Tag: books

Review: Deadly Secrets by Robert Bryndza

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Deadly Secrets by Robert Bryndza

This may be book 6 in the series but DI Erika Foster shows no signs of slowing down and I think this is possibly my favorite so far.

Note: while this is book 6 in the series it can be read as a standalone so there are no spoilers in this review, although I do recommend the others in the series

THE BLURB

To commit the perfect murder, you need the perfect cover. 

On a cold icy morning, a mother wakes to find her daughter’s blood-soaked body frozen to the road. Who would carry out such a horrific killing on the victim’s doorstep?

Straight off her last harrowing case, Detective Erika Foster is feeling fragile but determined to lead the investigation. As she sets to work, she finds reports of assaults in the same quiet South London suburb where the woman was killed. One chilling detail links them to the murder victim – they were all attacked by a figure in black wearing a gas mask.

Erika is on the hunt for a killer with a terrifying calling card. The case gets more complicated when she uncovers a tangled web of secrets surrounding the death of the beautiful young woman.

Yet just as Erika begins to piece the clues together, she is forced to confront painful memories of her past. Erika must dig deep, stay focused and find the killer. Only this time, one of her own is in terrible danger…

MY REVIEW

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you’ve been reading this series you’ll be familiar with the format, it begins with a gruesome murder (beware Bryndza has upped the ick factor) and the discovery of a body. Erika who’s supposed to be on the way to Christmas lunch with her former boss and old police training pal, can’t resist getting involved and before you know it she’s leading the search for yet another serial killer.

Unlike previous books in the series however, this time Bryndza has put the focus almost entirely on the investigation and this is much more police procedural than thriller and personally, I think it is so much the better for it. There are still some chapters from the killer’s point of view but they’re fairly brief, give little away and are very chilling. It’s rare that an author can present a convincing view from inside the mind of a killer so I’m always happier to stick with the detectives, particularly those in this series.

The characters are definitely what I love the most about this series. They really are such a wonderfully diverse, interesting and well rounded bunch and I love how their relationships have evolved and developed over the series.

There’s a little bit less of Erika this time around as something in her personal life forces her to pass on the case to one of her team but, while less Erika seems like a bad thing, it actually added an extra element to the story as it allowed the personal side of her character to be developed while also providing a bit more insight into her backstory. It also had the benefit of giving some of the other team members the opportunity to shine. Moss, my favorite character, gets a much more prominent role which I really can’t complain about.

The case itself is an intriguing one and it really kept me guessing. There are a few clues and a few red herrings scattered along the way but I can honestly say my theories as to who the killer was were completely wrong.

You may be wondering why if I enjoyed this so much I couldn’t give the full five stars (believe me I wanted to). Unfortunately it suffers from some of the same issues the previous books had in terms of continuity errors (there are some disappearing shoes and inconsistencies in setting). I also felt that at times there was something off about descriptions of expressions and reactions but this may just have been me.

Despite these niggles this is a gripping read and one I’d recommend if you like a fast paced serial killer type story with quite a few twists and turns.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with a copy. As always all views are my own.

Review : Genesis (Project Nemesis #2) by Brendan Reichs

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Genesis (Project Nemesis, #2)

I wasn’t sure Project Nemesis by Brendan Reichs was a series I wanted to continue with but I’m so glad I did as book 2, Genesis, is absolutely brilliant. Packed full of action from the very first page to the very last and with more than a few twists this is seriously addictive reading.

Note: as this is the second book in a series there will be spoilers for the first book from here on in.

THE BLURB

Noah Livingston knows he is destined to survive.

The 64 members of Fire Lake’s sophomore class are trapped in a place where morals have no meaning, and zero rules apply. But Noah’s deaths have trained him–hardened him–to lead the strongest into the future . . . whatever that may be. And at any cost.

Min Wilder knows that survival alone isn’t enough.

