Book Review: Unrivalled by Alyson Noel

May 1, 2016 Ali@abookishlife3 Comments

Unrivalled by Alyson Noel

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Unrivalled is the first in the Beautiful Idols series by Alyson Noel. It’s set in the L.A. club scene and is all about the quest for fame and fortune and the lengths people will go to. It’s an enjoyable and easy read but despite my excitement there wasn’t anything that really wowed me. The writing is as good as I expected but I felt like it was a little on the slow side and the characters, while well described, were difficult to connect with.

I have a feeling though that this is just an introduction to the world and characters. The potential is there for a great series and I will definitely be looking out for the next book.Read More »

Book Review: The Sign of One by Eugene Lambert

April 11, 2016 Ali@abookishlife4 Comments

The Sign Of One by Eugene Lambert

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

I had high hopes for this book but unfortunately it didn’t quite live up to them. As a YA dystopian, road trip type book it should have been perfect for me but despite being well written I felt like there just wasn’t anything new or original. It’s possible I just picked this up at the wrong point in time but it left me feeling a little bit “been there, read that”.

It is a first novel from this author and there is potential, it’s just not quite living up to it yet.

Synopsis (Goodreads)

ONE FOR SORROW, TWO MEANS DEATH.

In the Barrenlands of Wrath, no one dies of old age. Kyle is used to its harsh laws, but the cold-blooded separation of identical twins and execution of the ‘evil twists’ at the Annual Peace Fair shocks him.

When Kyle himself is betrayed, he flees for his life with the reluctant help of Sky, a rebel pilot with a hidden agenda. As the hunt intensifies, Kyle soon realises that he is no ordinary runaway, although he has no idea why. Fighting to learn the hideous truth, their reluctant, conflicted partnership will either save them – or kill them.

Thoughts

At the start it reminded me quite a lot of the Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness as there are quite a few similarities in storyline. The main character Kyle is a teenage boy, growing up in a brutal land of settlers who feels like he doesn’t quite fit in. There is the fanatical religious belief, in this case that in every set of twins one is evil and must be executed, and secrets around Kyle’s past that make him unique. It even has Kyle going on the run and forced to team up with a girl his own age (Sky).

Where it differs though is that this is a much bigger book in terms of scale. The first book in Chaos Walking focused very much on one slow journey and the relationship that developed between the two main characters. This book also has a journey and a developing relationship at its core however it feels much wider and I’m not sure this is to its benefit as there is a heck of a lot going on.

It is the first book in a series so there is a lot of world building, possibly too much. The characters seem to travel around the whole planet and go from a fair in a mining town to barren wastelands, to a swamp, to a shanty town and a military base. As it is an alien land there are different plants, dangerous wildlife and advanced technology. That combined with a lot of characters, different factions and new terms and language make it a bit difficult to keep track of everything.

The writing is pretty good but I think it lacks a bit in terms of description, something which I very rarely say (I’m not a big fan of long winded descriptions of things). I found it difficult to picture the world and at times struggled to work out what certain things actually were (is it a plant? is it an animal?). I get the feeling that the author may have sacrificed some of the detail to keep up the fast paced action.

The story is definitely fast paced and a lot does happen in it but for me possibly too much. I think I would have preferred a slightly slower story with a bit more detail and character development.

The story is told from the perspective of Kyle who I have to admit I didn’t particularly like. Kyle was always playing the victim, “why is this happening to me”, “I don’t want this” etc and I think spent most of the story moaning. When he wasn’t moaning he was doing the most ridiculously stupid things ever. He does have some skills and knowledge but seems to lack common sense and a survival instinct. If anyone deserved what happened to them it was him (and personally I thought he got off quite lightly considering the fate of some of the other characters).

Unfortunately my feelings toward the female lead Sky weren’t much better. She is the tough girl, who has to put up with Kyle and spends most of her time teaching him about the world and keeping him alive. I do like a tough girl but she was maybe a little bit too unsympathetic and rude. She is passionate but has a bit of a tendency to over react which is a little annoying.

While there are a lot of other characters within the book I felt like they didn’t get enough development. They were introduced and then seemed to quickly disappear never to be heard from again. One particular, and very important, character towards the end literally just got a couple of pages. I think this is part of the reason that I couldn’t really connect with the story. I didn’t like the main characters and no one else was given enough time for me to get to know them.

