Category: review

ARC Review: The Treatment by C.L. Taylor

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The TreatmentThe Treatment by C.L. Taylor

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fast paced and gripping read that’s extremely difficult to put down. I loved the premise of a reform school with a special treatment program that transforms wayward and rebellious teens into model citizens. I kind of wish the author had gone a step further into invasion of the bodysnatcher territory but I found this very enjoyable and engaging.

Despite hearing a lot of great things about Taylor’s adult thrillers this, her first venture into YA, was actually the first book by her I’ve read. I had been meaning to pick up her other stories but it was the usual case of too many books too little time. When I spotted this one on NetGalley however I just couldn’t resist. A book about a reform school that’s brainwashing troublesome teens, count me in. It’s just such a fascinating premise and I love all things about brains, memory and behaviour.

The story follows 16 year old Drew Taylor whose younger brother Mason is sent to the residential reform academy by his mum and stepfather after he’s expelled from school for the third time. Initially she’s a little relieved her brother isn’t causing trouble and she can get some peace and quiet but then one day she’s followed home from school by someone claiming to work at the school. Dr Cobey has a note for Drew from her brother which says that all is not as it seems, the treatment is changing people and he’s scared.

When no one listens to her concerns, Drew is forced to take matters into her own hands and investigate. What she finds leads her to believe her only option is to infiltrate the school to get her brother out, but can she reach him before it’s too late.

It’s a really fast paced and enjoyable read and I found myself flying through the pages, so much so in fact, that I finished the whole book in a few hours. The author definitely knows how to tell a gripping story and despite it being a little predictable in places it held my attention through a couple of long and noisy train journeys.

I loved the idea of this slightly sinister reform school which takes wild and uncontrollable teens and somehow transforms them into perfectly turned out, mindless drones who want to serve society and look down on their former friends. There is something inherently creepy about someone who loses their personality and is completely single minded and almost fanatical, with no sense of humor or mind of their own. It kind of reminded me a bit of Invasion of the Body Snatchers and in a way I do wish the author had taken it further down this path and made it that little bit more creepy and sinister but I suppose it’s supposed to be a thriller rather than out and out sci fi / horror.

In terms of the characters I have to admit that I wasn’t entirely convinced by Drew. She begins the story as this shy and quiet goody two shoes who doesn’t have any friends in real life and is bullied at school then all of a sudden seems to transform into a completely different person when she finds out her brother could be in trouble. I suppose it is possible but it didn’t quite ring true to me which is a shame because I thought the other characters were incredibly well crafted. The staff at the school were particularly well done, superficially nice but with something harder lurking underneath.

There were a few other things that niggled at me a bit as well. I felt like certain aspects were resolved a little too easily, passed over too quickly or just too coincidental to be entirely convincing. I do understand why the author does it but personally I prefer things to be a little less clear cut with a few more twists and turns.

Despite these niggles however I would still recommend you read this book. It’s rare to find a really good YA thriller and this is definitely a good YA thriller. If I hadn’t been travelling to events I probably would have devoured the whole thing in one go.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. As always all views are my own.

The Treatment is released on 19th October.

ARC Review: 36 Questions That Changed My Mind About You by Vicki Grant

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The Blurb

Two random strangers. Thirty-six questions to make them fall in love.

Hildy and Paul each have their own reasons for taking part in the psychology study (in Paul’s case it is the $40, in Hildy’s the reasons are significantly more complex). The study poses the simple question: Can love be engineered between two random strangers?

Hildy and Paul must ask each other 36 questions, ranging from “What is your most terrible memory?” to “When did you last sing to yourself?” By the time Hildy and Paul have made it to the end of the questionnaire, they’ve laughed and cried and lied and thrown things and run away and come back again. They’ve also each discovered the painful secret the other was trying so hard to hide. But have they fallen in love?

My Review

Rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars

As soon as Hildy and Paul started asking each other the 36 questions as part of a psychology study I was 100% hooked. The style of the book is probably not for everyone given that probably 70-80% is pure dialogue (or instant messaging) but it really just worked for me.

