A Court of Mist and Fury Book Review

Rating: ✭✭✭✭

Title: A Court of Mist and Fury

Author: Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, YA, Fiction

Publication: May 3, 2016

Format: Paperback, 640 pages

Source: Self owned copy

Before I even say anything, don’t read this unless you have read A Court of Thorns and Roses and don’t wish to be spoilt. I warned you.

I can’t form my emotions and thoughts into a proper review with paragraphs so I’m just going to do subtitles and go from there.

So, what do you need to read this book…

Some patience would be good. Despite being filled with lost of action and plot twists, A Court of Mist and Fury was a long book and dragged in the middle as the action plot began to slow. It started to focus on the romance too much, but before this really became a problem, Maas picked up the plot again and worked her amazing-book-ending magic.

Tolerance - for the asshole named Tamlin, that’s why. 

You’re also going to need a brown paper bag and some emotional strength for all the overwhelming emotions and feels that come with this book.

Was it good or not?

A Court of Mist and Fury was definitely a good book, no doubt, even better than ACOTAR in terms of characterisation and world development.

It is intenser, darker and sexier than ACOTAR and Sarah enchants us with her beautiful writing yet again.

I loved the rawness and honesty of the book. The characters were laid bare and we were given parts of them that even they don’t often access themselves. ACOMAF contained a lot more fantasy too and it wasn’t just about Feyre and romance and trying to survive this time. The book was about scheming and politics too.

SJM is just so talented at making her readers want more and carving ideas and words into an amazing novel, there is no doubt that the answer to this question is GOOD. Actually, AMAZING.
Also... there was a map at the beginning of the book and what's a good fantasy book without a map?

We finally get a world

In ACOTAR, we only saw the Spring Court and a small amount of Under the Mountain. SJM has now introduced us to the rest of Prythian. The audience gets to discover the other courts (yes, more than one) and the history of the world. We even get to see part’s world of the mortal world and how the Faeries and Humans interact.

Maas also gives us the most beautiful and detailed descriptions of Prythian and we really get to see the beauty of the place that is so often talked about through the story.

Feyre finally gets her wings

Both literally and figuratively, Feyre earns her wings and by wings I mean her true character. Feyre has developed so much and has grown into a better person, her own person - she knows who she is now and what she wants and she is going to get it.

At the beginning of this book Feyre is broken. The first line is “Maybe I’d always been broken and dark inside.” Under the Mountain has left her in pieces with blood soaked hands and she is definitely not okay and I really feel for her. I think ACOMAF was such a great book because the audience got see Feyre heal and change.

She’s fiercer, stronger and she’s embraced the powers that came with becoming a Fae at the end of ACOTAR. Her suffering and trauma from her experience Under the Mountain has changed her and as a result she has shed that naive, soak-up-that-stars attitude for a harder, maturer skin. 

I liked Feyre in A Court of Thorns and Roses but now I really love her character.

A book of kings and queens

This booked had brilliant characterisation and we also got a lot more out of the characters than we did in ACOTAR. Aside from Feyre really being the winner for this book, SJM also introduces a few new characters. Azriel, Cassian, Morrigan and Amren are all introduced as members of Rhysand’s inner circle and members in the Night Court/Velaris. Each one of these characters had their own unique story and sense of humour that gave ACOMAF depth and intensity that made it the amazing book that it is. 

Let’s do a quick run-down:

Morrigan - Referred to as Mor, is Rhysand’s cousin and Third in command. She’s wicked and beautiful and is the overseer of the Court of Nightmares and Dreams. There’s a lot of tension between her, Cassian and Azriel and I wanted a lot more of what happened between them.

Cassian - The snarky General Commander of the Night Court’s armies and an Illyrian (a warrior race of Faerie’s). Cassian’s got a new thing going with Nesta and I’m just ready for it to happen because it sounds like an interesting relationship.

Azriel - A quiet and sombre Shadowsinger, and Rhysand’s spy who is also an Illyrian just like Cassian and Rhys. He also has a thing for Mor and I’m so ready, yet again, for to become an official thing. Throughout the book there was so much tension between the two.

