My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Love, love, love this book and can’t wait for the next in the series.

I had somehow never heard of this until it was voted book of the month in one of my groups. I wasn’t planning on reading it but then I saw some good reviews and couldn’t resist even though it meant breaking my no book buying new years resolution. I am so happy to have broken my resolution for this book. It was totally worth it.

Synopsis (from GoodReads)

Kell is one of the last Travelers—rare magicians who choose a parallel universe to visit.

Grey London is dirty, boring, lacks magic, ruled by mad King George. Red London is where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London is ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. People fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. Once there was Black London—but no one speaks of that now.

Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell smuggles for those willing to pay for even a glimpse of a world they’ll never see. This dangerous hobby sets him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She robs him, saves him from a dangerous enemy, then forces him to another world for her ‘proper adventure’.

But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive—trickier than they hoped.

Thoughts

I haven’t been this excited about a series since Throne of Glass. The writing and world building are first class and the author has somehow managed to get the balance between descriptions and action just right.

The characters are very likeable for the most part. Reluctant hero Kell comes across a bit arrogant, bored and aloof at the start but once he is shaken up a bit we get to see a much nicer, funnier and insecure young man trying to do what’s right despite the temptation to just give up. I kind of want to adopt him or even just give him a big hug.

Lila, I thought was hilarious and brilliant. She’s a thief and wannabe pirate who likes to pretend she’s a man. She’ll try to steal pretty much anything that’s not nailed down (and probably things that are) and seems to actively seek out trouble. However although she tries to seem badass and uncaring you see the odd chink in her armour and get the impression that while she’s out for herself she does have morals and there are a few people she cares about despite her best efforts.

When she teams up with Kell their relationship is electric. I absolutely loved the banter between them and how their partnership develops from an uneasy arrangement to a kind of mutual respect and trust. Although it does seem like someone needs to bang their heads together so they can see what’s in front of them.

The other characters in the book are also well executed. The bad guys are truly creepy from their very first scene and always made me feel uneasy and uncomfortable. There are actually quite a few scenes which are quite dark and sinister and even the setting at times is unsettling.

While it should be confusing having four different Londons, they are well described and very distinct so I had a clear picture of each. From Kell’s home in Red London which seems almost too perfect, to Lila’s grey London which feels drab and miserable, to White London where there is an air of desperation, danger and evil lurking at all times, all were unique and you always knew exactly where you were.

The story itself is pretty fast paced and there is a lot of action which I loved. At times I was bouncing on my seat as I was reading, desperate to know what would happen next but afraid to read it. There were a few occasions where I would read a bit, get too wound up and have to stop so I could walk about the room a bit before going back and reading the next bit. Even now writing this review and thinking about it has me a little hyped up. I’m not sure how I’m going to take the wait till the next one is released.

I should say that while this is the first book in a series it does work on it’s own and a lot of the story is concluded. There are no horrible cliffhangers to watch out for. There are however a few things which have only been hinted at and definitely have potential to be expanded on and developed in future books.

It’s a little early to be saying this but I think this could be one of my top reads of 2016.

Book Review: Playing with Fire by Tess Gerritsen

January 9, 2016January 9, 2016 Ali@abookishlifeLeave a comment

Playing with Fire by Tess Gerritsen

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’m really struggling on how to rate this story. I do love Tess Gerritsen and I think her writing is fantastic but there was something about this story that just didn’t feel right. I picked it up around 10pm at night after a very long day in the office and kept reading till I finished around 1am so it can’t have been that bad but I was left with this kind of unsatisfactory feeling.

Synopsis

The story starts incredibly well. Violinist Julia Andsell is browsing antique shops in Italy when she comes across an old book of music with a hand written page within. Unable to resist she buys the book and returns to her husband and 3 year old daughter in Boston. After spending the day with her daughter Lily she decides to try playing the piece. When she does however Lily exhibits some disturbing behaviour that gives her cause for concern.

