Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

Rating: Enjoyable

Summary:

"Young witches Safiya and Iseult have a habit of finding trouble. After clashing with a powerful Guildmaster and his ruthless Bloodwitch bodyguard, the friends are forced to flee their home. Safi must avoid capture at all costs as she's a rare Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lies. Many would kill for her magic, so Safi must keep it hidden - lest she be used in the struggle between empires. And Iseult's true powers are hidden even from herself. In a chance encounter at Court, Safi meets Prince Merik and makes him a reluctant ally. However, his help may not slow down the Bloodwitch now hot on the girls' heels. All Safi and Iseult want is their freedom, but danger lies ahead. With war coming, treaties breaking and a magical contagion sweeping the land, the friends will have to fight emperors and mercenaries alike. For some will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch."

This is a pretty hyped up book which I was interested in from the description. I was lucky that my library ebook loan system had it in there. I am not sure it lives up to its hype though, it was an enjoyable read and I will read the next book but I did have problems with the story.

My first issue was that Safiya (Safi) is an idiot. A selfish, deluded brat. Everything that went wrong in this book was because she never stopped to think about anyone other then herself and her needs. She even admitted, several times, she sucks at making plans, and time and time again she would ignore people who had perfectly good and well thought out plans made by people who generally so this sort of thing for a living, and do her own idiotic thing. Usually resulting in the death of others or the near death of her and her friends. I just wanted to yell at her almost the entire way through the book. Also her decisions made no freaking sense and the one time she actually presented a good plan to someone who has lots of experience and should know better, they shot her down and proposed a seriously risky and dumb idea (which resulted in mayhem, death and fighting).

My other peeve was that I also got annoyed with reading "that that" in a sentence or something similar. I can't think of specific examples now but when that double up happened it did bug me as it happened a couple of times. I am not sure what the technical term for it is, but I have seen it creeping into modern books, and it bugs me. But thats one of my peeve's not necessarily a fault of the book.

So you would think  after that complaining I would dislike this book. Well I didn't. I still quite enjoyed it, even though my eyeballs got quite the work out.

For me this was like a guilty pleasure book. Similar to those guilty pleasure tv shows that we all have, that we like despite it being almost everything we normally dislike in a show. Like The Kardashians, or Daytime Soapies (mine being reality shows like Amazing Race and Survivor). The characters are badly acted, the dialogue is predictable and the show is predictable (yes even reality shows!). We like to hate those shows (and we all have one) and we like to complain about the awfulness of the show. I am not saying this book is badly written or predictable but my point is that even though there was a side of it that annoyed me I still continued reading, and still liked it.

This book was a little like that for me. Even though I practically yelled at the character Safi for her stupidity and rolled my eyes at her decisions. I still enjoyed reading this book and will read the second book.

The action was well written and fast paced. The world created is interesting and detailed. I liked the story and I'm curious as to where the story goes.

If you like modern young adult fantasy you will probably like this book.

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

Series Rating: A fun series that is action packed and sassy

A series that twists the fairy tales we know so well into an amazing sci-fi young adult novel full of action, suspense and interesting characters. Please see most recent review at the bottom of this post.

Rating: An addictive book
Cinder
Age Range: 12 - 18 years
Publisher: Puffin (January 5, 2012)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0141340134
ISBN-13: 978-0141340135
ASIN: B0065GC0PG

Summary:

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future. This is the tale of Cinderella. Only not like you have heard it before. For starters Cinder is a cyborg and it's the future where there are people living on the moon and hover cars.

I had seen this book around for awhile and to be honest I am generally weary of "buzz" books because more often then not I don't like them. I am happy to say this time I was proved wrong, dead wrong. This book was just a wow book for me, I couldn't put i down, thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. Easily one of my best reads for 2014 (even though it was released a few years back, never mind).

Meyer's has done a wonderful job retelling the Cinderella story but kept it fresh and interesting. I liked the twist of Cinder being a Cyborg and that the Prince was actually more then a bit of beautiful fluff just hanging around waiting for some twit to leave her shoe on his stair case.

Cinder's step (adoptive guardian) and sister are suitable horrible. But I really cant say any more on the characters with out giving the story away.

Don't assume that because you know the Cinderella story that you know what will happen!

There was action, excitement, romance, and witty banter and one liners. While this book is a "light" book it did deal with some heavy topics like discrimination, plague, and moral dilemmas. I found it interesting that Cinder being cyborg showed way more humanity then some of the humans.

Definitely read this if it is on your to be read pile!
Series Post Updated - 11/1/2015

Rating: A fun read and addictive
Scarlett
Age Range: 14 - 18 years
Publisher: Puffin (January 5, 2012)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1250007216
ISBN-13: 978-1250007216
ASIN: B00ADNPAOK

Summary:

SCARLET BENOIT'S grandmother is missing. The police have closed her case. The only person Scarlet can turn to is Wolf, a street fighter she does not trust, but they are drawn to each other. Meanwhile, in New Beijing, Cinder will become the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive - when she breaks out of prison to stay one step ahead of vicious Queen Levana. As Scarlet and Wolf expose one mystery, they encounter Cinder and a new one unravels. Together they must challenge the evil queen, who will stop at nothing to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner . . .

So book one Cinder left me hanging for the next book, I HAD to know what happened next. Book two didn't disappoint.

It introduced three new characters and a new fairy tale. We saw the continuation of Cinder's story and her meeting Captain Thorne; who reminded me of Hans Solo in that he was a lovable rogue with a very lose view on laws, quick wit. We are also introduced to Scarlet and Wolf, who are trying to find Scarlett's kidnapped Grandmother.

This book for me was a little darker then Cinder, in that the author shows and describes a few murders and we meet some pretty nasty characters. The action is pretty good and I would be super surprised if this series hasn't been picked up to be turned into a movie.  But let me be clear it doesn't read like a movie script (and some books do) There is still depth there and character development.

We got to see some of Queen Levana's point of view which to me felt a little odd but I can only assume book three will now show some of her "side of the story". Could it be she isn't quite the evil meglomaniac with super powers she has been made out to be? Would be a smidgeon of a shame as she has made a fantastic super villain so far.

I can't wait to start book three!

Rating: A nice addition to the series
Cress
Publisher: Puffin (February 6, 2014)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00G2SJQAO
ISBN: 0312642970

Summary:
In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army. Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice. When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

I can see why some people felt this book was a bit of a let down compared to the first two books. It is slower paced as there is a lot of information being revealed (with out it feeling like to much information in a short period of time) and story arcs being told. There was also some big story developments happening and reveals. Finally it is being told from at least 5 different points of view (I think it may have even been more). To me this slowed the story down a little.

However I still enjoyed this book thoroughly and thought the author did a good job of blending all the points of views, expanding on the story and action. Because there was still action.

Cress is not as sassy as Cinder and Scarlet were, however she will make a good addition to the team going forward through the series.

So I am now hanging out for book 4!

