[Review] My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 26/01/2016

Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Pages: 398

Source: Bought
Genre: YA - Contemporary (14+)

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

Book Tunes
♪ Arctic Monkeys - One For the Road ♪

My Rating: 

Intense, thought-provoking

My thoughts

5/5

HOLY SHIT. I have not been so hideously disturbed since Gone Girl. If this is the kind of writing that Justine Larbalestier is capable of, I'm certain that her other novels, particularly Razorhurst, will not disappoint. If you're looking for quality Aussie YA fiction sure to keep you up at night, look no further!

[Review] Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 10/03/2015

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Pages: 368

Source: For review
Genre: YA (16+) - Contemporary

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

Book Tunes
♪ Mr Probz - Waves ♪

My Rating: 

Intense, captivating

My thoughts

I can say with absolute certainty that I have said this in the past but I have no reservations against repeatedly saying it for ever-- Lauren Oliver can do no wrong. I went into this book expecting something akin to a Gone Girl for teen readers/audience, and in a way I was sort of right. Reading this new book that had been written by one of my more favoured contemporary authors I was struck with something like déjà vu--of the best kind. Because, like Gone Girl, Vanishing Girls surprised me, captivated me, provoked me to think about issues and topics that hadn't previously been on my mind. It is bold. It is a lyrical masterpiece in the young adult genre (as are all of her other novels). It is relateable and remarkably human and beautifully disastrous and just a book of the best kind.

In Vanishing Girls, sisters Dara and Nick were inseparable until the accident that tore them apart. Now Dara has a permanent reminder by the scars on her face, thus ending her popularity. Then, on her birthday, she disappears. Around the same time another young girl, Madeline Snow, has been reported missing and it is all over the news. Nick believes that there may be a connection between the two disappearances and she is going to do whatever it takes to get to the bottom of it, no matter what.

[Review] Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass

(#1, Throne of Glass)
Throne of Glass | Untitled

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 02/08/2012

Publisher: Bloomsbury UK
Pages: 404

Source: For review (thanks Bloomsbury!)

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

My Rating:

Amazing!

Summary:

Meet Celaena Sardothien.
Beautiful. Deadly. Destined for greatness.

In the dark, filthy salt mines of Endovier, an eighteen-year-old girl is serving a life sentence. She is a trained assassin, the best of her kind, but she made a fatal mistake: she got caught.

Young Captain Westfall offers her a deal: her freedom in return for one huge sacrifice. Celaena must represent the prince in a to-the-death tournament—fighting the most gifted thieves and assassins in the land. Live or die, Celaena will be free. Win or lose, she is about to discover her true destiny. But will her assassin’s heart be melted?

My thoughts

I may not have been one of the thousands of Sarah's fans on Fiction Press back when this book was still in its early stages, but that does not mean that this book release was just like any other. I was bouncing-off-the-walls EXCITED for this. I generally only let myself get really pumped up for a couple of book releases per year, and Throne of Glass took the cake in the debuts department.

[Review] Fracture by Megan Miranda

Title: Fracture {goodreads}

Authors: Megan Miranda

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 05/01/2012

Publisher: Bloomsbury AU/NZ

Source: For review
Precautions: Violence | Sexual Content | ?Profanity

Pages: 262

My Rating:

Amazing read

Summary:

Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it?

Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?

For fans of best-sellers like Before I Fall and If I Stay, this is a fascinating and heart-rending story about love and friendship and the fine line between life and death.

My thoughts: 

~ Final thoughts ~

Megan Miranda's debut novel amplifies the significance of knowing what it means to be not only alive, but human. This emotional and daring psychological thriller is one that will not let you go, right up until the last page. Tautly written and full of gripping tension, Fracture failed to disappoint!