Trapped in a violent world where brute force passes for leadership, it’s tempting to lay back and let everyone else fight it out. But Min’s instincts rebel against allowing others to decide who lives and who dies. She’s ready to fight for what she believes in. And against whomever might stand in her way.

MY REVIEW

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When I finished the first book in this series I have to admit I wasn’t sure I wanted to continue. I loved the premise but didn’t connect to any of the characters and felt there was maybe too much going on. I couldn’t however resist Genesis when it popped up on NetGalley as I was just too curious about where the story would go.

It turned out this was a very good decision as this is a very enjoyable read. It picks up not long after the dramatic conclusion of the first book with a bang (literally) and the pace never lets up. I will admit that I’d forgotten some of what happened (and what was revealed) in Nemesis so was a little confused in the beginning but it didn’t take long for me to get back up to speed.

I’m not going to say much about the plot but there are elements of Lord of the Flies, the Hunger Games & Battle Royale all mashed up with something quite unique and different. There are more than a few twists and turns and I loved how the dynamics of the various groups of characters changed and developed with each new reveal. I will admit I’m not wholly convinced by some of the science behind it but I was willing to go with it and it did answer a lot of the questions that I had from the first book.

There is a lot more action in this book and, I should warn, a lot more violence and death, some even I found shocking. It does however raise a lot of issues over how far you would go to survive or to gain power but also what you’d be willing to sacrifice for your beliefs and those you care about. I thought the way the author used a diverse mix of characters to demonstrate this was very well done.

Unfortunately though the number of characters in this book was also something I struggled with. There are various different groups and a lot of different names and changing allegiances to keep track of. I don’t have the best memory for names I’m afraid so I did get muddled on who was who from time to time before deciding it didn’t really matter and focusing on the main ones.

Like Nemesis, this book is told in alternating chapters from the povs of Min and Noah and they really are intriguing characters. Both have had similar experiences but react in different ways. Min is the steadier and more stable of the two and I loved how she held onto her morals and beliefs. Noah was however much more erratic and therefore interesting. It is so good to see a male lead who is so uncertain and anxious. He makes mistakes and deals with things badly but I still found myself rooting for him and hoping he’d come good.

I did feel some of the other characters were a little stereotyped and I would have loved to get to know them better but with so many characters and so much going on there just wasn’t time.

This is a seriously action packed and fast paced story and I pretty much read the whole thing in a day, I couldn’t put it down. It’s not perfect but it is a series I’d recommend. I’m hoping that there’s a book 3 as I want to know what happens next.

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

Review: Skin Deep by Liz Nugent

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Skin Deep by Liz Nugent

THE BLURB

The sinister new novel from the No 1 bestselling author of Unravelling Oliver and Richard and Judy Book Club pick Lying in Wait.

‘Once I had cleared the bottles away and washed the blood off the floor, I needed to get out of the flat.’

Cordelia Russell has been living on the Côte d’Azur for ten years, posing as a posh English woman fallen on hard times. But her luck is running out. Desperate to escape her grotty flat and grim reality, Cordelia spends a night at a glittering party. Surrounded by the young, beautiful and privileged she feels her age and her poverty. As dawn breaks she stumbles home through the back streets. Even before she opens her door she can hear the flies buzzing. It hasn’t taken long for the corpse in her bedroom to commence decomposing …

Liz Nugent’s novel is the dark, twisted and shocking story of what takes Cordelia from an island childhood in Ireland to ruins in Nice.

MY REVIEW

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

I’m at a bit of a loss what to say about this book as I’m not entirely sure what I thought about it. There were moments I loved but there were probably more where I felt a bit more meh and reading it became a struggle.

It’s possible I was just too excited about it and my expectations were too high. I absolutely loved Nugent’s previous book Lying In Wait so had really high hopes for this. It turned out however to be a very different type of read than I was anticipating.

It does begin with yet another fantastic opening line and a scene that draws you right into the action and it is a brilliant character study of a not very nice character but it just didn’t grab me the way I wanted it to.

