[Review] Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

{goodreads}

(#2, The Grisha)

Shadow and Bone | Siege and Storm | Ruin and Rising

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 26/06/2013

Publisher: Hachette (Indigo)
Pages: 400 (311 in this ARC)

Source: Publisher
Genre: YA (14+) - Fantasy

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

Book Tunes
♪ x ♪

My Rating: 

Ambitious and surprising

My thoughts

I doubt I will ever master the art of reviewing sequels but I'll try my best. Let me preface by saying there will be spoilers for anyone who has not read the first book, also it has been months since I read Siege and Storm so this review is relatively short and possibly lacking in accuracy.

[Review] Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black

Dance of Shadows

(#1, Dance of Shadows)
Dance of Shadows | Untitled

Author: Yelena Black 

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 01/02/2013

Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 385

Source: For review

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity


My Rating: 



My thoughts

Note: there are slight spoilers in this review. I figured them out when the elements were first presented to me, so I don't consider them outright spoilers, but if you want to go into this book knowing NOTHING, don't read on!

~~~

You do not need to be a dancer to have an interest in all things dance. I'm a fan of the likes of SYTYCD and Bunheads and I always do a double-take when I come across dancing (style doesn't matter to me). So, naturally, books that involve dance interest me greatly, and I was really excited to read Yelena Black's debut novel Dance of Shadows. I think I could have loved this book, but there were just so many things I found irritating about it that detracted from its entertainment value.

[Review] Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

(#1, Daughter of Smoke and Bone)
Daughter of Smoke and Bone | Days of Blood and Starlight

Author: Laini Taylor

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 01/07/2012

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton (Hachette)
Pages: 418 +extras

Source: For review (thanks Hachette!) & Bought

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity
<See more here>

My Rating:

Amazing!

My thoughts

Note: I tried. This review is severely disjointed... it's been too long since I read this book and it's just too hard to write what I feel for it.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone has been recommended to me time and time again and every review that I’ve seen for this book has been nothing but positive. So of course I was wary and my expectations were immeasurably high by the time I’d gotten to picking up a copy. Thankfully, I was not let down in the slightest. Laini Taylor’s debut novel has a deeply engaging and unique story, written in delicate prose that just blew me away. Too many times I’ve been let down by paranormal books (with some exceptions), and I’m so pleased to say that was not the case here.

[Review] The Diviners (#1) by Libba Bray

Australian cover

The Diviners

(#1, The Diviners)
The Diviners | Untitled
 
Author: Libba Bray

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 29/10/2012

Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Pages: 578

Source: For review

Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity

My Rating:

Posi-tute-ly charming!

My thoughts

Note: This review is over 1000 words and for that I have highlighted the important bits. I suppose I had a lot to say. I have never written so much for a review before!

I just couldn't get enough of The Diviners! Despite the intimidating page count, I jumped right in and there was never a dull moment. There's a whole world to explore in this book—every scene, every page breathes with life. Libba Bray really doesn't skimp on the details, but rather than damping down the story, the extra paragraphs of description brought so much more to it. I felt like I was there. While I was reading this book it was difficult to differentiate between the world that Bray had created, and my own. I was lost in the bright lights of NYC and I didn’t know if I’d ever be able to get away from it all.

[Giveaway] Wispy Hair books ~ Rapture by Lauren Kate & Fated by Alyson Noël

Hey there!

Just a quick post/giveaway for you all.

Let's get this out of the way first: Australia only or pay for international shipping. If you're unsure, let me know what country you live in and I'll give you a quote so you can decide whether you want to enter or not. I can guarantee though it would cost AU$15+... I will definitely have another Book Depository giveaway in the near future, and I'm also saving for an Amazon gift card (courtesy of Swagbucks)!!!

