ARC Review: This is Where the World Ends by Amy Zhang

Title: This is Where the World Ends
Author: Amy Zhang
Genre: YA Contemporary / Mystery
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Published: March 22nd 2016
Page Number: 304
Rating: 2/5

Summary:

Janie and Micah, Micah and Janie. That’s how it’s been ever since elementary school, when Janie Vivien moved next door. Janie says Micah is everything she is not. Where Micah is shy, Janie is outgoing. Where Micah loves music, Janie loves art. It’s the perfect friendship—as long as no one finds out about it. But then Janie goes missing and everything Micah thought he knew about his best friend is colored with doubt.

 

REVIEW

As soon as I read the synopsis for this novel, I knew I had to read it. I love YA Contemporary that also has that hint of Mystery that has you trying to guess what's happened, and 'This is Where the World Ends' was completely compelling and captured my attention completely.

The story is told in duo POV between Janie and Micah, and while I liked getting differing POV's I also felt like this is where the story also became a little...repetitive and annoying. Micah as a character is incredibly hard to relate to because he has no idea what happened that night and he's on a journey to finding out what happened but because he has no idea he tends to lash out quite a lot and second guess things. I wanted to like Micah and in the beginning I was rooting for him; I was rooting for him because of his friendship with Janie but by the end of the novel the only feelings I had for him were hatred. I quite liked Janie. We didn't get to see the full story from her POV but what we did see was insightful and I could see how anyone would be friends with her.

The whole book is based on trying to find out what happened that night, the night of the accident and I was really looking forward to finding out but the end result was disappointing, I felt like it was a cop out, like it was the easy root to take and I just didn't appreciate that. I thought the whole twist would have been life changing but it just wasn't.

I'd still recommend the book because it was like nothing else I've read before and we all need something entirely out of our comfort zones to read.

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🎧: Gentle Face Massage and Cleansing Role Play by Deluca ASMR

ARC Review: Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

"A thoroughly thought-provoking read."

Title: Vanishing Girls
Author: Lauren Oliver
Genre: YA Mystery
Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton
Published: March 12th 2015
Page Number: 322
Rating: 4/5

Summary:

Dara and Nick used to be inseparable, but that was before the accident that left Dara's beautiful face scarred and the two sisters totally estranged. When Dara vanishes on her birthday, Nick thinks Dara is just playing around. But another girl, nine-year-old Madeline Snow, has vanished, too, and Nick becomes increasingly convinced that the two disappearances are linked. Now Nick has to find her sister, before it's too late.

REVIEW

 

I've actually never managed to read a Lauren Oliver book, but when I saw that she was writing a YA Mystery book, I knew it was a must have! Many would think that Vanishing Girls is just a story about a girl who's sister goes missing, but it's a lot more than that. Vanishing Girls deal with family tragedy, loss and just how far we'd go for the people we love.

 

The writing is deep and beautiful, but with an undertone of darkness. We see how two sisters can be affected by the things that happen in their lives. From the set up I was invested in both Dara and Nick. I wanted to know their story, why they did certain things they did and why they'd let a relationship get ruined?

 

Character wise you really learn to love them, but I honestly don't know if I loved them or if I loved the way the story was told more. Vanishing Girls is told in different POV's from Dara and Nicks, past and present. We also get newspaper reports and tweets, which was such a modern, fresh idea to bring into a YA Mystery, because it's what us teenagers are into. When we wake up in the morning the first thing we check are our social medias: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. So really seeing the story being told through that was what made it so brilliant!

 

I will admit that this book wasn't perfect. But then again, what book truly is perfect? My problem with this book was the ending. It's not that I didn't like it, because I truly did, but at the same time I felt a disconnection from it as well. Maybe it's because I guessed a little early on, but then again, I do that with all Mystery books and TV shows. However, if you're a fan of Mystery or YA then you'll love then nonetheless.

 

 

A physical copy was provided by the publishers for a honest review

 

 

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ARC Review: I Was Here by Gayle Forman

"I Was Here,was a beautiful and engaging read. One of my favourite books of the year "

 

Title: I Was Here

Author: Gayle Forman
Genre: Contemporary/Mystery
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Childrens
Published: January 29th 2015
Page Number: 270
Rating: 5/5

Summary:

When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything - so how was there no warning?

But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington.

About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, who broke Meg’s heart. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open - until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.

 

Review:

 

I know very well that as soon as I open up a Gayle Forman book that I will be in the ride of my life and just like If I Stay and Where She Went, I was. I was compelled from page one and couldn't put it down until I had finished the book in it's entirety.

