Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Release Date: August 15th 2013

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Add it: Goodreads

Overall: ♥♥♥♥♥

Okay, I don't even know where to start with this. After reading Throne of Glass the first time, I didn't pick this up and wasn't in a hurry to read it. Thankfully, some lovely friends of mine told me I HAD to read the sequels...  In my experience, the second book in a series is almost always worse than the first so I didn't have high hopes for this installment at all, but thankfully Maas proved me wrong! 

HOLY SHIT GUYS. 

Crown of Midnight was everything I wanted its predecessor to be. Everything that had pissed me off in the first book, was rectified, including Celaena being an arrogant bitch for no reason - oh, she is still arrogant in this book but we get so much more development, her reasons for being arrogant are somewhat justified. There is more action, more excitement, more twists, more character development and everything about this was just wonderful. Oh, and smut. There is much more smut (and no love triangle) AND IT WAS GREAT. 

Chaol, you sexy man.

The plot was thrilling, exciting and I had no idea what to expect. Unfolding the mysteries that lie within the castle was intriguing and one of my favourite parts of the book. Actually, scratch that, every part of Crown of Midnight was my favourite part of the book.

I felt like my heart was going to burst every time something major happened because the action and drama is never-ending. It's also full blown 'my heart is beating so fucking fast from anticipation and excitement', I was so engrossed and I felt like I needed to take a break a few times because my emotions were all over the place, but I couldn't put the book down. So I enjoyed my suffering. This book doesn't do things half-assed and on a scale of 1-10 for any emotion felt during reading, it's all 10.

In this installment, you see Celaena grow so much as a character and as I said earlier, her arrogance is much more justified. While I am still firmly on Team Chaol, Dorian grew so much and unlike the first book, I found myself actually caring about him as a character. We discover Dorian has secrets of his own, and he seems like so much more of an important aspect to the story now, and I can't wait to see how it pans out. You even get to know the King somewhat in this installment, which by the way was simultaneously awesome and terrifying.

I don't know how much more I can go on about this book because it's still hard for me to form coherent thoughts about it. All I can say is this; if you didn't like Throne of Glass all that much like I did, please consider this. It's like an entirely new series. I didn't think a sequel could  be so much better, it's incredible. Although I haven't yet read the novellas or Heir of Fire onward, this installment is definitely worth the read. I was up until 3am and felt like I was riding a fucking roller coaster but couldn't get off. 

This book just kicks ass and I'm so glad I have the next book waiting for me.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Release Date: May 13th 2014
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Add it: Goodreads 
Overall: ♥♥♥♥♥
 

You know how when you read a book, watch a movie or see something that is just so beautiful that it takes your breath away? We Were Liars was a book which did exactly this for me. Upon finishing it, I was crying in a crumpled heap on the train with the guy next to me wondering what was wrong with me. I couldn’t do anything but cry, sit there and contemplate the world and issues this book bought to the surface. 

We Were Liars is about a girl named Cadence Sinclair who is the heir to the Sinclair family island. The Sinclairs are beautiful, blonde, rich and at first glance, their family seems perfect. Every summer, the family travels to their island; the adults sip cocktails while bickering at each other, while their children roam the island doing what they please and enjoying everything on offer. Cadence and three others are known throughout the novel as the Liars (three cousins and a friend). I don't want to delve into what happens too much as this is a story you should dive in head first to and enjoy the confusion, the frustration at not knowing and the beautiful way everything is woven together. Although I will talk about the characters and writing a little bit because it's just too hard not to rave about this novel in some way!

There are several characters in this novel and I found it a little hard to keep up at first, however I found it relatively easy after a few chapters and thoroughly enjoyed the dynamic between the main characters and their direct families. Despite having so many characters crammed into one novel, I cared about each of them to an extent, even those who were minor (which were most of them) and I cared even more deeply for our main protagonist and the rest of the Liars. Despite each hailing from the same rich family (except for one of them), all the cousins were different enough to keep things interesting and it didn’t feel like you were reading about cardboard copies. While they each have their own interests, problems and personalities, their love for each other is so obvious, it’s wonderful.

Without giving too much away, there is a love story and it’s the kind that leaves you aching. Simply put, it’s between our main character and a lovely, curious and kind boy who doesn’t quite fit in with the rich family he spends every Summer with. E. Lockhart slowly reveals more and more about this boy I found myself wanting to know so much more about and it's all written in a way that leaves you thinking and questioning the world and the issues that so many people are willing to sweep under the rug and pretend don't exist. 

