Hi fellow readers!

I hope you are all enjoying the weather we’re having at the moment (if it’s sunny where you are).

This week’s post is about I book I finished only a few days ago but has been on my Tbr for what feels like forever.

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken is young adult dystopian novel that follows Ruby: a sixteen year old girl who at the age of ten was abducted from her family and taken to a camp for other ‘special’ children just like her. Just months before Ruby was taken away millions of children started to mysteriously die across the whole of America, the cause: a deadly disease that left those who were immune with strange powers. The government, afraid of these children that they couldn’t control sent them to camps just like Ruby. She has spent her whole life trapped and afraid of who she is until now. Because Ruby is free and she wants to find out how to tame the monster she always thought she was.

Wow. I actually haven’t enjoyed anything as much as TDM for so long that I almost forgot what it felt like to be addicted to a book. The only annoying part about my experience with this story is that I didn’t read it sooner.

The uniqueness of this book is what I feel makes it so special, but also it has, to some degree, be down to Bracken’s simple talent with words. The plot is weaved in such a delicate and intriguing way that all throughout we are left with burning questions about the dystopian and seemingly reminiscent world that we learn of. The movement of this book is just fast enough that you’re never bored but also not so fast that it’s over before it has already begun and teens with superpowers? Seriously YES. The ending is also perfect and deadly to all readers so be aware!

I’ll talk quickly about the characters because I don’t want you to waste your time reading this review when you could be getting out there and getting your hands on this book! Ruby is cleverly crafted in a way that makes you constantly feel sorry for her but also feel kind of annoyed at her for not simply embracing who she is. It’s like this weird internal battle that Bracken forces you into whilst reading but I can’t say I ever complained. The relationship Bracken builds between Ruby and the friends she meets along the way is not only believable (because more often than not in YA, protagonists manage to make insta-friends with every character in the book) but also genuinely heart warming. I respect that the author placed obstacles in the way of Ruby’s friendship with Chubs because it gives the narrative a life like feel. The romance in TDM is very fluffy and cute and I didn’t even mind because it really felt like these two people would really have connected. I will not spoil, but one word- Clancy?!

The ultimate and obvious question is: would I recommend this book? The answer is a clear and beautiful YES.

I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars

Keep on reading!

And thanks again Beth

Hey everyone!
For all of the students out there I hope your A Level/College results went well and good luck to all the GCSE students receiving theirs this week.

Todays post is about a book which I’ve wanted to read for a very long time.

The Haters by Jesse Andrews is a YA Contemporary novel following three unique teens on the summer tour of a lifetime. Corey and Wes are band geeks who have decided to spend their summer at one of the most respected (and probably only) jazz camps in America. Their enthusiasm to actually attend begins to fade when they arrive and find out its basically full of weird jazz band geeks (which was to be expected at a jazz summer camp). Their luck begins to change however when they met Ash, a mysterious and talented guitar player and singer-songwriter who also happens to be one of the only girls at the whole camp. After jamming out and discovering their collective talent as a trio the three quickly decide to ditch their summer plans and set out on a tour across the states performing to anyone who will listen and finding out what it truly means to be in a band and to be a Hater.

Jesse Andrews, for those who don’t know already, wrote one of my favourite books of all time – Me, Earl and the Dying Girl. As such, going into The Haters, I was nervous that their would be some great downfall as often it can prove to be impossible to live up to the heights of a book that is already so successful.

Luckily, on the whole, I was not let down.

The plot was fresh enough that it didn’t feel too overdone or samey yet it was also comfortable and warming going into it knowing that I had a whole road trip ahead of me- who doesn’t love a good road trip book? Andrews always has a unique way of painting the picture of and presenting what it means to be young and I think this book is a great credit to that. The Haters is unapologetically raw and real, uncut and honest and as a result is able to describe the teenage condition in a way that is not only accurate but also beautiful. From the dialogue between the characters to Andrews’ tongue and cheek prose I think the story conveys a very whimsical and addictive grittiness that hooks you in and immerses you in the trials and tribulations of the cast.

