BLOODLINES by RICHELLE MEAD

Bloodlines

by Richelle Mead

Published: January 2011

Publisher: Razorbill

Genre: YA, fantasy 

*spoilers if you haven't read Vampire Academy*
Buy this book here*

"Sydney protects vampire secrets - and human lives.

Sydney belongs to a secret group who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the world of humans and vampires.
But when Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, she fears she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. What unfolds is far worse. The sister of Moroi queen Lissa Dragomir is in mortal danger, and goes into hiding. Now Sydney must act as her protector.
The last thing Sydney wants is to be accused of sympathizing with vampires. And now she has to live with one..." -taken from Goodreads

Bloodlines is the first book in the spin-off series to Vampire Academy, whilst a few of the characters from VA appear in this series it predominately focuses on new characters, or characters that didn't play a massive part in the other series, this book creates another dimension to the VA world.

Sydney, the main protagonist was first introduced in Blood Promise (from the VA series) and this spin off series focuses on the aftermath of helping Rose Hathaway with her predicaments from the previous series. Sydney is an Alchemist, which is a group that works alongside the Vampires and covers up any Strigoi attacks, however, they absolutely hate both the Moroi and the Dhampirs and think that they are an abomination. So when Sydney Sage is enlisted to help try and protect the next in line to the Moroi crown she isn't too pleased. Or so it seems. Her role in helping Rose has ensured that she is left throughly confused about if the Alchemists views on Vampires is entirely true. 

In Vampire Academy Sydney was a very odd, one-dimensional character with no real personality, however, this book she really gets to show herself off. She is annoying and flawed, like almost every protagonist in YA fantasy fiction, she is arrogant when it comes to her intelligence and sometimes her inner turmoil over the Vampires is a little frustrating, but totally understandable given the circumstances.

Adrian, for me is the real star in this book. I liked him a lot in VA but I absolutely love him in Bloodlines. I love that he is so flawed and a complete mess but he knows it and owns it. He has the best one liners with his sarcastic, witty usually rude remarks and always, always offers a sense of relief and entertainment. I am glad that he is finally having a life after Rose completely ditched him at the end of VA (nope, I'm still not over it). 

The plot in this book was brilliant, it was fairly slow at the start when it was setting the scene and the characters but as it progressed I was hooked. I like that although Sydney is the main protagonist, every other character like Eddie and Jill as well as Adrian all have their moments of spotlight and I really feel as if you get to know them all, rather than just getting one side of the situation. Its clever how even though it is all through Sydney's perspective you still feel as though you are getting to know the other secondary characters.

Overall, I was very impressed with this book and am extremely excited to continue on, I love Richelle Mead's writing and the way she world builds and her character progression is like no other.

4.5/5 STARS

On a side note though, I really wish that both this series and Vampire Academy have cover changes as they just really, really don't give an accurate representation of the book and I feel like so many people will be put off by the covers. 

2015 BOOKISH RESOLUTIONS

A new year, a new me. Or so the saying goes... whilst I don't believe that anyone fully changes on New Years Eve, I do enjoy setting particular goals I would like to achieve in the new year. 2015 is set to be a massive year for me personally but I almost never follow through with personal resolutions so instead I will set some goals for my reading instead.

1. In 2014 I set myself a goal of reading 30 books, which I achieved before mid year and so increased it to 45 and then just let myself see how many more I could read. I ended up reading 80 books which I am very happy with. This year I even debated not setting a Goodreads goal, but when the time came along I decided that I wanted to put my goal to 50 books, I feel like this is manageable because it is just under a book a week so hopefully it will be okay, however, I won't mind if I have to reduce the goal, its not set in stone or anything, but I feel happy.

2. As for the book buying, well that is something that definitely needs to be tackled, I expanded my collection by two whole bookcases this year, which is frankly ridiculous. I will not put myself on a book ban because I never stick to those and instead just think about the books I wish I could be buying and then binge when the ban ends and that defeats the whole object. Instead, I will place a limit, so for example if I were to buy 5 books at a time I will need to make sure I have read at least 1 or 2 before I consider buying anymore. Also, I will make sure that I read a lot of reviews and opinions before I buy a book I am unsure about rather than just buying it anyway and either being disappointed or it never getting read. There have been a few instants where I have purely only brought something because I saw one good review on it and then it ended up siting on my shelf unread for months and months.

