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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Lady Midnight Book Review

Rating: ✭✭✭✭ (4.5)

Title: Lady Midnight

Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Fiction, Romance

Publication: 8 March 2016

Format: Hardcover, 698 pages

Source: Own copy

 "There was beauty in the idea of freedom, but it was an illusion. Every human heart as chained by love."

- page 627.

When the dead bodies of both humans and faeries start accumulating, each with the same strange markings her parents were found murdered with, Emma Carstairs starts to investigate. 

Set on the sandy shores of Los Angeles, Emma, with the help of her Shadowhunter friends, unravels the mystery of her parent’s murder which has been her fighting cause her whole life. She is also fighting for Mark, her parabatai Julian Blackthorn’s older brother who is being held captive by the Faerie.

Along this hunt to uncover the reason behind the deaths, Emma reveals more secrets. Who really killed her parents? What has Julian been hiding? Why are parabatai forbidden to fall in love?

Lady Midnight is the first instalment in the highly anticipated trilogy, The Dark Artifices, by Cassandra Clare. I was so eager to be a part of the Shadow world again and the demon hunting, plot twists and witty humour that came with it. Cassandra Clare didn’t let me down and by the end of the novel I just wanted more, more, more.

It is great that Lady Midnight can be read without having to have read the other Shadowhunter series however I recommend it because they are great books and it enhances the experience of Lady Midnight (as well as bring back all the TMI and TID feels).

Right away, I noticed improvements in Cassandra Clare’s writing compared to her other novels. The book was a lot more grounded and fleshed out. Each character was given a voice and the plot flowed smoothly. Also, much to my enjoyment, Clare was still able to make me laugh even with such a deep story.

Lady Midnight delves deeper into the Shadowhunter world and touches on more mature and darker subjects. Mental illness and sexuality is explored amongst the characters. Ty, one of the Blackthorn siblings, struggles with a mental disorder and there is even a bisexual character. The audience is also introduced to new aspects too, such as The Scholomance, an elite shadowhunter school, and the law against Parabatai falling in love.

The plot was definitely well thought out and carefully planned. It had the perfect balance between romance, character development and plot action but I do think that it was the downfall of the novel. It lacked that ‘special something’ and I felt that at times it dragged. The main plot was a murder mystery, dealing with why Emma’s parents died the way they did but I felt it was empty and didn’t really give any defined answers. However, the plot never lost focus on the characters and I believe that this is what really made the book. 

Clare has written by far the most interesting and developed characters in all of the Shadowhunter universe. Julian and Emma were nothing special in a good way, unlike Jace and Clary or Tessa, they were just normal shadow hunters with no special abilities other than a big dilemma and a big family. There was also role reversal between the two MC’s. Usually Cassie has the boys cracking jokes but this time it was Emma and Julian was the sensitive one. Emma was a bad ass heroine but I still had trouble liking and relating to her, i felt she was too ignorant and stubborn and just in-your-face, contrary, I loved Christina Rosales, an 18 year old residing in the LA institute to observe the difference between their Shadowhunter culture and Mexico’s. The fact she followed all the rules really appealed to me, especially in the Shadowhunter world where everyone makes such rash decisions and acts impulsively. Another example of the interesting and unique cast of Lady Midnight.

Julian was definitely by far my favourite character. I adored how his character was different to most of Cassandra’s other male characters who were often sarcastic and the bad-boy type (but don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with those types). Julian had so much responsibility given to him when he was just 12; he is in charge of caring for all his siblings (Mark, Tiberius, Livia, Drusilla and Octavian) and his uncle Arthur, the Los Angeles Institiute, Emma as well as himself. He is so admirable and there is something about his personality and it's mix between tenderness and harshness that was so appealing and enticing, I just wanted more of Julian.

“…everyone who lives under this roof, whether they are bound by blood or not, we are tied together by an invisible net of love and duty and loyalty and honour. That is what it means to be a Shadowhunter.”

The family dynamic between the Blackthorn’s was also a big aspect of this novel and I loved the relationship that they all had with each other. Each one of them complemented the other and protected the other. They even made for extremely funny moments, especially when Mark, unaccustomed to looking after all of them, is left with them alone.

Cassandra has set up the novel well for a sequel and leaves people wondering why Emma’s iratze so powerful when she healed Julian? How will Julian’s and Emma’s relationship turn out? Are we going to learn more about Kieran and Marks time in the hunt?