[Review + Giveaway] Sister, Missing by Sophie McKenzie

Title: Sister, Missing {goodreads} 
Authors: Sophie McKenzie
Publication: January 2012 (AU/UK)
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
RRP: $16.99 
Source: For review (thanks to publisher!)
Precautions: 11+ - Violence, guns, relationship (clean)
Pages: 250 (ARC copy)
Series: #2, sequel to Girl, MIssing {review}

My Rating:

Summary:

It's two years after the events of Girl, Missing and life is not getting any easier for sixteen-year-old Lauren, as exam pressure and a recent family tragedy take their toll. Lauren's birth mother takes Lauren and her two sisters on holiday in the hope that some time together will help, but a few days into the holiday one of the sisters disappears, under circumstances very similar to those in which Lauren was taken years before. Can Lauren save her sister, and stop the nightmare happening all over again?

My thoughts: 

* this is the sequel to Girl, Missing ~ if you have not read that book, you have been warned that there are spoilers in this review *

~ Final thoughts ~

I'm surprised--I found myself deeply moved by the end of this book, the sequel to 'Girl, Missing'. The dramatic and thrilling plot, the twists and turns, and the more well-rounded and developed characters really demonstrate literary development made on McKenzie's part.

MY SYNOPSIS

Lauren Purditt has figured out a system with her two families--her adoptive and her paternal, and it works most of the time. Two years later, Lauren takes her little sister Madison to the beach . . . and loses her. The events of two years ago are happening all over again, because if Lauren knows anything at all, she knows that Madi isn't just lost--she was taken.

Her American, birth mum is distraught, left in tatters by the situation. Her new boyfriend Rick, is supportive and eventually takes charge of the situation, having had experience in crime cases in the past. Lauren is convinced the kidnapper is Sonia Holtwood, the very same villain who almost killed her two years ago who was also let out of jail recently. Could history be repeating itself? And just what does the offender want from her?

MY THOUGHTS

Sister, Missing held my attention from beginning to end - I was simply not able to let go of the story and the twists and turns that came with it. I was kept on edge the whole time. In my opinion, the suspense was written much better in this book than its predecessor.

Lauren is just as stubborn and selfish as she was in the first book - in her pursuit in finding and rescuing her little sister, she does the following (and this is just the tip of the iceberg): ignores her other sister's outward expressions of grief and worry--instead she berates her when she attempts to make nice; runs directly into trouble, unarmed, without a plan, endangering her best friend as a result.

The other characters we met in 'Girl, Missing' that we also see in 'Sister, Missing', were much more likeable. Even Shelby, who used to abuse Madison. Especially Shelby. It felt like, by the end of it all, that Shelby had grown as a person, and we as readers really know her.

Jam and Lauren have been maintaining a long-distance relationship for two years, and Lauren has concerns that their fire has died down. When he arrives, he appears more distant and distracted, and Lauren has doubts about his feelings for her now. Their interactions are sweet and their relationship is sure to enchant younger teens.

The writing matches the pacing, so for that it's not that complex. The sentences are cut short so as to keep the flow going. This makes for a really quick read. The ending is bittersweet and also leaves room for questioning and further thought as to what may have happened afterward.

I was worried that I would not like this book at all, but this book's ending was its saving grace. Overall, the plot points were much more suspenseful and had me on edge at all times. I really just could not put this book down! If you're looking for a quick YA thriller, give this series a try. I might actually miss a couple of the characters--they really grew on me!

Trailer:

Buy:

* cheapest Australian e-store price

AUSTRALIAN RESIDENTS

Fishpond | Readings | Dymocks | Angus & Robertson | Borders | The Nile

INTERNATIONAL READERS

Amazon | The Book Depository

All links from Booko, because I'm too lazy to search each individual store anymore.

Giveaway:

Aussie only.

The first one to comment with "I love thrillers!" will win:

• Girl, Missing by Sophie McKenzie (Finished copy)
• Sister, Missing by Sophie McKenzie (ARC)
• Various YA swag, whatever I have that features thriller/mysteries

I will e-mail the winner, so make sure to provide your e-mail address when you comment!


* I'm very behind on my giveaways, which I will work out soon *

Extras:

Developing the characters in Sister, Missing
Sister, Missing playlist

I have received this review copy in return for an honest review.