(Also, on the topic of Illyrian’s, do we really have to know that it’s Illyrian every single time. Illyrian blades, and Illyrian wings, Illyrian bows, Illyrian leathers, Illyrian gifts. Illyrian, I get it, they have special gear.)

Amren - Rhys’s Second in command and political advisor. She’s a big fae but she used to be something different and sinister, something that not even the Inner Circle knows about so I smell a good backstory appearing in the sequel. Also, she is so badass. She used a death threat as a page stopper. Could she be any more amazing?

The good or the bad guy?

Personally, I was so glad Tamlin was not this book. If you haven’t read my ACOTAR review, which you should, than you would know that I was part of the minority that didn’t like Tamlin. He wasn’t that bad and if you think I over dramatised, then brace yourself. 

At first I thought that Tamlin was just being painted so wrong, and despite disliking his character to begin with, I felt that Sarah was being unfair and just altering him to suit Feyre’s emotions when she decides she wants Rhysand and not Tamlin. But then I took a moment to really and sit and think about it and COMPLETELY changed my mind.

Tamlin may not be a bad guy, but he was never a good guy either. Throughout ACOTAR, SJM cleverly leaves hints about Tamlin (like when he bit Feyre for not good reason or when he made her stay in the house “for her own good” and when he shoved her in a carriage and sent her back to her family without giving her a chance to say no). 

Everyone was so blinded by the beauty of the Spring Court and the power of the High Fae and his toned muscles that we heard about in every chapter, they didn’t really see what was going on.

[Side note: I was very angry upon the discovery of these hints, it looked something like this. I just couldn’t believe that I didn’t see it.] 

I feel like Feyre’s love for Tamlin in ACOTAR was a case of stockholm syndrome and it makes sense why she would go for Rhysand who offers her so much more than Tamlin ever did.

In A Court of Mist and Fury, I think that Tamlin’s true personality is exposed and he definitely isn’t a bad guy but he comes off as over-controlling and possessive (which is definitely not a tick in my books). I think the reason behind this is his and Feyre’s experience Under the Mountain. It really changed them and they’re trying to glue all their broken pieces back together so that comes with emotions and morals and ideas, and in this case, we see the characters change and sometimes it isn’t for the better.

So really, Tamlin is neither bad nor good, Feyre is just a woman who has learnt more and matured and is making her own, new decisions which (fortunately) do not include Tamlin.

In the end, the bad guy ended up being the good.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Rhys and even more than I did in ACOTAR. We get to see such a different side of him and yet he is still the flirt, cunning and dangerous character he was.

Rhysand was definitely portrayed as the bad guy who wanted Feyre for himself and would do anything in his power to just annoy someone to no avail. A Court of Mist and Fury takes this perception and chucks it out the window.

Rhysand’s true backstory is presented and we learn that he actually has suffered so much over the expanse of his life and that everything isn’t as peachy as he makes it seem. He is broken too, although in his own way, just like Feyre and they really help heal each other.

It was so good to see that softer side of him beneath the hard, flippant exterior that we saw in ACOTAR. I loved finally learning about his backstory and it all just made me want to protect him. He is a fascinating character (other than being super hot); he is ruthless and strong-willed but vulnerable and good-hearted and so selfless at the same time.

Wait, who was the villain?

If the subtitle didn’t make it clear enough, than the villain in this story was 100 times worse. The King of Hybern was the villain, he didn’t even have a name. I didn’t understand why was he evil? What did he do to become the villain? He wanted to take of Prythian but why? How? I think SJM might have lost sight of antagonist in writing the romance and the fantasy and action.

ALSO… Ianthe? I just could not stand that priestess, who should definitely not be a priestess, and why she wanted power. And could some please sew her legs together?

This whole absent villain thing left a bit of a plot-hole in A Court of Mist and Fury and hopefully that can be sewed together too.

The make it or break it

After reading a couple of reviews by others on Goodreads, I noticed that some people either loved or hated the romance aspect. The latter being the minority. 

Personally, I didn’t hate it but there were some things that irked me about it. 