Graphic made because I felt like it. Bg source: aeiryn; I own nothing.

The details:

• Up for grabs ~ 1x Rapture, 2x Fated (runner up receives ARC)
• 3 winners
• Aussie only unless you are willing to pay for shipping. Let me know if you want a quote before you decide. You MUST have a Paypal account.
• Giveaway ends Saturday 2nd of June, winners will be announced.

If you want to enter for "Rapture", comment on what you are most excited about for the conclusion to the series.

If you want to enter for "Fated", comment and tell me whether you've read any of Alyson Noel's previous books.

As simple as that! You can enter both or just one. One entry per person and if you already commented on my Book Haul post you've already got an entry. ;)

Good luck all! Also if you can't comment for ANY reason, shoot me a tweet (@cc9309)!

Trailers:

~Rapture~



Teaser #1
Teaser #2

~Fated~

[Review] Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs

Title: Tempest Rising {goodreads}

Authors: Tracy Deebs

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 01/09/2011

Publisher: Bloomsbury UK
RRP: $15.99

Source: Publisher sent for review
Precautions: 12+ - Violence and slight gore
Series: #1

Pages: 340

My Rating:

Satisfying

Summary:

(From the UK PB)

Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her Californian home and hang out with her boyfriend. But Tempest is half mermaid and, as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide if she really does want to ttay on land or if she wants to give herself to the ocean like her mother did before her.

When she meets Kona, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities also hint at an other-worldly life, the lure of the sea becomes too strong and Tempest finds herself in the midst of a battle for survival. The entire ocean's future hangs in the balance.

Is she brave enough, and strong enough, to help save everything?

My thoughts: 

~ Final thoughts ~

In 'Tempest Rising', expect an evocative depiction of underwater life, that highlights the characteristics--both serene and deadly--of a world so foreign. This glorious setting wraps itself around a tender story that is told by an irritating heroine whose inane naivety does more harm than good in her actions.

What shines through in this book is its vivid imagery and setting--this is a great summer read--as well as the satisfying amount of focus on oceanic mythological creatures. The exploration of betrayal and grief, family and friends, identity and self-discovery, belonging, home, love, come through in every single page.

Recommended for paranormal fans. If you're a fan of surfing, the beach and ocean, or mermaid stories this book is worth picking up. Overall I wasn't blown away, but it's not bad by any means, and I do wish to continue reading on.

MY SYNOPSIS

Tempest, 16-going-on-17, is a beach critter whose heart resides in the surf. She's just an average teen, until one day while surfing she loses balance on the board and almost drowns due to the obvious wipeout. Tempest NEVER wipes out. On the verge of losing consciousness, she seems to grow a tail underwater, giving her the ability to make it back to the surface within a second.

Tempest can't explain what happened that day--at least not to her friends and gorgeous surfer boyfriend. But she can't ignore the changes that are going on. Like her mother, who disappeared five years earlier, Tempest is part-mermaid. She has a choice: stay on land with all that she knows, or join the world that her mother (supposedly) left her to become part of.

An ancient battle of intense hardship and turmoil beckons her. She may just be the answer to help stop the war that has gone on far too long. Her name isn't Tempest for nothing.

I've always loved being near or in water, so books that are set at the beach or in the ocean are welcome anytime. Deebs' portrayal of the underwater world evoked in me a desire to go scuba-diving or something. I'd love to see the "phosphorescent shades of blue and green and red and yellow" that light up and can be seen for miles (167). The descriptions are beautiful and were never sparse or in excess; there was always just the right amount of visuals.

The plot unfolds pretty quickly--I can say I was never bored. The book mentions and describes mermaids, selkies and other sea creatures which just made the whole setting more believable. I liked that Tempest focused on mermaids being the only part-human sea creature, because I'm sure that's what many people know only of. There are some deadly and evil creatures in the book, capable of doing nasty things. Think along the lines of decapitation and impalement. Action and peril persist for the last half of the book, with the first half setting a good foundation of what comes later. I deem this book 'unputdownable' for the last half of the book.