The characters certainly make this story and I would wholeheartedly say that this is a character-driven narrative. The whole book is told through Wes’ perspective which provided an interesting insight into the events that unfolded but also supported the notion that these characters had a past and a present and a future. Some of the anecdotes  Wes recalls felt real enough that they could very easily be passed off as memories rather than paragraphs of fiction. In his use of Wes as a device for story telling Andrews enhances the fabric of the world he has created and as a results produces a higher quality and easier to read book.

The last thing that needs to be mentioned, which is perhaps the only fall of this book but is a big fall nonetheless, is the humour. Me, Earl and the Dying Girl is notorious across the YA lands for being one of the funniest books out there. I read it on a flight from America in one sitting and genuinely laughed out loud the entire time (the people sitting next to me almost certainly thought I was crazy). It is unfair to compare the Haters to MEATDG but I’m going to do it anyway. Sadly this book did not reach the comical heights of its predecessor. Maybe it is because it lacks the dark juxtaposition that MEATDG possesses which allows it to be so wrong but so right or maybe its simply that the plot calls naturally for less humour but truly I did not laugh out loud once whilst reading this book. I think this point, although small, definitely brought my rating of The Haters down considerably.

I would recommend this book to you all because it is good at doing what it does – which is provide you with some easy entertainment that feels exciting and real. Is it the next I’ll Give You The Sun or Mosquitoland? No alas, it is not.

I give this book a 3.8 out of 5 stars

Keep on reading!

And thanks again Beth.

Hi guys,

I want to start off by apologising for my absence last week. I was in the Lake District and Wifi there is basically nonexistent!

Anyways this week I want to talk to you all about a book I mentioned in my last post and book haul.

Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch is a YA High Fantasy novel that imagines a world where countries are divided by the Seasons and the Rhythms. The eight kingdoms of Primoria each posses a magical conduit, items which were forged in a great chasm of magic by the first leaders of the continent before the well was lost forever. Each kingdom uses their piece of power to make their country strong and their people prosperous. So when Winter’s conduit was broken in two, their Queen assassinated and their people enslaved by Spring, Winter’s few remaining survivors face a task so completely impossible that most would give up. Meira is different. Whisked from Winter as a baby in the wake of Spring’s attack, Meira has never felt the cold of her country but still mourns for her people and all that they have lost. In this action packed story following a feisty heroine and her plot to save her world nothing is ever quite what it seems.

I would like to start by saying that the premise of this book is very refreshing despite it’s obvious parallels to ACOTAR (territories divided up by the seasons? Sounds pretty familiar). I would also like to note that Raasch was the first to create a world based on these rules (As far as I know) so we can basically ignore any comparisons to SJ Mass’ book because they are entirely different plots written about entirely different people at entirely different times.

As a whole Raasch’s world building powers in this book were impressive. She, from the start, created a strong back story and history to her land and within that wove cultures and traditions that made the image of it all feel authentic and believable. The plot itself was interesting enough. The key word here being ‘enough’ – Snow Like Ashes was not dazzling or mind bending, it was simply ok. I won’t spoil it for you but at times when reading this book I felt like I was partaking in this weird nine to five job where I basically had to endure a run of the mill YA Rebellion plot that was only slightly different from every other story I have ever read. The thing is with SLA is that yeah, on the surface it is unique and exciting but in reality, in it’s fruition, it truly isn’t a snowflake and there is nothing special about it.

The quality of the writing was comfortable – not fantastical, and the characters were quite cardboard. The saving grace has to be in it’s ending or rather the beginning that comes from it’s ending. If you are interested enough in reading this book that in my opinion was only missing a more slowed down plot progression and a more challenging narrative then I think the majority of your joy will come from SLA’s ending. Definitely let me know if you do read it though or if you already have – I’d love to hear your thoughts on it!

I give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Keep on reading!

And thanks again Beth.