• I hated the sex scenes. They were so dramatic and over the top. (An orgasm making the mountain tremble?)
• And am I the only one who isn’t a fan of the mate idea - I feel like it makes the novel cheap and dates back to the whole werewolf obsession era (does anyone know what I'm talking about?). When Feyre discovered Rhysand was her mate, their whole relationship became sappy and they even held hands which seemed somewhat off character, but who am I to say that their love wasn’t authentic? I just preferred the tense, sexy flirting in the beginning of the novel.

Nevertheless, the overall romance wasn’t that bad and it wasn’t a focus of this plot like it was in ACOTAR. If was gradual and realistic and built tension as the novel progressed. 

Also, I was afraid of a love triangle at the end of A Court of Thorns and Roses and I am so glad it wasn’t. Some might say its a triangle but I think it’s just Feyre changing her mind like I mentioned in the whole Tamlin good or bad guy rant.

Hold your breath for the ending

The ending of this book was just evil and amazing at the same time. Sarah writes plot twists so well and it isn’t necessarily a cliff hanger but it still makes you want the sequel immediately.

Everything was just so unexpected and it left me squirming and jumping. 

Despite loving it did raise some questions, like Lucien being Elain’s mate. Where did this come from? They don’t even no each other. - everything was just way too easy and an easy way out for another sequel. But still, I’m excited to see where Sarah J. Maas goes with it.

A Court of Mist and Fury was definitely a great and satisfying novel. It definitely deserved the 4 stars I gave it and despite my review which may come off as negative, I cannot stress enough how much A Court of Mist and Fury has improved to it’s predecessor. The characterisation is amazing, the plot has more depth, the world building is phenomenal and the feels are just great.

I just don’t know how I’m going to wait till May next year for A Court of Wings and Ruin.

Plus - look out for my upcoming quote compendium for A Court of Mist and Fury.

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Reckless: The Petrified Flesh Book Review

Rating: ✭✭✭ (3.5)

Title: Reckless: The Petrified Flesh

Author: Cornelia Funke
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Fiction, Adventure

Publication: 29 Sep, 2016

Format: e-Arc, 336 pages

Source: Many thanks to Pushkin Press on Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book.

Jacob Reckless has discovered a doorway into under world - a place of dark magic, fearsome ogres, beautiful and dangerous fairies, scheming dawrves and men born from stone. All from behind a mirror in his father's office.
In this world behind the mirror, Jacob hunts for treasures and seeks adventures with Fox, a girl who can change forms from vixen to girl, who protects him from danger.
When Jacob's younger brother Will is attacked by the Goyl after following him through the mirror, Jacob must risk his life to get back Will's freedom and reverse the curse that threatens to set his life and his skin in stone.

Reckless: The Petrified Flesh is a revised edition of the dark and magical first novel in the Mirrorworld series by Cornelia Funke. I really enjoyed Reckless but wish that I could have given it more stars. I had read the first edition years ago and was excited to read the revised edition because I remember that I loved the originality of the story and the characters. Unfortunately, the book didn’t live up to my expectations and I was too naive to really see what was going on with the book. 

I really liked Funke’s writing style - it was so immersive and engaging for the reader. Imagination was definitely her strong point and she artfully recreated fairy tales such as Briar Rose (or Sleeping Beauty) and Hansel and Gretel, exploring the true and darker versions of the Grimm tales. I liked this aspect of the novel because it added something extra and enticing to the Mirrorworld. There were also lots of metaphors of love, fear and adolescence that were reflected within the fairy tales and this gave the book an even more magical feel. 

At some points within Reckless, the writing was confusing and I didn’t know what was going on. I found out that the book had been translated from German to English so perhaps that played a role in the grammatical/punctuation errors. Another problem with Reckless was that it lacked description despite being filled with so much of it. The Mirrorworld was very detailed but Cornelia missed the mark on important aspects and pivot points of the plot. There were so many things presented to the reader but were never touched on or explained.

Reckless had the right amount of action and suspense to keep the reader interested. There was something very mysterious about that made it so interesting - especially how the world was accessed through a mirror.

