Review: The Testing - Joelle Charbonneau

Before I do anything I will just say...

The Hunger Games > The Testing. I've seen many people post on twitter "The Testing is better than The Hunger Games!" No, just... no. It IS a good book but just no. 

Ok, so let's start with the outside of this book. I purchased the UK edition of The Testing and I have a couple lil nags about it really:

1. I'm fed up of people putting 'For fans of The Hunger Games' on the front of books because either the book is nothing like The Hunger Games or is basically a replica - if I wanted to read another THG then I would just re-read the damn original and not a copy cat dystopian story.2. It is pretty (very) similar to the US cover of Divergent - even down to the massive symbol on the cover.
BUT it is a pretty cover, I guess. :) These nags are nothing to do with the author's writing or the story of course, I just had to voice them.
Now onto the actual story. 

I'ma list my nags first but note that I did actually quite enjoy this book!

I thought the story as a whole was actually really well done and I love the author's writing style - Charbonneau is very talented indeed. Many elements of the plot were original, dark and kept me intrigued. BUT then there was the overlap to several other existing dystopian novels...

Firstly there were the colonies (Districts - The Hunger Games / Factions -Divergent).

Each group in The Testing had it's own symbol (Divergent)

Also, the graduation ceremony reminded a lot of The Reaping from The Hunger Games.

A certain character reminded me very much so of Cinna.

There is a substitute for the silver parachutes in the arena from The Hunger Games. (kind of)

Now I know I've made this book sound awful and completely unoriginal but I refuse to lie . This book DOES have many similar elements but it also has MANY original parts to it too! Some of Charbonneau's ideas blew me away and many of the twists I didn't see coming. 

I did really enjoy this novel and will definitely be picking up the sequel but I had to point out my nags.

I'd just like to add that after writing this review, I received the sequel (Independent Study) for review and I thoroughly enjoyed it!! The sequel is better than the first book and is without nags! Review to come soon.

Review: Half Bad - Sally Green

Just a short review!

I purchased this book after the hype on booktube and I DID enjoy it but I wasn't blown away like I expected to be.

This is the first ‘witch novel’ I’ve read, though it is knowingly different to your typical Harry Potter novel.
     Nathan, our protagonist, is Half Bad; he’s half white witch, half black witch - within his blood mingles the power to do good but also evil. 
     Living within a white witch dominated society, Nathan is wanted by no one and hunted by everyone. He is feared because of who his father is, one of the most powerful black witches around. Nathan has been trapped in a cage, like a feared animal, but now he is free and he only has until his 17th birthday to find what he needs.
     I can honestly say I went into this novel blind, I had no idea what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised. The switching from 2nd to 1st POV was intriguing to say the least, though both tenses were insightful. 
     Despite being in the shoes of Nathan, whose contact with others is limited, you become attached to several of the characters, though I admit not all. The characterisation was as good as can be expected really but I would have liked a little more background on several characters to pad them out - make them feel more real.
     The realism of the events that occurred is what struck me most. Green went into detail with the ins and outs of Nathan’s experiences - especially when mentioning the suffering he endured and how these mentally and physically scarred him.
     I can’t really say too much about this book as it was so unique, BUT I can say that it makes for a good read; it’s fast-paced, action-packed and full of intriguing characters who light the way on Nathan’s journey of survival and self-discovery.

Review: Sam Cruz's Infallible Guide To Getting Girls - Tellulah Darling

Hilarious! A down to earth novel with characters you want to hit over the head, laugh with and laugh at. I devoured this book in one sitting and will probably re-read it again in the future. A must read for teenagers 15+

The characters had great personalities. They were funny, kind, stupid, selfish, ; they were human. Typical teenagers who managed to stay unique in their own way.

The story is simple and realistic but at the same time is highly unpredictable which made it all the more enjoyable! With so many scenes being easy to relate to, I really can't think of anyone who wouldn't really enjoy this book! It was funny but had enough 'serious' scenes in it to keep it real. I certainly cracked a smile, heck, I laughed my socks off!