Delia, the main character, whose story we learn over the course of the novel is certainly not likeable but for me wasn’t quite horrible or twisted enough for me to care about and I’m afraid it’s the characters who make or break a book for me. I don’t have to like them, in fact often it’s the nasty ones that intrigue me the most, but there has to be something about them that I either love or hate. Delia shows so little emotion and cares about so little that I found myself reflecting that back on the story.

There were moments and certain characters which intrigued me but as the story covers some 40+ years these were fairly brief and viewed through Delia’s uncaring eye.

Her perspective makes up the majority of the story but there are a few pages here or there from a different pov which give you their thoughts and feelings. These did bring additional insights but also felt quite factual and unemotional to me so I never really connected to those characters either.

What I did love however were Delia’s recollections of the stories her Daddy told her about the island she grows up on. It’s dark and violent folklore and really adds another element to the story. The superstitious and insular nature of such a small town community really fascinated me.

The pace of this story is slow and I can’t say I found it particularly exciting but the writing is good and the characterization brilliant.

I think this was just a case of not the right book for me or possibly just not the right book for when I read it. It is memorable for main character Delia and I think if you like a dark, cold and manipulative character whose actions are often shocking you’ll love this.

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

WWW Wednesday: 11th April 2018

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The WWW Wednesday meme is currently hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words and is a great way to do a weekly update on what you’ve been reading and what you have planned.

WWW Wednesday

To take part all you have to do is answer the following three questions:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently ReadingCall Me by Your Name

I’m on a little bit of a reading break at the moment while I catch up with reviews, blog posts, get ready for a holiday at the end of the month and try to figure out some other life stuff but I’m pretty sure I’ll pick something new up within the next day or two. It’s not a complete break as I am still listening to Call Me By Your Name by Andre Acimen on audio. I’ve only got about an hour left, so am very nearly finished but I’m not entirely sure what I think about it. It’s a tad over the top and a bit weird, there’s being a bit obsessed with someone and there’s being a creeper and it kind of feels like Elio’s a creeper.

I also seem to be having issues with either my phone or the Overdrive app as it keeps playing this at random unexpected moments and this is not a book you suddenly want blasting from your phone in the office or on the train.

Recently FinishedFrat Girl

The first book finished this week was Frat Girl by Kiley Roache which I’d received from NetGalley. I was really looking forward to this story about a girl who moves into a frat to prove how sexist and evil they are but unfortunately it ended up being a little bit of a let down. I’m loving the current trend for feminist reads but this lacked emotion and spent a bit too much time reciting theories and different opinions on the issues. I never formed any connection or attachment to any of the characters and consequently wasn’t particularly invested in the story.

Adventurous Proposal

After Frat Girl I was in the mood for something light and fluffy (and needed something for a challenge) so picked up Adventurous Proposal by Laura Barnard. It’s about a woman who when stood up meets another guy at the bar and they have such a great time they agree to get married within a month and get to know each other properly later. I did love the premise of this and it’s a quick and easy read but the fact that it was so short meant I never got into it. There are also so many doubts and twists that I didn’t feel any real spark between the leads.

The next book finished was another NetGalley pick, Sam and Ilsa’s Last Hurrah by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. Sam & Ilsa's Last HurrahIt’s about twins Sam and Ilsa who are throwing a final dinner party in their grandmother’s apartment before Gran sells up and moves to Paris and they head off to college/adulting. They can each invite three guests and it’s safe to say they’re a mixed bunch. There are ex’s, potential love interests and virtual strangers. I very much enjoyed this book particularly for the diversity in the characters and the interactions between them. The whole thing takes place over the course of an evening and within an apartment so it’s impressive that it manages to hold your attention. There were a couple of niggles and it’s not quite as good as Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares in my opinion but still worth a read.Genesis (Project Nemesis, #2)

The fourth and final book finished this week was Genesis by Brendan Reichs. This appeared on NetGalley and I couldn’t resist requesting despite having mixed views on the first book in this series Nemesis (you can read my review here). I am however really glad I did pick it up as it was such an action packed and gripping read. I did have a couple of issues, I’m not sure of some of the plot elements and I feel there were too many characters, but I did find myself becoming completely addicted as I had no idea where it was going to go. My full review will be up soon but I would recommend this series.