Challenge: ---

[Review] Girl, Missing by Sophie McKenzie

Title: Girl, Missing {goodreads}

Authors: Sophie McKenzie

Publication: January 2012 (repackaged)

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
RRP: $16.99

Source: For review (thanks to publisher!)
Precautions: 11+ - Mild violence and kidnapping

Pages: 282

My Rating:

Summary:

Lauren has always known she was adopted but when a little research turns up the possibility that she was snatched from an American family as a baby, suddenly Lauren's life seems like a sham. How can she find her biological parents? And are her adoptive parents really responsible for kidnapping her? She manages to wangle a trip across the Atlantic where she runs away to try and find the truth. But the circumstances of her disappearance are murky and Lauren's kidnappers are still at large and willing to do anything to keep her silent...

My thoughts: 

~ Final thoughts ~

Girl, Missing by Sophie McKenzie, while a chilling and heart-thumping thriller, lacked logic and character likeability, which made it difficult to enjoy completely. With several heartfelt moments, a budding romance that stands from solid grounds but is shakily executed, and sinister villains that make for intense suspense, I have no doubt that 11-14 year olds will eat this up. Most of all, this book addresses the Who am I question, in which many readers will be able to sympathise with Lauren's situation of having been adopted and never knowing her real parents.

MY SYNOPSIS

Lauren is adopted and has never known her real family, so when she is asked this Who Am I question for a school homework task, she begins to wonder what her real parents were like. Frustrated that she's never been able to remember, she asks her best friend Jam's mum, a spiritualist, to help her. In a state of deep relaxation, she remembers. Lauren, age 3, and her real mum, long black hair and spirited smile, playing hide-and-seek at a beach somewhere. In her heart, she knows she needs to--by any means necessary--find her real family. Upon research, she discovers a Martha Lauren Purditt, whose details match . . . but Martha was born in America. Lauren's always lived in London. But Lauren needs to know, so she sets up a family vacation, to America.

The overall story was compelling and one that I'm sure many people will be able to relate to. If I were adopted, I'd have wanted to know who my 'real family' was too. What McKenzie does a bit differently to other authors who have touched on this subject, is that she delves into the legal implications of international adoption. She also gives Lauren a choice, and room to decide whether she wants to go back to her old life in London--the life she's always known, or to return to the parents who have spent forever trying to recover the child that had been taken away from them.

What really didn't agree with me about the plot was just how unbelievable so many of the actions and decisions were. And how the right characters just happened to be there at the right time--or the wrong time, in Lauren and Jam's case. To me, it was just way too illogical and coincidental for me to believe it all. Also, money. It never seemed to be a problem for anyone--and to travel from London to America isn't that cheap that people can be whizzing from one country to the next, without seriously breaking the bank. Once again, this might be something that younger readers will be able to forgive.

In GIRL, MISSING, there was an expansive cast of characters, but I was never confused or unable to keep up with remembering names and roles. More the problem was in the one-dimensional feel the majority of them had. A little of the dialogue was stiff, and the only character that seems to develop or change during the course of the book is Lauren. That said, I did find a couple to be extremely likeable, and I wouldn't mind seeing them return in the sequel. (Madison, Glane, Jam's mum Carla) Despite the bits of maturity that Lauren picks up along the way, I never got to the point where I cared about her, or even what happened to her. Her selfishness was just so unforgiveable.

On the upside, McKenzie's writing is fairly easy to get through. It's simple and gets to the point. You'll be turning those pages, wanting to know how things turn out for Lauren in her quest for self-discovery.

Quotes:

First lines

"Who am I?
     I sat at the computer in Mum's office and stared at the essay heading. New form teachers always give you homework like that at the start of the year.
   Who am I?

Buy:

* cheapest Australian e-store price

AUSTRALIAN RESIDENTS

Fishpond * | Readings | Dymocks | Angus & Robertson | Borders | The Nile

INTERNATIONAL READERS

Amazon | The Book Depository

All links from Booko, because I'm too lazy to search each individual store anymore.

Extras:

Inspiration for writing Girl, Missing

I have received this review copy in return for an honest review.

