Rating: 5 STARS! Genre: YA/LGBT Standalone/Series: Standalone How I got this book: Bought Adam Silvera reminds us that there’s no life without death and no love without loss in this devastating yet uplifting story about two people whose lives change over the course of one unforgettable day. On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today. Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure—to live a lifetime in a single day. They Both Die at the End is one of the first books I've ever read where I literally knew what was going to happen at the end but I still wasn't prepared!!
If you're a big ol' softy like yours truly, be sure to have a box of tissues handy to catch all those bittersweet tears. I love the concept of Death-Cast, as terrifying as it is, that you get notice on the day you're supposed to die (I think a minimum of 24 hours notice would be nice, otherwise that kinda sucks even more), so that you can do things you never thought to do or spend time saying goodbye. No, I would not actually want this service. I think counting down the time until you die is probably worse than not expecting it, but then I guess, for the people you're leaving behind, Death-Cast would be better for them....since it involves death it's pretty much a no-win situation all round. Anyway, I digress. I really, really enjoyed the storytelling in this book, I loved the format and that we are able to connect with Mateo and Rufus through their first person POV chapters whilst also getting snippets from other characters who are all connected to, and impact, Mateo and Rufus's last day. Mateo is sweet, completely innocent and so wrapped in bubble wrap that it's lovely to see him finally break out of his comfort zone thanks to Rufus. Rufus is a bad boy with a soft center who isn't afraid to go after what he wants, is struggling with loss and yet is still willing to make sure Mateo (a complete stranger when they meet) has the best last day of his life. The friendship that blooms between these two characters is real, genuine and beautiful. Together they are sweet, they push each other's limits and they both grow into new people. The whole time reading, and getting to know Mateo and Rufus (and falling for them both), I just wanted to skip to the end and find out what happens...well, how it happens at least. Warning: It was a shock and it really threw me - *tissues at the ready* One thing I love, really love about this book is that their respective sexualities aren't made into a huge deal. It's nice that they're just who they are and that's it. No explanation needed. Throughout this heartbreaking story of friendship, love, missed opportunities, second chances, loss and regret is a positive message that we should all do everything we can to live each day like it's our last. To not be afraid to do the things that scare us, to meet new people, experience new things and above all, live. There's a line in this book that really, really made me laugh. First, a bit of background: Did you know that there's a company that when you die, will turn your ashes into a bio urn, which when planted, grows a tree. I know right!! How amazing is that? Well, when I first saw this a while back I thought it was a great environmentally friendly idea and I will be a tree when I die! Maybe even one day I'll be turned into books which would be surreal. Although, I hope not for a while, we need oxygen guys!! So, back on track, this whole concept is discussed briefly in the books and Rufus (I think) delivers my favourite line, "You can't go around telling people you wanna be a tree and expect them to take you seriously." I guess no one's going to take me seriously from now on! I'm wrapping this review up with a solid 5 bittersweet stars! I can't wait for Adam Silvera's next book with Becky Albertalli - What If It's Us!! Rating: 4.5 STARS Genre: YA/Historical/Romance Standalone/Series: Guide Series How I got this book: Bought Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men. But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy. Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores. By Jove, this book was good!