The plot definitely had potential but it needed work and more development. The novel started right in the middle of the action, after Will had already been bitten and was starting his transformation into a Goyl, but we were weren’t given any background information to really get a true grasp on what was going on. Eventually, it all became clear but that cycle just happened over and over as new characters and ideas were presented with no explanation or backstory again. 

Nevertheless, the plot was entangled with fantasy just as Sleeping Beaty’s castle covered in roses was entangled in the corpse’s of the Prince’s who had failed. It made reading about the world that the MC’s were in extremely intriguing. I really wanted to know more about the Goyl’s underground city and I like the concept of them having different types of stone for skin.

The biggest downfall of Reckless was the characters. The two brothers, Will and Jacob Reckless, were inspired by Wilhelm and Jakob Grimm (which only took me a hundred pages to figure out). Jacob was a reckless (get it?), anti-hero who was hell bent on saving Will from living life with a skin of stone. Will was the opposite of Jacob, sensible and humble, and in love with a girl named Clara who desperately loved him back. Desperate enough to follow him into the Mirrorworld and stay. And Fox was Jacob’s pragmatic and protective female shape-shifting more-than-friend.

As the reader, I couldn’t develop any emotional connectivity with the characters what-so-ever because they were so flat. I found it hard to relate to the characters and establish any idea of what they looked like because simple descriptions such as hair colour or height were so scarce for the main characters. The bad character development also meant that it was really difficult to see the true motives behind their actions and desires. Why did they love each other? Why was it so important to fight for will? Why did you treat Fox like that? It’s really important to flesh out characters in a story such as this be the plot rested on the characters shoulders and decisions. It was up to Jacob to decide how he would save Will. If he was capable of it, if he loved him that much - but it was extremely difficult to really see this within the one dimensional characters.

I did enjoy Cornelia Funke's Reckless and I just wish that I could have given it 3.5 stars but if I gave it any more, it wouldn’t be accurate. The writing was beautiful, the plot was mediocre and the characters just weren’t there. Reckless lacked that special something that it needed to make it a really great novel. There was just too much going on and not enough explanation to go with it, leaving the reader often confused or lost in the pages. On the other hand, the dark and sombre atmosphere was enticing and the creativity put into the novel was astounding. I would recommend the novel to people who enjoy fantasy and adventure and are willing to look past all the negatives for the beautiful writing and pure cleverness of the Mirrorworld.

Here are some quotes I liked from the novel:

"The night was breathing in the apartment like a dark animal."

"Fox smelled golden revulsion, petrified love."

"Nobody loves only once."

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A Court of Thorns and Roses Book Review

Rating: ✭✭✭✭✭ 

Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses

Author: Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Fantasy, YA, Romance, Fairies, Fiction

Publication: May 5 2015

Format: Paperback, 416 pages

Source: Self owned copy

"Be glad of you're human heart, Feyre. Pity those who don't feel anything at all."

- 414.

Nineteen year old Feyre kills a faerie in the woods and is then dragged into their magical land as retribution for the fairies death. Feyre learns that the world she only knows about from legends and stories is as treacherous as it sounds and that the beast who captured her isn’t an animal, but a faerie named Tamlin.

Whilst in the other world, Feyre begins to develop feelings for her captor who isn't the dark and treacherous faerie she perceived him to be. But an ancient evil lives in the faerie world, threatening Feyre and she must find a way to stop it, before Tamlin's world is turned upside down.

A Court of Thorns and Roses easily made its way into my list of favourite novels and authors - it was so good, I wanted to re-read it right after I finished it. The novel is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, a very loose retelling though which was good because it gave the story more originality and depth. Event the faerie element made the book Sarah’s own. 
Sarah J. Maas writes fantasy so well, each word is adorned with a magic and beauty and I loved how she put so many twists and turns into the novel. The writing was filled to the brim with a certain wildness and magic that makes you just want more and more. Each character was perfectly flawed and contained the perfect amount of give and take that characters need to keep you interested. Sarah even wrote the whole character dynamics well and I was especially interested in Feyre and her sisters relationship. 