Challenge: ---

[Review] Shift by Em Bailey

Title: Shift {goodreads}

Authors: Em Bailey

Publication (dd/mm/yy): 01/09/11

Publisher: Hardie Grant Egmont
RRP: $22.95

Source: Publisher for review
Age: 14+

Pages: 310

My Rating:

Summary:

Olive Corbett is definitely NOT crazy.

Not anymore. These days she takes her meds like a good girl, hangs out with her best friend Ami, and stays the hell away from the toxic girls she used to be friends with.

She doesn’t need a boyfriend. Especially not a lifesaver-type with a nice smile. And she doesn’t need the drama of that creepy new girl Miranda, who has somehow latched on to Olive's ex-best friend.

Yet from a distance, Olive can see there's something sinister about the new friendship. Something almost... parasitic. Maybe the wild rumours ARE true. Maybe Miranda is a killer.

But who would believe Olive? She does have a habit of letting her imagination run away with her…

My thoughts: 

I wanted to throw this book against a wall. No, it wasn't bad at all. I just really wanted to throw this book against a wall. It's one of those books that gets really under your skin; it slowly crawls up and then GRABS you. And won't let go. Shift is Em Bailey's debut YA novel, and it's quite a doozy. It's being compared to Liar (Justine Larbalestier) and Single White Female. I think if you're a fan of mystery/suspense/thrillers, you'll at least be drawn in by this book. Think Pretty Little Liars, but completely different.

Shift introduces us to Olive Corbett whose poisonous personality leads her straight to rehab. But now she's back: "these days she takes her meds like a good girl, hangs out with her best friend Ami, and stays the hell away from the toxic girls she used to be friends with" (taken from blurb).

She's a bit lost, a bit withdrawn, a bit bitter, a bit misunderstood. Just a bit. The only one getting her through each day, is Ami, her best friend. And I loved their relationship, and also the twist that involved them that really changed everything. Olive is such a complex character that it's really hard to keep track of what's really going on with her.


And then, of course, there's the real HOOK of the book - the new girl. "What's the deal with her?" you ask. I'm not saying, but she is very, very wicked indeed. There is a supernaturality about her, but I haven't read about this specific creature/feature before so it was pretty fresh for me. She's misunderstood from the start, what with all the rumours that have been circulating the school even before she'd arrived, but Olive senses something off about her. ESPECIALLY when she is gradually promoted to 'Queen Bee' Katie's best friend, who used to be OLIVE's best friend.


I loved the escalation of the suspense that builds up throughout the book. Olive develops/discovers a theory that seems preposterous, but explains everything that has been happening since Miranda's appearance. Olive grows and is put down and grows some more, makes friends, opens herself up and tries to find her true self. I loved the insight we get into Olive's mind, especially when looking at how she is before and what she becomes after.


Music is a huge part of Olive's life, and ever since she came back from the hospital (and maybe much before that) she's been this alternative goddess. And she's got this huge crush on Dallas, the lead of this totally unknown band. Crazily enough, the band gets a gig someplace close by and Olive finally meets him . . . and feels nothing for him. Is there someone else? *nods*

One day at school, the mysterious, "no-name" but totally gorgeous new guy Lachlan talks to Olive. In an almost agitating amount of self-pity, Olive brushes him off time and time again. Because she's not worthy of a guy's affection. I actually really liked the romantic interactions (if you could call them that, at least at the beginning) between them. It was bittersweet and heartbreaking. It did get frustrating, just because Olive kept rejecting him when she probably knew ages ago how she'd felt about him. I could probably go on and on about this, but moving on . . . 

Independent, quirky, snarky and incredibly complex Olive retells the twisted events that follow her return to sanity. There's something so odd about the new girl, especially the way Olive's ex-best friend Katie has changed since they became besties. The inner psyche of Olive combined with the sinister plot, along with supportive family and friends, a budding relationship that can't happen, and betrayals and misunderstandings; and you get a well-rounded suspense/thriller/mystery YA novel. Deeply enjoyable; a worthy debut novel.

Quote:

First lines

"There were two things everyone knew about Miranda Vaile before she'd even started at our school. The first was that she had no parents - they were dead. And the second? They were dead because Miranda had killed them.