I definitely recommend Lady Midnight to all people who love fantasy and are fans of the Shadowhunter chronicles or Cassandra Clare’s writing. Lady Midnight intertwines mystery, action, fantasy, romance and humour into a thrilling novel that I thoroughly enjoyed and many others will too. I'm giving it 4.5 stars, 4 for the novel and the extra .5 because I'm bias towards anything with my beloved Shadowhunters.

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Phoenix Awakens Review

Rating: ★★★ (3.5)

Title: Phoenix Awakens
Author: Eliza Nolan
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal
Publication: Oct 12, 2015
Format: Arc E-galley, 187 pages
Source: I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

Julia has been having crazy dreams about weird cults, violent rituals and the charming new boy, Graham. Julia seems to think that these dreams are trying to tell her something and that somehow, she and Graham are connected. So when Graham admits that he's a Phoenix - a member of a secret society - and that he fled his old home to get away from them, they decide to try and find the truth behind the strange dreams and why Julia has begin to develop strange abilities. 
But the Phoenix Society want him back and they'll will do anything to get him. Now it's up to Julia to stop them and save Graham.
To what lengths will she go?

There must have been something about Phoenix Awakens that interested me - the secret societies or the fantasy/magic or the weird dreams - I don't know, but it was a decent book and I didn't completely hate it. After all, I did finish it. Due to my incapability to put my thoughts in proper sentences and construct an acceptable review for Phoenix Awakens, I'm just going to write a list of what I liked and disliked and let my opinions stem from there.

LIKE
- The second half of the plot was very well paced and there was a perfect amount of action for the story to progress
- The mysterious and intriguing first page
- Mythology and secret societies (I just wish there was more of it)
- Violent and 'bloody' dreams
- Julia's determination to save Graham and help her friends
- The fact that she couldn't control her powers and didn't know when they would work or not
- The connections created between Julia's dreams, why her mother left when she was younger, her newfound abilities, the necklace her mother left for her, Julia's dad over-protectiveness, etc., etc.
- The cliffhanger at the very end. I can definitely see Phoenix Awakens as part of a trilogy

DISLIKE
- Cliche, cliche, cliche. 
- The whole 'new hot guy + angsty teen girl = life is forever changed/romance' plot line
- I didn't really get any of the whole secret society concept and was kind of confused about it's origin and role in the story. Only a basic outline was given and if it was explained more, Phoenix Awakens would definitely have been a lot better
- NOTHNG WAS EXPLAINED. Everything just needed more development. Everything.
- The predictable plot; which is becoming more and more of a commonplace in YA.
- The dragging first half that just took too long to get to the whole point.
- Flat and plot driven characters. Graham was just the love interest and another member of the Phoenix Society. Why was he a member? What is his favourite food? Why does he even like Julia? Samantha was nothing but a passenger in the Plot Bus. She was there for a few chapters in the beginning and end but didn't really do much for the story. The second characters were okay and nothing exciting. Julia was pretty decent and likeable but 'immature' and didn't sound like a seventeen year old.
- Aydan. She was the 'guide' in Julia's dream. All I have is who, what, when, where, how and why. I need more explanation.

Overall, Phoenix Awakens was okay but there could have been a lot more plot and character development that would have made it a much better novel. Eliza Nolan had a likeable writing style and good premise and depending on your interest in paranormal fantasy, you may like this a whole lot better than me.

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Dead Ringer Review

Rating: ★★★★

Title: Dead Ringer
Author: Jessie Rosen
Genre: YA, Mystery, Romance, Thriller
Publication: November, 2015
Format: Arc E-Galley, 302 pages
Source: Thanks to Full Fathom Five Digital for sending me a copy of this book.

"Every girl appreciates a little attention. Even a dead one"

She looks just like her. Uncanny. The hallways are filled with whispers that Laura Rivers, the new girl at Englewood High, looks just like a girl that used to go there - the girl who committed suicide two years ago. Sarah Castro-Tanner. Laura doesn't want this new label as she starts a new high school and is determined to begin a new, fresh life where she can be herself. Fortunately, that plan goes to work and sparks fly between her and Charlie, the it-boy of Englewood High. But as Charlie and his close friends, Amanda, Kit and Miller, begin to receive creepy messages, Laura begins to notice their constant paranoia and dishonesty and she can't help but think that maybe Sarah Castro-Tanner has something to do with it. 