Overall Series thoughts to date
I love the clever blend of fairy tale and sci-fi which to me is so interesting. Also I like that the female characters are really strong role models for young girls (ah cliched I know). But they are. They aren't silly screaming girly heroines who do ridiculously stupid things (like follow a criminal down a dark ally all alone without telling anyone and have no self defence skills or a gun), but they are not ridiculously super powerful beyond their means. They are smart and capable girls who get stuff done. Even the evil Queen who has been shown as a power hungry psycho (well what evil leader trying to take over the world wouldn't be?) has been shown to be very calculating, intelligent and even logical. Even when things went a bit topsy turvey she still managed to manoeuvre a bad situation to her own advantage.

Also I love the cover art for these books. So simple but colourful.

Rating: A good ending to the series
Winter
Age Range: 12 - 18 years

Series: The Lunar Chronicles (Book 4)

Hardcover: 832 pages

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (November 10, 2015)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0312642989

ISBN-13: 978-0312642983

Summary:
Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana. Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won't approve of her feelings for her childhood friend--the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn't as weak as Levana believes her to be and she's been undermining her stepmother's wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that's been raging for far too long. Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters? 

 I felt Fairest was a bit of a wasted novella. I had no idea if I was supposed to feel more sympathetic or hate her after learning more about Levanna's back story. To be honest I just didn't care enough. The book didn't move me either way. Now in Winter, Levanna's got to put on her evil Queen boots and get her paranoid-psycho-nastiness on again. I enjoyed her way more as a character in this book then in previous books. She is a good baddie, I like her better being a baddie.

This book had a lot of different points of views, and I mean a lot. At least 8 that I can think of while writing this. That is a lot. All these points of views grew over the series as each character was added, in the first book we had Kai and Cinder and then in the second we added Scarlet and Wolf and so on. But in the this book they all converge and it can get a bit much. Luckily there isn't a point of view that I think was not necessary. They all added to the story and helped keep track of what was going down (as there was a lot happening).

Without giving much away I thought the final book managed to wrap up all the story arc's satisfactorily and kept true to their original fairy tale. I did really like Winter and hoped her ending would have been different.

Series Overall Recommendation
Read this series if this is your type of thing. It is a fun and interesting series.

Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

Rating 4 out of 5
Age Range: 12 and up
Grade Level: 7 and up
Publisher: Delacorte Press (June 9, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0553536516 ISBN-13: 978-0553536515
ASIN: B00QDGVFDG (June 4, 2015)


Summary
A laugh-out-loud romance from the bestselling author of the Shopaholic series. Meet Audrey: an ordinary teenage girl with not so ordinary problems. Aside from her completely crazy and chaotic family, she suffers from an anxiety disorder which makes talking to her brother's hot new best friend a bit of a challenge. But Audrey has a plan to help her face her fears and take on the world again. First stop: Starbucks.

I have to confess I am not a big Kinsella fan. I have read a few of her adult books and found them hit and miss. However I was intrigued to learn she had written a Young Adult novel and that it dealt with mental issues. For me this book was a hit and I think this is one of my favourite Kinsella books.

Personally I think mental issues is a topic that needs to be address more in the media and in publications and not in the "they are mentally disturbed so there for a serial killer" kind of way. Awareness is growing within community but there is still a lot of stigma surrounding people who suffer mental illness. Sophia Kinsella has done a good job of writing about a difficult and poorly understood issue and she made it non-threatening, light hearted and relatable to teens.

Through Audrey's eyes we learn about her life, her struggles to over come her anxiety, and accept who she is. We also learn about the impact her illness has had on her family and how they adjust to her recovery.  It is not a smooth road they are traveling. Kinsella has done a good job of showing how mental illness impacts everyone around the sufferer.

I think this is the major strength of this book. Through Audrey's eyes and her recovery she becomes aware of the impacts on her family. This in turn allows the reader to really understand how mental illness impacts everyone. We also get a good insight into how someone withe anxiety and depression thinks and its not rationally. The reference to 'lizard brain" I thought was prefect as Audrey's way of dealing with her anxiety (it is also a psychological term). I have never suffered from anxiety or depression. However a few of my friends have, and some of the ways they expressed themselves I saw written on the pages as Audrey's thoughts.

The summary makes this book sound a lot lighter then it is. However this is not a heavy or depressing book, it is a positive book, and I will confess to giggling a couple of times. The "laugh-out-loud" part comes from her families antics and dealing with the issues that they are presented with.

While there is a romance of sorts it is a very sweet element to the story. It is also not the main theme of the story but is one of Audrey's drivers. Linus is a good fit for Audrey and I liked their relationship.

I would be curious to learn why Sophie Kinsella chose to write this topic for her Young Adult debut.

This is a great book which tackles a difficult subject in a light-hearted,positive and sensitive way. I think this could be a book that all teens should read to give them a better understanding of people who live with mental illness. I do recommend this book for teenagers and anyone who wants understand mental illness a bit better.

If you would like to read an extract then head over to Sophie Kinsella's website for more.

This review book was provided to me by Netgalley.

Magisterium: The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Rating 4 out of 5
Age Range: 8 - 12 years
Grade Level: 3 - 7
Series: Magisterium (Book 1)
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press; 1St Edition edition (September 9, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0545522250
ISBN-13: 978-0545522250
ASIN: B00HFAY9LO

Summary:

Most kids would do anything to pass the Iron Trial. Not Callum Hunt. He wants to fail. All his life, Call has been warned by his father to stay away from magic. If he succeeds at the Iron Trial and is admitted into the Magisterium, he is sure it can only mean bad things for him. So he tries his best to do his worst - and fails at failing. Now the Magisterium awaits him. It's a place that's both sensational and sinister, with dark ties to his past and a twisty path to his future. The Iron Trial is just the beginning, for the biggest test is still to come . . .

I had so much fun reading this book.

For me it was fun and fresh, setting the reader to go in one direction then changing direction on you as you continue through the story. It was fascinating and I see so many possibilities with the direction the author took 

I really enjoyed Call. He is angry and sarcastic and his mouth just works of its own accord. He is fun to read and had me chuckling a few times with his antics. The other characters Tamara and Aaron are also good value and compliment his character well.

The action and pacing was well balanced to keep the story bubbling along. The action scenes were fantastical and edge of the seat stuff.

The world built by Black and Clare is an interesting one and I am curious to learn more about it. I liked that the magic was elemental based and the little elemental animals were pretty cool (Chaos ridden puppy anyone?). We got enough information and back story that we know the basics of this world but I will be curious to see how the authors develop the world over the next books. I can easily see there being way more then meets the eye with this world.

I will briefly touch on the comparisons people are drawing to Harry Potter. If you go looking for the comparisons I am sure you will find them. I didn't compare it and I enjoyed the book on its own for its own merits.

If you like YA modern fantasy (don't think this can be classed as urban as they are in a cave in the middle of no where) then this will be a fun read.