A cringe-worthy yet hilarious novel! A must read!

                                                      

 I'd list this book amongst novels such as 'Anatomy Of A Boyfriend'.

Review: Slated - Teri Terry

Personality gone. Memories lost forever...

"Kyla's memory has been erased, her personality wiped blank, her memories lost forever.

She's been Slated.

The government claims she was a terrorist, and that they're giving her a second chance - as long as she plays by their rules. But echoes of the past whisper in Kyla's mind. Someone is lying to her, and nothing is as it seems.

Who can she trust in her search for the truth?"

A breakthrough in dystopian fiction and an outstanding debut from author Teri Terry!Slated has gone up straight into my top 10 - it was phenomenal.

I truly do adore this novel, it's story and Kyla herself.

Kyla has been 'born again' if you like. She's had to learn to talk and walk all over again - her first step, her first word, every moment a struggle. She's 16 years old but has been stripped of the privileges of this youthful age, and of her childhood. She can't remember her old friends, her parents, who she was or what she did wrong to lose herself...

Teri portrayed this so well as she showed Kyla struggling to open the door handle to the car and how Kyla felt almost privileged to be doing the washing up - though the novelty soon wore off. At first I thought "She's happy to be washing up? WHAT?!" But then I remembered how when I was younger I loved to do the washing (even if my Mum had to rewash everything afterwards - she thought I didn't notice!) and as I grew to my teen years the novelty had worn off and it became a chore - Kyla is having to experience all of this all over again. Teri put so much thought into this novel - it's incredible.

Something I loved about the story was the introduction of the "Levo". A device (like a watch I suppose) that monitors a slated's 'levels' - their emotions. It's designed to protect both the society and the Slateds from themselves - if their levels drop too low, dangerously low, they're deemed unconscious; or worse.

Teri wrote this novel beautifully - not just how she paced the story but how she actually chose to write it; I love her writing style.

Secrets, trust, friendship and love are put under tremendous stress as Kyla discovers that she's not like the other Slateds; Kyla is different. And this is her story of discovering the difference between right and wrong, between facts and lies, but most importantly between who she is and who she was.

A beautiful story, a compelling read...

It's disturbingly close to the undeniable nightmares of our future.

Kyla's story is heart-wrenching.

It will haunt you.

A MUST READ for all dystopian fans and anyone else! I highly recommend this novel!

Review: The Other Life - Susanne Winnacker

"Danger isn't the only thing that makes your heart beat faster."

The Other Life: Who we were before the virus. How we'll never be again. It's been 3 years, 1 month, 1 week and 6 days  since Sherry has seen daylight. When things went wrong up above, she was sealed off from the world in a bunker with her family. But when they run out of food, Sherry and her dad must venture outside. There they find devastation, desolation... and the weepers: savage mutant killers.

When Sherry's dad is snatched from her , she joins Joshua. He's handsome and strong but he's also troubled and his thirst for revenge against the weepers may put them both at risk.

"The Seeds of first love are sown amongst the death and destruction of a nightmare future in this incredible debut novel. Beautifully and gut-wrenchingly gripping, it's essential reading." - Amazon

For a debut, this is phenomenal! This novel puts Susanne Winnacker high up on the ladder of dystopian fiction. The plot injects adrenaline into your veins while the characters grasp at your heart strings, hanging on by their fingertips.

I read this book in one sitting which is something I usually try to avoid, but could not resist, doing.

The characterisation was so real compared to other books. Sherry isn't your typical "Katniss Everdeen" as so many protagonists are wrongly compared to. She doesn't know how to throw a knife or make it hit its target every time. Joshua isn't invincible. He's not superman. He's a teenage boy trying to survive in this all to real hell of a world. 

