The YA's Nightstand: Fantasy

Showing posts with label Fantasy. Show all posts

REVIEW: Everless

EVERLESS

by Sara Holland

Pages: 352

Publisher: Orchard Books

Publication Date: January 4th 2018

Received From: Orchard Books

Time is a prison. She is the key. Packed with danger, temptation and desire.

In the land of Sempera, the rich control everything - even time. Ever since the age of alchemy and sorcery, hours, days and years have been extracted from blood and bound to iron coins. The rich live for centuries; the poor bleed themselves dry.

Jules and her father are behind on their rent and low on hours. To stop him from draining himself to clear their debts, Jules takes a job at Everless, the grand estate of the cruel Gerling family.

There, Jules encounters danger and temptation in the guise of the Gerling heir, Roan, who is soon to be married. But the web of secrets at Everless stretches beyond her desire, and the truths Jules must uncover will change her life for ever ... and possibly the future of time itself.

This is without a doubt one of my (if not most YA bloggers) most anticipated book of 2018 and after demolishing it, rather quickly, I can understand why. The concept of Everless is intriguing and magical, it draws you in from the very first page and there is something about the world Sara Holland creates and the characters that roam it that make this book hard to put down.

Everless is the story of Jules, a teenager of Sempera who, along with her father, have found themselves down on their luck. But in a world where time is currency, falling behind on your rent can have deadly consequences and when Jules realises her father can't take another withdrawal without risking fatality she takes in upon herself to save their family home by working at Everless. Jules grew up at Everless but that was a long time ago and returning has its own set of risks. Everless is home to Jules family secrets, her childhood crush and the person she and her father have spent years running from. But when you pay with time, with blood, you have to chose what risk is worth taking and which will leave you out in the snow.

OMG! I loved this book so much! I was so excited when it turned up on my doorstep and i'll admit I had high expectations, but it did not disappoint. The story is fast paced and endearing, with some unexpected twists and turns along the way that had my jaw hitting the floor. I thought the whole concept of someones years, their life, being drained and turned into currency was really interesting and made the book a unique addition to the YA family. There was also something really magical about the whole setting of this book, with its old worldly feel and the way Sara paints a picture with her words is breathtaking at times.

It is one of those books that I don't want to ruin with accidental spoilers so I will keep it short and sweet... well short for me. The characters, especially Jules and one other I can't say in case of spoilers (those who have read it will know who I'm on about) already have a special place in my heart. They all have their flaws and learn not just about themselves but about everyone around them as the story progresses making them all the more relatable.

Overall, Everless is the first of a new exciting YA fantasy series and I'm super stoked to see what it has in store next for us. If you haven't yet, add this to your pre-oder list as I'd put money on this being the next big series that you don't want to miss. It has everything you could possibly want from a YA fantasy! It has magic, secrets, mystery, the start of a love story (I so desperately hope) and characters and a story that will leave you wanting more.

**I received this book as an ARC from Orchard Books to read & review. This is a 100% honest review.**

REVIEW: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR
PECULIAR CHILDREN

by Ransom Riggs

Pages: 352

Publisher: Quirk

Publication Date: 7th June 2011

ISBN: 1594744769

Summary

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of curious photographs.

A horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

Review

This is one of those books that you hear so much about but for some reason never get around to reading it. Then the movie gets released and a voice in your head says, "You're not watching the movie before you've read the book!" Which lead me to now. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is not at all what I was expecting, mainly because I was basing my knowledge of the book on the movie trailer but also because of its uniqueness.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children follows Jacob as he tries to discover the truth behind his Grandfather's secret past. His search leads him to a mysterious island just off the coast of Wales and what he fines is more than he could ever have imagined. The children he meets unlock a world of peculiar magic and impossible dangers that makes Jacob question everything he knows. The big question though is whether or not Jacob is strong enough to be truly peculiar himself.

I don't really want to say too much about this one as I feel it spoils it. So, for those who haven't read it yet (I'm sure like me you are in the minority) I'll keep this brief.

The way in which Riggs writes is enchanting and the story drags you in pretty quickly. The book itself is filled with mystery and wonder and will keep you guessing the whole way through. The characters are, for lack of a better word, peculiar but they are endearing and wonderfully bazar. Not to mention funny!! The children at Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children had be laughing out loud to myself on several occasions, especially Emma Bloom. FYI Emma is most definitely my favourite character!

Overall this book had me hooked and I would highly recommend it if you haven't already devoured the whole series by now. Team Peculiar all the way!