Reading Next

Due to my wandering off track a little my reading next list is pretty much the same as last week. I am however adding Red Sister to the list as I insanely requested and was approved for sequel Grey Sister (I really need to stop doing things like this).

The CraftsmanDear MartinLegendary (Caraval, #2)Red Sister (Book of the Ancestor, #1)

Have you read any of the books on my list this week? Any others you’d recommend? As always please feel free to leave comments and links below.

Happy Reading ❤

TTT: Ten Books I Loved but Probably Wouldn’t Re-Read

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Top Ten Tuesday is a bookish meme that was started by The Broke and Bookish and moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018.  It was born of a love of lists (something I share) and each week participants come up with a list of ten(ish) things based on a theme.

The theme for this weeks Top Ten Tuesday is Books I Loved, but Will Never Re-read. I do have a small pile of favorite books I’ll re read time and time again but I have to admit the majority of books I loved I’ll probably never pick up again. This may be because it’s too emotional (and I can’t go through that again), there’s a major plot twist or mystery central to the story (which I already know) or just because reading it the first time was such a wonderful experience I’m scared a re read would ruin my memory of it.

Me Before You (Me Before You, #1)

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes – This definitely falls into the too emotional to re read category. I’m a big fan of Moyes and this is my all time favorite book of hers but while I’ll watch the film over and over again I just can’t bring myself to read this again.

The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking, #1)

 The Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness – Like pretty much everything Ness writes this series is an absolute masterpiece. It’s just so wonderfully imaginative and unique but also completely real and believable. It is however far too emotional for me, particularly the first book, and I don’t think I could put myself through it again.

Beartown

Beartown by Fredrik Backman – this is an incredibly atmospheric book, the majority of which is a big build up to a pretty major event. As I know how everything falls out, I don’t think I would necessarily read it again (or at least anytime soon). I’m more excited about the sequel that’s coming out

A Gentleman in Moscow

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles – Reading this book about a Count in Moscow who’s sentenced to live out the remainder of his life in a hotel was an absolutely wonderful experience but I think it’s probably a one time thing. I really don’t think it would be as good a second time.

Good Me, Bad Me

Good Me, Bad Me by Ali Land – this mystery/thriller is fantastically dark and twisty but while I found the main characters voice so intriguing I know where the story goes so don’t think I need to read it again.

The One Memory of Flora Banks

The One Memory of Flora Banks by Emily Barr – This is another story about a young woman with a very unique voice. She suffers from a kind of amnesia which means she can’t hold on to memories for more than a few hours. She is a wonderful character and the book is so inspirational in a lot of ways but I kind of feel like I’ve been there and read that. I would maybe read little bits here and there but probably not the whole thing again.

Soldier (Talon, #3)

Soldier by Julie Kagawa – What I absolutely loved about this book, the third in the Talon series, was the ending. OMG, I don’t think I’ve ever read a book with such an edge of the seat finale. I was literally bouncing up and down, wanting to read but not wanting to read because I had a bad feeling. Given I have now finished it and read sequel Legion so know what happens I don’t think it would have the same impact if I picked it up again. I’m now anxiously awaiting Inferno as I want to know how it all ends.

Stillhouse Lake (Stillhouse Lake, #1)

Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine – This is a classic murder mystery brought right up to date. It’s fast paced, exciting and really keeps you guessing but now I know who did it I don’t need to read it again.

Ginny Moon

Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig – This story is completely unique as it’s told from the pov of a 14 year old girl with autism. It’s emotional, frustrating as hell and for me a one time experience that I don’t think I’d repeat.