3. Work on my blog more often and write reviews as soon as I have read the books instead of waiting a few months and then having to try and remember what I thought about them.

4. In 2015 there are a few books on my shelves that I definitely want to read, because they have been there for a while. They are...

• Gone by Michael Grant
• Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
• The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Braken
• The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon 
• The Kings Curse by Philippa Gregory 

5. I would like to read more graphic novels this year, I have enjoyed all the ones that I have read but I am often put off by the price so hopefully if I buy less novels I can buy more graphic novels.

That is about it, I can't think of anymore, the book buying will definitely be stunted because I will (hopefully) be going to university in September and will be living on a student budget, so it will be a case of buying food or buying books... I think we all know which is more important.......(books) I kid, I kid...

Happy new year!

TOP 10 BOOKS OF 2014

I read 80 books this year, which is a personal best, so I'm happy, I also surpassed my initial goal of reading 30 books in May and then increased it to 45 so to read 80 is amazing. I read so many great books this year and not that many rubbish ones so I think 2014 was a success in terms of reading. *These books didn't necessarily come out in 2014*

Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

This is my favourite book of this year and one of my favourites of all time. It was everything I could have wished for, it had fantasy, magic, assassins, brilliant plot and incredible characters. 

Read a full review here
Buy here

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas

If possible this one was even better than the first, I cannot wait to keep up with this series and just see it evolve and get better and better. The fantastical elements were more prominent in this book and I certainly enjoyed it.

Buy here

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

After the disappointment of the first five books of the Mortal Instruments it took me so long to pick up this trilogy, but holy crap, it was incredible and is in my top three trilogies of all time it was incredible, such amazing writing and characters. I would have preferred to have this be the long series rather than TMI but there we go.

Read full review here
Buy here

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

This is a spin off to The Vampire Academy series, and this is legions better than its predecessor, each book gets better and better than before, the writing is much more advanced and the plot is much darker. 

Buy here

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

My favourite contemporary book of all time. I love how the characters are independent and the character progression is something realistic but also exciting. I like that this isn't a love story it is a story about friendship.

Read full review here
Buy here

Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman

A thrilling historical fiction set in my favourite period of history. A winner all round. I think it could have served well as a stand alone actually but it does set up the next book well. It was intriguing to see another side of Hitler that I personally haven't read before.  

 Read full review here
Buy here

Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

Brilliant conclusion. Couldn't have asked for anything else. The characters all ended up in the correct situations, I did feel sorry for Adrian but then he was being set up for being in the spin off series "Bloodlines". 

Buy here

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

If you would have said to me before this book that a Mortal Instruments book would be on my top books of the year list I would have laughed because before this one they just simply were not up to the hype (in my opinion) but it is obvious that after writing The Infernal Devices, Clare had developed her writing and this book was amazing. It was a very acceptable conclusion, although I had issues I basically inhaled this 700+ paged book in less than 24 hours.

Read full review here

Buy here

Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

Another amazing conclusion to a brilliant series that is unlike anything that I have read before. This is not just a middle grade book, it had depth and laughs, you can also learn a lot whilst reading. I think that this should be read more in schools because honestly the lessons you learn about friendship and bravery as well as all about the Greek myths is unparalleled to anything I've read before.

Read full review here
Buy here

The Jewel by Amy Ewing

I was super excited to read this book when I found out about it and for me it did not disappoint, it was exciting, well written and the plot was interesting and the world building was pretty on point. The love interest was a bit naff but I can't wait for the next instalment. 

Buy here

Like these books? Buy now at Wordery*

*affiliate links used

THE LEMON GROVE by HELEN WALSH

The Lemon Grove
by Helen Walsh
Published: February 2014
Publisher: Tinder Press
Genre: Adult, contemporary
 "The story takes place over one week in the heat of Deia, a coastal village on an island off the southeast coast of Spain. Jenn and Greg go for a break to enjoy languorous, hot afternoons by the pool. But the equilibrium is upset by the arrival of Greg's daughter (Jenn's step-daughter), Emma, and her boyfriend, Nathan. Jenn is in her early 40s, loves her husband and her daughter and she is content, to an extent. But when this beautiful, reckless young man comes into her life, she is driven by a sexual compulsion that she's seldom felt since adolescence. The holiday progresses and her world is thrown into tumult as the lines blur between desire and obsession--it is not just the idea of sexual fulfillment that Jenn finds attractive but the suggestion of youth: by Nathan's side, Jenn is young and carefree once again, and at this stage in her life, the promise of youth is every bit as seductive as the promise of passion. What follows is a highly charged narrative liaison that puts lives in jeopardy and percolates with just enough sexual tension to make it impossible to put down." -taken from Goodreads

I only really picked this book up because I have seen it everywhere recently and so I wanted to see what it was about. All I really knew was that the stepmother starts to have an affair with her daughter's boyfriend when on holiday.