Good dialogue is probably what I enjoy most in a book so I don’t mind if there are no descriptions, no musings on innermost thoughts or even much in the way of action. I get so much more out of a couple of people having a chat and in this book it’s done absolutely brilliantly.

I can’t remember the last time I laughed so much, the banter between the two of them was just so funny but very believable. There are a few darker moments but even they are almost instantly flipped to light.

Hildy and Paul are perhaps a little cliched but honestly, in what romance are there not cliches and I feel like the fact they turned out to be different to what they initially appeared was kind of the point.

There were only really a couple of things that niggled me about this book. Firstly, their ages. I didn’t realize this was YA and spent forever trying to figure out how old they were (it turns out Hildy is 18). There were bits that just seemed a bit silly for those ages, Hildy complaining she’s never going to find love for example (she’s 18). Personally I think it may have worked better if they were a little older (college rather than school).

I also wasn’t so keen on the chapters which were in regular prose. I kind of found myself skimming through them to get to the next question and honestly Hildy needs some new friends as Xiu and Max were horrible.

Overall though this was a brilliant read and one I’d definitely recommend. Sweet, hilariously funny and completely addictive. Loved it. And, if you’re curious about what I mean by weird format, here’s a couple of sneaky peeks (yes, there are drawings too).

I won a copy of this book in a Readers First Giveaway. This has in no way influenced my review.

Where to Find It

36 Questions That Changed My Mind About You is available from the 19th October

ARC Review: The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman

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The Rules of MagicThe Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

A prequel to Practical Magic, this is a book I was eagerly anticipating but took a bit of time to warm up to. The writing is wonderful, as you would expect from Hoffman, but with a slow pace, detailed descriptions and the focus very much on the characters and their relationships rather than spells and potions it took a while to fully engage me.

Franny and Jet’s story is fascinating and truly heartbreaking at times and I’m glad to have read it.

The Blurb

Find your magic

For the Owens family, love is a curse that began in 1620, when Maria Owens was charged with witchery for loving the wrong man.

Hundreds of years later, in New York City at the cusp of the sixties, when the whole world is about to change, Susanna Owens knows that her three children are dangerously unique. Difficult Franny, with skin as pale as milk and blood red hair, shy and beautiful Jet, who can read other people’s thoughts, and charismatic Vincent, who began looking for trouble on the day he could walk.

From the start Susanna sets down rules for her children: No walking in the moonlight, no red shoes, no wearing black, no cats, no crows, no candles, no books about magic. And most importantly, never, ever, fall in love. But when her children visit their Aunt Isabelle, in the small Massachusetts town where the Owens family has been blamed for everything that has ever gone wrong, they uncover family secrets and begin to understand the truth of who they are. Back in New York City each begins a risky journey as they try to escape the family curse.

The Owens children cannot escape love even if they try, just as they cannot escape the pains of the human heart. The two beautiful sisters will grow up to be the revered, and sometimes feared, aunts in Practical Magic, while Vincent, their beloved brother, will leave an unexpected legacy.

Review

I have to confess I’m really struggling with how to rate and review this. I finished it quite late in the evening yesterday and hoped that after a good night’s sleep I’d know how I felt about it but unfortunately my feelings are still all over the place.

I think it’s pretty safe to say when I first started reading it I struggled. Practical Magic is one of my favorite films (I haven’t read the book – sorry) so I think I was expecting something very similar in style and tone. When I was faced with a slow and drawn out story that felt more like a family saga I have to admit I was disappointed. Hoffman’s writing is brilliant and very vivid and she really makes siblings Frances, Jet and Vincent come to life but it’s done in such a slow and meandering way that it really couldn’t hold my attention.

The focus of the story is very much on the family and the relationships between them. There is however a lot of magic in this book, particularly in the beginning as the siblings set out to discover who they are and what they can do. Forbidden by their parents to dabble, they learn first from a hidden magical text and some experimentation and then from their Aunt Isabelle all of the rules, potions and spells they could ever need to know.

Like a lot of the story though there is no big bang or excitement when it comes to magic. It’s all very gently introduced with a focus on the theory rather than the practical. As information on what each and every herb could be used for or what ingredients are required for specific potions was presented I must admit I found my attention wandering. I began finding excuses to put the book down and go do something else and on a few occasions I was pretty close to just giving up on the whole thing.