Please Don't Tell My Parents I'm a Supervillian by Richard Roberts

Rating 3.5 out 5 stars

Format: Kindle Edition

File Size: 1586 KB
Print Length: 374 pages
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press (14 February 2014)
Sold by: Amazon Australia Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00IH0KG1S

Summary:

Penelope Akk wants to be a superhero. She's got superhero parents. She's got the ultimate mad science power, filling her life with crazy gadgets even she doesn't understand. She has two super powered best friends. In middle school, the line between good and evil looks clear.

In real life, nothing is that clear. All it takes is one hero's sidekick picking a fight, and Penny and her friends are labeled supervillains. In the process, Penny learns a hard lesson about villainy: She's good at it. 

Criminal masterminds, heroes in power armor, bottles of dragon blood, alien war drones, shape shifters and ghosts, no matter what the super powered world throws at her, Penny and her friends come out on top. They have to. If she can keep winning, maybe she can clear her name before her mom and dad find out.

Initial Thoughts: What a fun little book.

I really did enjoy this young adult book about a tween discovering she has super powers and super villain ones at that. It was a fast paced, with lots of humour moments that made me smile. 

The character Penny was likable and so were her two best buddies and fellow super villains. I tell you what they made being a super villain cool. Also don't get me started on her awesome science lab/lair, every teen should have one.

My ONLY gripe is I find it extremely difficult to swallow that her parents especially her mother, who is a super villain hunter who can detect lies, and is highly respected and feared because she is just that good; Had no idea her daughter was a super villain or in anyway involved. I mean the fact her daughter created a pretty awesome robot and then these super villain kids turn up with mechanical gadgets doesn't even make her go hmmm. Also maybe I am old fashion but who leaves their 13 year old kid alone at home for a week?

But I still really liked this book and especially enjoyed that for once it was told from a super villains point of view. The tween angst of Penny dealing with the fact she clearly wasn't going to be a super hero like her parents was an interesting touch. But the humour involved in the story made it fun. 

I would recommend this book for a read especially for tween girls and I will be more then happy to read the sequel. 

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancy

Rating: 5 out of 5
Title: The 5th Wave
Author: Rick Yancy
Series: The 5th Wave (Book 1)
Hardcover: 480 pages
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (May 7, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0399162410
ISBN-13: 978-0399162411

Summary 

"After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one. Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie's only hope for rescuing her brother--or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death."

Perhaps I had started one to many fizzer books before I read this one, or it was the right book at the right time. Either way this book ticked all the boxes for me and I just blitzed through the book. heck I even tweeted about it. I was sucked in and held there till the end when I finally came up for air.

The alien invasion was realistic and well thought out. I could imagine an alien race doing the "waves" of death on mankind. In fact as far as invasions go it was smart, and involved little effort on the alien's behalf. The pole being dropped from outer space was perhaps a little much but everything else was very believable.

I felt the story had the feel of a "written for movie" story. It was a bit cliched, predictable and had a few unrealistic scenes (towards the end). But hey they are action scenes, action scenes in a sci-fi book no less, they should be spectacular and totally stupid all the time exciting and fun.

I did notice some faults with the book, and I didn't care. Nope not a bit. It was exciting, interesting and an interesting take on the alien invasion young adult story. That for me is a good book, when you notice flaws and you still don't want to put the book down or for it to finish.

I enjoyed Cassie, she was quite realistic. She was strong, tough and smart; but didn't have weird skills that she couldn't possibly have. She was a teen struggling with the situation she found herself in.

I have not looked forward to a sequel for a long time in the sci-fi arena but this one had me wanting the second book straight away.

If you like young adult books, and sci-fi, I would recommend this book. Don't expect a lot from it, and you should enjoy it.

The Last Girl by Michael Adams

Rating; 5 out of 5
Title: The Last Girl
Author: Michael Adams
Series: Trilogy
File Size: 2398 KB
Print Length: 252 pages
Publisher: Allen & Unwin (September 25, 2013)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00FD9L3LS


Summary
Everyone looked like bad actors in a poorly dubbed movie. Their expressions didn't match their emotions and their lips didn't sync with what they were saying. But they were all so loud. God-he-looks-hot-Can't-she's-my-best-friend-How'd-she-lose-that-weight-No-don't-you-dare-Oh-no-please- The end of the world happens in the blink of an eye. When The Snap sweeps the globe, everyone can instantly hear everything that everyone else is thinking. As secrets and lies are laid bare, suburbs and cities explode into insanity and violence. What might have been an evolutionary leap instead initiates the apocalypse. Sixteen-year-old Danby Armstrong's telepathy works very differently. She can tune into other people but they can't tune into her. With only this slender defence, Danby must protect her little brother and reach the safety of her mother's mountain retreat. But it's 100 kilometres away and the highways are blocked by thousands of cars and surrounded by millions of people coming apart at the psychic seams. Danby's escape is made even more dangerous by another cataclysm that threatens humanity's extinction. And her ability to survive this new world will be tested by a charismatic young man whose power to save lives may be worse than death itself.

I had been struggling with a recent book from a favourite author. I thought my reading mojo was gone. I needed a break, read something different, so this book was sitting on the top of my bedside table so I thought "why not". It came highly recommended by Books and Musings From Downunder. So I started it one evening and finished it the next day. And it was good, oh so very good.

This book is gripping, fascinating, shocking, horrifying and intense all in one go. Unlike most post apocalyptic books, where they are set well after the main event that changed society forever; this book is set as it happens. We get to see the world as we know it completely fall apart. As you can imagine this can make for some not so fun moments.

The concept is refreshing in that its not a virus, war, or zombie apocalypse. Even though it was full on times I liked how the author explored this topic.

Danby is a believable character and her reactions to scenarios thrown at her were logical. I will be interested to see if Jack is her saviour or captor. Is he good or evil? He is definitely creepy, practical, smart and possibly crazy.

This book raises some interesting issues that people in that situation might face. Who to save and who to leave, morals and survival, where do you draw the line and where do you cross.

On a totally shallow note I didn't care much for the cover.

I would recommend this book as a good read for anyone who likes the post apocalyptic genre. I can't wait for book 2 in the trilogy to come out.

A final cautionary note, there are some very full on scenes when society is falling apart. This could be distressing to some. It definitely made me uncomfortable and teary in one case (I am sorry I do not want to say more without spoiling the story). Themes of suicide, paedophilia, terrorism, murder as well as other violent crimes do get mentioned and discussed. It only lasts really for the first 1/3 of the book but when I use the word intense I really mean it.

Erasing Time by C.J Hill

Rating 4 out of 5
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books; 1 edition (August 28, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062123920
ISBN-13: 978-0062123923

Summary:

When twins Sheridan and Taylor wake up 400 years in the future, they find a changed world: domed cities, no animals, and a language that's so different, it barely sounds like English. And the worst news: They can't go back home.