I had no idea what to expect from The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue except that I'd seen so many people raving about how great it was. This book quite literally has everything in it I could ask for: grand adventure, love, friendship, sibling rivalries, sass, wit, mystery, deception, intrigue, slow burn romance, beautiful British humour, character development, a treasure hunt, pirates, gay and bi characters, diverse characters, and a strong-willed hellcat of a woman. The entire novel is a coquettish rogue that seduces you from the moment you begin reading. I adore the history in this book that sets the scene without being at all stilted or boring. I love particularly that we get to see what is probably an extremely realistic account of hormonal, ass-drunk teens during the period and all the amazingly fun and misadventures that follow. The characters are wonderful. Monty is an arrogant, privileged rogue, but it's all part of his lovable charm. He has trials and torments that he needs to face, he misses the signs that are right in front of him, and in his own innocent ignorance, his mouth gets him into all sorts of trouble. But, it's Monty's witty, rambling, very heartfelt and at times naive narrative that really won me over. "Lucky for me as well, or else we might never have met, and then what would have been the point of my life?" I love that Monty isn't ashamed of who he is, or who he fancies, but that it's others who have the problem. He isn't actually afraid to express himself and I love that about him. "I’ve always been of the mind that subtlety is a waste of time. Fortune favors the flirtatious. And by now, if Percy doesn’t know how I feel, it’s his own damn fault for being thick." In case you hadn't guessed by now, this is a story with many themes. It's a love story, a coming of age story, a story of friendship, of loyalty, of overcoming fears and oppression. "Rather, it is simply the tale of how two people can be important to each other their whole lives, and then, one morning, quite without meaning to, one of them wakes to find that importance has been magnified into a sudden and intense desire to put his tongue in the other’s mouth." (I can't stop quoting this book!!) Percy is Monty's best friend and he's the epitome of sweetness. He's loyal, steadfast and I want him to be my best friend! "Percy had avenged me when no one else would look me in the eyes." Then there's Felicity. My badass heroine who I was so excited to find out has a book of her very own coming out later this year!! YAY!! Felicity is sassy, intelligent, sharp and unafraid to be herself. She also incidentally delivers one of my favourite lines in this entire book! “Ladies haven’t the luxury of being squeamish about blood,” she replies, and Percy and I go fantastically red in unison." (No, they do not!) The adventure that these three unlikely heroes undertake is packed full of hilarious moments (like this) - "Which is how I come to be running through the gardens of the Palace of Versailles, dressed only as Nature intended." (I really need help! I told you I couldn't stop quoting this book!) Alongside, fight scenes, lots of 'almosts', lingering touches, longing glances, near misses (and near kisses) and through it all, Monty's beautiful, touching narrative that takes this story to new heights and depths. "We are not broken things, neither of us. We are cracked pottery mended with lacquer and flakes of gold, whole as we are, complete unto each other. Complete and worthy and so very loved." If you haven't read this book yet, do it. In the meanwhile, I'll still be over here quoting every single line and counting down the days until The Ladies Guide to Petticoats and Piracy is Released! A resounding 4.5 stars from me!! Rating: 4.5 STARS Genre: YA/Fantasy Standalone/Series: Standalone How I got this book: ARC from Bonnier Zaffre via NetGalley Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most—a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever. The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy? Before reading this book, I didn't realise it was a re-telling and it was only when I started to read it that I realised it was based on The Little Mermaid.
I'm really glad I found out this way because The Little Mermaid is one of my least favourite fairy tales. (DON'T HATE ME!) Thankfully, the author of this book is completely awesome and has taken everything I hated about the Disney version and made it completely badass! No longer is Ariel a spoilt, vapid princess willing to give up her voice and her life for a man she just met!! No longer is Eric just a pretty boy with a lot of money. They both have pasts, they both have passion and fire, they both have strength and courage. It's no longer a story of insta-love based on appearance alone. This story has depth and I can't get enough! The characters in this book are complex, they have back-stories and they develop over the course of the book, taking you along on this fantastical journey of mythology, magic, friendship, hatred and love. Without giving too much away, I absolutely love the spin on the villain(s) of this story. I love the sarcastic, snarky, spunky and diverse characters found throughout. I love the plotting and world building. To sum up this book for me, it's like The Little Mermaid meets Six of Crows and Pirates of the Carribean! It's definitely one of the better re-tellings I've had the pleasure of reading and I'd highly recommend it! 4.5 fin-tastic stars! Rating: 4.5 STARS Genre: YA/Mystery/Fantasy Standalone/Series: Standalone How I got this book: ARC from Simon and Schuster UK Children's via NetGalley Welcome to the cursed town of Sparrow… Where, two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town. Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them under. Like many locals, seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot has accepted the fate of the town. But this year, on the eve of the sisters’ return, a boy named Bo Carter arrives; unaware of the danger he has just stumbled into. Mistrust and lies spread quickly through the salty, rain-soaked streets. The townspeople turn against one another. Penny and Bo suspect each other of hiding secrets. And death comes swiftly to those who cannot resist the call of the sisters. But only Penny sees what others cannot. And she will be forced to choose: save Bo, or save herself. This book was NOT what I expected....but in the best possible way.