 

This Young Adult contemporary is a lot darker and mysterious than most. Cody has just lost her best friend, Meg to suicide and something seems off. She never told Cody and that's what she never understood. They were best friends and best friends told each other everything, but Cody had to learn how well she truly knew her best friend.

 

Gayle Forman has written an incredible, engaging book with I Was Here. Cody's voice is strong and distinctive, she lives off trying to find out what truly happened to Meg and it drags you in. You become Cody's eyes. What she see's, you see. What she feels, you feel. It's like the book transports your body into the book and you live through everything. Feel everything.

 

Just like any other Gayle Forman book, the romance was pretty much perfect. I had my instincts on who could be her perfect suitor, but whether she ended up with them was a different story. It's a mix of Young Adult and New Adult, but  it's so much more than that.

 

I Was Here is filled with secret messages. It's not another suicide book. It's a book of letting go of the past - not forgetting - but forgiving. Move on and live your life. Through out the book we have little information about Meg and what she went through and I really delved into her life and lived it, because I have lived it.

 

Depression isn't something that can be sorted out with pills. It takes a lot of courage to admit and get help. It's a lot of hard work, but hard work pays off in the end. It's correct that you only live once, but don't live life like it's short because you'll always wonder what you missed out on.

 

I really really loved I Was Here and I'm excited for Forman's future releases after this incredible book. I would recommend this book to everyone who wants a contemporary book that isn't all school and romance.

 

 

I received this book off the publishers for an honest review.

Waiting on Wednesday: I Was Here by Gayle Forman

Waiting on Wednesday: Episode Two

 

 

I Was Here by Gayle Forman

 

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

 

Release Date: 29th January 2015

 

Pages: 270

 

Goodreads Summary:

 

When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything - so how was there no warning?

But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington.

About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, who broke Meg’s heart. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open - until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.

 

Thoughts:

 

THAT COVER?! OMG! It's so beautiful and it'll match both my If I Stay and Where She Went covers. Gayle Forman has become one of my favourite authors of all time this year and I need more and more of her writing. What I love most is that her books are never all that long, but they're full of depth and emotion. I'm desperate to get my hands on an ARC copy (Simon and Schuster, if you are seeing this then please consider sending me one. It's my birthday this month.) because I MUST read this book.

 

 

What book are you impatiently waiting for?

Review: The Perfectionists by Sara Shepard

Title: The Perfectionists
Author: Sara Shepard
Genre: Contemporary/Mystery
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Published: October 2nd 2014
Page Number: 272

Summary:
In Beacon Heights High, Nolan Hotchkiss is king. His charm, wealth and good looks are deceptively seductive, and many are the students whose lives and reputations have been ruined by it. All while Nolan continues to reign, unquestioned and undisrupted. Until now, that is.

Mackenzie, Ava, Julie, Caitlin and Parker seemingly don't have much in common. Each has their own friends, dramas and goals. But one thing they do share: they all have a deep hatred of Nolan Hotchkiss. And they all think it's about time he paid for what he's done. They come up with the perfect murder - a hypothetical murder, of course. It's all wishful thinking ... until they wake up one morning to find that their wish has come true. Nolan has been killed - in exactly the way they planned. The thing is, they didn't do it. So who did?

Review:

 

I received this book from the Publishers for an honest opinion.

 

Sara Shepard is the author of the Pretty Little Liars series and my expectations for this Duology was high, sadly it didn't really hit the target. I felt like I was reading a reincarnation of Pretty Little Liars and not a new and original story. However, I did really enjoy it and the little twists that went on throughout the story.

 

This story is meant to be a mystery, but I kind of felt like the Mystery element wasn't in this book. I mean, there was a Mystery, but I felt it was too predictable and I guess that's why I tend to stay away from these type of books, because I always manage to guess who the suspect is. With the way it was written - in different POV's - I felt like it wasn't always clear who the character was and threw me off course, but after about 60 pages, I got used to it and it started to flow very well.

 

The writing is very simplistic and very easy to follow, which I think all contemporaries/mysteries need to be. They need to be confusing, but also easy to understand. What I wanted from this book was a spark, which I never got. Pretty Little Liars is an okay series, the earlier books were brilliant, but I can't help noticing the similarities between the both.

 

My other little problem was that I wasn't always captivated through out. Some scenes I got bored of and skipped a few pages, which shouldn't naturally happen. Sometimes with small books under 300 pages, I tend to find that I lose interest quickly because they rush it all and with this one I didn't feel that. I felt it was a bit dragged out. The cliffhanger at the end definitely didn't make me want to read the next book, but I may give it a chance to see how it wraps up.