I don't really think that this book had much depth at all, I felt like it was just trying to achieve the shock factor but the relationships between the characters were not very well developed and were rushed. The only thing that was fairly well done was the descriptions of the location, but even they were boring.

There was no progression of feelings from Jenn about Nathan, it just sort of happened, it could have been explored with so much more passion and feeling, but it just fell flat. The blurb says that this is a 'highly charged narrative', I honestly don't understand how that can be said when there was nothing of the sorts.

This was quick paced read that lacked anything special. I would give this a miss because even if you are into erotica, even those scenes were rushed and just tacky. I understand why it had such a buzz to it because the plot is so taboo but it could have be done so much better and so much more realistically.

3/5 STARS

Harry Potter: The covers

Harry Potter is unarguably one of the most, if not the most, successful children's book series of all time. It is common knowledge that JK Rowling was the first author to become a billionaire from writing (she has since given a way a large chuck of that is now a millionaire) but what is also common knowledge is that JK Rowling wrote a world that children and adults alike that they could let their imaginations sore and escape into the most wondrous world imaginable. The books have spun an eight film series that has made billions of pounds as well as a theme park and a successful studio tour, whilst the books and films have finished, the story lives on.

But you knew that already, of course, what I want to look at today and hopefully I will continue doing this with other books is looking at their covers both in the UK and the USA. They say we should never judge a book by its cover but that is the primary thing that the book is marketed by and the first thing to bring the book to the attention of the reader.

Because there have been so many covers I will just show you the first in the series, which in this case is Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

All of the release dates were taken from Goodreads so apologies if they are wrong. 

I currently own the complete set of the original covers (1997), complete set of the signature collection in the box set (2010) and the American original cover of the first book (1999) as well as a Welsh edition with the same cover as the 1997 one. However, I really want the American new box set (2013) because they are just beautiful and I love the illustrations and also I think I may get the new British covers as well (2014) but who knows.

It's totally okay to have more than one copy of your favourite books!

ROOMIES by SARA ZARR AND TARA ALTEBRANDO

Roomies
by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando
Published: July 2014
Publisher: Hodder
Genre: YA, Contemporary

"It's time to meet your new roomie.
When East Coast native Elizabeth receives her freshman-year roommate assignment, she shoots off an e-mail to coordinate the basics: television, microwave, mini-fridge. That first note to San Franciscan Lauren sparks a series of e-mails that alters the landscape of each girl's summer -- and raises questions about how two girls who are so different will ever share a dorm room.
As the countdown to college begins, life at home becomes increasingly complex. With family relationships and childhood friendships strained by change, it suddenly seems that the only people Elizabeth and Lauren can rely on are the complicated new boys in their lives . . . and each other. Even though they've never met." -taken from Goodreads
I was pretty excited about this book as the synopsis sounded really intriguing. I thought that it was a really clever way of showing the experience of getting your college roommate and knowing that you will have to spend the next year with them despite not knowing anything other than their name.

This is a fun and quite addicting read about friendship and relationships as well as dealing with leaving home for the first time. I really enjoyed the duel POV as you were able to see obviously two sides of the story and to see how they both reacted to each other's emails.

I wouldn't necessarily say that I liked one more than the other because they both had moments were I thought that they were being irritating but then they also had their moments that were funny and real. I guess that is what I appreciated the most about this book is that the characters are both very real with real problems. The love interests weren't that developed or gave me a strong enough feeling to want to root for them working out but then I don't think that is the point in the story.

This book is about growing up and the summer before one of the biggest events in a teenagers life. It was fun, easy and slightly addicting, its nothing particularly memorable or brilliant but just an easy to read book that did the trick.