There is a love triangle, kind of, in this book. But it's not like the whole two-guys-fighting-for-the-girl. The girl, Tempest, is already with someone--Max. They have a rocky on-and-off relationship, but there are grounds of deep trust and caring laid out firmly. Until Tempest meets Kona, a mysterious surfer guru whose skills are phenomenal. I can't say I loved the romance aspect of this book, but I was satisfied with the way Tempest's relationship with Max ended up. As for Kona . . . I don't know. I wasn't swept away by their romance or anything. It was a tad too insta-romance-y for my tastes, but I'm sure others found it all irresistible.

I liked the characters, for the most part. I don't even want to talk about Tempest too much, since she irritated me way too many times, but she's a bit of a Mary Sue and whiny and immature. And now, a list of characters I enjoyed:

- Tempest's surfer guy friends ~ With them, Tempest is just one of the guys. I'm mentioning them collectively because they don't have established, distinct personalities or backstories--they're pretty minor characters.

- Tempest's dad ~ He's got such a chilled personality (like Raymundo from Rocket Power!), and is also faithfully dedicated to his wife, despite her leaving him. He's got that unyielding strength that is pretty beautiful.

- The enemy!!! Haha. Well, at least they kept it interesting.

What continued to disturb me about this book was the writing style. It's in the choppy rhythm of the sentences. Example: "The humming inside me grew worse, took over me, until I felt like one huge, vibrating guitar string. I didn't know what it was, hadn't felt anything like it before." (265) The little sentence additives (the extra details within the commas) clawed at me. These sentences actually read like song lyrics (try it). It would have been fine if they didn't find their way to nearly every single paragraph. I only noticed this in the second half of the book--I actually liked the way the first half was written.

One thing I'm still deciding on is the ending. I'm thinking I didn't like it that much. There really wasn't too much consideration on her family, and the way it was written, it felt a bit all over the place and hazy. Or maybe that was just me.

Quotes:

First lines

"I was ten the first time I saw her. I remember this clearly, because my mother left exactly two weeks later--on my eleventh birthday. (Prologue)

Favourite lines

"I still don't know what possessed me to do what I did next. Ignoring the rain, ignoring the cold, ignoring my chattering teeth and half-frozen appendages, I climbed out of the car and let the rain and the wind wash over me.
       It tore through my hair, whipped against my tender skin until tears of pain rolled down my face. Lightning rent the sky, flashed above the ocean like a bomb exploding mere moments before thunder shook the ground. And still I stood there, refusing to get back in the car where it was safe.
       My name isn't Tempest for nothing." (p. 49)

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:

US Cover

Other reviews of 'Tempest Rising'

The Story Siren: "Tempest Rising is FINtastic!!" {link}
Books with Bite: 5 stars {link}
Nice Girls Read Books: 4 stars {link}
IB Book Blogging: 4 fairies {link}

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

Challenge: ---

[Review + Giveaway] Happy Birthday To Me by Brian Rowe

Title: Happy Birthday To Me {goodreads}

Authors: Brian Rowe

Publication (dd/mm/yy): 25/10/11

Publisher: CreateSpace

Source: For review (thanks to the author!)
Age: 15+ Sexual references, mild swearing?

Pages: 315

My Rating:

Satisfying read

Summary:

Seventeen-year-old Cameron Martin has a huge problem: he’s aging a whole year of his life with each passing day!

High school is hard enough; imagine rapidly aging from seventeen to seventy in a matter of weeks, with no logical explanation, and with prom, graduation, and the state championship basketball game on the horizon. That’s what happens to Cameron, a mischievous pretty boy who has never had to face a day looking anything but perfect.

All Cameron wants to do is go back to normal, but no one, not even the best doctors, can diagnose his condition. When he falls for a mysterious young woman, however, he realizes that the only hope for his survival might be with the one person who started his condition in the first place...

My thoughts: 