We Were Liars

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart – I’m not going to say much about this as it’s impossible to avoid spoilers but I’d probably not re read it now I know what the main character can’t remember in the beginning (is that suitably vague)

So that’s my 10 books I loved but probably won’t re read, or at least not for a long time. You could probably add to this most sci fi and fantasy series, thriller/mystery and contemporary as I don’t tend to re read many books, only certain favorites. Do you have a stack of books you like to re read? Are there any books you would never re read?

Feel free to leave comments below and links to your top ten’s.

Teaser Tuesday: 10th April 2018

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Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purple Booker. If you want to join in grab your current read, flick to a random page, select two sentences (without spoilers) and share them in a blog post or in the comments of The Purple Booker.


This week my teaser comes from Genesis by Brendan Reichs which is the sequel to Nemesis (note the blurb below may have some spoilers). I wasn’t sure I was going to carry on with this series but I’m very glad I did. I picked Genesis up yesterday morning and literally couldn’t put it down. Talk about action packed. Anyway I won’t say anything else, I’ll just leave you with a teaser.

My Teaser

And so, once again, our truce was cemented by mutual hatred. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

~ 50% Genesis by Brendan Reichs

BlurbGenesis (Project Nemesis, #2)

Noah Livingston knows he is destined to survive.

The 64 members of Fire Lake’s sophomore class are trapped in a place where morals have no meaning, and zero rules apply. But Noah’s deaths have trained him–hardened him–to lead the strongest into the future . . . whatever that may be. And at any cost.

Min Wilder knows that survival alone isn’t enough.

Trapped in a violent world where brute force passes for leadership, it’s tempting to lay back and let everyone else fight it out. But Min’s instincts rebel against allowing others to decide who lives and who dies. She’s ready to fight for what she believes in. And against whomever might stand in her way.

Review: Sam & Ilsa’s Last Hurrah by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

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Sam & Ilsa's Last Hurrah by Rachel Cohn

THE BLURB

Sam and Ilsa Kehlmann have spent most of their high school years throwing dinner parties, and now they’ve prepared their final blowout, just before graduation. The rules for the twins are simple: they each get to invite three guests, and the other twin doesn’t know who’s coming until the guests show up at the door. With Sam and Ilsa, the sibling revelry is always tempered with a large dose of sibling rivalry, and tonight is no exception.

One night. One apartment. Eight people. What could possibly go wrong? Oh, we all know the answer is plenty. But plenty also goes right – in rather surprising ways.

MY REVIEW

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have a feeling this is one of those books you’ll really like or really won’t. I am a big fan of this writing partnership (I loved Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares) so I knew just what to expect and it didn’t disappoint. It feels like quite a short book, I seemed to fly through it, but given the whole novel takes place over the course of one pivotal night this is possibly no bad thing.

This is Sam and Ilsa’s last hurrah, the final dinner party they will hold in their Grandmother’s apartment in New York before she sells up and emigrates to Paris. This is also the last party before Sam and Ilsa and their friends head off to college or whatever adventure their future holds. It’s a chance to say goodbye but also to resolve their issues, get their revenge and settle scores.

They each invite three guests and it’s safe to say their choice of guests are interesting. There are best friends, potential love interests, ex boyfriends and a couple of wildcards (strangers they met and invited). It certainly makes for a rather charged and volatile evening.

I did love the amount of diversity in the characters, some of them are just so wonderfully out there. I will admit that at times it’s a little pretentious and a little over the top but I didn’t mind that. In some ways it’s like watching an episode of Dawson’s Creek. The language, emotional maturity and self awareness is a little unbelievable for a bunch of 18 year olds (would 18 year olds even throw a dinner party?). It is however very typical Cohn and Levithan, complex, emotional and incredibly engaging.

I’m not sure I could really say there was any character I particularly loved or could relate to, hence the 4 stars, but they all had interesting stories and backgrounds which were fascinating to read. I did find myself becoming emotionally invested, particularly in Sam’s story.

