especially, was extreme and I would have been petrified.

Speaking of Ruby, I loved her. She had so much on her shoulders and I think she’s a truly admirable character. I really want to be best friends with her! Bracken has made her character development very interesting. She comes across as a clueless and naïve young girl but there’s a lot going on beneath the surface that we don’t realise. This is the strongest character development I think I may have ever read and Ruby’s arc was so complex. She goes on one heck of a journey throughout this book and I liked that we got to read about her when she was much younger too.

On to the secondary characters… Zu was such a cutie. I’d really like her to be my sister because she’s one of those people who are just so huggable. I’m really curious as to what will happen to her in the next novel and I’m really looking forward to reading more about her.

Chubs is another character who had such a solid character development. There were so many different layers to his character and all were explored in such depth.

I loved Liam so much. Another character who you got to know so well and I became so invested in him. His and Ruby’s chemistry was so believable and it makes me squeal just thinking about it. I LOVED every scene he was in.

I cannot stop gushing about this book. I really hope it’s published in the UK soon because we’re seriously missing out. Bracken has a rare talent that you don’t see very often and I can’t wait to read more by her.

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REVIEW: Dead Jealous by Sharon Jones

I’ve wanted to read Dead Jealous ever since I read the first reviews when it was released and everybody seemed to love it. Having not read many murder mystery type novels, I pushed it to the back of my brain until, in the summer, I decided that I was going to have to buy it and find out just how amazing it was.

When Poppy Sinclair finds a dead body at the bottom of a lake, and after a previous trauma in another lake too, Poppy takes it upon herself to investigate after police dismiss it as an accident. But Poppy knows that it was murder and she’s going to prove it, even if it costs her own life.

It was so easy to get to know Poppy and there was never the awkward stage you get with some books where you end up thinking, ‘Do I really care about this character?’ Poppy was determined and motivated and I loved reading about her. I want to see more characters in YA like her who don’t sit and do nothing and mope about their lives, but instead learn stuff and are relatable. I wanted to read about Poppy more and more and I really missed her when the novel ended.

I really loved the plot and I was always kept on my toes, guessing what would happen next. I really didn’t expect the ending and I was left reeling and wanting more, more, more! Seriously, I don’t think I’m going to be able to wait until the next instalment is released because I want it right away!

The novel is set at a pagan festival which I loved because I know a lot about paganism and so I loved reading about the festivals and customs and traditions that were all written really well and were brought to life in an easily understandable way.

The mystery part was written really well, with red herrings that caught me out, and an ending that left me speechless. I did not see that coming! There were lots of twists and there was never a boring moment.

With characters that you’ll instantly fall in love with and a plotline that any author wishes they could write, I can’t recommend Dead Jealous highly enough.

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MINI REVIEW: As Delightful as a Carrot by Keris Stainton

If you follow Keris Stainton on Twitter, you’ll have read her hilarious tweets about her two boys, so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on 50 pages full of these laugh-inducing quotes.

Immediately I knew I was going to have a problem: how was I going to stop myself laughing, especially when I was in a room with other people? Please, I urge you, only read this in the presence of people who won’t slap you if you talk or laugh too loud, because you’re going to want to share this book with the world.

After finishing, all I can say is that I want more. The only fault with the book was that I didn’t want it to stop, although I suppose that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I’m really hoping there’ll be a sequel sometime in the future.

I must say sorry to my mother while I’m at it for laughing -and crying once or twice- when she was busy watching the TV and talking on the phone. Yes, that is just how funny this book is.

Finally, I must say that Keris and her husband, David, are raising two boys who they should be very proud of and who brought a massive smile to my face. Thank you to Harry and Joe for brightening up my day!

Book in a tweet: You MUST buy this right now. Seriously, what are you still doing here?

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REVIEW: Cruel Summer by James Dawson

If you know me at all, you’ll know that I’m a big champion of UKYA, and Cruel Summer has been flitting across my radar since it was released. Having not read many books like this one, I was a bit hesitant beforehand but I was super pleased when the opportunity to review it came up and I jumped at the chance.

When Janey Bradshaw is murdered on the night of Telscombe Cliffs’ prom, nothing is brought up until her group of friends meet up the summer after in Spain. There’s Ryan, Katie, Alisha, Ben, Greg, and Greg’s girlfriend, Erin. But when events are brought up to the surface again, one thing is made clear: one of the gang murdered Janey Bradshaw, but which one of them was it?

I haven’t read a book in a long time that gripped me as much as Cruel Summer did. One of the things that I loved the most was that it engaged the reader and I was certainly involved; I felt like I was a spectator and was constantly wondering who the murderer was, much like the friends would have been doing.

5 stars is not a high enough rating for this book. I want to create a whole new rating system for it. It’s a book that I’m going to be recommending non-stop and I just want to gush about it.

I really loved Ryan and his way of thinking. He would imagine life as a TV programme in scenes and series and it’s something that, with my wild imagination, I would probably do myself and that was his coping mechanism. I know that sometimes I’ll imagine I’m somebody from a book or a TV show because it’s a way of explaining life and getting through the day. It helped Ryan detach himself from the drama that was going on and I liked that.