I was initially intrigued when it was pitched to me, but I'm always just that bit more cautious with indie/self-published novels. The idea that someone could start aging a year of their life with each passing day is a fun concept, and Brian Rowe executed it well enough. An entertaining read all around, not without its moments of pure laugh-out-loud hilarity.

In Happy Birthday To Me, seventeen-year-old Cameron is the popular guy everyone wants to be or be with. He and his friends, exhilerated after a great basketball game, visit their favourite cafe/restaurant, where Cameron has a running joke: wherein everyone pretends it's his birthday and they receive birthday cake. It's just a harmless prank. Until it actually happens -- Cameron begins to age at a rapid rate, and no doctor can diagnose this hideous nightmare.

He's got the state championship basketball game, graduation and the prom! Unsatisfied with the prospect of living out the rest of his days as a research project at some lab, he takes it upon himself to finish high school, no matter what. Even if he becomes an 80 year old man on the outside and can barely walk.

I liked the outline of the book - every chapter denounces a new age that Cameron has stepped into. They really helped keep structure; it was also great to find out that something new had changed with him as he aged. That was without a doubt one of my favourite aspects of this book - imagining, for instance, a 50 year old man, creaking joints and all, playing on the high school basketball team.

Cameron himself, is, well, a pretty boy. Which equates to mean that I did not like him. Ha! He's cocky and selfish and stubborn and ignorant to everything that does not revolve around him. Tell me how that's supposed to be attractive, in any world? As he does age, we see some character progression, which was a bit cliche, but I did end up liking him more by the end of it all. He grows as a person, and sees the truth to his once-perfect life, which comes to light when he starts to age and is no longer the golden boy everyone loved.


Even worse than Cameron himself, is Charisma. His girlfriend. But then, all things considered, they're a match made in heaven then. Since the popular crowd are obviously so shallow, she ends up sneaking off with Cameron's best friend, who just doesn't get it. Everyone at the school annoyed me, and it just magnified everything I don't miss about high school (not that my grade had anyone NEARLY so shallow). The one character who had the potential to at least stay on my good side, was Liesl.

Liesl is harmless enough, and she ends up coming off okay with me. I didn't like her either, granted, but I didn't despise her and that's something. She remains such a mystery for the majority of the book, and maybe that's why I didn't dislike her. What did irk me is what she did, which I won't spoil here. Let's just say she does something really immature, which felt so out of character for her, if I ever knew her at all. Overall I thought she was a sweet character, whose emotions were sincere, true intentions.

The real standout for me is the writing. It's nowhere near polished. But. It's in the humor of it all. I enjoyed myself so much, despite the fact that I couldn't stand most of the characters. I was somehow able to dismiss that, because they did not matter to me. In the end it's about Cameron and his journey of self-discovery, and him finding out that his perfect life wasn't all that perfect.

Happy Birthday To Me happily sits with other good, fun paranormal YA novels on the market - if you're not too picky with characters, or cliche school cliques, you'll find much to like in the humorous antics, as you follow Cameron's fall from grace, day by day. Recommended for 15+ boys and fans of basketball . . . and birthdays.

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: ---

~Giveaway~

Sorry guys. Aussie only!

1x winner to receive: Paranormal pack

• Happy Birthday To Me by Brian Rowe
• 1 other paranormal YA book on my "giveaway" list (I'll email you the options)
• Assorted paranormal YA swag, including Clockwork Angel notebook
• Signed by Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Angel mini-poster

So what do you have to do to be in the draw?

Just comment and answer the question: 

WHY is Cameron aging a year with every passing day? 

Be as crazy as you want to be

You HAVE to include your email with your comment, or else your entry will not count.

Following is not required.
If you do follow, let me know under what GFC name you follow my blog for an extra entry.

Giveaway ends 31/12. Spread the word, if you want to! I won't mind. ;)

[Review] Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson

Title: Hunting Lila {goodreads}

Authors: Sarah Alderson

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

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