The twenty-fifth-century government transported the girls to their city hoping to find a famous scientist to help perfect a devastating new weapon. The same government has implanted tracking devices in the citizens, limiting and examining everything they do. Taylor and Sheridan have to find a way out of the city before the government discovers their secrets. To complicate matters, the moblike Dakine has interest in getting hold of them too. The only way for the girls to elude their pursuers is to put their trust in Echo, a guy with secrets of his own. The trio must put their faith in the unknown to make a harrowing escape into the wilds beyond the city.

Ok so a weird side effect of my pregnancy is I don't like reading, and when I do read I am exceptionally picky. I read this when I was pregnant. I liked it. I liked it a lot.

This was an interesting concept well executed. I liked the world building attention to detail, and didn't feel like I was being inundated with information. The story had a good flow and was logical. There was not a lot of information dumping which was good or convenient story telling to make it work.

I am a bit of a history buff so was delighted to read the future societies interpretation of things we take for granted today in western culture. Like talking cartoon animals; the future society believed animals talked (animals are not in existence in the future domed world). It made me really think about what we "know" about past cultures today.

Another fun aspect for me was the misinterpretation of 21st Century language; and how it had evolved into this future society. The author cleverly made the main future characters historians who specialised in ancient languages. I enjoyed how the twins turned our common phrases into their own language.

Without being all spoilery I will just say the religious code was really clever.

The story was interesting and not always predictable. It was good and I am eager to read the next book.

Breathe by Sarah Crossan

Rating 3 out of 5

Reading Level:

Young Adult

Publisher:

Greenwillow Books

Release date:

October 2, 2012

Shipping Weight:

1 pounds

ISBN-10:

0062118692

This story is not overly original in the now crowded dystopian young adult arena. The story revolves around a group of teens living in a domed city once the world's trees appear to have died off. The domed cities are the only source of oxygen and of course are tightly controlled by a corrupt Government.

I did find myself noticing some plot holes that maybe will be explained in the next book.

• How many domed cities are there? are all of them killing off all the trees in the whole world for so long? So does that mean the world is one controlling government or are they seperate domed countries?
• Vegetation is clearly regrowing outisde and the domed people wouldnt be able to reach every where. So surely in the time it took the Revolutionaries to grow their trees other vegetation would have grown elsewhere?
• Where are the animals? how is vegetation growing with out bees and birds and such to help pollinate and spread seeds etc?
• Do the military live outside of the dome as no one inside the dome seems to know (except the powers that be) that a military even exists.
• The Tanks, how are they driving them? and the planes? As far as the book implies there is no petrol/diesel and no industry outside if the dome?
• This society is a revolution waiting to happen.

Don't get me wrong it is an interesting book with lots of potential as a series but it was not a stand out dystopian genre book for me.

The Scorch Trials (Maze Runner #2) by James Dashner

Rating: 4 out of 5

Title: The Scorch Trials

Author: James Dashner

Series: Book 2 in a trilogy

Reading level: Ages 12 and up
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Ember; Reprint edition (September 13, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0385738765
ISBN-13: 978-0385738767

Thomas and his friends are free, free from the Maze. But things are about to get a whole lot worse, because they have another trial to endure. The Maze was the first trial now the second trial is to cross the Scorch; the waste land around the equator where the diseased Cranks with the flare live, weather is wild, and the sun bakes everything to a crisp. Will Thomas and his friends survive this trial and get the reward they have been promised?

It is always hard to review a series, especially a trilogy and not give anything away, so this review will be short.

The Scorch wasteland is barren and harsh. The sun burns almost on contact with the skin and the storms when they hit are vicious and wild. Almost nothing survives out here except Cranks, people who are infected with the disease that inhabit the only remaining crumbling city.

While Thomas and his friends manoeuvre through the city the reader gets to learn about the Cranks, their lives, and how the disease effect them.

We get to meet new characters who add an interesting dynamic to the band of merry Gladers. Brenda and Jorge being the most notable new comers.

There is a lot of action and a far higher death count in this book compared to The Maze Runner.

New story threads are revealed and old ones explained. I was happy with some, not sure about the direction of the new threads but all in all not bad.

A good instalment in the series.

Hourglass (Hourglass #1) by Myra McEntire

Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Reading level: Ages 14 and up
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: EgmontUSA; Reprint edition (May 8, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1606843842
ISBN-13: 978-1606843840

Summary:
For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn't there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents' death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She's tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson's willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may also change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he's around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should've happened?

So I enjoyed the story. It was an interesting Young Adult, Sci-fi mix. It felt fresh and interesting and made a change from vampires and other supernatural type YA romance books. I liked the concept and the execution which made sense and flowed easily.

However the characters felt a little cliched. Emerson the good looking but "damaged" heroine who is genuinely surprised a guy would be in to her, and has two guys vying for you attention. But she is also smart and athletic with a Buffy the Vampire Slayer attitude. Her bestie is artsy and funny but clearly has a secret. The two hot guys are different in that one is serious and one is funny but both are damaged. I think you get the picture. The characters didn't really grab my attention enough for me to really engage with them and look beyond the cliched stuff.

This was an easy read and not a lot of depth. But it was fun and fast paced and I did enjoy the sassy comments made by Emerson. This is the sort of book I would class as brain candy.

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J Maas

Rating: 3 out of 5
Reading level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens; 1 edition (August 7, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1599906953
ISBN-13: 978-1599906959
ASIN: B008BJ3RP2

Synopsis
After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men—thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the kings council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

My Initial Thoughts
A really promising start to a series that is a fun modern fantasy.

Digging Deeper
The Characters are interesting if a little stereotypical. The heroine, Calaena, is clever, athletic and sassy. She is not perfect and struggles with where her life has taken her. She is also, wait for it, a book reader. OMG YAY a heroine who is kick ass and READS and adores her library. The male leads are a little cliched you have the strong but silent Captain of the Guard and the flirty play boy Prince.

There is the stock standard love triangle, I am not sure you can escape them anymore in these books. But I think I am team Captain Westfall, Prince Dorian is a bit to shallow for my liking.

The author is clearly a huge book nerd as all her main characters are also book nerds *squee*

At first it bugged me a little that Calaena is a bit to perfect and I thought "is there nothing she can't do?" But then it clicked; she is an assassin, her job is to infiltrate and kill people. It would make sense she is proficient at a variety of things (not just killing) so she can close to her victims.

There are some well written action scenes, and some tantalising story threads started that have sparked my curiosity (think I have guessed Calaena's dark secret but shhhhh not telling).

The blurb seems to promise lots of action the story revolves more around Calaena recovering from her time in prison and getting through the trials. I also felt the author tried to fit to much in (there is a trials type game Calaena has to get through, political intrigue, a mysterious creature killing competitors, love triangle, back stories, world building......and more). All of these threads just distracted to much from the main story and, while it was interesting, left me wondering why we needed to know it all right now and not have it revealed later through the series. This book really had more of a set up feel to the series, almost a prequel. I suspect all the main story threads have been revealed and over the next couple of books all will be revealed and expanded on. I can see that being annoying for some but for me it was ok.