This wasn’t really helped by my inability to really connect with any of the characters or the relationships between them. With Hoffman’s wonderful writing ability they are drawn beautifully and you get a real sense of even the most minor characters but there was something about them that left me a little cold. They are all well rounded, with both strengths and flaws but I just couldn’t relate to them. Given the nature of the story, it should have been packed with emotion but I just couldn’t feel it.

I think it was around the midpoint, when Franny, Jet and Vincent are on their own, that I finally began to feel and it was at that point I became engrossed in the story. Whereas previously I’d been struggling to pick it up I began to find it difficult to put down. I’m still not sure I really liked any one particular character, a lot of the time I wanted to shake them, but somehow, very stealthily they managed to sneak in and I found myself truly caring about them and hoping things would work out for them.

This is a story about family, love and accepting who you are more than a story of witchcraft and magic. The pace is slow and the writing full of vivid imagery and detail. There isn’t much in the way of fun or light and to be honest the whole thing left me feeling pretty depressed, I cried a lot, but overall I am glad I stuck with it and read to the very end.

It’s probably not a book I would recommend everyone reads, I think it’s more suited to the type of reader who likes a slow paced story about family and relationships rather than one looking for magic and excitement, but I did enjoy it.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. This has in no way influenced my review.

Review: Invictus by Ryan Graudin

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InvictusInvictus by Ryan Graudin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Perfect for fans of TV shows like Firefly, I absolutely loved this story about five teens travelling through time stealing artifacts.

There’s something instantly engaging about Graudin’s writing and as someone who isn’t generally a fan of historical fiction I absolutely loved the mix of history and science fiction. There’s plenty of action, a few unexpected twists, a teeny tiny bit of romance and a fantastic cast of characters.

The only bad thing about this book is that it’s a standalone and not the first in a series.

The Blurb

Time flies when you’re plundering history.

Farway Gaius McCarthy was born outside of time. The son of a time-traveling Recorder from 2354 AD and a gladiator living in Rome in 95 AD, Far’s birth defies the laws of nature. Exploring history himself is all he’s ever wanted, and after failing his final time-traveling exam, Far takes a position commanding a ship with a crew of his friends as part of a black market operation to steal valuables from the past.

But during a heist on the sinking Titanic, Far meets a mysterious girl who always seems to be one step ahead of him. Armed with knowledge that will bring Far’s very existence into question, she will lead Far and his team on a race through time to discover a frightening truth: History is not as steady as it seems.

Review

Have you ever started reading a book and known from the very first page you were going to love it? That was exactly what happened to me with Invictus.

I’m a big fan of time travel stories so this was always going to be right up my street but there was something instantly likeable about Graudin’s writing style and I loved the cast of characters she created. When it comes to TV I’m a big fan of sci-fi shows like Star Trek, Doctor Who and Firefly and this definitely has that kind of vibe about it. It really reminded me of Firefly in particular with the crew of the Invictus travelling through time stealing artefacts and trying to avoid the authorities.

I loved each and every member of the crew but most of all I loved the camaraderie between them. There’s a good mix of personalities represented from Farway, the self assured, risk taking captain who can adapt to pretty much any situation to Gram, his quiet and genius best friend and engineer, to Eliot who always seems to be a step ahead and full of secrets. My favorite character however had to be Imogen, Far’s cousin and the historian on the crew. She’s just so bright, positive and devoted to her fur baby, Saffron the red panda. They definitely bring the joy and fun to the story. Medic Priya was probably the hardest to warm up to but I think that was simply the nature of her character, calm and a little detached.

The story is told from the POV of each of the crew members as well as brief chapters from a couple of other characters so you definitely get to know them all well. Personally I loved Imogen and Gram’s chapters the most but I would happily hang out with all of them and just really want to join the crew.

The story itself is fast paced and takes a few unexpected turns. I was drawn in from the very beginning and found it almost impossible to put down. I do love stories with time travel but I get the feeling most writers avoid them because of the sheer volume of work involved. There are multiple time periods historical and future as well as the scientific theories and rules to get right. Honestly I’m exhausted just thinking about it but the author handles it brilliantly.