She speaks to a doctor who tells her not to worry but a little while later when practicing the piece again Lily attacks her. Julia is positive her child has changed and wants to hurt her but no one believes her. Is there something wrong with Lily, could the music be responsible for the change or is everything in Julia’s head as everyone else seems to think? She is positive the music is responsible so is determined to find out it’s history.

This leads her back to Italy and the story of composer and violinist Lorenzo who was a Jew in Venice during the second World War. It seems however that someone doesn’t want her to find out the truth.

Thoughts

Despite what the blurb on Amazon and GoodReads may say this is really two stories wrapped up in one. On one hand there is the story of Julia and her possibly demonic child and on the other the story of Lorenzo. The book is actually told from the dual perspective of each with alternating sections.

While I mostly enjoyed both stories I felt like the alternating sections didn’t quite work. Julia’s sections were more psychological thriller whereas Lorenzo’ s were about the horrors of the holocaust with a little bit of doomed love thrown in. Both would no doubt have worked on their own but didn’t mesh well with each other. The tension in Julia’s story was broken and I never really felt the emotion and horror of Lorenzo’s.

The writing is pretty good throughout (I devoured the whole thing in a few hours) but I thought the story and characters lacked the depth they needed to bring out the emotion of the themes. It did start well with a couple of very creepy scenes but after that I think it lost it’s way.

The ending in particular I thought really let it down as it felt like a bit of a cop out and was a little too easy.

Overall, a good enough read but a little bit confused in genre and lacking depth.

Book Review: Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick

January 4, 2016January 2, 2016 Ali@abookishlifeLeave a comment

Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is my second book by Becca Fitzpatrick so I had a rough idea what to expect as far as writing goes and was looking forward to reading this new story. Unfortunately, while I found it an enjoyable enough story and an easy read, it wasn’t anything particularly special.

Synopsis

17 year old girl, Stella, witnesses a crime and is forced to leave her home, family and her boyfriend to go into witness protection. She moves from a big city to a small town in Nebraska where she has to try to adjust to a new way of life. As her mother had money and a drug habit Stella is used to doing her own thing so it’s safe to say she rebels a bit at the start even though it’s for her own safety.

It’s not long though before she meets boy next door Chet and starts to realise life in Nebraska might not be too bad. However someone in town starts stirring up trouble and there is a chance the secrets from her past will catch up to her putting her life and the lives of those around her in danger.

Thoughts

Overall I had nothing against this book I just seem to be struggling to find reasons to love it.

The writing is pretty good and the story ticks along at a nice pace. I liked the idea of the whole witness protection thing and it definitely had the potential to be a real page turner. Added to that there is a bit of mystery around the events Stella claims to have witnessed which makes you wonder what really happened that night. There are a few twists and surprises in the story which do keep you guessing (and reading) but I felt like there could have been a little more tension. I was never really on the edge of my seat.

In terms of main character Stella, I’ve read a few reviews talking about how much they disliked her but I actually kind of admired her attitude. Yes, for a girl in hiding she does some remarkably stupid things which are guaranteed to get her noticed but I liked how she stood up for herself and others even when it led trouble her way. Like a lot of YA heroines she is a little bit boy crazy which kind of annoys me but it seems to be standard in these types of books. I also found it quite strange how quickly she developed feelings for someone other than her boyfriend (who she apparently couldn’t live without at the start).

Boy next door Chet is nice enough and I did enjoy the banter between the two of them but I felt it lacked that little bit of spark that would have made their attraction a bit more believable.

The remaining characters could also have done with a bit more depth as I felt they were a little stereotyped. There was the bullying high school jock with the massive ego, the underage pregnancy, younger teen going off the rails due to lack of parental role model etc. I’m not sure what else the author could have done but I think I’m getting a bit fed up of the same types of character in every YA book. Although I have to admit that I did like that there were a lot of strong women.

As far as the ending to the story, I have to say that I found it a little unsatisfying. It seemed like there was a lot of build up to not a lot of action. What action there was seemed to be over in a few pages with minimal fuss or emotion. It wasn’t bad it just wasn’t as good as I hoped and I would have liked a slightly different ending for Stella.