The book intrigued me from the start; witches, a centuries old curse and a little town called Sparrow - sounds perfect, right? This book dragged me under really quickly. The story was quick paced and addictive. It sort of got under my skin in that I couldn't stop thinking about it even when I wasn't reading it. If I'd had the time I'd probably have devoured this in one sitting. What I did not expect was the mind blowing revelation towards the end of the book. It was exceptionally clever to the point where I thought I'd spotted something earlier on in the book but the author then convinced me that I was wrong until BAM, at the end I was just shocked. At his point I wanted to re-read the entire thing to see what I'd missed! Then all the unanswered questions were revealed and I think my poor brain may have melted by this point. This book has the perfect mixture of creepy, mystery and romance to make it really good and I loved the flitting narrative between past and present events. The main character is so compelling, she gets under your skin and then tears you up so you don't know what to think or who to root for. I'm giving this 4.5 stars because the characters and the plot twists were brilliant...I'm just a little torn about the ending. I can understand the author's choice, I'm just not 100% sure I'm happy with it! Overall, I can highly recommend this to lovers of fantasy and mystery! Rating: 5 STARS! Genre: YA/Fantasy Standalone/Series: Standalone How I got this book: Bought Love speaks in flowers. Truth requires thorns. Travel to a world of dark bargains struck by moonlight, of haunted towns and hungry woods, of talking beasts and gingerbread golems, where a young mermaid's voice can summon deadly storms and where a river might do a lovestruck boy's bidding but only for a terrible price. Inspired by myth, fairy tale, and folklore, #1 New York Times–bestselling author Leigh Bardugo has crafted a deliciously atmospheric collection of short stories filled with betrayals, revenge, sacrifice, and love. Perfect for new readers and dedicated fans, these tales will transport you to lands both familiar and strange—to a fully realized world of dangerous magic that millions have visited through the novels of the Grishaverse. This collection of six stories includes three brand-new tales, all of them lavishly illustrated with art that changes with each turn of the page, culminating in six stunning full-spread illustrations as rich in detail as the stories themselves. Confession time! I completely bought this book because of it's cover. I mean, it's one of the prettiest books I've ever seen.
The hardcover and the illustrations inside are stunning! I particularly love the unique way in which the illustrations reveal new pieces of the story as you read before culminating in a large, completely gorgeous scene at the end of each short story. I don't typically enjoy short stories as I usually need more time to connect with a character but these stories drag you under in a matter of sentences. The world and character building is flawless, the morals are fantastic and the imagery, both visually and written is beautiful. I love the interwoven details and themes from the fairytales we grew up with, but I love how these stories explore darker themes that are skimmed over in the child-friendly versions. Don't expect handsome princes and helpful animals in these stories; although some do talk. Expect mystery, spine-tingling danger and difficult choices within fantasy worlds where our heroes have to battle against evil in all it's forms. I can't even begin to choose a favourite tale. I loved each and every one and I will most definitely be re-reading these stories for years to come. A running theme through these stories is strong, powerful women in one form or another, and I love it! This is my first Leigh Bardugo book and I'm chomping at the bit for more! A glittering 5 stars from me! Rating: 5 STARS! Genre: YA Standalone/Series: Standalone (although I'd personally recommend reading Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda first) How I got this book: Bought Seventeen-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso knows all about unrequited love-she's lived through it twenty-six times. She crushes hard and crushes often, but always in secret. Because no matter how many times her twin sister, Cassie, tells her to woman up, Molly can't stomach the idea of rejection. So she's careful. Fat girls always have to be careful. Then a cute new girl enters Cassie's orbit, and for the first time ever, Molly's cynical twin is a lovesick mess. Meanwhile, Molly's totally not dying of loneliness-except for the part where she is. Luckily, Cassie's new girlfriend comes with a cute hipster-boy sidekick. Will is funny, flirtatious, and just might be perfect crush material. Maybe more than crush material. And if Molly can win him over, she'll get her first kiss and she'll get her twin back. There's only one problem: Molly's coworker, Reid. He's an awkward Tolkien superfan, and there's absolutely no way Molly could fall for him. Right? Crush number 28 - Book of the epic feels, Molly of the so damn familiar it'd be creepy if it wasn't so awesome!
