The YA's Nightstand: Review copy

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REVIEW: The Bone Witch

The Bone Witch

by Rin Chupeco

Pages: 400

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: March 7th 2017

ISBN: 1492635820
Received From: Sourcebooks Fire

Summary

When Tea accidentally resurrects her brother from the dead, she learns she is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy means that she’s a bone witch, a title that makes her feared and ostracized by her community. But Tea finds solace and guidance with an older, wiser bone witch, who takes Tea and her brother to another land for training.
In her new home, Tea puts all her energy into becoming an asha — one who can wield elemental magic. But dark forces are approaching quickly, and in the face of danger, Tea will have to overcome her obstacles…and make a powerful choice.
Memoirs of a Geisha meets The Name of the Wind in this brilliant new fantasy series by Rin Chupeco!

Review

This is probably one of the trickiest reviews I have had to write in a while because I'm stick between my head and my heart when it comes to my opinion. The balance between the writing style and the story. There is a list as long as my arm of things I loved about The Bone Witch but that can be said for the things that frustrated me. So I've decided to set this review up a little differently to normal, it will have the same stuff as always, but I think the best way to get across how I felt reading The Bone Witch is with a good old pros and cons.

However, first things first the story! The Bone Witch follows Tea as she discovers she has the power of necromancy which is the rarest of form of magic and it makes her potentially a very powerful Asha. Asha's are like witches, they have magic to them and through years of apprenticeships they learn to hone their crafts. Tea and her newly resurrected brother Fox are taken from their quite lives and moved to the Willows to start Teas training. She has power inside her the Asha have not seen in a long time but can she use it to protect the ones she cares about?

The Characters

Pros - I loved Tea and Fox's relationship. The Dark Asha and her familiar... serious feels!! Tea on her own however took a little time to grew on me but it was the moment she wanted to help her male friend become and Asha that won me over. I'm a big fan of any female (fictional or not) that can't understand what is wrong with a boy wearing a dress! He looked fabulous and I really started to admire her from then on. The majority of the characters made me laugh, they were believable and that definitely helped enhance the story.

Cons - I only really have one when it comes to the characters and that is Tea starts the book as a 12 year old and I really struggled with that. By the end she is still only 15 and as a slightly older reader - e.g. no longer a teenager - it was hard to connect with her at times.

The Story

Pros - The fundamentals of the story were really interesting. A young girl desperately claws at the ground and lost in her grief does the unimaginable. She brings her dead brother back to life and in hand sets herself on a path no one could have imagined. The use of runes to cast spells gave me shadowhunter vibes that I LOVED but instead of using their skin the marks dance threw the air and on the ground in a unique and exciting manner. I also want to quickly mention the heartglasses, they are a beautiful idea where the author took the notion of wearing your heart on your sleeve and made it her own. I'm not sure how I would feel with my heart on display for the whole world to see but it made for a lovely addition to the story. It was able to keep my interested from start to finish and I DO want to know what happens next (no matter what I say next).

Cons - The story is told from two different time frames, one where Tea is an Asha Apprentice and the other is when she is 17. Now to begin with I wasn't sure I liked the split time frame because we didn't know Tea well enough to really care about what she was doing 5 years from now. However, that passed by the second third of the book and I quite looked forward to seeing what was happening at the end of each chapter. BUT at the end of the book Tea is still only about 15 so there was no real conclusion to why she is the way she is now. I understand that it is being left open for book 2 but I think I would have preferred if time had caught up with itself and we were going into the second book with all the information. As it is, yes I want to read book 2 but I'm left slightly dishearten by the end of The Bone Witch. As if it was working up to something that never happened.

The Writing

Pros - Whatever I say in the cons part below I want to point out that the actual writing style is effortless!! It is easy to read and the story flows without problem.

I once heard an Irish actor (Jonathan Rhys Meyers I think but don't hold me to that) say something along the lines of, Irish people will use 10 words when you only really need to use 3. Which is what came to mind when I was reading this book. But even with all the extra parts it didn't actually take away from the natural flow of the book.

Cons - The book could easily have been 300 hundred pages rather than 400 if we had simply cut out all the unnecessary descriptions. I really do understand painting a picture but this was like painting the picture, the frame, the wall and the dog! Trust that the reader has enough imagination to read between the lines! It is a common issue I've had with books recently that the author feels the need to point out every little thing that is going on and it can be frustrating. Sometimes I can overlook it because the books not all that good BUT The Bone Witch is a good book!!! Its got everything it needs to be amazing which is why this particularly frustrated me.

Overall I've giving this book 3 out of 5 because it has everything i'd expect and more. The issues I have with it are more irritations than flaws as they distract from the story but they don't make it bad. I'm a strong believer that a good story can out weight a lot of things and I did enjoy The Bone Witch. I just feel personally that it could have used a little more refinement but overall I would recommend it!

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

REVIEW: A Step Towards Falling

A STEP TOWARDS FALLING

by Cammie McGovern

Pages: 364 (paperback)

Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books

ISBN: 9781447280217
Received From: Macmillan Children's Books (My Kinda Book)

Summary

Sometimes one mistake can change everything.