3.5/5 STARS

*this book was sent to me in exchange for an honest review*

THE CURE FOR DREAMING by CAT WINTERS

The Cure For Dreaming
by Cat Winters
Published: October 2014
Publisher: Amulet Books
Genre: YA, historical fiction, with hints of fantasy

"Olivia Mead is a headstrong, independent girl—a suffragist—in an age that prefers its girls to be docile. It’s 1900 in Oregon, and Olivia’s father, concerned that she’s headed for trouble, convinces a stage mesmerist to try to hypnotize the rebellion out of her. But the hypnotist, an intriguing young man named Henri Reverie, gives her a terrible gift instead: she’s able to see people’s true natures, manifesting as visions of darkness and goodness, while also unable to speak her true thoughts out loud. These supernatural challenges only make Olivia more determined to speak her mind, and so she’s drawn into a dangerous relationship with the hypnotist and his mysterious motives, all while secretly fighting for the rights of women. Winters breathes new life into history once again with an atmospheric, vividly real story, including archival photos and art from the period throughout." - taken from goodreads

Wow. This is an important book. At first when I requested this book I must admit it was purely a cover decision, I thought it was going to be a fun horror novel. Oh my goodness was I in for a treat, because no, this is not a stereotypical horror novel with ghouls and monsters, but instead it is a horror novel about oppression and inequality. The horror is the injustice of what life used to be like before people had any sense. This is a book to make you talk and to make you think. I think it's going to be massive.

I have recently been reading up on feminism and the feminism movement and after reading this book it made me realise that unless there were no women to fight for the right to have their voice heard then just imagine how different life would be. The world (or at least 'first-world countries') has come so far since then, we have a long way to go before women are completely equal, but we have come so far and it is important to remember that. However, not only does this book bring up the issue of feminism, it also brings up the vote in general. I live in the UK and every time there is an election the number of people who have registered to vote dwindles rapidly, THIS IS NOT OKAY. People, not just women, but people, have fought to get the vote and to have the freedom to have their say in how the country is ruled and by not voting you are insulting them and being foolish, do not not vote just because it is easy, vote because you can and because you should.

Back to the actual book, the plot is very well thought out and it is clear that the novel has been researched extremely meticulously. A very nice aspect of the book is the pictures and diagrams from the period of the novel that are scattered throughout, it brings an interesting aspect to the novel. Olivia, the main protagonist, is a strong-minded woman who goes on such a journey throughout this book and I am so, so happy that even at the end she is independent and going out by herself. Henri and his sister, along with Frannie, are all brilliant and fun additions to the story and whilst not overly developed, because they don't really need to be, they help Olivia on her journey of escaping the ghouls that haunt her. Olivia's father was a monster, he is probably one of the worst characters I have read about, because of how 'normal' he seemed and at times I feared for Olivia and what he would do next. It so scary to think that there were actually men who had the same opinions and 'values' that he did and I really would like to think that there isn't any anymore, but I cant be too sure about that.

Overall, if you are thinking about reading this then do it, just pick it up and become enthralled and I challenge you to come away from it without thinking about the bigger picture that this book creates.

4.5/5 STARS

*this book was sent to me in exchange for an honest review*

JULY AND AUGUST WRAP UP

Apologies for not posting a July wrap up last month but I was on holiday and it seemed silly putting it up half way through August. So here is my combined wrap up for the two months, I did really well in July as of course I was on holiday and had nothing else to do but I have had two pretty good reading months, until the end of August when I just couldn't seem to get in to a book.

JULY

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Read my review here. I am so in love with this trilogy and this was just as amazing if not even better than the first book. Honestly it baffles how Cassandra Clare wrote these books at the same time as the Mortal Instruments as these are just on another level.

5/5 stars

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Read my review here. This was a brilliant conclusion for the trilogy, I was slightly concerned because I thought that I had heard a spoiler but when I actually read it I realised that it never actually happened, so I was pretty excited by that and also this was so beautiful and I miss Jem and Will now. Honestly read these even if you didn't like the Mortal Instruments because these are about a billion times better!

5/5 stars

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Read my review here. At first I was unsure. The Russian names were confusing and there wasn't any explanation of the way of Grisha or the army, but at about 50 pages onwards the explanations came and so did my interest with the story.

4/5 stars

Four: A Divergent Story Collection by Veronica Roth

Read my review here. It was really interesting to see this side of Four, it makes me wonder how Veronica Roth was able to write Four so well in these novellas, but completely destroy him in Allegiant. I don't know who the Four in Allegiant was but he certainly doesn't fit in with the Divergent, Insurgent or the Four from these novellas at all. I can only imagine what Allegiant would have been like if she had written him then as she has here.