Alisha was another of my favourite characters and the novel alternated between following Ryan and Alisha so it was fitting that I loved them both. Alisha was more fiery and spirited than Katie or Erin and I found her a lot more interesting and easy to get to know. I felt comfortable reading about her and wanted to know more. She was one of the reasons for me being so hooked.

Without giving anything away, Dawson is able to write mystery perfectly. There were so many twists and red herrings. I was sure I knew who the murderer was and then something would happen and I would change my mind. There was always an inkling of doubt in my mind whenever I thought I knew who it was and it was easy to put myself into the characters’ minds.

Cruel Summer showcases effortlessly how fab UKYA is and I know that I will be thrusting it into the hands of whoever is brave enough to come near me when I have my bookish head on. Everybody must read this book!

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REVIEW: More Than This by Patrick Ness

More Than This is the first of Ness’ books that I’ve read and, understanding the hype that comes with his books, I was very nervous about starting this.

The novel starts with the main character drowning. That may seem like a spoiler, but it’s not. When Seth drowns, he wakes up in an empty world; he is the only person there. It just so happens that the place he wakes up is the English town in which he moved from after a horrific incident happened to his younger brother, Owen. Where is he?

More Than This is very hard to put into one genre. I would describe it as a futuristic psychological science fiction thriller because it’s a mish mash of lots of different elements. It worked surprisingly well and I was glad that it didn’t get confusing.

Seth, the protagonist, really grows throughout the novel. His arc is particularly notable because he goes on such a journey. We see him open up and really come into himself. His situation is difficult and Ness has written such an emotional and true character.

I’m trying not to spoil anything in this review because so much goes on throughout the novel that could spoil things later on. I was kept guessing and then Ness would throw something at you that sent you reeling. I think I had whiplash whilst reading this!

I really loved the writing style. Written in third person with flashbacks from before Seth’s death, More Than This wouldn’t have worked any way else. The flashbacks were revealing but didn’t give away too much and having it written in third person meant that you weren’t always stuck in Seth’s head.

I really enjoyed More Than This and will be posting something to do with it next week. It’s something different to the norm and I’ll definitely be recommending it now. It’s not often that you read a book that you completely fall in love with, but this is one of them.

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REVIEW: Cross My Heart by Carmen Reid

I’ve been reading a lot of historical fiction lately, especially books set in the two World Wars and Cross My Heart was one of these books.

Set in Brussels in the Second World War, Cross My Heart follows the story of Nicole, a member of a resistance group set to cause havoc in Nazi-invaded Brussels. When Nicole’s father is taken away, Nicole decides to do something about it and joins the dangerous resistance group that is helping to fight the Nazis. In this business, it’s not about if you caught, it’s when you do.

I’ve been a huge fan of Reid’s books for years. The St. Jude’s books were my absolute favourites and I still love them to pieces. When I heard that Reid had written another YA novel, and that it was historical fiction, one of my favourite genres, I was ecstatic.

Cross My Heart didn’t disappoint and I thoroughly enjoyed it. One of the things I look for in a good historical YA is how real it feels and some of the scenes in Cross My Heart left me horrified at the way people were treated. Particularly towards the end of the book, I felt like crying. These sorts of books are always emotional but this one felt particularly so.

If you loved Code Name Verity, this is the book for you. It interested me that this was set in Brussels because you normally see these books set in the UK. I think this was a nice spin and a really big selling point.

Nicole was a tough character that I found enjoyable to read about. She never gave up and stayed focused throughout. I found myself constantly wishing that nothing bad would happen to her and this was the same with a lot of the other characters too. I really did become invested.

Cross My Heart was such an emotional and riveting read and I’d love to see more books like this one out there, especially as it’s the anniversary of the First World War next year.

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MINI REVIEW: Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein

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I thought Code Name Verity was hard-hitting, but Rose Under Fire was painful in comparison. The companion novel to the award-winning success of Code Name Verity was just as good and maybe even more emotional.

Set in part in the brutal concentration camp of Ravensbrück, Rose Under Fire follows the life of American pilot and recreational poet Rose Justice.

I really liked Rose and found her story a very sad one indeed. The one problem I did have with her was that she wasn’t as easy to connect to and invest in as the main characters of Code Name Verity and I think this was because we got to see a lot of their history and background.

The treatment that Rose received whilst in Ravensbrück was appalling and we only got to see her side of things. To think of the things that other people had to face is just awful to think about. The rabbits, especially. It made me feel sick to think of the things that they’d been through.

Rose Under Fire was written beautifully. I cannot fault Wein’s ability to draw me in and make me unable to put her books down. This was glued to my hand and I longed to be reading it when I wasn’t.

I can’t wait to see what’s next from Wein because this really was a treasure to read. Highly recommended!

 

Side note: Only a mini review today because I’ve already posted two reviews this week and I went back to school yesterday. Thank you!