This is the first in a series so I’m sure there will be a lot more development in subsequent books but I’m not sure I will be rushing out to get them. There just wasn’t enough in this book that was original and engaging to make me desperate to read on and find out what happens next. It’s too similar to a number of other books and is just suffering in comparison, or at least it is for me.

It’s not a bad book. In fact as a debut novel it’s a pretty good effort, I think I’ve just read too many great books recently that do it better.

I received a copy of this free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Flawed by Cecelia Ahern

March 28, 2016 Ali@abookishlife5 Comments

Flawed by Cecelia Ahern

My rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars

Flawed? Maybe a little, but it’s still a bloomin good read.

I’ve been a big fan of Cecelia Ahern for years and would count some of her previous books (PS I Love You & How to Fall in Love) among my all time favorites. Flawed however marks her first venture into the YA dystopian genre and I have to say that while I was so excited to read it I was also a little bit nervous. A lot of the time authors struggle when they venture into new territory but this is most definitely not the case here.

The YA dystopia market is pretty cluttered at the moment, with a new must read series out more or less every week (I have to say it’s one of my favorite genres) but in this case the author has managed to create a book that really stands out from the rest.

It has a fascinating and believable premise, is very well written (although I wouldn’t expect anything less) and had me gripped throughout. I’d meant to read it over the course of a week but ended up ditching all of my other commitments and plans to finish it within 2 days (would have been quicker but I do really need to go to work).

Synopsis

The story was actually somewhat different from what I was expecting from the blurb. I thought it was going to be about being externally flawless and genetic engineering but it goes a lot deeper than that. It’s set in a country where due to the corrupt and unethical activities of bankers and politicians (sound familiar) the world went into financial crisis resulting in civic unrest.

Fearful of a recurrence, the country where main character Celestine lives came up with the solution of introducing a new form of society and a new court system (the Guild). The purpose of the Guild is to identify those who are flawed, and by that they mean those who are morally or ethically flawed. There remains a separate legal system for criminal offences so this judges purely on ethics with punishment for things such as committing adultery, taking too many risks at work or making bad decisions.

If you’re found to be flawed, you’re branded with a letter F (reminiscent of the Scarlet Letter) which you must display at all times. Those with the brand are treated as second class citizens, shunned by the rest of society, subject to curfews, career limitations and innumerable other rules.

17 year old Celestine has lived her whole life by the rules. She’s the perfect daughter, perfect student, with the perfect boyfriend and wants nothing more than to fit in. However when a neighbor and family friend is suddenly apprehended and found to be flawed Celestine starts to wonder about the fairness of the system. This leads to a mistake on her journey to school which could lead to her being found flawed.

Thoughts

I thought the authors idea of the whole flawed justice system was very clever. There are a lot of references to current day events (the financial crisis, increased regulation and even reality TV) but there are also historical references such as the segregation that took place in the apartheid system. If I didn’t believe politicians were too corrupt and have too much power to prevent it I could actually see it happening. This whole idea was probably the most fascinating part of the book for me. The idea that certain people could judge what was morally acceptable and what was not was always going to be open to manipulation and corruption and that is what happens here.

It’s interesting to watch Celestine in particular going from the poster child and biggest supporter of the system to beginning to question it and inadvertently falling foul of it. For this reason she starts the book as an irritating goody two shoes but develops and grows over the course of the story into a much more likeable character. I did think she read a little bit young for her age (she seemed more 14 than 17) and was ridiculously naive and gullible at times but despite me regularly screaming at her not to be so stupid (in my head rather than out loud) I somehow ended up supporting her. Yes she over reacts and doesn’t always give people a chance to explain but she’s a teenager so what can you say 🙂

There’s quite a diverse mix of other characters in the book, the majority of which were also fascinating to read. Particular highlights were Pia Wang (a journalist), her mother (a supermodel) and her grandfather whose motives aren’t always too easy to judge. The weakest character in my opinion was actually her boyfriend Art. He’s the head Guild Judge’s son and the boy next door (actually across the street) but I found him a little bit on the dull side and couldn’t quite see the attraction. There is a little bit of the insta love thing going on but it doesn’t really get bogged down in the whole romance side when there are much bigger things going on.