4/5 stars

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Read my review here. I was really impressed by this, I was looking for something slightly lighter to read but still have a slight edge to it and this book is so perfect for that. It was fun, light hearted but also had moments of urgency and intrigue.

4/5 stars

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

For a second book in a trilogy, which is usually just a filler book, this tried its hardest to try and be just as epic as the first whilst still trying to hold off until the next book for anything major to happen really well.

4/5 stars

Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski

Read my review here. This was a really fun contemporary YA book with a bit of a twist to it, I enjoyed it and think it was the perfect summer book when I was approaching a slump in my reading. 

3.5 stars

The Elite by Kiera Cass

Again, this was surprising enjoyable, my only issue is that I wish that America was more assertive with her decisions, occasionally I found myself getting irritated that she kept changing her mind.

4/5 stars

The One by Kiera Cass

Read my review here. I really, really enjoyed this trilogy and this final book was a brilliant conclusion. The whole trilogy is such an easy read and although it has its imperfections it has done the trick and I am left very entertained and very surprised by how much I liked it.

5/5 stars

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

Read my review here. I was a little bit disappointed with this book as I just felt like the ending was a bit of a cop out and the main protagonist deserved so much more and occasionally I did find myself getting a little bored.

4/5 stars

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

I really liked finding out more about Sydney. There have been comparisons to it being too similar to Vampire Academy but to be honest I really don't agree, I think that this series will delve into the world more and introduce characters that are just as brilliant. Also it has Adrian in it which is always a positive

4.5/5 stars

The Lemon Grove by Helen Walsh

This was such a bleh book, I felt like it was just trying to shock people rather than focus on a good developing plot with strong characters.

3/5 stars

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Normally I don't like having masses of war talk in books but in this book it was never boring but clever and action packed. The characters although have flaws were normal and realistic when you consider their position. I am looking forward to the next book coming out as this was very enjoyable and I can see it will be a very good trilogy if it carries on with the standard of this book.

4.5/5 stars

AUGUST

The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead

Yet another fantastic addition to this already super developed world. I love these characters so much more than in Vampire Academy as everyone gets their chance to shine and the plot is just so much more fast-paced.

4.5/5 stars

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Oh god this was such a brilliant book. Definitely my new favourite young adult contemporary book. I loved the way that it was written, the characters all had personality and flaws, they had fantastic relationships, amazing plot and I loved the progression of Emily's character throughout the book, from being unhealthily dependent on Solane to being a strong, independent teenager with friends who she makes memories. She is no longer known as 'the girl who is friends with Solane' but known as Emily instead. Argh all the characters and everything about this book was amazing and I loved it.

5/5 stars

Obsidian by Jennifer L Armentrout

There was a bit of insta-love in this book but honestly it didn't really bother me too much, the aliens in this book weren't corny, which is the reason why I hadn't read a book about aliens. This was really easy to read and whilst not fantastic and flawed it was entertaining.

4/5 stars

Onyx by Jennifer L Armentrout

Obviously this series is not perfect and occasionally the descriptions of Daemon and her love get a little nauseating, the action and plot are undeniably good. I missed Dee in this book though and I can't help but feel that Katy is so focused on herself as to forget her friend, I really hope she sorts that out in the next book because Dee is going to need a friend.

4.5/5 stars

Opal by Jennifer L Armentrout

I have my issues with them, specifically in this book with Daemon constantly telling Katy she cant do something because it is dangerous. Well duh, you're an alien and she is a hybrid, its hardly going to be a walk in the park.

4/5 stars

We Were Liars by E Lockhart

This book is so hyped and I was so excited to read it. To be honest I understand why no one tells you the plot, it's probably because they have no idea what the hell actually happened. That ending oh my god that ending was like "wwwhhhhaaattt????!!!"

4/5 stars

Roomies by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando

This was an addicting book. Full of drama and friendship and crazy teenage drama. It was fun, well written and well though out. But not really anything that individual or particularly memorable.

3.5/5 stars

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Wow, so I decided to pick this up because of the upcoming movie release and oh my this is a total emotional roller coaster. I love Mia I think she is such a brilliant person and so real and that is what makes this book so undeniably sad and just amazing.

