BOOK REVIEW: Moonlands by Steven Savile

Moonlands by Steven Savile

Genre: Young Adult/Urban Fantasy

My Rating: ★★★1/2

Goodreads Page

Goodreads Summary:

Ashley Hawthorne thinks of herself as the Cuckoo Girl. No matter where she is it feels like she doesn’t quite belong. 

Everything changes when her eccentric aunt, Elspeth Grimm, leaves her the key to a safety deposit box in a bank that was destroyed during the Blitz. That box contains the first part of her true inheritance: an umbrella, a battered old notebook, a pair of aviator’s goggles and a locket. Each of these gifts is a unique part of who she really is. 

Elspeth is a Grimm, a descendent of the brothers who purged this world of monsters by trapping them within the Concord. She is the Oracle. A keeper of all the knowledge we have amassed about the creatures of the Fae and other worlds. And someone intent on destroying the Concord has murdered her! 

**Spoiler Free Review**

Publication Date: 15th April 2015

I was sent a copy of this book from BadPress, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. This is another book which I had heard nothing about and I was very interested in the premise, particularly as it was an urban fantasy book set in London, which I haven't really seen much of before.

Just because I only gave this book three and half stars does not mean I didn't enjoy it. I did, I really liked it and found it a fun read. However, I think I was at the wrong age to read this and nothing really leaped out to me to make me want to read more.

The story follows young Ashley Hawthorne who discovers that there are whole other worlds beyond that of ours and that she is actually a huge part of it. I felt like so much happened in one book and I often wanted it to slow down a bit to maybe flesh out the more two-dimensional characters and to explore more about what was going on. I'm not one hundred per cent sure if this is a stand alone novel but it kind of felt like one and I don't think I'll be picking up the rest if there are any more. That's not to say it was a bad book though.

Many of the characters were interesting and if you enjoy urban fantasy, werewolves and magic then you will definitely enjoy picking up this book. It was fast-paced, interesting and it did keep me turning the page to find out more. I especially loved the incredibly creepy creature that destroyed a person's senses (which, in description, reminded me of The Gentlemen from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and I found it very eerie and sinister.

One thing that did make me a bit less enthused about the book was the Moonlands themselves, as they felt pretty flat and I couldn't imagine so much of it. There was very little description about the world which is  also why I feel another book would be useful to explore that. I was so interested in this new place but there was so little about it that I feel like some of the book was missing.

I think if you're in your early-mid teens and enjoyed The Mortal Instruments then you would probably enjoy this book too. I know many people will enjoy the romance that develops in the book and the action towards the end was extremely well written. The author is incredibly talented but I just wish the world was a bit more fleshed out. Overall it was a very solid book but it just wasn't for me!

BOOK REVIEW: Enchantment Lake: A Northwoods Mystery by Margi Preus

Enchantment Lake: A Northwoods Mystery by Margi Preus

Genre: Young Adult/Middle-Grade/Mystery

My Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Page

Goodreads Summary:

A disturbing call from her great aunts Astrid and Jeannette sends seventeen-year-old Francie far from her new home in New York into a tangle of mysteries. Ditching an audition in a Manhattan theater, Francie travels to a remote lake in the northwoods where her aunts’ neighbors are “dropping like flies” from strange accidents. But are they accidents?

On the shores of Enchantment Lake in the woods of northern Minnesota, something ominous is afoot, and as Francie begins to investigate, the mysteries multiply: a poisoned hot dish, a puzzling confession, eerie noises in the bog, and a legendary treasure that is said to be under enchantment—or is that under Enchantment, as in under the lake? At the center of everything is a suddenly booming business in cabin sales and a road not everyone wants built.

**Spoiler Free Review**

Release Date: 13th April 2015

I was sent a copy of this book from the University of Minnesota Press, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. I hadn't heard anything about this book previous to reading it, however, I was very intrigued by the premise and, I'm not going to lie, the lovely cover drew me in as well.