Favourites

"We watched as Miranda drifted like a cloud to our classroom. During classes she sat down the back, near me. Totally silent and still.
...
And we watched Miranda during breaks as she sat on the bench near the back fence. Eyes half-closed. Palms together in her lap. Was she praying? Photosynthesising, maybe?

(p. 25)

"At first I fumed about how stupid everyone was not to realise that Miranda was manipulating the situation to suit herself. But after a while, I found this thought popping into my head: Maybe you imagined it.
     My doubt felt like one of those weeds that you see growing in cracks in the footpath - it's incredible that something so little can grow so strong to push up concrete. It's hard being the only person who sees things a certain way. Lonely. It would be easier to let go and just be carried along by the current like everyone else.

(p. 132)

Buy:

* cheapest Australian e-store price

AUSTRALIAN RESIDENTS

Fishpond * | Readings | Dymocks | Angus & Robertson | Borders | The Nile

INTERNATIONAL READERS

Amazon | The Book Depository

All links from Booko, because I'm too lazy to search each individual store anymore.

I have received this review copy in return for an honest review.

Challenge: 2011 Debut Challenge (AU), Aussie YA Challenge

[Review] Entangled by Cat Clarke

Title: Entangled {goodreads}

Authors: Cat Clarke

Publication (dd/mm/yy): 01/03/11 (AU)

Publisher: Pan Macmillan
RRP: $16.99

Source: Publisher for review
Age: 16+

Pages: 370

My Rating:

Summary:

The same questions whirl round and round in my head:

What does he want from me?

How could I have let this happen?

AM I GOING TO DIE?

Seventeen-year-old Grace wakes up in a white room, with a table, pens and paper – and no clue how she got there.

As Grace pours her tangled life onto the page, she is forced to remember everything she's tried to forget. There's falling hopelessly in love with the gorgeous Nat, and the unravelling of her relationship with her best friend Sal. But there's something missing. As hard as she's trying to remember, is there something she just can't see?

Grace must face the most important question of all. Why is she here?

A story of dangerous secrets, intense friendships and electrifying attraction.

My thoughts: 

ENTANGLED is quite an unusual book, and I admit that by the end of the book I became quite taken with Grace the main character. I was by no means accepting of her behaviour, but seeing all of the pieces fit together really gave me some perspective and the ability to understand how someone could come to the decision to end their life.

MY SYNOPSIS

On the night Grace Carlyle attempts to take her life she is kidnapped by Ethan. He's gorgeous, and there's something familiar about him. She finds herself in a white room, with a pen and paper, willed to writing about what's been going on in her life.

Grace Carlyle's life changes the moment she meets the two people who would come to be the most important people in her life - Nat and Sal. She's never cared about a guy before Nat, and she's never had a best friend before Sal. Entangled in a messed up web, things get complicated when secrets start bubbling to the surface. And her home life? Trash.