Everything hangs together beautifully. Every time period visited is created with care and feels real. The sci-fi elements are handled especially well. A lot of thought and research has clearly gone into the science and theories behind time travel (As well as the other tech). It all makes sense and even complex theories are made understandable to non science readers like myself.

I thought the author picked the perfect time periods to visit too. I loved that a big chunk of the book is set in Rome, ancient and future. It’s just such a dramatic and epic time period and the fact that you get to experience the gladiators fighting in the arena is incredible. There’s just so much emotion about the whole thing and it literally had me on the edge of my seat.

Despite being very fast paced and action packed the author has done an incredible job of packing in plenty of emotion. I found myself very attached to the crew of the Invictus and was rooting for them all the way. There’s a little bit of romance but it doesn’t take over the story and is very sweet and believable (I totally shipped it). There is also a lot of humor and some truly heart breaking moments (I cried, on the train).

Basically I loved it from the very start to the very last page. Definitely one I’d recommend particularly if like me you’re a big fan of time travel and aren’t scared of a little bit of scientific theory.

firefly malcom reynolds GIF

OK I couldn’t resist a Firefly Gif 🙂

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. As always all thoughts are my own.

ARC Review: Moonlight Over Manhattan by Sarah Morgan

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Moonlight Over Manhattan (From Manhattan with Love, #6)Moonlight Over Manhattan by Sarah Morgan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I always look forward to Christmas, not because of the holiday itself but because it means we’re in for another Sarah Morgan Christmas romance. She truly is the queen of romance and this book didn’t disappoint. Yet again I picked it up early one Saturday morning and couldn’t put it down. I lost most of the day (something which happens every time I read one of Morgan’s books) but it was totally worth it.

There is a super nice and kind main character Harriet, a sexy blue eyed ER Doctor who doesn’t think he has a heart, a small trouble making dog and the wonderful New York at Christmas setting to make it all extremely romantic.

The story itself is pretty predictable but it’s such an enjoyable journey that you really don’t mind. Morgan is brilliant at creating characters you care about but also at creating this wonderful chemistry between them. Yes there are many of the usual romance tropes but even if I’ve read them a hundred times I still love them and it’s nice knowing you’re going to get the happily ever after.

I also found there was something quite inspirational about this story. Harriet has decided to challenge herself to do something she doesn’t want to every day to try and push herself out of her comfort zone. It’s wonderful watching how she develops over the course of the story as she faces her fears and does things she never thought she could. The confidence and freedom she finds kind of made me want to rush out and start my own Challenge Ali.

As well as Harriet and dishy doc Ethan there are a number of new characters and also some familiar faces. Harriet featured in the previous two books in the series so it was great to catch up with the leads from those stories, although I would have liked a bit more Fliss. There was also a little visit to the setting of one of the authors other series which meant I got to catch up with how they were all doing too. I need to make sure they’re all still loved up.

This is the sixth book in the authors From Manhattan with Love series but while there are some spoilers for previous books it could easily be read as a standalone. I know I have a bit of a tendency to read them in the wrong order and it makes very little difference.

Overall this was a great read and definitely put me in the Christmas spirit. I can’t wait for the next one.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. As always all thoughts are my own.

The Blurb

She’ll risk everything for her own Christmas miracle…

Determined to conquer a lifetime of shyness, Harriet Knight challenges herself to do one thing a day in December that scares her, including celebrating Christmas without her family. But when dog walker Harriet meets her newest client, exuberant spaniel Madi, she adds an extra challenge to her list—dealing with Madi’s temporary dog sitter, gruff doctor Ethan Black, and their very unexpected chemistry.

Ethan thought he was used to chaos, until he met Madi—how can one tiny dog cause such mayhem? To Ethan, the solution is simple—he will pay Harriet to share his New York apartment and provide twenty-four-hour care. But there’s nothing simple about how Harriet makes him feel.