Reading this book was really surreal. Have you ever read a book and felt as though it was written just for you? That's what this book felt like. I felt like Molly every single day of my life growing up and now isn't that much different. I have serious body confidence issues, I'm anxious, self-doubting and really introverted. Reading about Molly took me right back to being an insecure teenager, to all those unrequited crushes, the feelings of not knowing who I was or where I belonged, feeling like the very last person in the race when it came to first kisses, first love and all the stuff that follows. Thankfully, when I was 17 I met my very own Tolkien obsessed, adorably geeky Reid-type and I'm also really close with my sister (much more so now than we were as kids). I love this author's work. The way she perfectly encapsulates a character and makes them relatable to you, makes you invest in them and care about what they're going through. On that note, if you haven't read Simon vs The Homo Sapien's Agenda, you really really should, especially before you read this, because even while it's a standalone it's set in the same 'world' and features some of the characters including Simon himself! I love how Becky Albertalli supports and advocates for the LGTBQ+ community in all of her work. It's refreshing, realistic and just pure awesome!! Molly is relatable (I think I've already mentioned that), she's sweet and compelling. Her relationship with her sister is tangible and develops throughout the story along with Molly's own character. This book is packed full of feels, and my face is tired from a whirlwind of expressions, mostly the goofy smile I couldn't shake for hours afterwards! I can't wait to read the next book in the series when it comes out and I know Molly and her story are going to stick with me for a very long time to come. Did I mention that I love this story?? Rating: 3 STARS Genre: Fantasy/YA Standalone/Series: The Hazel Wood #1 How I got this book: ARC from Penguin Random House UK Children’s via NetGalley Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get: her mother is stolen away―by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother's stories are set. Alice's only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.” Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother’s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother's tales began―and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong. I was lucky enough to be offered a free copy of this book for review from NetGalley.
I accepted for two reasons: 1. I liked the synopsis. A dark, twisty fairytale with similarities to Alice in Wonderland sounded like something I could get behind. 2. I'd heard so much hype about this book that I wanted to see for myself whether it was all hype or if there was actually something there. It took me a little while to finish this book. After making a start I became a little sceptical. I didn't find Alice a particularly relatable character, she's rude, a bit obnoxious (and whilst that's fine with some characters, especially a loveable villain), I had some trouble connecting with Alice to begin with. I also found the start a little confusing/slow and was tempted at one point to lay it aside. However, I persevered and I'm glad that I did. As the story unfolds it becomes clearer why Alice is the way she is, that she literally has no idea about who she is, spending her entire life shrouded in mystery and running from something she doesn't understand. I think perhaps the book could have been shorter as some of Alice's journey seemed a little long-winded and repetitive (i.e. multiple unconscious spells) and I wasn't a huge fan of (I want to say 'her friend' but I'm still not sure about their relationship) Ellery Finch who again, I didn't really like/connect with/understand. What I did really like were the twists and turns that the story takes, the new information and surprises that are revealed to both Alice and the reader along the way. I enjoyed the whimsical, dark characters of the Hinterland and the idea of the Hinterland itself, with its refugees, the Spinner and the Stories. I would have loved for more of this book to take place inside the Hinterland, where we could have explored that world for much longer. The imagery inside the Hinterland, the Halfway Wood and the Hazel Wood is really quite beautiful. Overall, I enjoyed