Overall therefore I would recommend it if you’re looking for an easy read with some action for a lazy afternoon but I don’t think it’s a stand out book.

Book Review: Wendy Darling by Colleen Oakes

January 2, 2016 Ali@abookishlifeLeave a comment

Wendy Darling: Stars by Colleen Oakes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“All the world is made of faith and trust and pixie dust” – J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

That may have been the case for J.M. Barrie but in Colleen Oakes version of the classic Peter Pan story everything is a lot darker and more sinister. I loved it.

I’m a big fan of classic stories that are re told with a bit of a twist so when I saw this book with it’s stunning cover I couldn’t resist. I will admit I’ve never actually read the original J.M. Barrie story so I can’t do a direct comparison but I can say this version is definitely a lot different to the Disney film which I couldn’t resist watching at the weekend.

Synopsis

The general story is the same, Wendy and her brothers John and Michael are whisked away from their home by the charismatic boy who can fly, Peter Pan. They go to Neverland where they meet the other Lost Boys and Tink, go on adventures to steal treasure, fight pirates and generally forget all about their home and their parents. Wendy starts worry about losing her memories however and wants to take her brothers home but Peter is not a fan of that idea and tries to keep them.

Thoughts

Despite the similar plot this feels like a very different tale. The author manages to twist almost everything about the original story and make it that little bit darker and more sinister.

Wendy is the same prim and proper mother type to both her brothers and the other lost boys (something I found a bit annoying) but back home she’s having a secret relationship with the bookseller’s son which is turning serious. Eldest of her brothers John is a much nastier piece of work than the cartoon version and is downright rude and stand-offish with his family. Michael the youngest is an absolute joy to read about and I couldn’t help but love his enthusiasm and bounce.

The biggest differences however are with Peter and Tink. Peter is sinister and creepy right from his first appearance in the Darling’s bedroom. He seems to have some amazing charisma which persuades the Darlings to follow him despite their initial instincts and to convince the Lost Boys to take on pirates for little gain. He seems like some kind of cult leader in a way with almost everyone under his spell. You get the feeling almost immediately however that he is a little unstable and he definitely doesn’t like it when things don’t go his way.

The Tink in this tale is truly damaged. She comes across as almost psychotic at times but as this seems to be due to a very twisted relationship with Peter you can’t help but feel a little sorry for her. Particularly when it becomes clear that Peter has feelings for Wendy and will use Tink, who is in love with him, to win her over.

As well as the differences in the characters the world the author creates is also very unique. There is magic and magical creatures but these are much more dangerous than expected. There is a lot of violence in the story, mostly initiated by Peter, and there are some slightly gruesome deaths which make me think this would be more suited towards the older YA reader.

While I did enjoy the story however there were a few little things that niggled about the writing. My main critique being that I felt some of the descriptions went on a little bit too long and there were far too many similes. They worked well in terms of giving you a feel for the world but I thought they slowed the story down a little too much and I found my attention wandering.

I actually didn’t realise when I started reading that this was the first in a series (my fault as it does make it clear on the cover) so I was a little shocked at the suddenness of the ending and I have to admit frustrated to be left with a cliffhanger. I am however quite excited to find out what happens in the story next as we never really got to know the pirates side of the story and given the darkness in Peter I think it could be quite unexpected.

Definitely a book I’d recommend if you like a good retelling but be prepared for a sudden ending.

Book Review: The Perfect Match by Katie Fforde

January 2, 2016 Ali@abookishlife4 Comments

The Perfect Match by Katie Fforde

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I really hate having to give two stars to a Katie Fforde book but considering how much the whole thing annoyed me I couldn’t justify giving it any more. Sorry.

Before this book I probably would have rated Katie Fforde as one of my all time favourite authors. I don’t know whether her writing has changed or if my tastes have changed but this book just really didn’t work for me.