Book Blitz: Life Lived Twice

IFB is hosting the promo event for Sherrie Wouters' debut fantasy novel. Continue below for an excerpt & giveaway.

Release date: June 6th 2014
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Some promises are made to last forever ... What if you fell in love with a stranger ... but that stranger had come from your past, a past you never knew existed until the moment your eyes met?

When Tess Winters locks eyes with a stranger at an airport bookstore, it ignites a feeling of passion somewhere deep inside her that she can't explain. Although the encounter is innocent and brief, the intensity of it lingers, leaving her overwhelmed by a yearning for the mystery man now consuming her every thought.

Struggling to break the powerful hold he has over her heart, Tess starts to experience strange but familiar dreams...dreams from the turn of the twentieth century of the charming Mr Addison Taylor.

As her dreams start to materialize into reality, and past and present begin to blur, Tess is forced to put the pieces of a forgotten time together, and soon discovers that love isn't the only thing that can find you after an eternity. Captivating, mysterious, and romantic, Life Lived Twice will leave you wondering whether love is so powerful it could last more than a lifetime.

EXCERPT

============

By the time I’d examined his tanned calves, the masculinity of his skin was lingering in the air between us. He smelt sensational, and I found myself uncontrollably breathing in as I rose.

Now curious to see more, I kept going. But as I began to move, an odd sensation of warmth radiating from him came over me; it was almost like an invisible hand caressing my skin. My heart fluttered at the idea of it, and suddenly blood was rushing to all the wrong places as I felt an unexpected thrill of anticipation.

After tracing his body all the way up to his chest, my wandering eyes didn’t seem to want to stop, and they were soon up to his neck and following the stubble along his jaw, right up to his light brown hair. And then he spoke. The sound of his voice jolted me from my daydream and pulled my gaze to his.

“Addison!” I gasped as our eyes collided. From the moment the name left my lips, my eyes widened ... stared ... and became lost in his. As a rush of airy weightlessness floated me from the floor, suddenly everything felt more enhanced, more real, like something inside me had suddenly woken up. It was an intoxicating feeling and the longer I stood entranced, the further his beautiful blue eyes reached into mine. Somehow they were knocking on the door to my heart, stirring something so powerful it made me want to cry and laugh at the same time and, for a brief second, there was something in his eyes that made me feel complete.

Suddenly his brows squeezed then softened. “Ah ... um ... sorry about the electric shock.” He smiled. “But who’s Addison?”

My throat tightened as warmth flushed my cheeks. Who the hell was Addison?

Embarrassment pulled my eyes from his. “Oh,” I said, choking on my words, “Um ... ah ... no ... I don’t know anyone called Addison ... I mean, um ... ”

“Oh!” He smiled cheekily as he leaned towards me and whispered. “You sounded so convinced I was him ... I thought for a second I could be. I mean, if you wanted me to be.”

My face shot back to his, words jamming in my throat as I stared. Who was this guy, this stranger? In just a few seconds he’d turned my soul inside out, and now he was charming me with his words as well.

As his lips rose into a smile, I couldn’t help but smile back. But panic quickly returned to my constricted throat as that name re-entered my head.

Suddenly aware of the warmth still creeping across my face, I managed to pull my eyes from his again and divert my gaze. Addison, Addison, who the hell was Addison? I couldn’t budge the name from my thoughts.

As I stood fidgeting, I could feel him staring, waiting for me to say something, anything. After taking a breath, I shifted my gaze and we locked eyes again as I spoke. “Um,” I said, swallowing hard, “I must be mistaken ... sorry.”

About the Author

Sherrie Wouters is a thirty something flame haired chick who accidentally wrote a book and is now an author. A qualified Homeoeopath and Kinesiologist, Sherrie lives in country Victoria, Australia with her husband, and two daughters. She is currently working on the sequel to Life Lived Twice.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

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Review: The Madman's Daughter

The Madman's Daughter

by Megan Shepherd

Pages: 420 (paperback)

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Publication Date: January 29th 2013

ISBN: 0062128027

Summary

Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.
Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood.
Inspired by H. G. Wells's classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman's Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we'll do anything to know and the truths we'll go to any lengths to protect.

Review

"There's a darkness inside you. Don't deny it - you know it's true. You feel it. It's the animal in you, stirring, hungry for unnatural things."

The Madman's Daughter is insanely creepy and dark with flashes of pure genius running through it's pages. The book is based on H.G. Well's The Island of Dr. Moreau, which I have never read. If I'm honest, I'm glad that I went into this without knowing anything about Moreau as it enabled me to make my own discoveries about the characters. I got strong Frankenstein vibes when reading this book and it delves deeply into the whole meaning of creation. It is intense and descriptive and it transports you into the deadly and monstrous world that is, Moreau's playground.