The plot was well though out and although it was slow paced in the beginning, it built strength as it progressed and only got better. I felt like Sarah was holding back a little bit and that the action at the end of the book could have been done earlier in the story as the book almost lost a bit of momentum during the middle and started to focus too much on romance. Something that really annoyed me was the riddle that Feyre had to solve during the trials (which is all I’m going to say about that so as not to spoil anything). I though it was silly and that Feyre was too smart to not have guessed it straight away just as easily as I’m sure everyone else did whilst they were reading it.

Now on the topic of romance. It just didn’t feel tangible and lacked the believability that it really needed. Perhaps that was a result of Tamlin being such a flat, lack lustre character. Unfortunately, it made Feyre’s motives at the ending (which I won’t spoil) somewhat hard to really believe or agree with. However, on the other hand, I do applaud Sarah for writing a sensual relationship between the two which developed at an understandable and realistic rate. I liked how they weren’t afraid to voice their feelings to each to other. Plus, I smell the hint of a love-triangle in the making and I don’t know how I feel about that.

Moving onto the characters… 
I didn’t like Tamlin and was extremely unimpressed with him as I mentioned before. I was extremely disapointed because I had heard so much about the great male characters that Sarah J. Mass writes. I can’t even write what I didn’t like about him because he didn’t have any facets to his personality. But, I did love his close and over protective friend Lucien. He was so snarky and cynical which was so just so charming and fun. At first I was hoping that he would be Feyre’s love interest (which I think would have been so much more interesting and entertaining to read about). His backstory was even better than Tamlin’s (did Tamlin even have one? If he did, it was so insignificant I can barely remember it. Sorry that was harsh) and I really want more of his character.

Rhysand was another story, he was selfish and darkly funny yet it was definitely only a shell so perhaps we’ll get to know more about the cause of that hard exterior in the sequel (especially now that Feyre is ‘bound’ to him). Also how about that ending on the balcony? I wonder what Rhys saw or felt. I’m definitely looking forward to the sequel, have I mentioned that yet?

Feyre, our MC, was smart, strong-willed and pragmatic, which made her such a good main character. She wasn’t a princess. She was her own person and she didn’t need Tamlin to save her and be her knight in shining armour and I loved that aspect. Feyre was the definition of bad-ass and even though she had her weaknesses, she never let them show and used them to her advantage. It was good to see such a  strong female lead, as Sarah J. Maas is known for writing.

Straight from the beginning, I knew A Court of Thorns and Roses was going to be a good book because of the depth of the descriptions and the imagery it created and my hypothesis proved to be right. I liked almost all characters and the good ones were developed well and easily differentiated. The plot had really great potential but personally, Sarah just missed her target on it by only a millimeter. However it's unique originality and magical element made up for it. Overall, A Court of Thorns and Roses was a dark, intense and magical novel that I recommend to lovers of fantasy, bad ass heroines and Sarah J. Maas. The romance does almost venture into the new adult genre but it would still be suitable for young adult readers. A Court of Thorns and Roses definitely deserves it’s five stars.

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Quote Compendium: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

As promised, here is the quote compendium for the first novel in the Harry Potter Series, Harry Potter and  the Philosopher's Stone.

I've gotten these quotes from my personal copy that is part of the US book set edition. The book has 309 pages and keep in mind that this edition of the novel has replaced Philosopher's with Sorcerer's. 

“Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground.” 
- Prof. Albus Dumbledore, Chapter 1, pg. 15 

I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather--just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother--why, its brother gave you that scar...Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember..."- Mr. Ollivander, Chapter 5, pg. 85

“’Fred, you next,’ the plump woman said. 
‘I’m not Fred, I’m George,’ said the boy. ‘Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can’t you tell I’m George?’ 
‘Sorry, George, dear.’ 
‘Only joking, I am Fred,'" 
- The Weasley's, Chapter 6, pg. 92 

 "The narrow path had opened suddenly on to the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets towers." 
- Chapter 6, pg. 111

“I don’t expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses…I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death – if you aren’t as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach.” 
- Professor Snape, Chapter 8, pg. 137 

“I hope you’re pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed – or worse, expelled. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to bed.” 
- Hermione, Chapter 9, pg. 162 

“Strange how nearsighted being invisible can make you.” 
- Professor Dumbledore, Chapter 12, pg. 213 