Interesting side note do you think the girl on the front cover strongly resembles the author herself? Am I the only one who has noticed this?

Conclusion

While this is isn't as ass kicking as the blurb would suggest it, has it's moments and is a promising start to the series. I will read the next book as I suspect the second book in this series is where things will really happen. I would recommend this book to fans of the genre.

Elemental: The First (Primord #1) by Alexandra May

Rating: 3 out of 5
Title: Elemental: The First
Author: Alexandra Ma
Series: Book 1
Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 509 KB
Print Length: 275 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1463708343
Publisher: Pauma Publishing (9 July 2011)
Language: English
ASIN: B005C1R1HM
ISBN-10: 1463708343
ISBN-13: 978-1463708344

Book Summary
Rose Frost is special. Her family has spent the last 16 years trying to hide her from the world. But now only her estrange grandmother can help her and she moves in to her grandmothers house near the tiny English town of Warminster. But then strange, terrifying and vivid dreams haunt her sleep and her migraines are getting more and more frequent. As if they were not troubles enough she has feelings for two local boys and is trying not to get on the wrong side of the local kids. But when her friend's father disappears it is up to her and her friends to find out what is going on and solve the mysterious disappearances and maybe solve the mystery that is Rose Frost.

Initial Thoughts
This is a hard book for me to review as I did like aspects of it but disliked other aspects. I have written and re-written this review over and over not happy with either version of my review. Having read the book in its entirety I think a significant point needs to be clarified upfront before someone reads this book; its part one. The ending is a to be continued. I strongly suspect if I had known this I would have enjoyed reading the book a lot better, but at the time I didn't so my review is a little on the negative side.

What I Liked
I found the premise interesting and refreshing for the young adult sci-fi fantasy romance genre (is that a genre? it is now). Rose has a really cool ability and there is a secret society doing battle for a long time. There is also super powers, aliens and romance (though the summary implies it is more of a fantasy book) which all come together for a fascinating story.

The world the author built is great. There is a great story surrounding  Halika Dacome and I wished we had learned about it sooner and explored it further (I am guessing that is where book two comes into it. I hope).

What I Disliked
I found the book to be quite slow to start with. Nothing really happened till about chapter four. Even half way through the book Rose and her Grandma had not had “that talk” about Rose’s abilities and the secret security surrounding her. They were supposed to have this talk virtually the second day Rose arrived but it never seemed to happen.

My biggest gripe with the book was the feeling that the relationships and even characters were “forced”  to fit the story. Rose in particular had really strange reactions to new friends and people, she acted like they had been best friends for years and got super offended and mad when they didn't trust her when she had only just met the person.

The two biggest offending scenes were (potential spoiler but I kept the information vague):

1. Where Rose had just met two new people, then precedes to have a major tanty and threaten to walk out because they didn’t trust her with their deepest darkest secret.
2. When Rose meets the acknowledged toxic girl from school who already hates Rose’s guts, for the first time. Toxic chick tells Rose she “almost got it on with the guy she likes” who is Morgan the guy who is so clearly into Rose. But the worst part was Rose believes her! Even cries about Morgans betrayal? OMG seriously? You would believe a girl who you have only just met, and had been warned to stay away from because she is one nasty over the guy who you have spent some time with and even spent the night with (not in that way)?

Those two scenes really had me struggling to believe the reactions of Rose and her friends. Especially the last scene, I wanted to just reaching into the book and slap the girl silly. There were a few other smaller incidences but they didn’t bother me as much as those two incidences.

In Conclusion
You might think I would say this is a terrible book but it isn't. It had faults for sure but it wasn’t terrible and I did enjoy the mythology the author created. Also I am pretty sure if I had known upfront this was a part one book I would have felt a little differently about the book.

I think for its target audience, young teenage girls, this would be a hit.

This copy of Elemental: The First was provided by Netgalley and in no way influenced my review.

Extras
I have added some images of Warminster to my Pinterest Board - Images Relating to Fiction.

Blood Storm (Lharmell Series Book 2) by Rhiannon Hart

Rating 5 out of 5
Title: Blood Storm
Author: Rhiannon Hart
Series: Book 2
File Size: 551 KB
Print Length: 227 pages
Publisher: Random House Australia (July 25, 2012)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00821K0JK
ISBN 1742754783
ISBN13: 9781742754789

It's official, I am now addicted to this series.

I enjoyed this book way more then the first. The first book Blood Song was good and I enjoyed it. But the second book is where I really went "wow".

In this book we see Zeraphina and Rodden go off adventuring into the sunset to go kill some baddies. Boo-yeah.

The action is fantastic, the story fast paced. I really enjoy Hart's writing and the more modern feel to her fantasy series. Hart's dry wit, is evident everywhere. Particularly in the banter between Zeraphina and Rodden. I admit I sniggered and chuckled through quite a few of the scenes. There were also some really creepy scenes as we learn more about the Harmings and Rodden's past (see the quote below).

The story doesn't set up a series  of convenient scenarios for the hero and heroine to have some alone time together that awakens their passions for each other ("oh dear only tavern around has one room and one bed we will just have to share, no no I wouldn't dare take advantage of you while sleeping", "oh opps we are high in the mountains camping and it is very cold and don't have enough warm clothes, how unfortunate we will just have to keep each other warm" and so on). They are not cold to each other, there is still tension, but there is no convenient set ups here to move the story in that direction.

Finally the ending, omg the ending, I have to say well played Rhiannon Hart. You sucked me in real good and I will be reading book three. I will even make sure I survive the Mayan Apocalypse in the event it does happen just so I can find out what happens in book three.

My reaction to the ending went something like this "wait, what just happened? no seriously that can't be the end. Did that just happen? no surely not I am sleep deprived and jet lagged so surely I imagined that ending. *re-reads the ending just do double check* Crap no that really did just happen *waaaaaaaa*" It's been a long time since I got to the end of a book in a series and want to throw an epic tantrum because the ending was so good, so cliff hangery, and all I wanted was the next book and it wasn't THERE! Seriously my toddler would have been proud of the internal tantrum I had and the old fashioned sulk after as I realised there is nothing I can do but wait till next year for the next book.

But I have it on good authority there is a Rodden short story being released soonish. So that should stave off the with drawl shakes, or make them worse. Either way I don't care and will be reading it.

Extras
Still doubtful about the awesomeness of this book weeellll here is an extract from Blood Storm.

Seraphina (Seraphina #1) By Rachel Hartman

Rating: 5 out of 5
Title: Seraphina
Author: Rachel Hartman
Series: Book 1
Reading level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 480 pages
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers; First Edition edition (July 10, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0375866566
ISBN-13: 978-0375866562
ASIN: B007OWBZQK

I decided to do a slightly different review writing a report from the character Eskar who had previously worked with the Censors (dragon police of sorts) on Orma. In the book the Censors had been investigating Orma so I extrapolated on that and had some fun. The report is set at the start of the book. Hope you enjoy it.