5/5 stars

Anya's Ghost by Vera Brogsol
This is a really interesting graphic novel. One of the first that I have read that hasn't been in colour as that is generally what I prefer, whilst this graphic novel hasn't changed that opinion completely, I will certainly be less resistant to buy a black and white novel in the future. The colour scheme, or lack of really complimented the story because I think it showed both Anya's and Emily's thoughts and mirrored the lack of colour they saw in life. Really short, easy, fun story and I really liked the illustrations, they kind of reminded me of the Scott Pilgrim drawings
4/5 stars

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
This is a soft, contemporary novel that has great characters, a fun plot line and a reasonable romance. However, towards the end of the book the romance got a little too much and a bit too soppy. I don't like it when authors make contemporary book from a teenagers perspective and make their love seem so pure and poetic because it just isn't that way at all. That was my only issue though and I liked the way this author wrote so I will be picking up more of her books.
4/5 stars

I have written reviews for most of these books and if the links haven't been given then the posts just haven't been published yet, so when they have I will keep adding to it, if not check out my blog on Thursdays for new blog posts!

Discussion: Amazon or Bookshops?

I was asked to participate in a group blog post over at BloggersBookshelf  about buying books online or in bookshops, so I thought I would expand on my answers here. (If you want to see the post that sparked this click here.)

Online or in store?

I usually buy my books online, usually the book depository because of the free shipping (and the free bookmarks) but also Amazon and the BookPeople (I choose whichever is cheaper at the time) but I only really shop online because it is cheaper and usually they have a wider range than at my local Waterstones or WH Smith. However, I do make sure that I purchase at least once from a bookshop, if I was to be making more than one order of books a month. Where I live there isn't any independent bookshops as they have all closed down, and to be honest there wasn't that many of them in the first place. I love independent bookshops as they are all unique and no two shops are the same and I wish there were more campaigns like Books Are My Bag to help the indie shops stay alive and booming. 

E-books or physical?

I use to have a Kindle but sold it because I just never used it so instead I now have the Kindle app on my IPad but I very rarely use it unless there are books I am unsure about, if I read them on the kindle and like them then I will always buy a physical copy. I also used my kindle app to read Game of Thrones and will continue to do so even though I have all the physical copies because they are too heavy and I was taking them to school so it was more convenient. I would consider myself a collector of books and I like to be able to see my selection in real life to choose what I want to read. I understand why people now prefer to get ebooks because in the world that we do, people will find anything to make things more convenient and for a cheaper price and ebooks offer that option. Although saying that I am not under the impression that books will ever stop being produced, at least not in my lifetime, because for every ebook buyer there is a physical copy buyer as well. 

To be honest, as long as people are reading and enjoying the novels that authors pour their hearts and souls into then I am not really concerned about how they get it or through which median as long as they are buying them and contributing to the industry and giving the author the money for their work I am not bothered. Reading should be encouraged and never looked down upon regardless as to HOW or WHERE you get your books.

SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE by MORGAN MATSON

Since You've Been Gone
by Morgan Matson

Published: May 2014
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Genre: YA, Contemporary

"It was Sloane who yanked Emily out of her shell and made life 100% interesting. But right before what should have been the most epic summer, Sloane just...disappears. All she leaves behind is a to-do list.
On it, thirteen Sloane-inspired tasks that Emily would normally never try. But what if they could bring her best friend back?
Apple picking at night? Okay, easy enough. Dance until dawn? Sure. Why not? Kiss a stranger? Um...Go skinny-dipping?
Wait...what?"- taken from Goodreads
First of all I just want to say that after reading this fantastic book it is now my favourite contemporary novel to date. It was fun, happy and totally light-hearted, which is exactly what I am looking for in a contemporary novel. Too often, these types of books rely on making the romance the main compartment in the book when in actuality this book focused on friendship and the coming of age of the main protagonist, Emily.

To start with Emily was unhealthily reliant on Solane and was almost a shell of person but throughout the book, without her even realising she was becoming an individual who can hold herself with her own friends who appreciated her for her and not because of who she was friends with. This isn't to say that Emily didn't still have flaws even at the end of the book because of course she did, what teenager do you know that is the model representation of a teenager?

The friends that Emily makes on the way of her completing her list are equally as imperfect as Emily but their friendships and the interactions between them all are hilarious, real and caring towards each other. Yes, they have their arguments and disagreements but thats fine because they all help each other to better themselves. I actually disliked Sloane more than I liked her, I think she was selfish for always just assuming that Emily would go along with everything she did. To be honest I never felt like in any of the flashback chapters when Emily is reminiscing on why certain things are on the list, that Sloane ever really wanted to give Emily a chance to shine.