“It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. You, who have never known your family, see them standing around you. Ronald Weasley, who has always been overshadowed by his brothers, sees himself standing alone, the best of all of them. However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible.” 
- Professor Dumbledore, Chapter 12, pg. 213 

“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that.” 
- Professor Dumbledore, Chapter 12, pg. 214 

“’Harry – you’re a great wizard, you know.’ 
‘I’m not as good as you,’ said Harry, very embarrassed, as she let go of him. 
‘Me!’ said Hermione. ‘Books! And cleverness! There are more important things – friendship and bravery and – oh Harry – be careful!’” 
- Hermione and Harry, Chapter 16, pg. 287 

There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it...- Professor Quirrell, Chapter 17, pg. 291

“After all, to the well-organised mind, death is but the next great adventure.” 
- Professor Dumbledore, Chapter 17, pg. 297 

"Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself.” 
- Professor Dumbledore, Chapter 17, pg. 298 

“If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn’t realise that love as powerful as your mother’s for you leaves it own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign…to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good.” 
- Professor Dumbledore, Chapter 17, pg. 299

“There are all kinds of courage. It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom.” 
- Professor Dumbledore, Chapter 17, pg. 306

Romeo and Juliet Review

Rating: ★★★★ 

Title: Romeo and Juliet
Author: William Shakespeare
Genre: Fiction, Romance, Drama, Play
Publication: 1595
Format: Paperback, 282 pages
Source: Borrowed from a library

“Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs.” 

- Romeo, 1.1.181

‘Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?’ Everyone who is reading this knows these words, and if you don’t, then you’ve probably skipped English class a couple of times.

Romeo and Juliet, a classic romantic fiction, is merely a play in which two young people fall in love and die, yet it has managed to capture and impress so many people all over the world. Written by William Shakespeare, the father of english himself, the play tells the story of two teens who get caught in the crossfire of their feuding families and consequently die. The play is a compelling work of poetic art that has been around since 1595 which proves that it is truly an amazing piece.

Romeo and Juliet contains a myriad of intense and moving scenes filled with clever dialogue, passionate romance, violent sword fights and lots of poetry. Despite Shakespeare using an extremely cliched plot line, his writing style manages to bring the story alive, allowing it to have a powerful effect on the audience. Being written in play form, the write style can be slightly more difficult to read than an average romance novel, nevertheless, it is certainly not a waste of time. As the story unfolds, we the audience, witness ‘the fearful passage of their death-mark'd love’ and explore the conflicted society that Romeo and Juliet, the protagonists live in through an array of metaphors and sonnets.

Right from the beginning, the prologue gives us the outcome of Romeo and Juliet’s forbidden love and it is left up to the audience to figure out how hate will lead to the death of them and their love. It is set in the lavish and fair Verona during the fourteenth century and spans over a short but eventful four days. In these short four days, the audience can almost feel the intensity and star defying love of Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet is so paced the reader doesn’t have a chance to get bored.

A particular stand out character amongst the many unique ones in the play was Juliet. Her independent, genuine and intelligent character makes Romeo and Juliet even more intricate and entertaining. In the beginning, she is portrayed as an innocent, young, edge-of-thirteen innocent girl and by the end of the play she has progressed from adolescence to maturity. Hence why Romeo and Juliet is extremely appealing to younger audiences.

Romeo and Juliet is a truly exceptional novel because of its universal themes. Shakespeare cleverly explores normal problems faced by people today, especially the younger generation. The archaic, argument between the two families creates a profound conflict for Romeo and Juliet, who must rebel against their heritages. The idea of individuals versus society is a skillfully written theme that teens and adults around the world can relate to. Everyone has arguments with their parents. Don’t deny it.

After the two lovers meet Juliet almost immediately realises her feelings for Romeo will definitely not result in anything good. Love and hate are such timeless and intriguing themes also found in Romeo and Juliet. The audience are given the opportunity to time travel from the technology buzzing twenty first century to the medieval fourteenth Europe and experience much of the same things as they would today. These themes allow the audience to feel empathy towards the characters and absolutely understand the turmoil Romeo and Juliet are experiencing.