The story itself is pretty fast paced and I found it completely addictive reading. I should add a warning that there are a few fairly graphic, violent and abusive scenes that some might find a bit much but I absolutely loved them (not sure what that says about me). I was on the edge of my seat thinking “no, that can’t possibly happen”. If I was someone who bites their nails I probably wouldn’t have any left.

Overall, while it does have it’s flaws, they are few and and pretty minor. I would definitely recommend giving it a try. Personally I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy. Flawed is out now.

Book Review: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

March 25, 2016March 25, 2016 Ali@abookishlife5 Comments

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Heartbreaking, beautifully written and absolutely incredible. I loved it from start to finish.

“Stories are the wildest things of all, the monster rumbled. Stories chase and bite and hunt.”

I picked this up around 11pm one night, intending to read a few chapters before bed. Two hours later my eyelids were starting to droop but there was no way I was going to stop reading. It pulled me into the story completely and just wouldn’t let go. As soon as I finished I wanted to flip to the beginning and start again.

Synopsis (from GoodReads)

The monster showed up after midnight. As they do.

But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting. He’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the one he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming…

This monster is something different, though. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor.

It wants the truth.

My Thoughts

I’ve previously read the Chaos Walking trilogy and absolutely loved it but a lot of people had told me that A Monster Calls was by far Patrick Ness’s best work to date. I had my doubts, as I’m always suspicious of books with a lot of hype around them, but I have to say the hype is well deserved.

I managed to get a physical copy from the library and it’s definitely worth it if you can get your hands on one. Just holding it and flicking through the pages had me intrigued. The illustrations are beautiful and somehow add something to the story. They make it feel more like a fairytale which, in many ways, it is.

The story itself is captivating. While it is fantastical, it does give a very real and very honest portrayal of a boy whose mother has cancer. I think most people’s life has been touched by cancer or some other kind of long term illness so it’s easy to relate to the emotions that Conor experiences. There were many instances when I was reading with tears running down my face. He’s very much on his own, his father has moved overseas, he doesn’t get on with his Grandmother, his friends at school avoid him and his teachers pity him. To make matters worse he’s having nightmares and is afraid to sleep.

And then late one night the monster comes. I won’t go into the purpose of the monster to the story as it would give away too much but I will say that it was not at all what I expected and yet in many ways it was.

While it is a story about loss, guilt and letting go it is strangely uplifting. There is a very strong message of hope and love that runs through the story. While it did make me cry I also found myself regularly smiling and by the end felt somehow more positive about life. If nothing else it definitely makes you appreciative of what you have.

Patrick Ness’s writing is, as always, beautiful. He has this incredible ability to make the most fantastic and unbelievable things somehow very real and completely believable. I absolutely love how he describes things (and I’m not a fan of a lot of description) but I especially loved the dialogue. Some of the conversations between Conor and the monster are absolute genius.

It’s not a long book and it’s a YA book so it’s an easy read but somehow it feels packed full. I think it’s probably one of those books I’ll re read as I suspect there are things I missed and I want to know them all. It’s definitely a book I’d recommend to everyone.

I have to admit I’m also pretty excited about the film which is due for release this year.

Book Review: Fairest by Marrissa Meyer

February 13, 2016 Ali@abookishlifeLeave a comment

Fairest by Marissa Meyer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another great story from Marissa Meyer this time from the point of view of the baddie.

Fairest is book 3.5 in the Lunar Chronicles and was intended as a bridge book between Cress and Winter. I somehow read them a little out of order and finished Winter before starting this but it probably doesn’t matter too much as this all takes place long before the other books.

Fairest tells the story of Levana and fills in a lot of the details of her childhood and how she became Queen of Luna. For anyone who has read the other books in the series you will already know a lot of it but this is the first time hearing it from Levana’s side. (For those who haven’t read the Lunar Chronicles, they are essentially retellings of classic fairytales with Levana the evil Queen from Snow White.)