This book follows Francie, a young girl, who takes on the role of a detective in a secluded lake area where mysterious deaths keep taking place. She takes on the role to protect her two rather batty but lovable Aunties who are sure something suspicious is happening but have no proof.

Despite being a murder mystery novel, I found it rather light-hearted which I enjoyed. The story line was a little bit ridiculous and unbelievable in some ways (such as a teenager being mistaken as a member of the police) but that's what made it really interesting. It was just that little bit silly and witty but equally filled with mystery and suspense that kept me turning the page to find out more. In a way it reminded me of the Professor Layton DS games (if you've ever played them then you'll know what I mean): a rather small, isolated community with lots of strange happenings and a surreal mystery/puzzle which needs to be solved.

I loved Francie's Aunts in this book, they were hilariously witty and slightly bumbling yet incredibly intelligent. I also ended up loving Francie's Grandfather by the end and I found the other small twist at the end quite funny. Some of the characters around the lake weren't explored as much as I'd hoped they would be but I still found them all interesting and somewhat believable.

I have to say that I enjoyed this a lot more than I though I would and I'm definitely intrigued to read more of these mysteries, especially because some of the overarching mysteries about the main character weren't resolved and I think they'll be explored throughout the series.

Overall, it was a light and interesting read, and I would definitely recommend it for those lovers of 'cosy' murder mystery stories and countryside crime novels such as Agatha Christie's Miss Marple.

BOOK REVIEW: Watch the Sky by Kirsten Hubbard

Watch the Sky by Kirsten Hubbard

Genre: Children's Fiction/Middle-Grade Fiction

My Rating: ★★★★1/2

Goodreads Page

Goodreads Summary:

The signs are everywhere, Jory's stepfather, Caleb, says. Red leaves in the springtime. Pages torn from a library book. All the fish in the aquarium facing the same way. A cracked egg with twin yolks. Everywhere and anywhere. And because of them Jory's life is far from ordinary. He must follow a very specific set of rules: don't trust anyone outside the family, have your works at the ready just in case, and always, always watch out for the signs. The end is coming, and they must be prepared.

**Spoiler Free Review**

Publication Date, UK: 7th April 2015

I was sent a copy of this book from Disney-Hyperion, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. This book works so well as a children's story, but at the same time it has so many hidden layers to it that it remains very readable for an adult.

I have to say I'm finding it a little bit difficult to review this book not because I didn't enjoy it (for from it!), but because it's so different to anything I've ever read before. There is so much mystery and suspense throughout the book and the perspective of the child, Jory, adds to this. Jory is an average naive child who believes everything he is told by his family (as we all were) but when he starts going to school he begins to questions everything that his family has ever told him. Hubbard beautifully explores family and friend dynamics from the perspective of Jory.

As a reader, we understand that something is not quite right about Jory's family and it is fascinating to watch him discover the same thing gradually. The story is very surreal and there is so much that you want explaining as you read; it keeps you turning the page and constantly wanting to read more. 

I loved the characters in this book, especially the people Jory meets and school and Kit. Kit is just such a fascinating character and it's amazing how someone so quiet manages to say so much of importance. Hubbard explores so many detailed issues with the characters, not just broken families but also mental health issues and homeschooling. Being able to explore these issues in such a relatable way whilst simultaneously writing a book for children shows her incredible talent.

Her beautifully written passages allowed me to fly through the book. There is so much depth beneath its seemingly simple surface and that is the main thing I loved about it. A child could read it and see a children's story about friendship and a loving family, whilst an adult gets so much out from the deeper and more hidden meanings within the text. It is such a short book but its stayed with me since I read it.

I have heard that many people were disappointed with the ending but, as it's a short children's book, I personally loved the ending and felt very satisfied after closing the book. It suited and fitted well with the rest of the novel. Although there was so much I still wanted to explore within the story it also worked quite well with the way it ended. I would highly recommend this book to any reader at any age!

Top Five Wednesday | Favourite Series Endings

This week's Top Five Wednesday is Top Five Favourite Series Endings. Just in case anyone is new to this. Top Five Wednesday is an idea created by Lainey, or Gingerreadslainey on youtube. She creates weekly topics for bloggers and youtubers to talk more about different aspects of their favourite books. The group, which lists the monthly topics, can be found here!