 

Overall, I somewhat enjoyed this book. I just wished it was a more original idea. 3/5 stars!

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARC Review: Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman

Title: Prisoner of Night and Fog
Author: Anne Blankman
Genre: YA Historical
Publisher: Headline
Published: April 22nd 2014
Page Number: 352

Summary:

For Gretchen Muller, Hitler is 'Uncle Dolf'. He's always been there for her throughout the turmoil of her family's past but now, as his hold over Germany strengthens, he will be forever changed in her eyes. She will do anything to uncover the truth, even at the risk of everything she's ever known...

Review:

I've always been interested in German history and that's partically why I decided ton study History for my A Levels (which I have now finished and I get my results in August.) So, I was happy to find that what I have studied during my two years of A Level History, was in this book.

Anne Blankman writes with such elegance and shows that despite this book being both hardhitting and beautiful, elegance can have an ugly side. Gretchen is almost controlled by her family's past, she wants to know what happened to her father - was he really shot saving Hitler, or was it someone much closer to home?

With this book you won't just find a drug that will keep you addicted, you'll find love. Not just with the writing, but with the characters and the forbidden romance that makes you smile like you've just sniffed glue. (Please do not try that!)

With this debut, I was very impressed, but like every book it was no where near perfect. The story was controlled very well and the opening was filled with action - Gretchen's brother and friend beating up a random Jew on the streets. But despite that, not all that much went down. Secrets were found out, Gretchen got attacked and more assaults on the Jews happened. I just kind of wanted...more.

But overall, a very impressive book.

Quote:

'Hauntingly beautiful. A book about family, love and how far we'd go to expose the ones who's done wrong.' Bookbitchreviews.blogspot.co.uk  

ARC Review: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

   Book Name: We Were Liars
   Author: E. Lockhart
   UK Release Date: 15th May 2014
   UK Publishers: Hot Key Books
   Summary:

We are liars
We are beautiful and privileged
We are cracked and broken
A tale of love and romance
A tale of tragedy
Which are lies?
Which is the truth?
You decide

Praise for E. Lockhart:

'Thrilling, beautiful and blisteringly smart, We Were Liars is utterly unforgettable.' John Green, author of The Fault in Our Stars

'Spectacular.' Lauren Myracle, author of Shine

'We Were Liars may be Emily's best book. And that is saying something, because Emily is without a doubt one of the very best fiction writers writing today.' Maureen Johnson, Author of The Name of the Star

Review:

It's extremely difficult how to tell you what this book is about because it is a YA Contemporary with hints of Mystery, but what I can say is that whatever you do. Lying may just be the best option, well in this case anyway.

Page 5 was without a doubt the best page in that entire book for me. The metaphor was gripping and beautiful and saddening all in one and it's one of my favourite metaphors without a doubt.

Then he pulled out a handgun and shot me in the chest. I was standing on the lawn and I fell. The bullet hole opened wide and my heart rolled out of my rib cage and down into a flower bed. Blood gushed rhythmically from my open wound, then from my eyes,
my ears,
my mouth.

At first I was like 'What. The. Heck?!' but I understood after. It describes how she's feeling about what's happened and how it feels for her in the sense that she may not recover from this. It's beautiful, yet sad. Perfectly described in the situation.

Another thing I loved about the book was that the chapters were short even thought they may focus on the same day. It worked well because another mystery would unfold or Cadence would remember something.

However, there were quite a lot of flaws in this book. The writing is probably one of the major factors that I disliked. At most times it was okay, but it got into the point where it'd be like

and I saw Gat,
and I saw that rose in his hand,
and in that one moment, with the sunlight from the window shining in on him,
etc, etc, etc.

It became too much and sometimes it felt like it was a more important point to the story than it actually was. My biggest hate in this book, however, was the fairy tale re-tellings. They side tracked me away from the actual storyline and if anything they were extremely boring and didn't actually have to be in the book.

Overall, I did enjoy my time taking part in the #WeWereLiars read-a-long. It was great fun and I read a full book something I haven't done in a while due to a reading slump. Anyway, I gave this book a 3/5 Stars! It was good. Could have been a bit less predictable, but other than that and the faults I had with it, it was a fun short read.

My Quote:

'Beautiful and mysterious: one thing something should never be. But works.' Bookbitchreviews.blogspot.co.uk