RRP: $16.99

Source: For review (thanks C at S&S!)
Age: 14+

Pages: 320

My Rating:

Summary:

17-year-old Lila has two secrets she's prepared to take to the grave. The first is that she can move things just by looking at them. The second is that she's been in love with her brother's best friend, Alex, since forever. Or thereabouts.After a mugging on the streets of South London goes horribly wrong and exposes her unique ability, Lila decides to run to the only people she can trust - her brother and Alex. They live in Southern California where they work for a secret organisation called The Unit, and Lila discovers that the two of them are hunting down the men who murdered her mother five years before. And that they've found them. Trying to uncover the truth of why her mother was killed, and the real remit of The Unit, Lila becomes a pawn in a dangerous game. Struggling to keep her secrets in a world where nothing and no one is quite as they seem, Lila quickly realises that she is not alone - there are others out there just like her - people with special powers -and her mother's killer is one of them...

My thoughts: 

A letter to my copy: "We laughed. We cried. We cringed and fought and pleaded and screamed. You and me, HUNTING LILA . . . I can say with assurance that I will not forget the time we've spent together. Don't worry though, we'll be together again soon - I'll be sure to revisit when I get the time to!"

What a remarkable debut HUNTING LILA is! Not only was it action-packed so that you couldn't help but get lost in its pages; it was wrought with emotions so raw and true that I really did fall in love. If Alderson can churn out this kind of stuff as a debut author, I can't wait to see how her later releases will compare.

[SKIP IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ A BIT MORE ABOUT THE PLOTLINE; THERE AREN'T ANY REAL SPOILERS BUT IT'S A LOT BETTER IF YOU READ IT YOURSELF, I RECKON]

In HUNTING LILA, we have Lila - our protagonist - caught in a mugging. Just as things get serious when a knife is involved, with only her mind, Lila points the knife right back at the mugger. Embarrassed at the development of her powers and afraid of what these abilities have led her to (almost) doing, she promptly runs away from her home to live with her brother Jack and his best friend Alex - both whom she hasn't seen since for ever. Not since three years ago when their mum was murdered and Jack, and Alex, moved away. With only a text message the night before, notifying the big news to her brother, she flies all the way from London to LA.

Jack, who is fiercely protective of his sister, demands she go back home; it's not safe here in Oceanside. Right. And south London isn't dangerous and she DIDN'T almost stab a guy in the eye when she was almost mugged. Not that she'd admit that to him because then she'd have a whole lot more to explain, as well as the fact that he'd hunt the guy down and kill him. And he could, considering his - and Alex's - training at The Unit.

But there's something strange about The Unit. What do they do exactly? Why are there hired scientists at the base, and why is it in calm, safe Oceanside in the first place?

[READ ON! 8D]

Lila was a good, funny, strong-willed, stubborn but sensitive main character who I could easily understand. She has her flaws - she's impulsive and doesn't think things through, but her courageousness and the passion by which she sees things through are really something. I loved her dry wit more than anything, and also her clumsiness.

The adventure and action is just amazing. Every other reviewer/reader who has anything to say about this book will agree with me on that. The fast-paced-ness is one of the best qualities about this book.

What I do want to mention in good detail is the budding relationship between Lila and Alex. This is such a gorgeous pairing. It feels pretty paranormal, but what sets this pair apart from the rest is that it started from way back. Alex is Lila’s childhood crush, and even after time and space, those feelings never truly went away. Being more than a few years older than her however, he’s never thought of her as anything other than Jack’s baby sister.

If you had a look at my copy of Hunting Lila you’d see ripped up newspaper bits and sticky notes. I couldn’t get to the post-its on my bedside table quick enough. Lots of quote-worthy lines in this book! Not only is the story and cast a knockout, but the writing is pretty good for a YA paranormal. Nothing really too clunky, though the style may take a second to adjust to.

From cover to cover, Hunting Lila failed to disappoint me. Deliciously paranormal, I couldn’t get enough of this!

Quote:

First lines