On a personal note this has got to be one of my top reads for 2012. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

Please note while every effort was taken to not reveal any major plot developments there maybe some very minor ones. 

Censor Observational Report  
Orma and his attachment to Seraphina Dombegh
By Eskar

Background
The dragon citizen known as Orma has been under observation for the last 16 years due to his initial refusal to denounce his sister, his father's exile and his mothers instability. It has long been suspected by the Censors that Orma would be susceptible to human emotions while in his sarataas. Recommendations have been put forward previous he have an  excision. However to date not enough evidence has been collated to enforce this recommendation.

Human Interaction
Orma has spent a significant amount of time acting as teach to the human known as Seraphina Dombegh. This relationship has required close interaction with each other and it is clear the human girl has developed feelings for Orma, but believes they are not reciprocated.

Previously we have created situations to test Orma's emotional attachment to Seraphina. To date all tests have failed to show any emotional attachment to the human subject.

For his part Orma has managed to not drawn the focus of the The Sons of St. Ogdo or the general public. With the 40th Anniversary of the signing of the treaty tension and fear amongst the humans is growing daily. It is becoming dangerous for dragons in the city. Orma being able to avoid such scrutiny in these times either displays a cleverness not yet recognised in this dragon or an empathy for the humans that helps him understand their drives.

Seraphina Dombegh
The human known as Seraphina Dombegh has a cloudy family history. Her father is Claude Dombegh the human lawyer who worked on the treaty and her mother died during birth. As a human she is quite interesting. She shows a dragon like intelligence. She has a natural ability for mathematics, history, politics and analytical skills. She has a sharp tongue which is an interesting quirk. Her ability to hide her emotions is a great asset for her future. I am told her proficiency with music moves the human masses in emotional ways we can not comprehend.

Seraphina also appears to have a growing close relationship with the Princess Glisselda and the Captain of the Guard Lucian Kiggs. She seems to have a great influence over these two young but powerful members of the Goreddian court. This could be advantageous to us in terms of influencing the court and getting information about what the future Queen and King are planning.

Orma appears to have taught her ways in which to speak with and handle our kind. I have personally witnessed her ability on many occasions. This ability could be useful if relations between dragons and humans inflame further then it already has.

Conclusion
If Orma shows any human emotion he hides it very well and we must be more inventive in trying to ascertain if he has any emotions. Orma is a clever and cunning subject and will be difficult to get him to reveal emotions if they exist. There is still insufficient evidence to warrant an excision. It might be worth him maintaining a relationship with humans if relations between our kind disintegrates.

This will be my last report on the matter as my position as ambassador makes it difficult to keep a close eye on Orma. Also the recent murder of Prince Rufus has inflamed tensions and ensuring the safety of the Comonot during his visit.

Eskar

Extras
Check out other bloggers reviews of Seraphina.
Polishing Mud Balls
The Book Smugglers

Blood Song (Lharmell Series Book 1) by Rhiannon Hart

Rating 4 out of 5 stars
Title: Blood Song
Author: Rhiannon Hart
File Size: 440 KB
Print Length: 165 pages
Publisher: Random House Australia (August 31, 2011)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B005HLJY8G
ISBN:1742750966
ISBN (13): 9781742750965

Synopsis
When her sister becomes betrothed to a prince in a northern nation, Zeraphina’s only consolations are that her loyal animal companions are by her side – and that her burning hunger to travel north is finally being sated. Already her black hair and pale eyes mark her out as different, but now Zeraphina must be even more careful to keep her secret safe. Craving blood is not considered normal behaviour for anyone, let alone a princess. So when the king’s advisor, Rodden, seems to know more about her condition than she does, Zeraphina is determined to find out more. Zeraphina must be willing to sacrifice everything if she’s to uncover the truth – but what if the truth is beyond her worst nightmares?

My initial thoughts
This is a fun book, light and easy to read and I have found a new fantasy series to enjoy. If you like your fantasy more "old school" then this may not be the book for you.

First Paragraph

"I was thinking of blood again so I went to practice archery. That's what I always did when I thought I was going to kill something. I hit the bulls eye every time and nothing had died yet, so at least I had that going for me."

Digging deeper
It is what I would call a modern fantasy novel in that the language is modern, and you don't spend half the book confused as to what the author is talking about as you try to work out the made up languages. This for me is great, I am not a fan of the full on fantasy's like Lord of The Rings. I don't think I have read more then one chapter of that book before I gave up after every attempt.

I loved the main character Zeraphina she was a strong clever girl but a little impulsive. She isn't perfect as she does try to please and fit in with her sister and mother. Zeraphina and Rodden are cute and awkward together, there is attraction but suspicion as Zeraphina and Rodden try to work out what the other is there for (I will leave it at that as I don't want to reveal any spoilers).

Zeraphina's sharp tongue is what drives most of the humour. The humour through the book is dry, smart and made me chuckle out loud a few time. It didn't feel forced or there for the sake of it. As it was part of Zeraphina's nature it just fitted in easily with the book.

The world building and story telling is a careful blend of information to describe the world (with out info dumping) and setting up story arcs for the next books (I want to know more about Leap NOW just telling me it's not a normal cat does not help me, and where do I get one of them ride-on flying birdy things?). The pace is fast but the story doesn't suffer and does not bog down when the information is given.

The only down side to this book is it is book one of a series, and so there are peeks into characters lives and bigger issues with in the world and the then you get left hanging. I am sure these will be resolved in the coming books but this didn't bother me while reading this book when it usually does. I did notice it but didn't care. I know these threads are important and eventually we will learn more about it.

Final Analysis
Read this book at your peril or you might turn into a fan girl/boy like the rest of us. Also make sure you have book 2 lined up and ready to go because the ending of this book will make you go "what happened to the rest of it? Why did it stop? I am not ready for it to stop. I want to know now what happens next.....waaaaa". Or something to that effect.

Book two is on my kindle ready for my holiday. Yee-ha!

Extras
Check out the following reviews by clicking on the hyperlinks.

The Eclectic Readers reviews of Blood Song and the second book Blood Storm .

Also A Ticket To Anywhere first brought this book to my attention with her review of Blood Song.

The Maze Runner (Book 1 Maze Runner Trilogy) by James Dashner

Rating 5 out of 5
Reading level: Ages 12 and up
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Delacorte Press; Reprint edition (August 24, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0385737955
ISBN-13: 978-0385737951

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls. Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift. Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind

Let me just say straight up wow just WOW! This book had me hooked form the start. I devoured this book in a weekend as I just needed to know what the heck was going to happen next! This is certainly one of my best reads for this year.