The story is told from the point of view of the main protagonist, Juliet. It's her story as she flees London after an unfortunate incident with a certain professor with shameless grabby hands and her journey as she travels to an Island off the coast of Australia. The trip alone is dangerous and the crew aren't best pleased with a woman aboard. However, whatever Juliet faces on the ship is nothing to the mysteries and horrors that await her on the Island. But she has no where else to go and she needs to know. Is her father a genius or simply the madman London has claimed him to be?

"Years of my life had hinged on this one question: Why type of man was my father?"

A lot of authors struggle to keep the suspense throughout their books but that was not an issue with this one. It was fast paced with several different lingering mysteries throughout the story. I found that while Shepherd was unraveling one clue I was forgetting about anther, making the moments when everything came into focus all the more shocking. There wasn't a single point where I thought I knew where the book was going and it managed to keep me guessing right up until the very last page.

"This poor animal carved into a little boy by a madman."

The character's were brilliant. Throughout reading this I felt hatred towards the Dr. Pity for Edward and admiration towards Juliet. Okay, there were one or two moments where Juliet was a little slow off the mark but I supported the difficult decisions she made. Then there was Montgomery! Damn this boy broke my heart. His character, like all the others in this story go through so many trails that their morals are questionable. However, I don't care. Team Montgomery all the way!

Overall this book is just pure genius! It makes you question what it means to be human and what humanity really costs. I feel like there is so much more these character's have to offer and I can't wait to read the second book in the series. I just hope that it is as dark and captivating as this instalment because right now, Megan Shepherd has become one of my favourite authors!

"As a surgeon, blood had been his medium like ink to a writer."

Top 10 Tuesday

photo ScreenShot2014-06-27at100635_zpsd4a3741c.jpg

SO those are by favourite books I've read this year so far! Not all of them are 2014 releases but they all epic and you really do need to be reading them!

Click on the covers to see my reviews.

Anna and the French Kiss

by Stephanie Perkins

I'm a little ashamed to admit this but I only read Anna and the French Kiss because it was on sale. It's the perfect YA contemporary and if you haven't read if for whatever reason it's time to go get your hands on a copy. It's brilliantly funny and a joy to read. You'll get lost in Paris with Anna and St. Clair and you'll be telling everyone you know about it.

Anna Dressed in Blood

by Kendare Blake

I think I'd seen this around a lot but it wasn't until I watched an interview with Daniel Paige and Marissa Meyer, where they both said that it was one of they're favourite YA's that I thought, okay I kinda have to read this now. It's creepy and terrifying and heart breaking and still funny. It has a romance that will melt your heart and a story that will drag you in.

Branded

Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki

I'm not going to lie, I don't usually like to ready self-published books because they have a habit of being less put together than others. However, I'm happy to report that Branded was amazing and well written and I'm a little bit in love with it. It's dystopian at it's best with character's you'll fall in love with. Definitely worth checking out!!

Crash into You

by Katie McGarry

I'm still yet to read the rest of the Pushing the Limits series by Katie but the one instalment I have read (Book 3) was unbelievably good. I think I dubbed McGarry Queen of Swoon and I stick by that claim. As far as characters go, these are some of the best I've ever read.

Desperately Ever After

by Laura Kenyon

First comes love, then comes marriage then comes the baby in the baby carriage. That's not all... I can never remember the rest of that school yard rhyme but I'm pretty sure it didn't say anything about cheating husbands, magical booty call rings or a fairy godmother that just won't let go. This is Once Upon a Time meets Desperate Housewives. If you haven't yet, you need to be reading this book this summer!

Echo Boy

by Matt Haig

Echo Boy restored by faith in YA sci-fi and I'm so freaking happy I read it. The word was intense and gritty and real. The character's new and interesting. It was a fast paced book that had me flipping through the pages faster than any other book this year.

Fangirl

by Rainbow Rowell

Oh boy. I don't know how I can call myself a YA reader the amount of YA books I haven't read! But I'm so glad that I was able to cross Fangirl off my list this year. It's a refreshing change from the prom queens and Buffy-esk character's I've been reading lately. This was my first Rowell book but I'm a little in love with her and have her other's waiting for me to read.

One The Fence

by Kasie West

I. LOVE. THIS. BOOK! I'm ready to trade in my little brother for some older ones and I'll also take a hottie next door to. Not that my neighbours aren't lovely, but they're the wrong side of 50 for a start. I really don't have much to say about this book, there aren't many words that really show just how brilliant it was. A must read for, well, everyone!