Emily doesn’t know why she froze. Or why Lucas did too. They could have helped Belinda, but they didn't.

Sometimes people can surprise you.

Emily thought she knew Lucas. And she thought she understood Belinda. But maybe she judged them both too quickly.
Sometimes good can come from bad.

Emily and Lucas’s punishment is community service with people with disabilities. People like Belinda. Soon they feel like maybe they're starting to make a difference. But can they do anything to help the one person they hurt the most?

Review

I honestly didn't know what to expect when this book came through the post. I have heard of Cammie McGovern's Amy & Matthew before but I have never read anything by her and I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed A Step Towards Falling.

The story is told through two point of views, the first is Emily and the majority of the book is from her perspective and the second is Belinda, who's story is just as paramount to the novel as Emily's. The book starts with an event, a football (american) game to be exact, where Belinda is attacked. Emily and a character called Luke both witness the attack but do nothing to stop it from happening which leads to Emily and Luke having to help out at a local centre for people with learning disabilities. Throughout the book you follow Emily, Luke and Belinda as they come to terms with that happened at the game and see how they learn to live with the consequences of that one night.

The thing I liked about this book the most was that Emily didn't spend the whole book asking why this was happening to her? Instead she is completely aware that she messed up and it is how she deals with the guilt in an environment that is completely alien to her. Having to 'volunteer' with disabled people when Belinda, the girl she let get attacked, also has learning difficulties proves harder than she thought to begin with.

When it comes to Belinda's sections I found it really interesting because McGovern used a style of writing that was almost childlike. The innocence of the character's personality was completely endearing and there were parts where she asked why she had been attacked? Why had it happened to her? She doesn't understand why and almost blames herself at one point and it kind of broke my heart a little.

Of course it isn't a YA novel without a little love story! Emily and Belinda both have a couple of love interests throughout the book, admittedly a little predictable at times as far as Emily's love life goes, but that doesn't take away from the story. Actually if anything it adds to it because the author gives the reader what they want.

Overall A Step Towards Falling is a novel with all the fundamental traits of a YA classic in the making.

Love story - check!
Relatable characters - check!
Diversity - check!
And the most important part of a YA novel, a strong moral lesson at its centre - check!!!

This is a story about not judging a book by its cover and knowing that everyone makes mistakes, it is what you do after that makes or breaks a persons character. It's a heartbreaking and heartwarming story that I would whole heartedly recommend to anyone.

**I received this book as an ARC from Macmillan Children's Books (My Kinda Book) to read & review. This is a 100% honest review.**

Review: Say Her Name

Say Her Name

by James Dawson

Pages: 240

Publisher: Hot Key Books

Publication Date: 5th June 2014

ISBN:1471402444

Summary

Roberta 'Bobbie' Rowe is not the kind of person who believes in ghosts. A Halloween dare at her ridiculously spooky boarding school is no big deal, especially when her best friend Naya and cute local boy Caine agree to join in too. They are ordered to summon the legendary ghost of 'Bloody Mary': say her name five times in front of a candlelit mirror, and she shall appear... But, surprise surprise, nothing happens. Or does it?Next morning, Bobbie finds a message on her bathroom mirror... five days... but what does it mean? And who left it there? Things get increasingly weird and more terrifying for Bobbie and Naya, until it becomes all too clear that Bloody Mary was indeed called from the afterlife that night, and she is definitely not a friendly ghost. Bobbie, Naya and Caine are now in a race against time before their five days are up and Mary comes for them, as she has come for countless others before... A truly spine-chilling yet witty horror from shortlisted 'Queen of Teen' author James Dawson.

Review

Everyone has heard of Bloody Mary and the dangerous game that often gets played at parties. But have you ever dared to do it? Bobbie and her friends did and James Dawson describes the events that followed.

The story was that typical of ghostly haunts and spooks in the old school background, but for me what stood out was is coming-of-age backdrop.

The character of Mary was a creepy stalker-ghost who torments the teens right up to the bitter end leaving the reader with the question: was she evil or just misunderstood? For me, Mary acted as a reminder of what bullying can bring to light and how this can stick with someone throughout a lifetime. I found Dawson to be an easy writer to read, having never before read any of his other books. I'm not normally a fan of ghost stories as I find them to often be stereotypical and generic but I found Say Her Name to be an interesting version of Bloody Mary mainly for the colourful way in which she was portrayed. It showed that even when all evidence points to bloody murder (excuse the pun) there might still be another explanation.

Personally, I didn't find Say Her Name scary but I'm not one who tends to get scared over ghost stories so don't take this as a reflection of the book. I would still recommend this book for its interesting twist on a very well known ghost.

I would only give two recommendations to anyone who is particularly partial to getting the creeps from ghost stories and that is don't read this book at night or around any mirrors or you might have issues with over imagination. =)

However if like me, this only enhances the experience then curl up with the lamp on and enjoy the haunting adventure of Say Her Name and remember... don't say her name five times!!