Synopsis

There isn’t really much of a story, a twenty something estate agent Bella goes to stay with her 60 year old Godmother Alice after leaving her previous home and job to get away from a man. She’s now settled, dating her boss and fairly happy finding houses for difficult clients but then the man she tried to get away from, Dominic, reappears in her life as the relative of a friend. You can pretty much guess what happens after that. There are sub plots about her boss (and boyfriends) dodgy dealings and her godmothers romance with a younger man but that’s about it.

Thoughts

The writing is pretty typical Katie Fforde style and is an easy enough read (although I was disappointed to find a few errors) but it’s starting to feel a little bit dated and old fashioned to me particularly compared to some of my more recent reads.

I think what really bothered me however was main character Bella, I just couldn’t understand her and she frustrated me so much that at one point I almost gave up on the whole book.

Firstly she left her home and her job and moved miles away because she had a thing for a married man and was heartbroken when his wife got pregnant. Nothing, other than a kiss under the mistletoe, had ever happened between them so I don’t understand what all the drama was about. I’ve had feelings for co workers (married and single) but have never felt the need to move home and quit my job to avoid them. Get over it, they’re married.

Secondly, after she was “forced” to leave her life and job due to a crush on a man she then immediately gets into a relationship with her new boss. Did she not learn to keep work and romance separate? As a result she puts up with a boyfriend she doesn’t love, who regularly insults her and treats her atrociously because she doesn’t want to lose her job and have to move again. I mean come on. Can someone be so silly and weak? Chuck him and if he sacks you sue him for all he’s worth (unfair dismissal, sexual harassment).

Finally she meddles in things that are either none of her business or should be reported to the police. I won’t go into details as it’s a bit of a spoiler but who in their right mind gets involved in someone else’s custody battle or confronts a criminal to ask them to stop breaking the law.

OK mad rant over, it’s safe to say Bella annoyed me. The romantic interest wasn’t much better. I can’t really think of much to say about him. He seemed nice enough but nothing particularly special or exciting. He’s not actually in the story that much and they don’t spend a lot of time together so not much in the way of conversation or spark. I’m not sure I believed the supposed attraction between them which I think was the point of the book but maybe I was missing something.

So to sum up I didn’t like the characters, there wasn’t much in the way of plot and I didn’t really feel the romance. Maybe I was just in the wrong frame of mind. Other Katie Fforde fans may still love it but this one just wasn’t for me.

Book Review: Dead Ringers by Christopher Golden

December 20, 2015December 19, 2015 Ali@abookishlife3 Comments

Dead Ringers by Christopher Golden

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was really excited to get a copy of this book. I love a good scary story and based on all of the great reviews I had high hopes.

Unfortunately it was not at all what I was expecting so I found it a bit disappointing. It’s actually one of those books where I feel like I’ve been reading something different from everyone else. I don’t know, maybe I was just in the wrong frame of mind when I started it and that influenced my reading but I found the whole thing a bit of a struggle.

Synopsis

When Tess bumps into ex husband Nick on the street she gets angry when it seems he’s pretending not to know her. She phones to give him hell but when she finally speaks to him she realises the guy she bumped into wasn’t him but his double. Chatting to friend Lili she finds out that people have reported her friend has a double. Tess and Lili decide there’s something sinister about these doubles and start investigating.

Meanwhile Frank, an old colleague of Tess, Lili and Nick, is confronted in his home by an intruder who has his face. Fake Frank holds him hostage in the basement and starts to take over his life.

As Tess and Lili step up their investigation they discover a connection to events in their past and have to face their fears and their doppelgangers if they hope to survive.

Thoughts

I’ve been going through a bit of a horror phase at the moment and was drawn to this story by both the blurb and the fantastic reviews. It’s described as a haunted house story with a twist which I have to say I don’t think it is. I was expecting the majority of the story to be set in a house with the danger coming from the mirrors. I had this idea of the reflections not imitating but seeking to escape and replace the originals.

In fact there is very little of the story set within a house. I would probably describe it more as a type of invasion of the body snatchers than haunted house tale. The idea of doppelgangers seeking to replace their doubles, while not original, is an interesting one. It has the potential to be creepy and menacing however I felt like that didn’t come across.