I have to say it makes an interesting change to have a story told from the side of the villain. She does some truly terrible things in the other books (and in this one) but for most of this story I felt a lot of sympathy for her. She doesn’t have an easy time of it and comes across as lonely, damaged and desperate for someone to love her. While her actions are wrong you can understand why she acts as she does in both this and Winter, the final book in the series.

I think the “feels” in this book are definitely a mark of the quality of Marissa Meyer’s writing. It is, as always, fantastic and draws you into both the story and the emotions of the characters. I love how she always manages to work in references to the original fairytales while making the story and the world completely her own.

It is fairly short at just over 200 pages which is a pity as I could have quite happily read more about Levana but it’s a quick and enjoyable read. I look forward to seeing what Marissa does in her next series.

Book Review: Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom

February 8, 2016 Ali@abookishlife1 Comment

Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

This is a book with quite a bit of hype around it but the reviews seem mixed. There are a lot of “best book ever” type ratings and some “hated it” reviews too. I’m not really in either camp. I liked it, didn’t love it but didn’t hate it either.

It does have a lot of plus points which make it worth reading, a strong female character who deals incredibly well with a disability, a realistic romance and a strong friendship between a group of girls from different social standings. However while I absolutely loved main character Parker I thought it fell a little short in terms of the secondary characters. For a debut novel though it’s pretty good.

Synopsis (from GoodReads)

The Rules:

Don’t deceive me. Ever. Especially using my blindness. Especially in public.

Don’t help me unless I ask. Otherwise you’re just getting in my way or bothering me.

Don’t be weird. Seriously, other than having my eyes closed all the time, I’m just like you only smarter.

Parker Grant doesn’t need 20/20 vision to see right through you. That’s why she created the Rules: Don’t treat her any differently just because she’s blind, and never take advantage. There will be no second chances. Just ask Scott Kilpatrick, the boy who broke her heart.

When Scott suddenly reappears in her life after being gone for years, Parker knows there’s only one way to react—shun him so hard it hurts. She has enough on her mind already, like trying out for the track team (that’s right, her eyes don’t work but her legs still do), doling out tough-love advice to her painfully naive classmates, and giving herself gold stars for every day she hasn’t cried since her dad’s death three months ago. But avoiding her past quickly proves impossible, and the more Parker learns about what really happened—both with Scott, and her dad—the more she starts to question if things are always as they seem. Maybe, just maybe, some Rules are meant to be broken.

Combining a fiercely engaging voice with true heart, debut author Erid Lindstrom’s Not If I See You First illuminates those blind spots that we all have in life, whether visually impaired or not.

My Thoughts

It’s actually not the type of book I usually read. I do read a lot of YA but I’m not keen on stories about dealing with disability, illness etc. I feel like they are either trying too hard to be worthy, trying to fit in with a fad or jump on the band wagon of other similar stories (TFIOS).

What drew me to this story and what I liked about it is that while the main protagonist is blind that’s not really what the story is about. Parker Grant is not a woe is me type character. She’s not looking for anyone else’s sympathy and heaven help you if you break one of her rules. She’s a tough cookie and someone I’d probably be terrified of in real life. She speaks her mind, doesn’t care what anyone thinks (or at least acts convincingly like she doesn’t) and can be pretty fearless.

There is a lot of detail about what it’s like to be blind and the methods of coping with everyday life which I found fascinating but it’s really a story about growing up, working out what’s important and friendship.

There is a little bit of romance thrown in but it’s kind of secondary to the plot. If you’re looking instant love and happily ever afters this probably isn’t the book for you. If you’re looking for a story about close friends supporting each other no matter what it probably is.

Similarly Parker definitely isn’t for everyone. Personally I liked her a lot but I can understand why a lot of people don’t. She does change over the course of the story and becomes a bit softer and more likeable but to me it always seems more believable to have someone who isn’t perfect, who makes mistakes and learns from them.

There were a few bits that niggled me and I felt like it was a little bit light on some of the supporting characters as it’s pretty much all within Parkers head but I suppose it does in a way reflect how she sees the world.