Ethan’s kisses make Harriet shine brighter than the stars over moonlit Manhattan. But when his dog-sitting duties are over and Harriet returns to her own home, will she dare to take the biggest challenge of all—letting Ethan know he has her heart for life, not just for Christmas?

Moonlight Over Manhattan is released in the UK on the 5th October and is available here, and on the 28th November in the US

Review: Cold Blood by Robert Bryndza

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Cold Blood (Detective Erika Foster, #5)Cold Blood by Robert Bryndza

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another great book from Mr Bryndza.

This is the fifth book in the Detective Erika Foster series but could probably be read as a standalone (although why would you when there are four other great books in the series). The story picks up not long after the events of the previous book and follows a fairly similar format, beginning with the discovery of a body. Bryndza does seem to be upping the ick factor however as this time the body is found dismembered in a suitcase. When it’s linked to another body Erika is positive a serial killer is at large once again (I’m so glad I don’t live anywhere near or know Erika) and fights to get a team to investigate.

The story is told from the pov of both Erika and someone who may have been involved in the murders or who may know who did it. As result this isn’t really a who dunnit but more of a police procedural mixed up with the psychology of a killer. For me it was probably the Erika chapters that worked best. There was something a little unconvincing about the killer(s) story. I didn’t 100% buy into it for some reason.

As far as Erika goes there are bits of her I love and bits that really bug me which I suppose is the sign of a well rounded character. Sometimes I’m cheering her on (mostly when she’s fighting her corner against the big bad bosses) and at others I want to shake her (stop pushing everyone away) but I’m always on her side and want the best for her.

She doesn’t get the easiest ride in this book, it just seems to be bad on top of bad (please give her a break soon) but I do get the feeling that she is starting to change and we can expect better things for her in the future.

There are quite a few secondary characters (her team seems to be ever expanding) and while we don’t get as much of certain ones as I would have liked (McGorry, Isaac) I was very happy that Moss was present throughout and that Marsh made a return. I find the relationship between Marsh and Erika fascinating so it’s always good to have them interacting. They have a long and complicated history and things get even more complicated in this book when he becomes part of the case.

It is a pretty fast paced read and was definitely one I found difficult to put down. The author knows just how to hook you and keep you reading late into the night. I do feel though that I need to highlight a couple of issues with it. I hate doing this because I do love the author and his books but the little mistakes and inconsistencies scattered throughout drove me nuts (for example, “nice weather for ducks” is not an unheard of expression in the UK, the description of the bones in the arm isn’t right, and the twins who can’t be told apart on one page are referred to by the correct names on the next). I’m afraid I’m one of those people who once they spot a couple start spotting everything and I had to drop the rating a little for it.

I also felt like it could have done with a bit more depth and detail. The story would possibly have lost a bit of pace but I do think it would have added to the tension and made me a little more invested in the story and characters. There’s just something a little bit jarring about it at times. It’s so frustrating because it’s so close to being absolutely brilliant but just slightly misses the mark because of small silly things that probably only bug me.

Overall however it is an enjoyable read that I flew through and will continue to recommend to everyone I know. Personally, I can’t wait for book 6.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing me with an ARC. As always all views are my own.

The Blurb

She fell in love with a killer, now she’s one too.

The suitcase was badly rusted, and took Erika several attempts, but it yielded and sagged open as she unzipped it. Nothing could prepare her for what she would find inside…

When a battered suitcase containing the dismembered body of a young man washes up on the shore of the river Thames, Detective Erika Foster is shocked. She’s worked on some terrifying cases but never seen anything like this before.

As Erika and her team set to work, she makes the link with another victim – the body of a young woman dumped in an identical suitcase two weeks ago.

Erika quickly realises she’s on the trail of a serial killer who’s already made their next move. Yet just as Erika starts to make headway with the investigation, she is the victim of a brutal attack.

But nothing will stop Erika. As the body count rises, the twin daughters of her colleague Commander Marsh are abducted, and the stakes are higher than ever before. Can Erika save the lives of two innocent children before it’s too late? She’s running out of time and about to make a disturbing discovery…there’s more than one killer.