For me there were just too many things that didn’t work. I didn’t feel any real tension or emotion and I never really connected with any of the characters. To be perfectly honest I wasn’t too fussed who lived or died.

Every single character had some issue or past trauma that was almost constantly referred to and over analysed. I’m all for diverse characters but there were just too many issues among a small number of people for it to be realistic and it just wasn’t that relevant to the story. I’m of the view that you shouldn’t have to keep telling the reader about a character’s issues or personality traits. It should be obvious from their actions and their dialogue

I also thought they kind of over reacted to some of the early incidents. OK it’s a bit funny to bump into someone who looks exactly like someone you know but I wouldn’t think it would be as terrifying as it’s made out to be. It’s possible my stress levels at the moment are leading to a lack of empathy but I just didn’t find a lot of the supposed terrifying incidents that scary.

The dialogue between characters seemed a little clunky to me at times and I think the story suffered from a lack of description of both people and places. Some of the action sequences in particular were a little confusing and unclear and I would have liked a little more scene setting to help me imagine where they were and what was happening. I don’t know, maybe I just missed it or wasn’t paying attention.

There are a lot of 5 star reviews so it obviously hit the right spot for others but sorry it wasn’t for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

December 19, 2015 Ali@abookishlife1 Comment

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I kind of swithered between 3 and 4 stars but decided that I’d give it the benefit of the doubt as it’s Christmas and I suspect my enjoyment of it was reduced by the chaos around me at the moment.

This book is a mixture of different genres, fantasy, science fiction and steampunk with a bit of good old fashioned detective story thrown in for good measure so there is a lot going on. However the author balances all of these elements very well. It’s not perfect but it’s definitely got potential to be the start of a great series.

Synopsis

The story follows Irene, junior librarian at “The Library”. Her role is to travel to alternate worlds and seek out particular books to be added to the libraries collection.

Her latest mission, thrust upon her unexpectedly, is to seek out a copy of Grimm’s fairytales from an alternate which is very much like Victorian London. The main difference being that this world is infected with chaos (kind of like magic I suppose) which means the presence of Fae, Werewolves, Vampires and strange mechanical inventions.

It’s a world considered dangerous by the ordered and controlled librarians but Irene is assigned an assistant Kai to help her with her mission.

When they reach the world things are more complicated than they were expecting, the owner of the book has been murdered and the book stolen by an infamous thief. The race is on to track down the volume before anyone else can but there are other factions and societies who want the book and will go to any means to obtain it.

Thoughts

This book should have been right up my street. It’s about a librarian and books (what more do I need?) but for some reason it didn’t quite draw me in the way that I hoped it would.

The writing and characters are excellent. It did remind me a little of Jasper Fforde or Jodi Taylor in terms of style. It has that very British, formal, dry humour type feel to it which I do love.

The characters were very well described and well rounded. They all had their positives as well negative qualities. No one was perfect in anyway and there were chunks of good even in the villains.

I think where it lost me a little was the plot. It seemed at times like an awful lot of trouble to go to just for a book. I love my books and I understand that this is their vocation but I’m not sure I would be willing to do and put up with as much as they do. I found it difficult to be captivated by the hunt for a book.

The other thing which I thought made it a bit difficult to connect to was narrator Irene. As librarian she must be disciplined, in control and detached at all times. While I admire her dedication to her role it’s not easy to connect with someone so seemingly prim, proper and emotionless. My favourite moments of the story were probably those where she loses control or gets distracted and let’s her thoughts wander inappropriately, particularly in respect of her assistant.

Other characters were a bit more likeable and I have to admit to a soft spot for her apprentice Kai. I wasn’t too sure about him initially but loved him by the end. There is a lot of mystery around him which is fascinating and I can’t wait to see what happens with him next.