Dead Ringer was such an impressive take on the classic dead-girl-haunting plot. When I read the first chapter I thought I wasn't going to like it but I was dead wrong. Jessie Rosen's execution of this novel and the suspense was so unerring I didn't suspect half of the plot twists that were thrown at me. It is written in third person through the eyes of the three main characters, Laura, Charlie and Sasha. I loved how the different POVs layered different mysteries and stories on top of each other and I got to see the perspectives of the characters and understand their feelings and roles a lot better. Writing related, there was too much mystery. Literally everything was a mystery and I think that if they were just knowledge to the reader than everything would have played out the same way.

Dead Ringer has a very detailed and tenuous plot that needed a lot of thinking in order to get it right and Jessie Rosen rendered me speechless. The tension and suspense remained throughout the whole novel and I just wanted to keep reading to unravel the mystery. I loved how there were so many surprises that threw my theories and the characters courses off balance. It was fun to be constantly guessing and asking questions. The plot also flowed very smoothly and developed quite well - plot holes were nonexistent. The one problem I found plot-wise was the pacing. It took too long, approximately 300 pages, to explain everything and get to the point. But if you enjoy suspenseful novels, then you might even end up eating this up in one sitting. 

All the characters were so likeable and relatable and quite realistic too, except for their ages. In the book they're 16 and most of what the novel is based around was two years ago, meaning they would have been roughly 14. Being 14 and having whatever (I won't say anything that will spoil it) happened to them is really unbelievable and maybe increasing their ages would have made it more plausible.

Dead Ringer is a great suspenseful novel to keep you on your toes and I definitely recommend this one because it hits thriller right in the centre. It will leave you bewildered and mind blown and will prevent you from sleeping when you start reading it. Also, keep in mind that this book will most likely have a sequel as it ends in a serious cliff hanger. I can't wait to read the next instalment.

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Divided Review

Rating: ★★★ (3.5)

Title: Divided
Author: Sharon M. Johnston
Genre: YA, Romance, Sci-Fi, Fantasy
Publication: Nov 4, 2015
Format: Arc E-Galley, 195 pages
Source: Thankyou to City Owl Press for sending me a copy of Divded through Netgalley.

"Sometimes life is stranger than fiction."

- page 132

After just recently getting a heart transplant, Mishca is expecting to feel energised, healthier and like she is finally going to have the normal life she wanted. Unfortunately, she gets a lot more than she bargained for. She develops supernatural abilities and a plague of nightmares that begin to haunt her sleep. Mishca also develops new romances and is torn between two guys, Ryder and Colin who both have equal pieces of her heart. But as the truth behind her adoption and her instant attraction to Colin, her university professor, surfaces, everything isn't as it seems and romance will be the absolute last of her problems.

Divided is the first novel in the Open Heart fantasy/sci-fi series by Sharon M. Johnston and is set in Australia (which is exciting because I live in Australia too). I gave this book three and a half stars because despite enjoying it, I found a couple of faults and areas that I personally disliked. The general writing style was in first person and it was very easy to follow, although it kind of felt rushed to me. I hated Mishca's constant inner monologue too because it just seemed to be after every few sentences and was very annoying. They didn't really match her bad-ass personality. 

You're instantly thrown into action when you begin the novel as Mishca receives her heart transplant and this drew me in immediately. Divided has the perfect amount of plot twists that kept me engaged and hooked whilst reading. At one point, I finished the chapter and intended to put the book down for the night, but a cliffhanger sucked me in and I ended up reading for another hour. The romance was almost, almost, perfect. Mishca and Ryder's relationship was not insta-love at all and developed at a very realistic pace. I loved all their little moments. But then the whole 'forbidden love' and 'love triangle' element was thrown in and I felt like throwing the book at my wall. Introducing Colin as another love interest was just unnecessary.

I'm still trying to decide if I liked Mishca as a main character or not. At first, I found her whiny and inconsistent as her personality and moods changed from sweet to kicking-in-a-wall mad. Then I realised that she was realistically portrayed considering she's adopted, doesn't have many close friends and is experiencing unworldly things. I liked most of the characters and their roles in the novel really worked and I didn't really expect a thing - I won't say much more in fear I'll give away any spoilers though.

Divided is a new and sci-fi fresh novel that I predict will be very popular in future and well-liked by many. I recommend it to anyone looking for an intense read for this upcoming summer (if you're in Aus).

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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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