Romeo and Juliet is perhaps the most famous love story in the world. Shakespeare transports a mere love story into something so beautiful and timeless, you can’t put it down. I would definitely recommend it to young adults who will relate to it most, but anyone of any age can read this classic and enjoy it. Romeo and Juliet is a entertaining and wonderful story about ‘two star-cross’d lovers’ who share important messages about society, hate and love to the whole world. It definitely belongs in that empty space on your bookshelf.

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If You're Lucky Review

Rating: ✭✭✭

Title: If You're Lucky
Author: Yvonne Prinz
Genre: YA, Mystery, Contemporary, Mental Illness
Publication: October 25, 2015
Format: Arc E-galley, 288 pages
Source: Thanks to Algonquin Books for sending me a copy of If You're Lucky by Yvonne Prinz

Georgia's brother Lucky drowns while surfing in Australia, but Georgia knows her brother. She knows that he couldn't have drowned. When all his friends come down to False Bay and host a memorial, Georgia meets Fin. A charismatic and charming boy claiming to be Lucky's best friend. 
The voice in her head begin to tell her that she can't trust Fin, that he killed Lucky. In an attempt to make these voices clearer, Georgia stops taking her medication and sacrifices her sanity.

If You're Lucky was a good book and had many elements that I liked enough to give 3 stars but I just thought it was lacking build up and energy. Being in a genre of mystery, I would expect a lot of tension and the feeling of needing to continue reading, but there was none of that. It had the perfect amount of twists and turns to keep me engaged but I never really felt like I was fully enjoying the book or really invested in what was happening. Even at the end, everything kind of just happened and I was confused because it wasn't very clear. Despite this, I believe that it's a difficult feat to tackle a mental disorder like schizophrenia head on but If You're Lucky has portrayed this perfectly and realistically.

Georgia investigates Fin as she begins to notice strange behaviour, but as her actions and moods become completely unstable, it becomes a challenge for the reader to determine reality from fabrication. Writing this through Georgia, the MC with the mental disorder, was a really amazing aspect of the novel because it kept me guessing throughout. I found myself more invested in what Georgia was going to do and how she would react rather than caring about what Fin would do next or how the story was progressing. Sadly, the plot was quite predictable for me, even from just reading the synopsis, but I could tell that Yvonne Prinz worked hard to articulate and develop a well thought out plot because it really showed. 

Each character was a hit for me and I liked all of them because they all had a personality. Fin was probably the best character in the book because he was so charming and really fit into the role of an identity thief stealing his dead best friend's life. I didn't find it difficult reading through Georgia's perspective either and quite enjoyed her unreliability - it was fun and intriguing to be confused about whether something was happening or not in the book. 

Overall, If You're Lucky was a great read, and a unique one, as it is written through the perspective of Georgia, a sufferer of Schizophrenia and I would recommend it for anyone searching for a refreshing, mysterious and riveting read.

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Kissing In America Review

Rating: ✭✭✭✭

Title: Kissing in America

Author: Margo Rabb

Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction

Publication: May 26, 2015

Format: Arc E-galley, 397 pages

Source: Thanks to Penguin Teen Australia for sending me a copy of this book

So I guess this essay is supposed to be about what's influenced me the most, but I think sometimes the biggest influence isn't what's present in your life, but what's absent. Those missing pieces that shape you and change you, the silences that are louder than noise.

- Will, page 20

To cope with the amount of grief and loss Eva felt, and still feels, from her father's death she reads romance novels. A lot of romance novels. Then, Eva meets Will, the only person who seems to share a understanding of her grief with her and all the fantasies she's read in her novels begin to come true. But then Will moves to California and Eva can't bear to feel the weight of another loss so she plans a road trip across America with her best friend Annie where they learn that love isn't everything and the real importance of family and friends.

Despite being completely fooled by this title, thinking there was going to be a tonne of romance, I really enjoyed this book. I loved Margo Rabb's style of writing, she did such an excellent job portraying each characters emotion's and thoughts clearly. I also thought that incorporating an underlying focus on friendship and family was a good addition. The road trip aspect of Kissing In America was engaging, but I felt that Eva's obsession and love for pushed it to the side and her 'love' for him became a little overbearing to read.