There was quite a lot of world building in this, the first in the series, which probably slowed things down a little but I think now that’s out of the way subsequent books will be better. I have the feeling that there is a lot more going on behind the scenes of the Library. There have been a few suggestions of a darker motive to it and some questions over the true motivations of the senior librarians so I will be interested to find out where the story goes next.

Thankfully I have the Masked City ready and waiting to start.

Book Review: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

December 6, 2015 Ali@abookishlife4 Comments

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

I’ve heard this book described as Mean Girls meets Groundhog Day but I think that does it a huge disservice. It is so much better than that. Don’t get me wrong, I do love both of those films but I feel like this book goes so much deeper. It drew me in completely and left me feeling a bit wrung out for days. It’s actually been more than a week since I read it and I still feel like I have a bit of a book hangover.

Synopsis

“Maybe you can afford to wait. Maybe for you there’s a tomorrow. Maybe for you there’s one thousand tomorrows, or three thousand, or ten, so much time you can bathe in it, roll around in it, let it slide like coins through your fingers. So much time you can waste it. But for some of us there’s only today. And the truth is, you never really know.”

The story starts very much like Mean Girls with main character Samantha Kingston at the top of the social pyramid. She and best friends Lindsey, Elody and Abby rule the school. They can do whatever they like and everyone loves them regardless. Most of the time it’s harmless fun but at others they are downright nasty. They don’t care about anyone else and have no idea of the consequences of their actions. They think they are immortal.

On the way home from a party one night however there is an accident and Sam dies….and then she wakes up and starts the day over. As the same day repeats over and over Sam begins to realise that all of her actions have consequences and that she has the power to change things. She has to find a way to end the cycle but can she save her own life or is she destined for some other purpose?

Thoughts

At the start of this story I wasn’t too sure about it. I wasn’t one of the popular girls at school so I didn’t really relate to Sam and if I’m honest I didn’t particularly like her or her friends. They were just so self centred, mean and irresponsible. Sam frustrated me as she was one of the few who’d gone from the middle of the school social hierarchy to the top and was happy to ditch her previous friends as they were no longer on her level. She actually argues that the school hierarchy is just preparing people for real life.

This, as well as my attitude towards her, started to change as she progressed through the novel. As the day repeats over and over again she moves through a mixture of emotions, denial, anger, depression and acceptance. Her character is forced to develop and with only a limited time left she starts to realise what really matters. At that point I couldn’t help but care about her. I loved the day she decided that nothing mattered and went completely off the rails but even more I loved the day she decided to stay home from school and spend the day with her little sister. That was the point at which my heart broke a little and I realised how much I wanted her to find a way to survive.

Lauren Oliver’s writing is incredible. I found it a little slow at the start but it’s like the rest of the book in that it gradually draws you in and makes everything feel so real. The dialogue and the relationships were very well developed and seemed completely believable. I particularly loved the relationship between Sam and childhood friend Kent who she ditched when she became popular. It was amazing to read Sam start to realise what an incredible and genuine person he was, unlike her boyfriend. The parts where they were together were my favourite of the whole story. I wanted their relationship to work so badly.

I want to talk so much about the ending of this book but I’m determined not to give any spoilers. Let me just say it was breath taking and absolutely perfect. I’m looking forward to reading more books by this author.

Book Review: Winter by Marissa Meyer

November 24, 2015November 23, 2015 Ali@abookishlife4 Comments

Winter by Marissa Meyer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is epic.

I’d been not so patiently waiting on this book for a while. I absolutely love this series and it feels like every book has been better than the last. The story just seems to build and build and I have to admit I was desperate to know how it would all end.

This book doesn’t disappoint. It feels huge, as all of the threads and characters from the previous books come together to reach a final conclusion which I thought was almost perfect.

A heck of a lot happens in this the final in the lunar chronicles. We have the long awaited visit to Luna, capture, rescue, tragedies, victories, rebellion, huge battles and throughout it all stories of friendship and love.

The standard of writing is consistently good and while the book is a lot bigger than the previous ones in the series it’s so easy to read and the story is so exciting that I flew through it in a couple of days.