I've not been very active on my blog in the past month, especially with Top Five Wednesday's, as you may have noticed, because I've been going through a really busy period with my job. But I'm back now!

I actually found this topic more difficult than last month's 'Top Five Worst Series Endings' and I think that's because the bad endings tend to leave a bad taste in your mouth which takes you a long time to forget. However, I've found my top five favourite series endings and this post will be completely spoiler free!

5) Allegiant by Veronica Roth

This is one where I know a lot of people will disagree. There are so many people who despised this ending but I thought it was very fitting. I loved the exploration of the world and how it came to be (which I think isn't often explored enough in dystopian fiction yet it's the thing I'm most interested in). Although I wasn't exactly 'happy' when I finished the book, I was definitely satisfied with the ending and would pick the trilogy up again. To see my full (spoiler-free) review of Allegiant, you can click here!

4) The Master by Louise Cooper

This trilogy by Louise Cooper is one of the most unique fantasy trilogies I've ever read. It's quite an old series and I don't often hear people talking about it. To be honest, I only picked it up at my sister's recommendation, and I'm so glad I did! This book was filled with the most complex characters I've ever read and it made the story line very realistic because of this. If you're a lover of fantasy then definitely check this series out: it follows Tarod from when he was just a small child to him discovering his powers and growing up in the incredible and interesting world Cooper creates. It blurs good and evil and like no story I've ever read before and, in my opinion, the ending is one of the most concrete and satisfying endings I've ever read.

3) Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

The Inheritance Cycle is one of my absolute favourite fantasy series of all time. Dragons, magic, elves, long-lost family members, what more can you ask for in a fantasy series? I started reading this series when I was about 10 and I read the final book when I was 18 so it stayed with me for a long time, and I love to re-read them. Although I haven't read the final book since 2011, I remember absolutely loving it. It had incredibly epic battles and although not everyone lived 'happily ever after' it still felt as though everything right had happened. It is such an epic series that I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy book (and don't be put off by their size, they're so easy to read!).

2) The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman

I absolutely love this trilogy. Philip Pullman is an incredible author. (As a side note, I also wanted to add the final book of his Sally Lockhart series to this list but I decided to limit it to one book/series per author). This final installment explores so much more of the world Pullman creates and it has such powerful messages in it. Although part of the ending was incredibly sad, I really enjoyed it and I felt like it took the trilogy so much further than the previous two books. I don't feel like enough people have read this trilogy and I would highly recommend it to fantasy/steam-punk fiction lovers, although I do think it has something which can appeal to any reader.

1) The Wizard's Promise by Cliff McNish

As a young child, this was my favourite trilogy to get out of the library to read and no-one ever seems to have heard of it. The Doomspell Trilogy is a Teenage Fantasy trilogy which follows two children from earth who end up stranded in a world of witches and magic and the war which ensues between the worlds. It is incredibly well written and fast-paced and I love re-reading the series. The final book explores so many more characters and creatures and the epic battle which erupts between the sides. It is moving and interesting and I cannot recommend this trilogy enough to people. The final book leaves the reader satisfied and ties up all the loose ends from the books. This will always be a favourite of mine.

So those are my Top Five Favourite Series Endings! Give me a comment and let me know what yours are or if you've done Top Five Wednesday then leave me a link and I'll check it out!

BOOK REVIEW: The Novice by Taran Matharu

The Novice by Taran Matharu

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy

My Rating: ★★★★1/2

Goodreads Page

Goodreads Summary:

When blacksmith apprentice Fletcher discovers that he has the ability to summon demons from another world, he travels to Adept Military Academy. There the gifted are trained in the art of summoning. Fletcher is put through grueling training as a battlemage to fight in the Hominum Empire’s war against orcs. He must tread carefully while training alongside children of powerful nobles. The power hungry, those seeking alliances, and the fear of betrayal surround him. Fletcher finds himself caught in the middle of powerful forces, with only his demon Ignatius for help.