Review: Bloody Scotland

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Bloody_Scotland_mock_03.indd
Title: Bloody Scotland

By: Lin Anderson,  Christopher Brookmyre, Gordon Brown, Ann Cleeves, Doug Johnstone, Stuart MacBride, Val McDermid, Denise Mina , Craig Robertson, Sara Sheridan, E S Thomson and Louise Welsh

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fantastic collection of short stories from twelve of Scotland’s best crime writers. Set in twelve iconic buildings there’s a really great mix of stories. From tales of revenge, murder, kidnapping and terrorism to Vikings and a bit of cannibalism I’d say there’s probably something for everyone.

As expected I absolutely loved the stories from my two favourite Scottish crime authors Chris Brookmyre and Stuart MacBride. Brookmyre’s story is set in Bothwell Castle (about a 5 min drive from my house) and reminded me of some of his older books. It’s really funny and had me giggling away on the train to work. MacBride true to form is having another dig at the weather in the Aberdeen area (rain features heavily in all of his books) with a story set in a lighthouse during a hurricane. It’s a very atmospheric story with some brilliant characterisation as always.

Some of the other stories were also brilliant and many from authors I’m less familiar with. I won’t go through them all but definite highlights were Denise Mina’s Edinburgh Castle story which is seriously disturbing, Gordon Brown’s story about a man discovering the truth about his father when he returns for his funeral and E.S. Thomson’s story set in Stanley Mills which creates a brilliant portrait of a not very nice man who gets his comeuppance.

I’m often not too keen on short stories (they’re too bloomin short) but in this I have to say each and every author has created something memorable, with great characters and a real sense of place.

Definitely a book I’d recommend for all crime readers.

I received a copy of this book free from the publishers as part of the blog tour. This has not influenced my review.

The Blurb

In Bloody Scotland a selection of Scotland’s best crime writers use the sinister side of the country’s built heritage in stories that are by turns gripping, chilling and redemptive.

Stellar contributors Val McDermid, Chris Brookmyre, Denise Mina, Ann Cleeves, Louise Welsh, Lin Anderson, Doug Johnstone, Gordon Brown, Craig Robertson, E S Thomson, Sara Sheridan and Stuart MacBride explore the thrilling potential of Scotland’s iconic sites and structures. From murder in an Iron Age broch and a macabre tale of revenge among the furious clamour of an eighteenth century mill, to a dark psychological thriller set within the tourist throng of Edinburgh Castle and a rivalry turning fatal in the concrete galleries of an abandoned modernist ruin, this collection uncovers the intimate – and deadly – connections between people and places.

Prepare for a dangerous journey into the dark shadows of our nation’s buildings – where passion, fury, desire and death collide.

ARC Review: There’s Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins

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There's Someone Inside Your HouseThere’s Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This isn’t quite the scary horror story I was hoping for but it’s definitely an enjoyable read.

There’s lots of diversity, a very sweet romance and just enough action and mystery to keep you reading till the very end. It may not wholly work as a horror story but there are plenty of other things that make it a worthwhile read.

The Blurb

Scream meets YA in this hotly-anticipated new novel from the bestselling author of Anna and the French Kiss.

One-by-one, the students of Osborne High are dying in a series of gruesome murders, each with increasing and grotesque flair. As the terror grows closer and the hunt intensifies for the killer, the dark secrets among them must finally be confronted.

International bestselling author Stephanie Perkins returns with a fresh take on the classic teen slasher story that’s fun, quick-witted, and completely impossible to put down.

Review

I have to confess I had my doubts when Perkins announced that she was writing a horror story. She’s my go to author for light and fluffy contemporary romance, so how could she possibly switch over to dark and scary horror. It was going to be either brilliant or terrible.

Having now devoured it in more or less one sitting, I would say it probably falls somewhere in between. There are more than a few problems with the horror side of the story (so it’s not brilliant) but there is a lot to love about it which goes some way to make up for any shortcomings. There is plenty of diversity, our main character is a POC with a friend who is trans, there are wonderfully real family relationships and none of the characters are perfect.

Main character Makani possibly wasn’t the most likeable character in the beginning but she did grow on me through the story. The romantic interest is probably not making my book boyfriend list but there is something kinda sweet (and also mysterious) about him, and the other characters, while not being particularly well fleshed out, are very believable and after only a few pages you get a real sense of them.