My main criticism however and the reason for the loss of a star was that at times I felt there was too much happening. The narrative jumps between different characters so I felt like there wasn’t enough time to connect to one part of the story before you were jumping somewhere else.

While new character Winter gets a decent part of the narrative at the start it wasn’t quite sufficient for me to get a proper sense of her and it wasn’t long before we were off to Cinder and the other characters.

I felt that Cinder got the bulk of the attention which probably makes sense as she is the central character of the series. Her character has developed a lot over the books as she’s started to accept who and what she is and she develops further in this story but it seemed to me that the other characters were side-lined and became a bit less rounded.

My favourite characters are Cress and Thorne. I love them both individually and together and there just wasn’t nearly enough of them. Cress with her social awkwardness and desperate crush on Thorne has always been the one I relate most to and Thorne is the one who has always made me laugh, the flirty, loveable rogue. What there is of them is great, (like when Thorne takes his shirt off and Cress loses all thought) but I wanted more.

I suppose though that with everything that had to be crammed in there just wasn’t room. This story is a lot more serious than some of the previous ones and deals with much bigger issues and themes. The biggest being what are you willing to do and sacrifice to achieve your goal.

As it is the last in the series there is a big finale (which I won’t spoil) and the author wraps everything up nicely. I have the feeling though that there is scope for a spin off. I really, really hope that it does materialise as there are certain characters I want to see more of (no prizes for guessing which ones).

Overall I definitely enjoyed it but didn’t quite love it.

Book Review: Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

November 23, 2015 Ali@abookishlife1 Comment

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

This is actually a really difficult book for me to review as I have very mixed feelings about it. Parts of it I loved, others had me on the edge of the seat and some were a bit dull or frustrating.

Synopsis

The story follows Sky Davis a 17 year old who, having been home schooled is finally getting the chance to go to public school. She’s trying to keep a low profile but is drawn to bad boy and fellow student Dean Holder. There’s something about him she can’t resist but being with him starts to bring back feelings and memories from the past. With his erratic behaviour it seems like Dean may be keeping secrets from her too. Can they both get over their pasts?

Thoughts

So let’s start with the good. I really, really loved the authors writing style. She has that magical ability to draw you in to the story and let you feel what the characters felt in that exact moment whether it is anger, shock, passion or even happiness. I’m someone who reads for feels so her style is perfect for me.

I also liked main characters Sky and Holder. I thought Sky was particularly fantastic. Adopted at a young age by Karen, home schooled and with no access to technology such as a phone, TV or internet she is surprisingly confident, well adjusted (kind of) and self assured. She undeservedly has a bad reputation as a result of her friendship with neighbour Six but doesn’t let it bother her. To her it’s more important to be loyal to her friend than to worry about what others think. I loved how she dealt with the bullies as it gave me a giggle. Throughout the book I was impressed with how she dealt with everything and how she took action and control rather than letting things get to her.

Holder, I have slightly more mixed feelings about. He’s the mysterious stranger that Sky is drawn to even when she hears of his past violent behaviour. His behaviour is downright erratic at times but I did love how protective he was and how funny he could be.

The first half of the book where Sky and Holder meet and gradually form a relationship was the highlight for me. It’s funny, sweet and there are some serious sparks between them. The first half also included Sky starting school, learning to use technology, and meeting new best friend Breckin so there was a lot to love.

So what went wrong? Basically for me it all went wrong when the secrets came out. I’m not sure if it was supposed to be a shock but there were hints throughout the first half of the book which kind of gave it away. Once the truth was revealed I felt like the plot got a little bit ridiculous. There were too many coincidences and it felt like twist after twist was thrown at the reader. There was one part that I was totally shocked by but other than that it was too predictable.

To me the second half felt like a completely different book. Holden’s character seemed to switch completely and all of the other characters I loved disappeared and the focus was only on Sky and Holder. Breckin and Six were such interesting characters it was a shame they weren’t used more.

Overall therefore it was a book of two halves. The first half I loved, the second not so much but possibly it just wasn’t my type of story.