I loved this book to pieces! Definitely a new favourite! It's the first in a planned trilogy and I'm dying to get my hands on the next book!

The only negative thing I can say about this novel is that it ended all too soon!  ;D *sigh* At least there's a sequel!! :D

Review: Falling Fast - Sophie McKenzie

Let us just appreciate this cover for a moment, so pretty!

River auditions for a female role in a local all boys' school production of Romeo and Juliet.

She has always dreamt of finding true love so she believes that she'll fit into Juliet's shoes perfectly. Then, she sees Flynn. He's playing Romeo and causes her to not only believe that she could be a good Juliet, but he makes her want it.

The only problem is that Emmi, River's best friend, is running for the same role.

You follow River as she falls head over heals for Flynn and tries to find out if he feels the same way.

I'm not a huge Shakespeare fan, nor do I know much about Romeo and Juliet, BUT I adored this novel! I actually picked it up after reading "Star-crossed Romeo and Juliet" by Rachel Wing as the two books sounded similar-ish (only in that novel, the teens cast as Romeo and Juliet are enemies). It's another fabulous romance novel!

Anyway, back to this book! The soul focus of this novel isn't actually on the play 'Romeo and Juliet'. That's just a... catalyst, if you like? The book is actually more so about the characters.

This novel isn't at all like I expected. When I first picked it up I thought it would literally be a retelling of Romeo and Juliet or a cat and mouse game - River chasing Flynn. It isn't at all like that. I thought the novel would be predictable and patronising but it is actually unique and mature. I laughed with River, I cringed for her and I understood her.

I like how Flynn has his flaws and how you have to debate with yourself whether or not his actions can be justified. How friendships and family relationships are put to the test under the pressure. The characters are all so real and their stories are heart-wrenching. This book is way more in depth than I thought it would be and has a few twists you won't see coming.

I read it in one sitting and recommend it to any romance/contemporary readers out there. :) I do recommend it for 15+ though as some of the topics covered (though handled lightly) might not be appreciated by younger readers.

Review: Dark Parties - Sara Grant

A world isolated by the Protectosphere - a dome which protects but also imprisons...

Neva lives in this isolated, dystopian future where people go missing - as if they've simply vanished - and everyone just seems to pretend they never existed. But Neva keeps a list, a list of names, names of all the missing.

I had actually had my eyes on Dark Parties for a while so when it came up for review I was so excited! I mean the cover is just to die for! It's stunning! (Though I don't really know where the big, red dress came from?). And I'm a sucker for dystopian story with a side-plot of romance!

Dark Parties was a typical dystopian novel but still unique in its own way. The opening of the novel really drew me in - it was rebellious, intriguing and sexy - everything a YA plot should be. Within the first few paragraphs I already felt connected with Neva, I felt her fear and her passion; she started off as a strong protagonist and maintained this solidity throughout the novel.

The plot was actually quite simple but seemed more complex due to its characters and the secrets they kept. I did feel as though the plot slowed down slightly in the middle and that it wasn't really going anywhere after such a promising start but it picked up its pace towards the end which resulted with a satisfying finish.

The characterisation has both its strengths and limitations. I thought that the relationships between Neva and her parents and also between Neva and her best friend Sanna were strong and believable, they were well thought-out and evocative. But on the other hand the relationships between Neva, Ethan and Braydon were a different story. This 'love-triangle' was messy and admittedly very sloppy. Ethan didn't really have a set personality, he constantly changed so I struggled to see who he actually was - I thought I knew him at the start but towards the end I was totally confused. Then there's Braydon. The 'instant attraction' wasn't good enough, it wasn't built up well and I just felt like Neva trusted him too easily and liked him too much for it to feel believable. There were no real 'sparks' in the relationships developed in the romance like there were between the friends and family. BUT having said that I still think the romance was a good element of the story.

As a whole I did enjoy this book and I plan on reading the sequel - I'd recommend it to fans of the genre and anyone who's not!