The story itself is very Scream-esque, beginning with the brutal murder of a girl from their school, followed by more sudden and seemingly unconnected slayings of their fellow students. Speculation over who the killer could be is rife and with no pattern in the victims anyone could be next. It’s classic horror and is absolutely packed full of all of the horror tropes and themes, something I absolutely loved.

Unfortunately however it lacks the tension and sense of danger to make it a really scary read. The characters who are bumped off are for the most part pretty minor so it’s difficult to care about them, Makani spends most of her time obsessing over a boy (there’s a LOT of kissing) and worrying the dark secret from her past is going to come out and the killings are a little ridiculous at times. I also think too much is revealed too soon and some of the characters motivations and secrets just don’t make sense or aren’t properly fleshed out. 

Despite these problems however, I did find it quite an addictive and enjoyable read, although I have to confess that was probably more for the romance than anything else.

It is a book that seems to be getting some very mixed reviews at the moment but I would recommend you give it a go, and if horror is not your thing I promise, it’s not that scary.

it pennywise it movie devious scary clown GIF
Is this a face that would lie?

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. As always all views are my own.

ARC Review: Nyxia by Scott Reintgen

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Nyxia (The Nyxia Triad, #1)Nyxia by Scott Reintgen

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

An enjoyable and read with a brilliantly diverse and complex cast of characters. I found it quite an addictive read and incredibly difficult to put down.

It’s let down a little by having too many similarities to other books and not moving the story on quickly enough but it’s definitely worth reading.

Synopsis (GoodReads)

Emmett Atwater isn’t just leaving Detroit; he’s leaving Earth. Why the Babel Corporation recruited him is a mystery, but the number of zeroes on their contract has him boarding their lightship and hoping to return to Earth with enough money to take care of his family.

Forever.

Before long, Emmett discovers that he is one of ten recruits, all of whom have troubled pasts and are a long way from home. Now each recruit must earn the right to travel down to the planet of Eden–a planet that Babel has kept hidden–where they will mine a substance called Nyxia that has quietly become the most valuable material in the universe.

But Babel’s ship is full of secrets. And Emmett will face the ultimate choice: win the fortune at any cost, or find a way to fight that won’t forever compromise what it means to be human.

My Review

This book seems to get a lot of rave reviews but I have to confess I’m not sure it lives up to the hype.

It’s kind of like a mash up of Enders Game and Divergent with a little bit of Ready Player One thrown into the mix. As a result there isn’t much that’s really original about it. There is a diverse cast of characters and it is an enjoyable read but I doubt I’ll remember it in a month or two and I just don’t have that pressing need to get my hands on the next book in the series.

The author has created a brilliant main character in Emmett. He’s not the type of hero you usually find in these kinds of stories. He’s a POC for a start. He’s not the smartest, the strongest, the fastest or even the one with the most troubled upbringing. He’s actually pretty average and I’m sure relateable to a lot of people.

He’s agreed to compete because his mom’s ill and they have no money for treatment. Similar to most of the others, he’s desperate and this makes for fascinating reading as he tries to decide how far he’s willing to go to win.

The other characters are similarly diverse and complex and many are not what they initially appear to be. What’s especially great is the way that they develop and change over the course of the story. This is a group of teens in exceptional situations and the author does a fantastic job of making their actions seem very real and completely believable.

The story itself is pretty familiar. Bunch of teens have to compete against each other in a series of individual and team challenges. There’s a leader board to track their progress (although I couldn’t follow the scoring) and if by the end you’re below a certain point on the board you get cut. The contest is however run by a massive corporation with highly dubious motives who keep changing the rules.

From the very beginning the whole contest thing and the reasons for it seemed very unconvincing. They’ve discovered another earth like planet that they want to go strip mine but the native aliens aren’t happy about it unless it’s children as they like children and will let them do whatever they want….hmmm. Unfortunately that is not the only unconvincing thing in the story.  There were a few things that just didn’t make sense to me (what the heck is Nyxia?) and I think there could have been a bit more explanation of elements but I suppose you’re supposed to feel as clueless as the competitors.