What I particularly loved though was how despite taking place within one building in one night the authors brought so much into the story and somehow managed to give such a sense of being in New York. The mix of characters, the building and its residents all just felt so right and so real you didn’t ever have to step outside.

I very much enjoyed this book. It may not have stolen the place of Dash and Lily in terms of favorites but with such an interesting mix of characters it’s still a pretty good read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy. As always all views are my own

WWW Wednesday: 4th April 2018

Ali@abookishlife23 Comments

The WWW Wednesday meme is currently hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words and is a great way to do a weekly update on what you’ve been reading and what you have planned.

WWW Wednesday

To take part all you have to do is answer the following three questions:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading

Sam & Ilsa's Last HurrahI finished a book pretty late last night (about 15 mins before writing this post) so I’m not 100% decided on what I will be currently reading when this goes up but I think I’m probably going to pick up Sam and Ilsa’s Last Hurrah by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. I received this as an ARC from NetGalley and it’s due for publication tomorrow so….

I have read around the first 10% (I was doing that picking up books then changing my mind thing) and I think it’ll make for a fun read. I already like Ilsa’s voice. Plus I am a huge big fan of the author’s other book Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares. Call Me by Your Name

On audio, I’ve started listening to Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman and am finding it strangely addictive. It is very focused on main character Elio’s infatuation with summer guest Oliver and I do find myself thinking get a grip, is that really all you can think about but there is something that draws you in even if it is a bit pretentious. I hadn’t realized it was narrated by Armie Hammer when I got this from Overdrive and while I do like his voice I’m not entirely convinced he’s the right narrator.

Recently Finished

The Ghost of You and MeEliza and Her MonstersSkin Deep

The first book finished this week was The Ghost of You and Me by Kelly Oram. I really, really liked this story about a teenage boy who died in an accident and comes back as a ghost to try and help his girlfriend and best friend to move on with their lives. It was sad as I expected but also very funny in places too. I do love Oram’s writing, it’s just so easy to read but full of feels.

The second book finished this week, Eliza and her Monsters by Francesca Zappia also turned out to be an incredibly emotional read, which I was not expecting. I kind of knew that there would be some kind of mental health element to the story, it’s about a girl who’s shy, weird and friendless, but it went a lot heavier than I was anticipating and really broke my heart towards the end. It was a fairly quick read and I think I blasted through the whole thing within a day (it was due back to the library) but I do feel I should add a warning that it could be triggering.

Skin Deep by Liz Nugent, the final book finished this week, was thankfully a less emotional read. If anything this character study of a sociopath could have done with a bit more feeling. I do love Liz Nugent and this is a fascinating read with a truly heartless MC but it never really grabbed me. My review should be up soon.

Reading Next

Unbelievably I’ve read or am in the process of reading everything I had here last week so I get to pick new books. I have to admit I mostly just want to read Legendary (the sequel to Caraval) but I’m going to try to pick up a few more of the ARCs on my NetGalley shelf before it gets completely out of control.

Frat GirlThe CraftsmanDear MartinLegendary (Caraval, #2)

Have you read any of the books on my list this week? Any others you’d recommend? As always please feel free to leave comments and links below.

Happy Reading ❤

Teaser Tuesday: 3rd April 2018

Ali@abookishlife7 Comments

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purple Booker. If you want to join in grab your current read, flick to a random page, select two sentences (without spoilers) and share them in a blog post or in the comments of The Purple Booker.


This week my teaser comes from Eliza and her Monsters by Francesca Zappia, a book that seems to have been on my wishlist forever and I finally managed to get from Overdrive. I pretty much finished this at the weekend but it is such a great book I had to use it for this week’s teaser. I found this such an emotional read, something I didn’t expect, I couldn’t help but love it.

My Teaser

Broken people don’t hide from their monsters. Broken people let themselves be eaten.

~ 82% Eliza and her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

BlurbEliza and Her Monsters

Her story is a phenomenon. Her life is a disaster.