**Spoiler Free Review**

Publication Date, UK: 5th May 2015

I was sent a copy of this book from Hachette Children's Group, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This book has a lot of hype in the Blogging and Booktube communities and I was a bit wary when I went into reading it. However, I ended up really really enjoying it. It's one of those books I wish I'd read as a young teenager or a child because it was everything I'd ever wanted in a fantasy book: magic, familiars, elves, dwarves and a magical school.

Fletcher was a very interesting and complex character for such a young book, as were his friends (and enemies) at the school. I particularly loved Fletcher's interaction with the elves and dwarves throughout the book and I'm looking forward to seeing how these characters develop further in the next books. I loved Othello and his twin, and also Slyva, and the changes they underwent in this book. The social prejudices within the world Matharu built, with the division both of species and classes, only elicited more suspense and tension within the book, and it also created extremely believable reasons for such young characters to have 'enemies'. Matharu succeeds in creating a complex and believable world yet at the same time paints the picture of it in such a way that doesn't confuse the reader or overload them with information at any one time. Each character, even those who only appeared on a few pages, were three-dimensional and I was interested in all of their back stories. I constantly wanted more!

As many people do, I loved the idea of the school where training takes place so the young characters can develop their powers, especially when it leads towards a tournament/trial. The exploration of the lessons, characters, powers and the world was so fascinating and it kept me hooked. My only complaint was that I felt there wasn't enough of the school. I would've loved that to go on longer and explore their lessons further, but it was still fantastically well done.

The demons in this book were definitely one of my absolute favourite things and they helped to make this very unique from other fantasy books. Fletcher's demon, Ignatius, was both adorable and feisty and I loved the idea that every character had their own demon to fight and protect them, and that you could catch more! It reminded me of pokemon, in a way, but it was still very different to that. The fact that the demon's ancient memories could leak through was also very interesting and it allowed the reader to see so much more into the amazing world Matharu created. I loved seeing the different demons and it was great having the index of demons at the back of the book to refer to. I definitely want to see more of them in the next book. 

And that ending! In a way I could see it coming and I just didn't want it to happen. Matharu had me completely hooked and I ended up reading the last 150 pages in one sitting as I just couldn't book the book down. I am desperate to know what happens next!

As I said in the beginning of this review, I wish I had read this book at an earlier age. It didn't stop me from enjoying it now but I did see how familiar it was to other fantasies. That's not to say that it wasn't unique, just that it followed a lot of the same tropes (orphan boy coming into some sort of power and going to learn how to use it etc.). This was literally the only thing that brought the book down from a five star rating though, as I absolutely loved the premise and I'm definitely looking forward to the next book!

BOOK REVIEW: The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger

The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger

Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary/Romance

My Rating: ★★★★1/2

Goodreads Page

Goodreads Summary:

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face. 

But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. 

**Spoiler Free Review**

I was sent a copy of this book from Gallery Books/Hatchette Children's Books, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This book has a lot of hype in the Blogging and Booktube communities and I was a bit wary when I went into reading it. However, I ended up really really enjoying it. It's one of those books I wish I'd read as a teenager but it was still incredibly enjoyable. Keplinger writes incredibly believable and complex characters. I love the strong female protagonist, Bianca, and her friends. They portray an interesting dynamic which I've never read in American high school fiction before. I felt myself really becoming invested in the characters very quickly. Keplinger has such a talent for character-driven plot.

I also really loved that this book wasn't all about romance or love triangles; Bianca's realistic family situation was such an important portrayal of the difficulties teenagers can go through: not just school and romance, but also family members having serious problems, whilst the teenager is left to pick up the pieces and act like an adult before they're ready. I really loved Bianca's father, I felt he was such a quiet character that still had a huge impact in the book. He was likeable, funny and his story was every bit as complex and interestingly explored as Bianca's. 