The Ring & The Crown

by Melissa de la Cruz

Apart from the fact this has to be the prettiest book I own The Ring & The Crown is also a bloody good read and a really interesting story. It's got magic and queens and a boxing bad boy and a devious prince. It has everything you could possibly want and more. If you only read one book this year make it this one.

#scandal

by Sarah Ockler

My inner Nerd is in love with this book. My inner Nerd is in love with Sarah Ockler for writing this book. I've never read a book with quite so many nerd reverences before and I freaking loved it! I think all books should have debates on whether or not the Millennium Falcon is better than the Enterprise. And I mean come on, who doesn't compare their lives to an episode of The Walking Dead? No? Okay maybe it's just me then...

People of the Nerdolution unite and get reading! You can thank me later.

What are you're favourite books you've read this year?

Tour Post: Queen & Commander

Today we're taking part in the Xpresso Book Tour for Hive & Heist - the new book in the Hive Queen Saga by Janine A. Southard. I'll be reviewing the first in the series, Queen & Commander. Let me know what you think and don't forget to enter the giveaway!
Enjoy x

QUEEN & COMMANDER

by Janine A. Southard

Pages: 266

Publisher: Janine A. Southard

Publication Date: March 8th 2013

ISBN: 9780988646841
Received From: Xpresso Book Tours

Summary

**WINNER 2013 IPPY AWARD -- Silver Medal for Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror E-Book**

On a world where high school test scores determine your future, six students rebel. They’ll outrun society as fast as their questionably obtained spaceship will take them.
Rhiannon doesn’t technically cheat the Test. She’s smarter than the computers that administer it, and she uses that to her advantage. She emerges from Test Day with the most prestigious future career possible: Hive Queen.
Gwyn & Victor are madly in love, but their Test results will tear them apart. Good thing Rhiannon is Gwyn’s best friend. Rhiannon can fix this. Queens can do anything.
Gavin is the wild card. Raised off-planet, he can’t wait to leave again... and he’s heard of an empty ship in orbit. The Ceridwen’s Cauldron.
Both Luciano and Alan fit in the system. They don’t need to leave. Only their devotion to Rhiannon spurs them to join the Cauldron’s crew.
Spaceships. Blackmail. Anywhere but here.

Review

This is probably one of my favourite space themed books ever. It's up there with Beth Revis' Across The Universe. I think the most accurate way to describe this book is it's like Joss Whedon's Firefly but for teenagers. The whole idea behind the book, of having this hive like community is really interesting and well written. It's a fun, easy read that will have you dreaming of the stars.

Queen & Commander follows a group of unorthodox teenagers as they try to carve they're own futures. The rules of society says that on a ship you have a Queen and that Queen has her Devotees. They swear their allegiance to her and they'll do anything she requires of them and in return she will make them part of her Hive. Part of her family. However, Devotees are all male. That's the rule and breaking it isn't worth thinking about. That is until Rhiannon puts her Hive together so that her best friend Gwyn can stay with her boyfriend Victor. Not a single member of this crew has any training when it comes to running a ship. They'll learn as they go along. But maybe the rules are there for a reason?

I really admired Rhiannon throughout this book. She's only 16 and yet she's strong and determined. She knows what she wants and she'll do anything she has to go get it. There was also this venerability to her that I think a lot of YA readers will really connect with as well as a strength that the reader can look up to.

ALAN!

I just want to take a moment to appreciate Alan. He's brilliant and he knows it. He had me smiling and shaking my head at times but overall he has to be my favourite character from the whole book and I can't wait to read more about him in Hive & Heist. He's a bit of an arse but I love him.

However much I love this book there was one big problem. This book has THE MOST FRUSTRATING ENDING EVER! Queen & Commander is a ridiculously good read. It was well written and humours and had a story line that rivalled and episode of Firefly (I think I've already said that). The only reason I'm not giving it 5/5 is because it went and did the only thing it could that would ruin it for me and that was give it a sodding cliffhanger. Okay, so maybe it wasn't the worst cliffhanger I've ever read but there were SO many things left up in the air. What about the Queens?? Where is the ship? Are they going to get in trouble because of Gwyn??

Saying all that though it doesn't change that fact that I adored this book. The character's all had their own unique voices and the use of third person to tell the story gave the reader a whole spectrum of information that made reading Queen & Commander really rather intriguing. I recommend this book completely! But if I had one little tip, make sure you have book two, Hive & Heist, on stand by for when you've finished. I can't tell you anything about book two because I haven't read it yet but if it's anything like this instalment we won't be disappointed.