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

Review from Holly at Holly's Book Corner

Stacking the Shelves #3

Okay I think the first thing I need to say is even I'm a little ashamed of June's haul. There were 20 books in total I think that's a new record even for me. SO, as of the 1st of July Sophie from Reviewed The Book and I are on a book ban. I can still receive books but for the whole month of July I will not be buying any!

So I guess I should get on with it... this is June's physical Book Haul.

The Book Haul

Books I got through giveaways

Won from @sam_smith73 via Sam's Book Corner

Going Back by Rachael English

Won from Sophie via Reviewed the Book

Crash Into You by Katie McGarry

CLICK HERE FOR REVIEW

Won from Tween 2 Teen Book Reviews

The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepard

Books I received for review

Gollancz

Terra by Mitch Benn

Terra's World by Mitch Benn

Titan Books

Glass Thorns, Touchstone by Melanie Rawn

Glass Thorns, Elsewhens by Melanie Rawn

Headline Publishers

Boy21 by Matthew Quick

A Sixpenny Song by Jennifer Johnson

Hot Key Books

Say Her Name by James Dawson

Pan Macmillan Children's Books

Trial By Fire by Josephine Angelini

Books that I bought.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Branded by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki
CLICK HERE FOR REVIEW

Black City by Elizabeth Richards

Suit Scarlett by Maureen Johnson

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Lobsters by Tom Ellen & Lucy Ivison

Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry

Dare You To by Katie McGarry

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare
(Not pictured)

So that's what I got last month. Well, that's the physical books anyway! I'm not entirely sure where I'm going to put them all but I'll find space somewhere!!
Wish me luck with the book ban lovelies. As we can see I have a little bit of a problem!

Between the Lives

Between the Lives by Jessica Shirvington

Rating: 4 out of 5

Title: Between the Lives

Author: Jessica Shirvington

Publishing Date: August 7th 2014 (first published May 1st 2013)

Publisher: Orchard Books

ISBN: 140833173X

Provided by: Hachette Children's Books & Netgalley

Summary (via Goodreads)

For as long as she can remember, Sabine has lived two lives. Every 24 hours she shifts to her 'other' life - a life where she is exactly the same, but absolutely everything else is different: different family, different friends, different social expectations. In one life she has a sister, in the other she does not. In one life she's a straight-A student with the perfect boyfriend, in the other she's considered a reckless delinquent. Nothing about her situation has ever changed, until the day when she discovers a glitch: the arm she breaks in one life is perfectly fine in the other.

With this new knowledge, Sabine begins a series of increasingly risky experiments that bring her dangerously close to the life she's always wanted. But if she can only have one life, which is the one she'll choose?

Review

Some things are so real you can feel them in your core. It doesn't matter where you go, they go with you.

Sabine has two lives. Two lives that she's learnt to keep separate and every night at the stoke of twelve she switches between them. Expect the rules have changed. In the past the only connection between her two lives had been her body, but when she breaks her arm in one life she's shocked to discovered that it's perfectly fine in the other. Now Sabine's on a mission to find out how far she can take this new 'glitch' and maybe, just maybe, this could mean the start of a new life. The start of one life.

I loved this take on the coming of age story. Having two entirely different worlds to connect and merge so that Sabine can figure out who she wants to be was really interesting. Okay, so it's a bit of a slow burner and in all honesty it took a couple of chapters for me to really get into it but once I did? I fell hard for this book. I had this knot in the base of my stomach the whole way through reading it and even though I found the second half a smidgen predictable it didn't take away from the fact Sabine's story will turn you into an emotional wreck. Seriously, I was a mess!

My main concern when picking this book up was that I'd get stuck with a winy teenage girl complaining about her life when, in fact, there isn't anything wrong with it. But what I actually got was a very determined leading lady who would do anything to be free. She doesn't see her two lives as a second chance, it's more like they cancel each other out.

Sabine has to make some difficult decisions throughout the story which - at times - had me cringing. The beginning of the book had me questioning whether or not she was brave or just plain stupid but it wasn't long before I settled on brave. By the end of the first half all I wanted was for Sabine to find a way to live one full life. But I couldn't shake the feeling it was never going to work out that way and by the time my Kindle read 66% I knew exactly how it was going to end. I read the last third biting the inside of my cheek and hoping I was wrong.

You said you wanted someone to know you. Maybe I just want to have someone know me too. Without you in this world, the memories of every moment we've shared together will be gone.

Ethan... with your mop haired, ocean eyed perfection. His story broke my heart into a thousand little pieces that I'm still struggling to put back together. He is, without a shadow of a doubt, the heart of this story and if anything, the reason I enjoyed it as much as I did. I can't tell you much else about him in fear of spoilers, but this is another guy to add to your fictional crush list.

Overall this is a slow paced story, but I think it's part of it's charm. The tentative introduction makes the ending all the more powerful and I have to say it's probably one of the best endings of a book I've read in a long time. And even though I was able to guess what was coming there were still some shocking moments. Moments that had me holding my breath.

Shirvington doesn't shy away from the gritty reality that Sabine would have gone through in this impossible situation. An emotional YA novel, that will have you reaching of the tissues. I recommend it highly!