"Only when the tip of the knife started to shave against the white of his eye like scalpel about to pierce a boil, did I realise that I was the one holding it.
Or rather, controlling it.

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 YA Debut Author Challenge

[Review] Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey

Title: Haunting Violet {goodreads}

Authors: Alyxandra Harvey

Publication (dd/mm/yy): 01/08/11

Publisher: Bloomsbury
RRP: $15.99

Source: Publisher for review
Age: 14+

Pages: 340

My Rating:

Summary:

Violet Willoughby doesn't believe in ghosts . . . but they believe in her.

Violet has spent years taking part in her mother's elaborately faked seances, putting the rich and powerful in touch with the dead, and their success has brought them a life of luxury they could only have dreamed of and Violet the prospect of a society marriage.

The last thing Violet expected was to start seeing and hearing the dead for real. But now she is haunted day and night by the ghost of a drowned girl who won't let her rest until her murdered is uncovered. Violet must use her talents to unravel the mystery surrounding the girl's death - and quickly before the killer strikes again . . .

My thoughts: 

Written 2 weeks after reading it, sorry! This review is dreadful . . . uni has just been a massive change and I don't know what to do with this blog at the moment. I'm still hanging on, barely, but I'm just really lagging on reviews.

Part historical fiction, part supernatural mystery, HAUNTING VIOLET possessed great qualities from both worlds. We've got the modern-archaic writing style, and Victorian England environment and cast; as well as a girl who can see, hear and speak to the dead, which leads to a complete whirlwind of a whodunnit plotline.

It actually gave me the same chilling atmosphere and feel as THE ETERNAL ONES and PROPHECY OF THE SISTERS -- both which I loved! However, it definitely stands on its own. Violet, the main character in this book, is cleverer than Haven. And Violet grows up with a brother figure like the Milthorpe sisters, but he's an adopted orphan . . .


[enter crappy synopsis thingy]
Violet Willoughby has been living under the shadow of her mother since she was young - she aids in making her mother's fake seances work. Her mother, Celeste, has been obsessed with the wealthy and since she harbours no real skills, other than relentless foolery, she is the town's regarded seance. Violet and her only friend Collin, an orphan taken in by Celeste, are the only ones who know. One day, Celeste is given a job by an elitist. And it's only then that Violet discovers she can see ghosts for real, and one ghost in particular wants her murderer known by all. 


Sorry about that. Anyway, this review is probably going to be short otherwise I'll go around in circles.


I just loved it. Harvey's writing style was detailed but in a way that it wasn't boring or too longwinded. Yes, there were some slow points in the book, but don't worry because it all quickly picked up again. What I enjoyed most of the book was the constant guessing. Who killed this girl? I love the mystery revolving around that, and the cluelessness of the people in the area really made it even spookier. Everything was cleverly planned out; one small action could change your outlook entirely and think that one suspect was innocent. And then something else would happen that could turn it all around.


As for the characters themselves . . . I liked the history revolving around the Willoughby family. I'd have loved more information about Collin, though I suppose most of it would be terribly depressing. His interactions and presence really shifts the dynamic in the "family". Celeste (the mother) patronisingly dotes on Violet, while mostly ignoring Collin and treating him like a slave. But V and Collin are as close as anything. And their relationship gets annoying. Collin is overly protective of V, which is good, but I don't know, it just drove me mad at times.


I wish I could remember more about the specific townspeople but my memory is appalling, so. Yeah. Uh. That's pretty much it.


Haunting Violet is a suspenseful rollercoaster: one minute you know exactly what's going on, the next you don't. With a sweeping family dynamic and a female protagonist whose haunting newfound powers drive the plot, you won't want to let go!

Quote:

First lines

"I was nine years old when my mother decided it was time I took part in the family business. I was pretty enough now, she said, that I might be of use. I'd grown into my ears and my long neck and might be clever enough to handle myself. Besides which, she claimed, she had no other option.

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: ---