the main essence of the story and did find myself liking Alice more as the story progressed and her Story unfolded. I think readers who particularly enjoy dark fairy tales (especially fans of Alice in Wonderland) would enjoy this new take on the story. I'm also interested to see what comes next from this author, I think there's a lot more left to offer. Rating: 5 STARS! Genre: Fantasy/Romance Standalone/Series: Standalone How I got this book: ARC from Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley "It's time to find the beauty in the beast." A sumptuously magical, brand new take on a tale as old as time—read the Beast's side of the story at long last. I am neither monster nor man—yet I am both. I am the Beast. The day I was cursed to this wretched existence was the day I was saved—although it did not feel so at the time. My redemption sprung from contemptible roots; I am not proud of what I did the day her father happened upon my crumbling, isolated chateau. But if loneliness breeds desperation then I was desperate indeed, and I did what I felt I must. My shameful behaviour was unjustly rewarded. My Isabeau. She opened my eyes, my mind and my heart; she taught me how to be human again. And now I might lose her forever. Lose yourself in this gorgeously rich and magical retelling of The Beauty and the Beast that finally lays bare the beast's heart. Where has this book been all my life?
As with a lot of fellow readers and romance lovers, Beauty and the Beast is one of my all-time favourite fairy-tales and so the prospect of reading a re-telling of the story from the Beast's perspective was too good an opportunity to miss. What's strange is that reading this book didn't feel like reading just another re-telling of Beauty and the Beast. It's a story that is entirely it's own and in certain aspects, extremely different than the original story. The author writes beautifully, painting an enchanted world that springs to life from the pages. I adore the backstory, it's fantastically detailed and complex: the Fairy's motive, the Beast's life in the forest, the mirror, the house and it's servants, the garden, his gifts to Isabeau's family - it all works so well to create a compelling, driving story that I was unable to put down. The Beast is captivating. His inner struggles and turmoil, which run so much deeper than appearances alone, alongside his longing for company and human interaction, made the story all the more compelling. The love in this story is powerful, life-changing and realistic in its growth (it's not insta-love, but love and affection that grow over time from friendship.) In addition to plenty of backstory and a side to the beast that we've never before seen, it was also interesting to be presented with Isabeau's family, and these three other characters who add so much to the story through their own growth, tragedy and love. Whilst reading, I couldn't help but draw comparisons to the original story, mostly in that this story offered more mature, emotionally complex, insightful details than the Disney version we're all familiar with. I also often found myself thinking of Pride and Prejudice, comparing Elizabeth and Isabeau due to their similarities in outspokenness and unwillingness to admit to their feelings. It probably comes as no surprise that the Beast's portrait and his obsession and despair brought to mind Dorian Gray. Overall, I fell in love with this story and the unique viewpoint it offered through the eyes of the beast. It's 5 stars from me and I will definitely be re-reading this book! It's the story I never knew I needed. It made my heart quicken, my eyes tear and my imagination run wild. Disclosure: I fell in love with the Beast so many times reading this that I may need therapy. |
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About Kay (She/Her)
Book addict, film mad, music lover, business owner, writer and mum (not necessarily in that order), living in the UK. About Sophie (She/Her)
Sophie loves books (obviously). She has a passion for photography and spotting wildlife, and is interested in anything made with passion and creativity. THIS BLOG IS SPOILER FREE!
Rating system: 5 Stars - AMAZING!! 4.5 Stars - Almost perfect! 4 Stars - I really loved it 3.5 Stars - I liked it alot 3 Stars - I liked it (I don't typically review books that I rate below 3 stars)
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