My only issue with this book was that the main character seemed very strong and independent to begin with but she ended up falling rather flat in some ways. To be honest, I'm a bit fed up of books where the main female character falls for the 'bad boy' that just needs to learn how to change. Life isn't like that and guys who are willing to call you ugly and fat every day are not worth anyone's time; it just really bothered me that Bianca still falls for someone who verbally and mentally abuses her when she's already gone through so much.  Even I started wanting them to be together, which bothered me. To be fair to the book though, circumstances do change and the characters are very complex and different. This is just something that bothered me a bit as it seems to happen in a lot of Young Adult books, which can teach teenagers how they think they deserve to be treated in a relationship. Because of this issue I had with the relationship of some characters, it is easy to see that this was written by a teenager (but an incredibly talented teenager at that!)

Really though, I didn't have many problems with this book and I flew through it because it was so, so enjoyable. It was funny, realistic and an incredibly well-written contemporary Young Adult novel. It deserves the attention it is getting and I'm looking forward to the film coming out on the 6th April 2015! (UK). So even if you don't feel like picking this book up yet, I'd recommend seeing the film to see what you think! I think this is a great book for teenagers and it deals with so many important issues. I'd highly recommend it to any young adult/contemporary reader; it's witty, funny, intelligently written and very relatable.

BOOK REVIEW: The Essential Ginsberg by Allen Ginsberg

The Essential Ginsberg by Allen Ginsberg

Genre: Poetry/Journals/Songs

My Rating: ★★★★1/2

Goodreads Page

Goodreads Summary:

Featuring the legendary and groundbreaking poem "Howl," this remarkable volume showcases a selection of Allen Ginsberg's poems, songs, essays, letters, journals, and interviews and contains sixteen pages of his personal photographs.

The Essential Ginsberg collects a mosaic of materials that displays the full range of Ginsberg's mental landscape. His most important poems, songs, essays, letters, journals, and interviews are displayed in chronological order. His poetic masterpieces, "Howl" and "Kaddish," are presented here along with lesser-known and difficult to find songs and prose. Personal correspondence with William Burroughs and Jack Kerouac is included as well as photographs--shot and captioned by Ginsberg himself--of his friends and fellow rogues William Burroughs, Neal Cassady, and more.

RELEASE DATE: 26th May 2015

**Spoiler Free Review**

I received a review copy of this book from Harper Perennial (Harper Collins Publishers) in exchange for an honest review. As said by Ginsberg, in this wonderful collection, banned books will live forever, and he wasn't wrong. Through his essays, journals, interviews and letters, this definitive volume inspires the reader to delve deeper into the body of work of Ginsberg's, which still remains one of the most impressive literary canons in American history.

It had been a couple of years since I have read Ginsberg. I first read and studied "Howl" at university, which got me really fascinated and interested in the Beats movement in America. It's such an interesting period of time in America and Ginsberg captures it perfectly within his poems, letters and speeches, all full of meaning. I really wish I'd had this book at university as it would have really helped with studying Ginsberg, the history of the time and answering the question of why he joined the Beats movement.

There was so much to this volume. I particularly liked the songs that were included, with the handwritten sheet music to go with it. And the photos at the end of the book really bring the entire collection to life, drawing the reader into the American past and straight into Ginsberg's life. His speeches, journal entries and essays told me so much more about Ginsberg than I ever knew. They also place him within his period of writing - drenched in American history - with his views on censorship, wars, LSD, the Beats movement (and its definition), the influence of other authors (e.g. Whitman and Burrough), and his views on poetry and Buddhism. I particularly enjoyed his essays and speeches, especially those on censorship of writing and what makes poetry.

My favourite poems of the collected were definitely "Howl" and "On Burrough's Work". Having read some of Burrough's novels I instantly saw the connection between the two writers that I hadn't realised was there. Michael Schumacher's introduction gives even more fascinating insight into Ginsberg and his life works. Schumacher compiled a wonderful collection of Ginsberg's work which would be extremely useful to any person studying Ginsberg. I would also highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Ginsberg, who wants to give his poetry a try or, those who are interested in the period which Ginsberg wrote in.