Some people who have read and reviewed this book mention that they don't like the fact that at the end of the book there isn't closure with all of the characters and you aren't entirely sure if all is rosy in their garden but I don't think that is an issue, in some ways its what makes this book even more real and relatable because in life not everything is resolved with a simple 'sorry' or within a few days and I appreciated that because it did what a lot of YA contemporaries are afraid to do and that is not wrap everything up with a pretty ribbon just because it is the end of the novel. One thing for certain is that I am about to go and buy everything that Morgan Matson has ever written because if they are as good as this then I will certainly be very happy.

5/5 STARS

THE ONE by KIERA CASS

The One
by Kiera Cass
Published: June 2014
Publisher: Harper Collins
Genre: YA, dystopian
*This will be a spoiler free review UNLESS you haven't read the previous two books*

"THE SELECTION changed the lives of thirty-five girls forever. Now, only one will claim Prince Maxon’s heart…
For the four girls who remain at the palace, the friendships they’ve formed, rivalries they’ve struggled with and dangers they’ve faced have bound them to each other for the rest of their lives.
Now, the time has come for one winner to be chosen.
America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown – or to Prince Maxon’s heart. But as the competition approaches its end and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realises just how much she stands to lose – and how hard she’ll have to fight for the future she wants." -taken from goodreads

This is the final book in the Selection trilogy and it concluded remarkably well. This was by far the best book in the trilogy and I really felt like it this one had far more action and plot than the other two. I felt like their was so much more development with the characters, especially the other contestants in the Selection.

There was a little bit more of a development with the world and the Rebels which was done pretty well but still didn't make the read totally dark as most dystopians are.

Maxon was always my choice right from the start, I never really got Aspen and America's relationship at all I thought that Aspen was so obnoxious and irritating, he had no personality other than acting like the hard shipped six.

I did think that Americas's humility did her well but occasionally it did seem as if she was trying too hard to be the selfless lower caste.

Anyway, all in all I think that this trilogy is a really easy light read that has kept me entertained and although yes, it does have its imperfections, it will be a great re-read and I did really like it.

5/5 STARS

RUIN AND RISING by LEIGH BARDUGO

Ruin and Rising
by Leigh Bardugo
Published: June 2014
Publisher: Indigo
Genre: YA, Fantasy
*contains spoilers*

"The capital has fallen.
The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.
Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.
Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.
Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for." -taken from Goodreads
This is the final book in the Grisha trilogy, the epic conclusion, although probably not quite so epic. There was something about this instalment that just fell flat for me, I did find myself becoming bored and pushing myself to finish, which I didn't have to do with the other two books. However, before I start with the negatives, there were some very obvious positives, mainly to do with the characters. 

If I am being totally honest the side characters made this book rather than the protagonists, Alina and Mal and even the Darkling. Zoya, Genya, David and the Twins were all hilarious, witty and strong. They all had totally different personalities but worked well together and offering quick one-liners that brought some comic relief in an otherwise dark book. Baghra, proved to me even more that she is badass and can look after herself far better than anyone else, she is strong, rude and independent and I really appreciated her and thought that she couldn't have had a better ending, she would have wanted to go down fighting and she did. 

The world building was pretty good although not a patch on the previous two books, but in fairness at this point you should be pretty accustomed to the world without Bardugo having to spell everything out for you.  

Now, lets discuss Alina. Alina was such a let down, I really thought that she would have come out of her shell and become a fighter that the previous two books had set her up to become. But she just didn't, it seemed as though as soon as she had a spark of being strong and manipulative, towards the end this side of her became non-existent again, which is just disappointing. 

Mal is a character who I have to tolerate because I understand that he has his positives but to be honest I just think of him as a drain to Alina. Although he does start to accept Alina's power and the fact that she can do nothing about it, he just has been a character that I just have taken a dislike to for no real reason other than I just cant really see any positive attributions towards him. 

The enemy, The Darkling, whilst always being a constant threat, had very little show time in this book. Sometimes you almost forgot that he was a thing and the whole reason for the upset as I felt like this book mostly just seemed like a quest to find the amplifiers.

Finally, the ending. The ending was insufficient in making me feel like it was a good conclusion, I felt like it was all for nothing, it was too happy, too perfect and I just felt like Alina should have had a different ending. Granted it would have been the ending she would have liked but it was just so flat and well, displeasing, she was destined for great things but settled for the ordinary with a man that never saw her potential when she was at her strongest.