So why is she here? And who is this mysterious, but alluring, Ethan?

~~~

I was expecting a pageturner, but it took a while to get into it. I think even a little part of that is due to the confronting nature of such a book as this. I am no stranger to the "deeper" topics discussed in YA, but it has been a while since I've read a book that addressed such things as suicide and sex and cutting and heavy drinking. At many times I just questioned and felt saddened that there are real teens out there who do parttake in these activities, usually as a way of compensating for something.

Grace for the most part was an annoying character, but she still managed to gain sympathy from me because of what she'd gone through. Despite her bitchy attitude. In some way, I was not able to connect with her character - nor did I want to - and it was better off that way. By the way that she was forced to look at her life objectively, she falls at the seams and the person behind all the facades and drinking was someone broken and empty.

Nat and Sal are fleshed out quite well. Through Grace's writing about her life, we see one side to the story and the other side is never really revealed to us. I was frustrated by how open the book ended. I really wanted to see whether things get patched up if Grace did wake up.

Ethan remained a mystery to me for the whole book, right up to the end. I really had no idea who - or what - he was, and so I had to do a Google search and felt like a fool afterwards. There were just so many clues all throughout, (view spoiler)[like when she felt as though his voice were emanating in her head. I actually thought that he was some supernatural being or something! (hide spoiler)]

The writing is really nothing too special. Some of it is VERY British (and being from Australia I was able to understand most of those little words and phrases) - some words that stood out in my mind are "knackered", "taking the piss out" and "knickers". Grace is an undisputed lover of books and reading and writing, so in her introspection she appears a tad more mature (than when she were to speak to others) as she uses large words. Despite that however, much of the writing in general is casual and "un-quoteable" for a contemporary book.

I did like how the book was structured though. The book moves along in chronological order to how many days she is held captive in that white room. Every "chapter" followed one day.

In retrospect, the book is really well thought out. Every single detail from her time in that white room, to her personality and behaviours in her past life in between the pages. The most insignificant of words said. Most of it related to or mattered towards unveiling something new.

Even now, the book is just buzzing in my brain so strongly that it's going to be difficult to get to sleep tonight. It's already 1:30 am as I fervently write this. It probably won't be re-read by me anytime soon, but it's a good debut and was just fleshed out really well. Say all you want about hating Grace to bits, it still remains that Clarke's ability to mesh everything together so effortlessly is admirable. I wish that the ending were more definitive, which is mostly why I can't let go of Grace's story just yet.

I'm glad I did get around to reading this book, and I will eagerly await her second book, TORN. To my knowledge (and this is a really crude accustation), much Brit YA Lit isn't as deep, or at least quite deep as this one. Clarke's debut is so startlingly realistic that I have a feeling that she's going to be like a British Courtney Summers. ;)

Trailer and Music:

So music played a very minor part in this book, but while I was reading I felt inspired to look through my music and here are just some songs that I think fit kind of well to the book.

- Big White Room by Jessie J (absolutely perfect for this book - even the voice!)
- Cut by Plumb (also really suited to this book)
- All Around You by Flyleaf
- Here I Am by Marion Raven (and most others by her!)

Buy:

* cheapest Australian e-store price

AUSTRALIAN RESIDENTS

Fishpond * | Readings | Dymocks | Angus & Robertson | Borders | The Nile

INTERNATIONAL READERS

Amazon | The Book Depository

All links from Booko, because I'm too lazy to search each individual store anymore.

I have received this review copy in return for an honest review.

Challenge: Debut Author Challenge 2011, Contemps Challenge 2011

[Review] 7 Souls by Barnabas Miller & Jordan Orlando

Title: 7 Souls

Author: Barnabas Miller & Jordan Orlando

Publication (dd/mm/yy): 28/03/11

Publisher: Penguin Australia

Source: For review (Publisher)
Age: 16+ (sexual references, heavy violence)

Pages: 360

My Rating:

 

Summary:

Mary expected her seventeenth birthday to be a blow-out to remember. Instead, she wakes up naked and scratched, in a mortifyingly public place, with no memory of how she got there. As her life spins out of control, Mary begins to think that someone is out to get her. But isn't she the popular girl everyone loves?

My thoughts: 

I was so excited to read this book, but no amount of expectations could have prepared me for what I was getting myself into. I tentatively give this book a 4, because it fits somewhere from a 3.5 to a 4.5, depending on how I want to go about it.

7 Souls was incredibly interesting and a lot of the time, ESPECIALLY AT THE BEGINNING, I had no idea what was happening. The authors cleverly dispense little pockets of information as the story progresses, which kept me engaged and raring to continue flipping the pages (once I got past the 150~ page mark).