An interesting concept which was in my mind well executed. As a reader you only know what Thomas and the gladers know, which isn't much. While the reader is given very tiny snippets of information about the world outside of the maze, it isn't much. The gladers world is the Maze and the Glade so the information we are given concerns life and trials in the maze. I enjoyed the invented language the gladers had, and while there is a little adjustment (learning the meanings etc) it wasn't hard to get the gist.

The characters were good (if a little stereotypical). Gally is the most interesting as he is pretty much nuts and you can't help but feel sorry for him. Minho and Newt would have to be my favourite characters, they have a sense of humour despite their situation and uncanny knack for reading people. Thomas was a smidgeon annoying at times because he came across as a little bit of a know-it-all, but I could forgive the behaviour as he was the new kid and trying to work out the riddle of the maze. But then again if I woke up with out any memories, in some random glade, surrounded by a maze, that moves and has creepy creatures in it....I might be a bit of whingey whiney cranky pants too. Oh heck I would be a sobbing blubbery curled up ball in a corner.

I was a little perplexed as to why more of an incentive to get out hadn't been presented earlier, as in before Thomas rocked up. I don't recall if it was explained why the first group into the maze decided to actually investigate it and not just stay safe in the glad (as it had food and shelter and lovely year round weather). I suspect if a note had been left telling the kiddies "there is an x-box, pizza, cake and coke for you if you get the heck out" or some sort of similar motivator, they would have been out waaaayyyy sooner. But then it would have been a very short book.

The target audience for this book are teen boys. So when you read and review the book in that context it is a great book. Lets face it teen boys really want a few things from a book action, things that go boom, fight scenes, maybe some sort of tech/mechanical thing to drive, oh and some more action. If your looking for a soppy romance or love triangle then this is not the book for you.

I have seen some reviewers complain about the suspense (at the expense of the narrative) and convenient plot fillers, and lack of information. But I must have read a different book because I didn't notice any of these I just sat down and held on till the reading roller coaster was over and I loved every minute of it. The lack of info argument to me is daft because the characters didn't know so how could the reader know what was going on?

Overall I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys the apocalyptic genre. This is a clever story and different from a lot of the stuff out on the market at the moment. It is a fun and thrilling read that should leave you scrambling for book 2 at the end.

Extras
I found this interview of James Dashner and he talks about The Maze Runner.

A Rose For The ANZAC Boys by Jackie French

Rating: 4 out of 5
Reading level: Ages 8 and up
Edition: Kindle
Publisher: HarperCollins (April 1, 2010)
Sold by: HarperCollins Publishers
Language: English
ASIN: B003FLPW1I
ISBN-10: 0732285402
ISBN-13: 978-0732285401

Please Note – The following review is "told" from the main characters point of view. The book is not based on anyone’s life. The main characters are all fictional. 

Dear Anne

I have some exciting news to tell you, my life story has been turned into a book by the Australian author Jackie French. Well not my whole life story just our time spent on the battle fields in France during World War I. It was very flattering to be told my life was being turned into a book, she even used some of my old letters.

I just finished reading my copy of the book and I have to say Ms French did a very good job of capturing my life out there manning the canteen at the train station, then driving the battlefield ambulance, and finally working in the field hospital. In fact she does a brilliant job of capturing all the women who worked on the front line, risking their lives daily to make sure our brave boys were cared for. It was funny reading the story as I never realised how many of us there were there all trying to do our bit and working in terrible conditions all for nothing no pay, no recognition, nothing. Just makes me wonder how many more amazing women were at the frontline and what they did.

It was bittersweet reading about all our old dear friends and family members, those who survived and those who didn’t make it from the battlefield. French was able to convey the sadness and loss, not just my own personal loss, but the overall sadness of war. It was very difficult to read about my brother and his time at Galopilli.

As the book is aimed at younger readers there is no unnecessary violence or blood and gore. It is probably best though to read it with your children or give them plenty of opportunity to discuss the themes with them. Even though it isnt graphic in terms of blood and guts, some scenes were still very vivid and deal with death. Perhaps I am being a little sensitive about it all? But I will be making sure my grand children read this that is for sure, and maybe it will help them understand what we went through.

I was quite amazed at the research Ms French put into the book and in particular the role women played during the Great War. Even though she had my story (she had my diary, found it in the Australian Archives no less. I had wondered where that diary had gone) she had clearly done her homework on women on the front in general. As I said before she really did capture what our lives were like. From life as an ambulance driver, to manning the canteen, and working in the field hospital. Looking back I don't remember being that tired all the time but reading the story we clearly must of been. How did we function?

There are no historical figures mentioned or has a character based on them  (other than the prime ministers and so forth, no one involved directly with the book) or specific events mentioned. If you knew your WWI history you could guess what the "pushes" that the author mentions were. The author told me this is because the book is about the women who worked on the front not the men, who would have thought someone would want to tell our story?

Well I am afraid that is it for me right now dear friend hope you are doing well.

Your ever loving friend
Midge

Extras

Extract http://browseinside.harpercollins.com.au/index.aspx?isbn13=9780732285401

Hex Hall Trilogy by Rachel Hawkins

Rating 3.5 out of 5

"Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters. By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect. As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her."

So begins the Hex Hall series. We follow Sophie through the trilogy as she learns about her world and unravels.

There were a couple of niggly things that were more character driven then anything else. In book two Sophie goes to live with her dad. Now in book one it is clearly stated Sophie has never seen her dad, never spoken to him and maybe got a birthday card. Yet when they are thrown together there is no angst at all. So a 16 year old girl who is having a pretty rough time, gets thrown in with her estranged father and there is not one single "where the hell were you these past 16 years?" moment or a "I hate you, your didn't want to be my father so why start now" moment? It just felt a little off that all they had was a strange but civil chat in the garden then were bestie besties?

A similar event happened in book three when Sophie meets her cousins. One absolutely hates her and blames her for everything that went wrong with the family. Sophie spends very little time in their company, and bar one joint fight scene against a werewolf and a word from the other cousin which roughly went "hey lighten up on her she is cool", I could see no reason that would explain hate filled cousins complete lack of hate at the end of the book (and dare I say it she likes Sophie?). It just didn't jive for me.

Final niggle was some random loose narrative threads. It is never really explained WHY Sophie's parents stayed apart for so long. Yes reasons were given but they didn't seem enough to keep them apart for 16 years? Also there was this big prophecy hinted at for Izzy yet we never find out what it is EVER. They mention it about three times and it seems significant but then that's it we never hear about it again. So why mention it in the first place?? (Unless the author is going to do another series based on Izzy? which would be cool because I liked Izzy).

I did NOT like the convenient resolution of the love triangle. But this probably because the guy I liked for Sophie didn't win. But having said that it just felt well convenient, there was no emotional impact, because really through the three books its clear as day who is going to win her heart as the author didn't really invest in contender number 2.

Ok so bad stuff out of the way now on to the good.

Sophie is a fun character and I liked her snark (which wasn't bitchy snark) and spunk. Her best friend Jenna is a cute vampire who compliments Sophie's character very well. The other supporting characters are good as well fulfilling their roles well.