From one Captain to another!

**I received this book as an ARC from Xpresso Book Tours to read & review. This is a 100% honest review.**

About Janine

Janine A. Southard writes and edits speculative fiction in between working on videogame projects. She’s attended more than the average number of universities, which she claims is a FEATURE. (“Oxford educated, but Californian at heart.”) She’s also lived and traveled in Europe, the United States, and Japan. Currently, she lives in Seattle with a husband (and a cat) and sings with a Celtic band.

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Blog Tour: Cinderella's Dress

It's Friday lovlies and what a week of reviews I've had! I hope you liked them :) This is my last tour post this week and this one was organised by Rockstar Blog Tours! I hope you enjoy the review and as always, leave me a comment. I love to here what you lot think of the book!

CINDERELLA'S DRESS

by Shonna Slayton

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Publication Date: June 3rd 2014

Pages: 340

ISBN: 1622663403

Being seventeen during World War II is tough. Finding out you’re the next keeper of the real Cinderella’s dress is even tougher.

Kate simply wants to create window displays at the department store where she's working, trying to help out with the war effort. But when long-lost relatives from Poland arrive with a steamer trunk they claim holds the Cinderella’s dress, life gets complicated.Now, with a father missing in action, her new sweetheart shipped off to boot camp, and her great aunt losing her wits, Kate has to unravel the mystery before it’s too late.After all, the descendants of the wicked stepsisters will stop at nothing to get what they think they deserve.

Review

I think the first thing that needs to be said about this book that it's NOT a fairytale retelling. It takes the magic of one of our favourite stories, picking out aspects and used it to tell an entirely different tale that is, all in all, charming and captivating. It's a slow paced book that lets you saunter through it's pages as you take in the intelligent and, quite frankly, adorable characters and plot lines.

The story itself follows Kate as she tries to follow her dream of creating window displays in the department store she works at, but it's the 1940's and this isn't something a woman does. With her family being shipped off for the war effort and her mother pushing her in a direction she finds uncomfortable, Kate has to try and figure out a way to reach her dreams. However, a couple of unexpected visitors arrive at Kate's front door introducing a whole new complication into her life. For you see, Kate's family has a long and tangled history with a certain fairytale princess and with the arrival of her Aunt Elsie and Uncle Adalbert comes Cinderella's Dresses.

I really loved Kate as a character. She was strong willed and knew what she wanted. Of course she made a couple of silly mistakes a long the way but - after a little push - she always made the right decision in the end. It was refreshing to have a leading lady who wasn't all puppy dog eyes and lacking in brain cells. Yes, there is a sweet little love story (with the rather yummy Johnny) but at the same time I felt this book was more about Kate's ambitions. It was about her finding a way to embrace a destiny, uncovering her families past and coping with an uncertain present.

The twist on the original Cinderella story was a really interesting aspect. If I'm being completely honest I would have actually liked more of it in the book. I felt that the story covered a lot of Kate's present with her family and Johnny, leaving chunks of the story that could have delved further into the magical elements of the book. It took a long time to really tell you the whole purpose of the dresses. I'll also admit the ending was a little anti climatic, but not at all disappointing. I just would have maybe liked it to have been a little more punchy.

Now, I'm not usually one for accents in books - they're impossible to read and after a while just get on my nerves. However, the way in which Shonna writes the Polish accent is endearing. The dialogues between Elsie and Adalbert are freaking adorable and out of everything I actually thing their story was my favourite part of this book. It added a raw and emotional layer to the story that will warm your heart. I honestly think Adalbert might have a magic all of his own.

Overall this was a interesting read that left me constantly wanting more. It's a sweet story that had me from the get go. Its rich with a 1940's flare that is well written and unputdownable. The setting was perfect and the character's were enchanting. Cinderella's Dress was like a stroll through the 1940's with a magical twist and a sprinkling of fashion. Highly recommend for all in need of a happily ever after.

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About Shonna

Shonna Slayton finds inspiration in reading vintage diaries written by teens, who despite using different slang, sound a lot like teenagers today. While writing Cinderella’s Dress she reflected on her days as a high-school senior in British Columbia when she convinced her supervisors at a sportswear store to let her design a few windows—it was glorious fun while it lasted. When not writing, Shonna enjoys amaretto lattes and spending time with her husband and children in Arizona. You can visit her website at shonnaslayton.com

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Rockstar Book Tours has put together a great giveaway for the Cinderella's Dress tour so don't forget to enter it! Good Luck (US only)