However, this is me being totally critical because I just wanted another ending. The book in terms of writing, character development (other than Alina), and general plot is fantastic and I would still recommend this series if you are looking for a good fantasy YA read.

3/5 STARS

THE SELECTION by KIERA CASS

The Selection
by Kiera Cass
Published: April 2012
Publisher: Harper Collins
Genre: YA, Dystopian, Contemporary

"In a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels the Selection is the chance of a lifetime: to compete for gorgeous Prince Maxon's ear. But for America Singer it means turning her back on her secret love, and leaving home for a prize she doesn't want.

Then America meets Maxon and all her plans start to crumble. Can the life she's always dreamed of compare to a future she never imagined?" - taken from Goodreads
Interestingly enough I went into this book slightly sceptical as I wasn't sure if I would enjoy it. I was pleasantly surprised though and ended up actually enjoying it and reading it in about two sittings. The Selection is the first in a trilogy and is advertised as a 'girly dystopian'. To be honest, I felt like it fitted a little better with a contemporary as the whole premise of the book is basically having a bachelor-esque TV show so that the prince can find a wife but the slight hints towards a dystopian setting were very well done.

The world is a very interesting concept, Illea, has a system were people are ranked between One and Eight via birth right, One being a royal and Eight being effectively a homeless person, each Caste as they are called have specific jobs, for example, being a Five, which is what America was before the Selection had jobs in the arts, so she was a singer and musician as well as her mother and her father was a painter. I felt like later in the story there were some subtle hints that things aren't quite right with the history of the world but they are skirted over pretty quickly. 

I went into this book with the knowledge that America is an annoying character, I didn't necessarily feel that annoyed about her although she of course had her moments. I did feel like she changed her mind about Maxon very quickly considering everything but I guess thats what happens when you are amongst 35 girls fighting for his attention. 

I had no real issues with this book and enjoyed it as a light, fluffy read, it is certainly one I can see myself re-reading. Not perfect but certainly not too shabby. 

4/5 STARS

YALC

The weekend of the 12th-13th July 2014 saw the first ever YA book convention in the UK, the curator Malorie Blackman, author of Noughts and Crosses and Pigboy and many other authors including, New York Times Best Seller Rainbow Rowell, author of Fangirl and Eleanor and Park, teamed together to introduce a way of giving British YA readers a chance to meet authors, attend panels and talk to publishers.

The event was held in conjunction with London Film and Comic Con (which you can read my thoughts about here) and although the YALC section only got a corner in the massive convention centre it was clear that Showmasters, the organisers of LFCC, seriously underestimated the popularity of YALC. Hopefully this is just the beginning of a an annual convention for YA readers in the UK, after all the US has BEA (Book Expo America) among many others so I think its about time that the UK had a convention for ourselves.

I only attended the Saturday of the convention but I managed to get books signed by Rainbow Rowell, Lucy Saxon and Malorie Blackman, although I could have met many more my legs had given up on me by then. I also didn't get to see any of the panels because of either being in a queue or exploring the convention centre, however, next year, if there is another YALC convention, which only seems necessary after the huge success of this year, I will certainly make sure I attend at least one panel.

There was a huge array of books on sale from stands such as Books With Bite, Hot Key Books and Waterstones just to name a few, all offering tote bags and posters and books galore. I came away with four tote bags filled with books and a few were even signed! All of the sellers and publishers on the stands were incredibly friendly and excited to talk about books with you.

The books that I brought with me to be signed:

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Take Back the Skies by Lucy Saxon

Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman

Books I brought at the convention:

Collectors edition of Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (which I got signed)
Knife Edge by Malorie Blackman (which I got signed for a friend)
We Were Liars by E Lockhart
The Duff by Kody Keplinger
Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski
The Amulet of Samarkand (graphic novel) Adapted by Jonathan Stroud and Andrew Donkin
Frozen by Melissa De La Cruz and Michael Johnston
Slated by Terry Teri (which was pre signed)
Vivatera and Coniectrix by Candace J. Thomas (which was pre signed, I also got a free poster with the two books that was signed)

I think I was pretty restrained all things considered! I am very excited about all of these books and I am pleased to say that all of the authors that I met were incredibly friendly and seemed excited to meet their fans. It was amazing to be amongst other people who shared the same passion for books as myself. One thing is for certain, if there is a YALC next year, my name will be the first on that list!