It is an enjoyable read, I did laugh a few times and shed a few tears, but I didn’t love as much as others have. I suspect it might be geared towards much younger readers though.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: My True Love Gave to Me

January 18, 2016January 17, 2016 Ali@abookishlife3 Comments

My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Winter Romances by Stephanie Perkins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Yep, it’s safe to say that I’m very, very behind on my Christmas reading. It’s the middle of January and I’m only now getting round to finishing and posting my review of this book.

My True Love Gave to Me is a collection of twelve short stories by YA authors all themed around the holiday period. It’s quite difficult to rate this collection as it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Some stories I absolutely loved, some were ok and some I just wasn’t too keen on.

I have to admit before I start that I’m generally not a fan of short stories. They’re never quite long enough (I know they aren’t supposed to be) to really draw you in and let you connect with the characters. When they do draw you in, the ending always comes too soon. I want more.

Despite my general dislike of short stories I couldn’t resist this book as it included stories from two of my favourite authors, Rainbow Rowell (Fangirl, Carry On) and Stephanie Perkins (Anna and the French Kiss) and I have to admit I love Christmassy themed stories.

For the most part this collection didn’t disappoint. I won’t go through story by story but I will say that Stephanie Perkins and Rainbow Rowell did not let me down. Their stories, It’s a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown and Midnights were most definitely the highlights for me. They had very likeable characters and managed to suck me into the story and the emotion from the start. While I would like more (please) the length actually worked.

As well as discovering unsurprisingly that my favourite authors are fabulous I have to say that I was also impressed with some of the other stories. I particularly enjoyed Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus by Myra McEntyre as it made me laugh quite a lot and What the Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth? by Gayle Forman. I’ve never read anything by these authors but I’ll definitely be looking out for them.

The remainder were more of the ok level rather than anything particularly special. I felt that in certain stories things were a little bit too complicated and convoluted for a short story which put me off. Slightly worryingly there are also a couple I don’t remember (Jenny Han and Ally Carter) so I guess they weren’t great or terrible.

Regardless, it’s definitely given me a taste of a lot of new authors and my TBR list has grown exponentially.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a review copy and apologies for taking so long to post the thing.

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.

Sneak Peek: Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

December 7, 2015December 6, 2015 Ali@abookishlife3 Comments

Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

Release Date: 5th January 2016

Blurb from GoodReads

On a continent ruled by three empires, some are born with a “witchery”, a magical skill that sets them apart from others.

In the Witchlands, there are almost as many types of magic as there are ways to get in trouble—as two desperate young women know all too well.

Safiya is a Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lie. It’s a powerful magic that many would kill to have on their side, especially amongst the nobility to which Safi was born. So Safi must keep her gift hidden, lest she be used as a pawn in the struggle between empires.

Iseult, a Threadwitch, can see the invisible ties that bind and entangle the lives around her—but she cannot see the bonds that touch her own heart. Her unlikely friendship with Safi has taken her from life as an outcast into one of reckless adventure, where she is a cool, wary balance to Safi’s hotheaded impulsiveness.

Safi and Iseult just want to be free to live their own lives, but war is coming to the Witchlands. With the help of the cunning Prince Merik (a Windwitch and ship’s captain) and the hindrance of a Bloodwitch bent on revenge, the friends must fight emperors, princes, and mercenaries alike, who will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.

Initial Thoughts

This is a book with a lot of buzz around it and I think it will definitely be one of the big new releases in 2016. It’s certainly the type of book I’m excited about particularly considering it’s been given the seal of approval by Sarah J Maas one of my favourite authors.

I received an extended extract (about the first 15 chapters) of Truthwitch from the publishers via NetGalley and based on what I’ve read so far I think I’ll have to read the rest.

It certainly starts well with action from the very first page (Safi and Iseult are in the middle of a heist gone wrong). This is great as it gives a good sense of the characters and hooks you into the story from the very beginning. I do like a story with strong female leads and that is definitely the case with Truthwitch. What makes it even better is that these women seem to be true and loyal friends, something which is too rare in young adult fiction.

Truthwitch is set in a totally new world and has a very unique take on magic. There are a number of different lands and places as well as a lot of different types of witch and magic which I have to admit I found a little confusing. I probably would have preferred a simpler start with more gradual world building but I’m sure it will all make more sense once I get further into the story.

Overall it’s definitely a promising start and I’m looking forward to reading the rest.

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.