[Review] Siren's Storm by Lisa Papademetriou

Title: Siren's Storm {goodreads}

Authors: Lisa Papademetriou

Publication (dd/mm/yy): 01/08/11

Publisher: Random House Australia
RRP: $18.95

Source: Publisher for review
Age: 14+

Pages: 280

My Rating:

 

Summary:

Nothing has been the same for Will ever since what happened last summer. One day, on an ordinary sailing trip with his brother, there is a strange accident. When Will wakes up, he learns his brother has disappeared, presumed drowned. Worst of all, Will can't remember what happened—his family finds him unconscious, with no memory of the accident.

Now Will and his best friend and neighbor, Gretchen, are starting a new summer. Gretchen seems troubled—her sleepwalking habit is getting worse, and she keeps waking up closer and closer to the water. Will is drawn to Asia, the exotic new girl in town. Nobody knows where she's from—all Will knows is that her beauty and her mesmerizing voice have a powerful effect on people.

Then there is another mysterious drowning, and Will and Gretchen begin to wonder: Is Asia just another beautiful, wealthy summer resident? Or is she something entirely more sinister . . . and inhuman?

My thoughts: 

Siren's Storm is my first siren story, but it will definitely not be the last. I love books that revolve itself on some kind of mythology, and while the author doesn't get into the nitty gritty of it it was nice to get the feel of mythology. I'm only just writing a review like 2 weeks after I read it, so it's not going to be too well written, just warning you!

*sorry this synopsis thing is so dodgy and spoilery probably DON'T READ IT!!*
The book starts off really slowly. We are introduced to the setting first, with an article from the Walfang Gazette, where a huge storm is to arrive in the near future. Introduced to Will in the third person as he goes out and finds a creature lurking in the shadows. Creeped out, he drives onward towards his destination. The same creature, Will thinks, then drops off at a nearby creek, with him the only witness. And the next day, there she is, and she's the mysterious new girl, and there's something about her that's . . . off.

When I first finished this book I had set the rating straight up to 4.5 stars, but that was only truly reflective of the fast-paced bits near the end - not the whole of the book. Most of this book was just too slow for my liking, and while the mystery of it all did keep me going, I was still putting it down after each chapter. And after 2 weeks I remember fragments of the book, but not the ones that made me believe this book was THAT amazing. Basically, it was good but not great or amazing (in between 3.5 and 4 stars).

After about the 100 page mark I finally got into the book and was actually hooked, and actually wanted to keep on reading. I'm not sure whether this was just the situation at the time/recently (because I've been bored with book beginnings for a while now), but I've heard that other people struggled with the beginning too. I am glad that there will be a sequel, kind of. I found that the ending was a tad cheesy and although all loose strings are tied up, I don't think I'm ready to let go of Will and Gretchen.

In YA a majority of the "new kid" plot is with a guy, so I liked that this time around it was a girl. She was mysterious and beautiful and troubled and cryptic, the kind of girl that both petrifies and allures. Sounds like a siren (or rather, a seekrieger) to me!

Will and Gretchen aren't anything too special. Really, they're just normal kids who just happened to find themselves at the right place at the right time (or the wrong place at the right time). But I think it's that that made me like them, even a bit. More than that, I just liked how their friendship changes and deepens during that summer.

I hope to see more of Gretchen's life in the next book. Saying that, none of the "main-ish" characters were dull or boring or cardboard cutouts or cliches. As far as I could tell. If there was any disconnect, it was just because of the third person perspective.

That said, Siren's Storm is an evocative and cleverly-plotted siren novel that twists and turns so that once you finally think you've got it figured out, just like Will and Gretchen, you discover you were dead wrong. The build-up of the relationship between Will and Gretchen is cute, and helps lighten up an otherwise pitch dark summer read.

Quote:

Favourites

"Will saw her strawberry lips forming words, and hungered to know what they were. Will didn't care what she was saying. He wished he could catch each word from her mouth and preserve them in a jar, like fireflies.


(p. 117)

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 Challenge 2011 (AU)