This series was still awesome. I loved it. Devoured it in about a week. Which for me is pretty freaking amazing these days as I rarely have time (or make time) to sit and read like that. I really enjoyed the books pacing and humour and even though I noticed all of the above niggles, at the time of reading I didn't care. Which for me is a big thumbs up, if an author can get me to keep reading even after I notice something that irks me then it is all good.

I would recommend this series to anyone who likes the genre.

Tiffany Aching Series by Terry Pratchett

Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary
The Tiffany Aching is a young apprentice witch in Terry Pratchetts young adult series. She lives in a sheep growing region on the Discworld called The Chalk, is an expert cheese maker, and a witch. She is smart, kind, practical, and a fast learner. This series follows her growing up and learning to be a witch and an adult.

We first meet Tiffany in The Wee Free Men age 9 living on her family's farm and working hard making cheese. When her brother is kidnapped by the faerie queen she goes on an adventure to rescue him with her new friends the Nac Mac Feegle.

Her story continues into A Hat Full Of Sky and we see 11 year old Tiffany living in Lancre  as an apprentice witch to Miss Level when Tiffany learns to borrow and "exit" her body she finds a dark creature is waiting, ready to take over her body. Then things go really wrong.

The in Wintersmith 13 year old Tiffany is in her work experience phase of being an apprentice witch and she has a problem, the Wintersmith has developed a crush on her and he wants Tiffany to stay with him forever in Winter.

Finally in I Shall Wear Midnight Tiffany has completed her apprenticeship and now lives back in her home town as the resident witch for the Chalk. But a terrible creature is hunting her down and if he wins it will mean the destruction of witches in Discworld.

So that is the four books in a nutshell.

The Characters
Tiffany is a wonderful character, she does "sound" a lot older then the average girl her age but this is explained by saying a witch does tend to be older then her peers due to the life ecperiences she has even by the age of 16. Even so, a smart intelligent 13 year old girl is still going to notice boys and get giggly. Tiffany doesn't really do giggly. But she still makes silly mistakes as anyone would do as a teen and learning. She goes from a world where she had very few friends and was an outcast, to a world where she is accepted, has friends and is challenged.

But having said that I think she is a fantastic role model for young girls and very relatable. Well I would have related to her as a teen :)

The Nac Mac Feegles usually steal the show (and everything else around the show including the audience). They are the biggest source of humour in these books and are the other main characters who are with Tiffany through thick and thin in the series. I love the Nac Mac Feegles and would love to have some of them in my life. At the very least they would make you smile, oh and you are not really supposed to understand them fully. I wonder sometimes, briefly, if Terry Pratchett writes the Nac Mac Feegles lines when drunk.

Other characters worth really noting come from the main Discworld series appear over the course of the books make an appearance. Mostly other witches such as Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg. But we also meet Captain Carrot, Angua and Wee Mad Arthur (a Nac Mac Feegle raised as a Gnome and living in the cit as a officer of the watch).

Story Development
I liked the way Pratchett took Tiffany through the series. It happens logically and she doesnt miraculously gain a power or knowledge for no apparent reason. In each book there is a lesson Tiffany learns. In Book 1 she learns to do what needs to be done; Book 2 she learns about the responsibility of power; Book 3 she learns about consequences of actions (and owning up and fixing them), and book 4 that you need to balance and treat people with respect.

There is a strong theme about working hard, friendship, common sense and believing in yourself. The witches in the Discworld are great problem solvers and believe in giving things a crack at yourself.

There is no "slow" book in this series. No book that left me thinking "well that book really didn't add any value to the series". The books do get darker as the books progress but never get really scary. The darkness or rather seriousness of the books reflect Tiffany's struggles and challenges as well as her growing up.

Just a short note book four does deal with domestic violence, suicide, child abuse, infanticide, mob justice and murder (the first four in the first couple of chapters). While all very serious topics I felt the dealt with in a way that would raise this issues without completely terrifying the teenager. But if your child is younger then 16, you may want to have a think about waiting for them till they are older or have a discussion with them about these topics (I would also suggest reading it yourself to gauge how you should approach it). It is not very confronting as Pratchett doesn't go into massive detail but it is there and it is discussed between Tiffany and her dad.

I Shall Wear Midnight has a wonderful ending which really wrapped up the series. It was both an ending and a beginning. Usually I hate epilogues to a series as they rarely add value to the series and ruin an otherwise awesome ending (Harry Potter series and Hunger Games series I am looking at you), but this epilogue didn't make me feel that way. I thought it rounded off the over all ending very well, plus it wasn't soppy, or over done. I loved it in short.

Future of the Series
I have no idea if Terry Pratchett will write any more about Tiffany Aching. I really hope he does even if he turns it into a proper Discworld book (as in part of the adult main series). We got a fascinating glimpse into Tiffany's future and I want to know more about her!

Overall
I am totally biased as I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, Terry Practhett. The man can do no wrong in my eyes. Having said that this is still a wonderful series and I would recommend this as a great starter series for young (or even new to Practhett), soon to be Pratchett fans. Even girls aged between 9-16 who love magic and fantasy will also no doubt love this series.

Quotes

“Even if it's not your fault, it's your responsibility.” ― Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky

“I'm trying to have a moment o' existential dreed here, right? Crivens, it's a puir lookout if a man canna feel the chilly winds o' fate lashing aroound his netheres wi'out folks telling him he's deid, eh?” ― Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky

“Whut's the plan, Rob?" said one of them. "Okay, lads, this is what we'll do. As soon as we see somethin', we'll attack it. Right?" This caused a cheer. "Ach, 'tis a good plan," said Daft Wullie.” ― Terry Pratchett, The Wee Free Men

“You’d better tell me what you know, toad,” said Tiffany. “Miss Tick isn’t here. I am.” “Another world is colliding with this one,” said the toad. “There. Happy now? That’s what Miss Tick thinks. But it’s happening faster than she expected. All the monsters are coming back.” “Why?” “There’s no one to stop them.” There was silence for a moment. “There’s me,” said Tiffany.” ― Terry Pratchett, The Wee Free Men

“I’m not superstitious. I’m a witch. Witches aren’t superstitious. We are what people are superstitious of.” ― Terry Pratchett, Wintersmith

“Evil begins when you begin to treat people as things.” ― Terry Pratchett, I Shall Wear Midnight: A Story Of Discworld

“Oh, I feel very angry a lot of the time," said Tiffany, "but I just put it away somewhere until I can do something useful with it.” ― Terry Pratchett, I Shall Wear Midnight: A Story Of Discworld

“I know it’s not the right thing to say to a lady, miss, but you are sweating like a pig!" "My mother always said that horses sweat, men perspire, and ladies merely glow…" "Is that so? Well, miss, you are glowing like a pig!” ― Terry Pratchett, I Shall Wear Midnight: A Story Of Discworld