In the real world, Eliza Mirk is shy, weird, and friendless. Online, she’s LadyConstellation, the anonymous creator of the wildly popular webcomic Monstrous Sea. Eliza can’t imagine enjoying the real world as much as she loves the online one, and she has no desire to try.

Then Wallace Warland, Monstrous Sea’s biggest fanfiction writer, transfers to her school. Wallace thinks Eliza is just another fan, and as he draws her out of her shell, she begins to wonder if a life offline might be worthwhile.

But when Eliza’s secret is accidentally shared with the world, everything she’s built—her story, her relationship with Wallace, and even her sanity—begins to fall apart.

Review: The Exact Opposite of Okay by Laura Steven

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The Exact Opposite of Okay by Laura Steven
The Exact Opposite of Okay by Laura Steven

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Possibly one of the most open, frank and honest YA books I’ve come across. It’s not a perfect read but it’s one that challenges expectations and I’m sure will generate discussion around some very current and relevant issues.

THE BLURB

Izzy O’Neill is an aspiring comic, an impoverished orphan, and a Slut Extraordinaire. Or at least, that’s what the malicious website flying round the school says. Izzy can try all she wants to laugh it off – after all, her sex life, her terms – but when pictures emerge of her doing the dirty with a politician’s son, her life suddenly becomes the centre of a national scandal. Izzy’s never been ashamed of herself before, and she’s not going to start now. But keeping her head up will take everything she has…

MY REVIEW

Hmmm… I have to admit I’m finding this book rather hard to rate and review. I do think it’s an important read, and I’d certainly recommend for the very current and very real issues it highlights but I’m not sure I would say I really enjoyed it.

It’s probably one of the most frank, open and honest books I’ve come across which is fantastic but it didn’t make for a particularly comfortable read. This is most definitely a good thing as it brings a lot of issues out into the open and makes you question your own views and judgments but I do feel like things were a little over exaggerated and the story occasionally lacked balance.

It possibly didn’t help that Izzy is pretty much the exact opposite of me, extroverted, always wanting to be the center of attention, open about everything, tells a lot of crude jokes and thinks nothing of getting drunk and having sex with someone (or two someones) she barely knows at a party. I couldn’t relate at all especially in the first half of the book and honestly if I met her in real life I’d be terrified (and probably a bit in awe) of her.

She is however the perfect character for this story as she challenges expectations. She’s not afraid to admit to what she does and is very open about her attitudes to sex and her body. I will admit I found some of her attitudes kind of shocking but only because it’s so completely different from what I know and expect, but again, I think this is the point. It shouldn’t be shocking for her to have those types of attitudes and my reaction just proves how ingrained this double standard is in our society.

There have been quite a few books recently which have dealt with this double standard, how boys will be boys while girls are sluts if they do, prudes if they don’t but I think this is the first book I’ve come across with a female character who is so sexually experienced and open about her enjoyment of sex. More often than not in these types of stories someone is falsely accused or slut shamed for something relatively minor like the way they look or a one off event. This book proposes the wild and wacky notion that actually some girls enjoy sex and are not ashamed of it (and they shouldn’t feel like they should be).

I also love how it raises the lesser known issue of the nice guy and the friend zone. The guy who believes you should be grateful to them (aka sleep with them) just because they’re decent and if you don’t there’s something wrong with you.

There’s a lot to think about in this book and it is a fast paced and easy read. I found my attitude towards Izzy changing over the course of the story and I really liked how she developed. I also have to say how much I loved the strong female relationships in the book, Izzy and BFF Ajita, Izzy and her grandmother and even Izzy’s relationship with a teacher.

There were a few elements that stretched credibility, I can’t believe this would have blown into such a big story and I can’t believe a school would act the way they did and there would be so little consequences for the person responsible for what is essentially revenge porn.  I also found Izzy’s voice a little too extra at times but overall this is an excellent read.

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