Margo Rabb had an extremely clever plot line to convey the main idea of the story - the mixture of the road trip along with it's stops and the competition that the MC and her friend were apart of were a fun read. Eva's plan to go all over the world just to see Will after she first met him felt a bit naive and obsessive at first, but as the novel went on, it made a lot more sense and was another part of Eva discovering relationships and herself. The ending of this book was very satisfying and finally, I've found another book where the romance doesn't end picture perfect and I'm glad that our MC was able to figure out that she doesn't need a boy (or girl in other cases) to feel loved.

My favourite thing about Kissing In America would definitely have to be the characters. I applaud Margo for writing such likeable characters that have such depth and personality. Eva was such a great main character because she was so relatable and really captures the reality and voice of a teenager trying to cope with grief and learning more about herself and others that she didn't know. I also thought she was a very realistic character because she was at times extremely naive and sensitive but also smart and flawed in a good way. All the other characters were great additions to this book and had fascinating side stories that made for humorous and clever plot-fillers and motivators. 

Overall, Kissing In America is a wonderful book about self-discovery and coping with grief and loss and I definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for a fresh contemporary young adult book with a hint of romance and an adventure. 

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All The Bright Places Book Review

Rating: ✭✭✭✭

Title: All The Bright Places

Author: Jennifer Niven

Genre: YA, Romance, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Mental Health

Publication: 2015

Format: Paperback, 378 Pages

Source: Personal Copy

"You are all the colours in one, at full brightness"

- Theodore Finch, 172 

All The Bright Places is a heartbreaking young adult novel by Jennifer Niven about two teens, both with different personalities, who meet at the top of a bell tower. Neither of them know if they intended to jump or not, but they both end up climbing off the ledge. Finch is the 'freak' and Violet is the popular girl at school; each have personal struggles they believe can't be fixed. Out of luck, they wind up as partners for a project to explore the 'natural wonders' of Indiana. On this journey, Violet begins to get over the death of her sister but Finch is falling backwards. Each goes through measures for one another, but maybe it is just not enough.

I've been wondering how to rate this book for a while, and I have settled on 4 stars. All The Bright Places was emotional and very engaging read; so much so I was able to read it in two sittings. This book was very smart and well written. It was easy to follow and understand and I love a good book with quotes that mean something. Jennifer Niven has also incorporated real life problems and serious subjects into this novel and a reminder for teens that if you ever think you need help, you should look for it because it is there and you are not alone. It was written in a dual perspective between Finch and Violet with light, humorous, and sometimes meaningful, dialogue. I also love how the characters in the novel didn't fall into instalove but actually developed a relationship throughout the book. 

The plot of this book is pretty simple but it's genius. Every little thing that happens all relates and contributes to the ending of the book. I was unsure of what to expect about the story and sort of went into it without knowing what would happen and I think that made my experience of the novel better. Jennifer Niven used clever clues to hint things throughout the book and I was completely oblivious to it. This is why I really enjoyed the book; the fact that everything was there but at the same time it wasn't. I think it gave the book a slight dramatic and touching effect. The incorporation of adventure, romance and even a bit of mystery into the plot also made All The Bright Places a great read.

Both characters were quirky and unique, and equally messed up. The amount of times I caught myself smiling because of Finch was too many to count. I completely fell in love with his character. On the other hand, I did not hate Violet but I didn't love her. I personally thought she was bland and lacked compared to Finch. In the light of that, both their personalities did make for some funny and enjoyable moments. Also, I did find the characters were slightly unrealistic but their motives were justifiable and they melded well with the plot. 

As cheesy as the book sounds, I loved it and it has changed me. If you are a fan of The Fault In Our Stars, I recommend this book because they are very similar plot-wise. I'd also like to mention the Author Notes and how it addressed suicide and mental illness. I gave this book a 4 stars because although there were flaws in the characters, the narrative was amazing and very well written. Overall, I thought this book was heart-warming, emotional, intelligent and lovely. A must read.

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