I did really enjoy the whole competition aspect. I loved the changing dynamics of the group as they form and break alliances and friendships, stab each other in the back and hold grudges. There’s even some romance between competitors. I do think however it was dragged on a little too long (it’s literally all that happens in the story). I wanted some answers and it looks like the only way I’m going to get them is to read the next book in the series. Unfortunately I’m not sure I care enough.

Overall an enjoyable and quite a quick read but just too many similarities to other stories to be a stand out.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.

Review: Charlotte Says by Alex Bell

Ali@abookishlife1 Comment

Charlotte Says (Red Eye)Charlotte Says by Alex Bell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Those creepy little dolls are back and they’ve got some new games they want to play.

This, the prequel to the wonderfully chilling Frozen Charlotte, is just as good if not better. The Edwardian setting really brings something to the story and it’s packed with all of the best horror tropes to keep you reading late into the night (with all of the lights on of course).

(Note: While this is the second book in a series there’s very little overlap so no spoilers in the review or syposis)

Synopsis

Following the death of her mother in a terrible fire, Jemima flees to the remote Isle of Skye, to take up a job at a school for girls. There she finds herself tormented by the mystery of what really happened that night.

Then Jemima receives a box of Frozen Charlotte dolls from a mystery sender and she begins to remember – a séance with the dolls, a violent argument with her step-father and the inferno that destroyed their home. And when it seems that the dolls are triggering a series of accidents at the school, Jemima realizes she must stop the demonic spirits possessing the dolls – whatever it takes.

My Review

I’m always on the lookout for a creepy horror story but despite someone recommending Frozen Charlotte to me ages ago it was only after I was approved for an ARC of Charlotte Says that I finally got around to reading it and I’m so sorry I didn’t pick it up sooner. That book is seriously creepy and I literally couldn’t put it down.

Needless to say as soon as I finished it I couldn’t resist getting stuck in to prequel Charlotte Says and do you know what, I think it might be even better. I don’t know whether it was just that by reading them back to back I was more into the author’s writing style or if it was the change in time period that worked better but, while this had possibly fewer chills (I knew what to expect so was prepared), the writing just seemed so much better. There was less bluntness to it and consequently it seemed less forced and more natural, drawing me into the story completely.

It’s predominantly set in a girl’s boarding school in 1910, so we have a much wider cast of characters but there is still this very real sense of isolation and remoteness which brings a chilling atmosphere to the story.

The story is told from the point of view of Jemima Black, a wonderfully complex character who makes for some fascinating reading. She comes across as weak and subservient a lot of the time but there’s a real strength, determination and slight deviousness within her which, combined with the mystery of her past, make her very unpredictable. From the very beginning when she wakes from a nightmare of fire and blood to arrive alone at the boarding school to take up her post you know there is something dark in her past.

Some of the other characters do feel a little bit stereotyped, there’s the tyrannical head teacher, the pretty but mean maid, a pupil who sees things no one else does (and no one believes) and the love interest who’s too good to be true but these are part of what makes it such an enjoyable (and creepy) read.

For those who have read Frozen Charlotte you will know pretty much what to expect when the dolls arrive at the school, strange noises in the middle of the night, odd behavior, violence and death and some of the events of this story are uncovered in the previous book but there are still some surprises and twists in store.

I do feel like I should add a little warning here that as you would expect from a horror there are some violent scenes and abuse. Some of the descriptions are pretty graphic, particularly around violence towards animals (I don’t consider myself to be squeamish and I found a couple of scenes difficult). It might be better avoided if this is likely to be a trigger (or go read Frozen Charlotte which isn’t quite as bad)

You can get away with reading this if you haven’t read Frozen Charlotte as while there is some overlap between the two stories they are set in completely different time periods with minimal crossover. I would still recommend Frozen Charlotte first though as Charlotte Says explains away a lot of the mystery (and it’s a great read too).

Overall a wonderfully creepy read and definitely one I’d recommend if you’re a fan of the genre and not too squeamish.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. As always all thoughts are my own.