That all sounds pretty good, but I can't just ignore the fact that I was really confused and not at all really bothered to continue reading. The beginning was painful to sit through. Perhaps it was just a shock of culture difference--the third person perspective and just the writing style in general really did throw me off base. Which is why I said in the beginning how unsure I am where this book stands. Considering this is not a book I can see reading again anytime soon . . . .

I really don't want to describe how the story plays out, because the whole story IS what made 7 Souls a really good book overall. I loved trying to figure out who was "in on it", why things happened and, just trying to make sense of it all. I failed miserably across the board, but still, it was a hell of a ride, this book.

There wasn't that much engagement with the characters, but I feel that it didn't matter that I didn't feel any really attachment to most of them. I liked Dylan and Ellen and Amy, and I found it really clever how the authors incorporated an ancient Egyptian prophecy, with an exuberant amount of complexity, and only after reading this book did I finally understand what the title alluded to, as well as all the details of the book (such as the eye featured on the inside cover!)

Overall, 7 Souls was much worth the wait. An invigorating and stimulating read that will have readers clenching their jaws and turning the pages--especially fans of novels involving murders and mystery (or M&M).


Thanks to Penguin Australia for the review copy.

Quotes:

Buy:

Live in Australia?

Fishpond | Readings | Dymocks | Angus & Robertson | Borders | The Nile

Live elsewhere?

Amazon | The Book Depository

Links:

Goodreads Page


I have received this review copy in return for an honest review.

Challenge: --

[Review] Rosebush by Michele Jaffe

Title: Rosebush

Author: Michele Jaffe

Publication: March 2011

Publisher: Hachette UK
Price: $18.99

Source: ARC for Review (sent by publisher)
Age: 16+

Pages: 320

My Rating:

Summary:

MEAN GIRLS meets REAR WINDOW in this delectably dark thriller from the market-leading YA imprint atom.


Jane doesn't remember being hit by a car and left for dead. But as she's convalescing she realises that her friends' stories and her memories of what happened that night aren't adding up.

Very soon the only thing she does know is that one of her friends was trying to kill her.

One of them still is . . .

My thoughts: 

Rosebush was pretty much anything and everything I could've expected of it. It was full of intrigue and mystery, deceit and confusion -- I was on the edge of my seat by the end of this book! It's a little bit Pretty Little Liars, a little bit The Eternal Ones; but Rosebush definitely sets itself apart from both and any other books with similar concepts (the girls wanted dead, and the mystery revolving around it).

Jane is the popular girl heralded by two fabulous best friends, with a gorgeous boyfriend to boot - until after a party one night she is struck by a car and left for dead in a rosebush. The next day, she finds herself in a hospital. She cannot move any muscle in her body, or speak for that matter: damaged. Jane knows that someone is out to get her: a threatening message on the bathroom mirror, murderous phone calls from anonymous, non-existant callers . . . But no one else believes her. After all, she is "Just Jane". Everyone loves her.

The prologue wasn't entirely powerful in its descriptive devices, but I found myself interested enough to continue reading. The storyline is simple, though I wasn't expecting the ending. Perhaps what took me so long to finish the book was that the placement of sentences and extra tid-bits were sprinkled all throughout the novel, resulting in a slower pace than I would have liked. That said, the little details were what gave the characters some life and realism to them.

Jane's world revolves around a lot of people - so many people, that I had a little bit of trouble remembering some of them that I'd have to flick back and find out who they were. Some of the characters, like David and Kate, were well-developed and felt fleshed out, while others were a bit flat. I liked Jane's perspective okay, despite her general flat-ness of character. The interactions between characters in Rosebush were very well done, and helped to keep me on track.

I would definitely recommend this. I think it's one of those books that, when read between the lines or re-read, new meanings and new realisations would begin to form in a reader's mind. It's the little things, and the compelling mystery, of this book that amazed me.
 

Quotes:

First Line

"The image is stark yet beautiful."

Random Scene   spoiler-free

Leaning his elbows against the shiny red door of the BMW, Ollie spread his hands in mock consternation. "If only one of you harridans would go out with me, I wouldn't have to roam so far home."
"I don't think any of us have what you have," Langley said.
"What's that? Ollie said. "Charm? Charisma?"
"Crabs?" Kate said, still sugar sweet.
"Always a delight to chat with you, Ollie," Langley said, revving the engine. "But for now, please move your Ralph Lauren-clad ass so Jane can get in the car."
"You're slipping, angel.  It's John Varvatos."

(p. 12)

Buy:

Live in Australia?

Fishpond | Readings | Dymocks | Angus & Robertson | Borders | The Nile

Live elsewhere?

Amazon | The Book Depository

Links:

Official Site
Goodreads Page


I have received this review copy in return for an honest review. 

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