If you haven’t guessed by now, I freaking adored E. Lockhart’s writing. It was weirdly fragmented and a bit strange to read at times but I found this refreshing and gorgeous to read, and it wasn't bogged down by shitty, flowery, over the top prose. The pace at which things happen is spot on, things aren’t given away too soon and by the time you think you understand what is happening, you’re in way too deep to even consider putting the book down.

As I said earlier, I’m not going to delve too much into plot details as I’d really not rather risk spoiling this book for you if you haven’t read it yet. Psychological thrillers might not be your cup of tea, but if it is, or if you're even intrigued by the sound of it, stop reading this review and go buy this book. We Were Liars left me feeling tormented but satisfied and this story has stayed with me long after finishing.

Speechless by Hannah Harrington

Speechless by Hannah Harrington
Release Date: August 28th 2012
Publisher: HarlequinTeen Australia
Add it: Goodreads
Overall: ♥♥♥♥♥

How do I even begin this review? I'll be honest, I had no idea what I was expecting but it was what I got. Speechless has got to be one of my favourite contemporary reads, well, ever.

Chelsea Knot is one of those girls in highschool, she is a sarcastic, gossip spreading bitch who knows everything about everyone (that's why her hair is so big, it's full of secrets - it's not really that big, and I just had to throw that in there) and has absolutely no problem with that being her reputation as long as she is at the top of  the social ladder. Until, that is, a secret she tells nearly costs somebody their life. Chelsea is overwhelmed with guilt and goes on a vow of silence, not for a spiritual journey, but to learn to keep her mouth shut once and for all.

At first, Chelsea is someone who is written to be hated, but no matter how judgemental and stuck up she was in the beginning, I still loved her character from start to finish. Maybe because she was such a real character or maybe it was because hell, she reminds me of myself. She is sarcastic, swears too much ('asshole' and 'fuck' seem to be a favourite of hers, as well as mine) and can be a snappy bitch. Also, I feel as if Chelsea and I have the same sort of vocabulary, for example she says "This is legit" at one stage - that is basically my motto if life lately, and GOD, the way she ends her silence is so sassy and ugh. I just love her. Her best friend is the prettiest, most selfish, popular chick at school and their friendship isn't what you'd call real. It's an illusion created by the need to fit in. After Chelsea spills that secret, and the person in question almost dies, she turns the culprits in which results in Chelsea being shunned, ridiculed and bullied - she finally realises what it's like to be on the other end of bullying and this is what makes her grow so much; not only the vow of silence, but being on the other side of the fence. So while I understand she isn't likable to begin with (although, dammit she is FUNNY - I appreciate sarcasm, it's actually a quality I love!), her character development throughout the novel is incredible. She doesn't just take the vow of silence and learn nothing from it; she meets new people, learns what TRUE friendship is (none of this self-righteous "I'm better than you" shit) and learns that it can be better for you as a person to be a nice person because being nice makes you feel better than being nasty.

The entire novel is really about Chelsea's growth as a person. Some very nasty things happen to her and none of it is deserved in my opinion - no matter how nasty you were, everybody makes mistakes - and just when you think Chelsea might give up her vow of silence or retaliate to the bullies, she doesn't. She handles everything so admirably considering how horribly she is bullied and then you begin to see her break. It's when she starts to break that she truly begins to realise how much her old friends are assholes and that it's so much easier to treat people like human beings.

The friends she makes as a result of her ordeal are wonderful. They are all such unique, real, beautifully flawed characters and are the perfect kind of friends for Chelsea to learn from. Her friends aren't all open arms to her at first (except Asha because she is waaay too kind!) which is completely understandable on many levels but they eventually grow together and all of the characters end up meshing together in one perfect not-perfect little group.

There was romance in this too and OMG IT WAS EXECUTED BEAUTIFULLY. The romance had a perfect pace and started off slowly. Sam is my new fictional crush (I don't care if he would realistically be too skinny for my liking, he is so sweet). That's it. Just wanted to put that out there. The romance is realistic, cute, awkward and just a bit painful to read (COME ON, YOU KNOW YOU WANT EACHOTHER) and the two of them together just made me feel all happy and giddy inside.

Speechless was one of the most powerful novels I've ever read. It affected me so much because words can hurt people and words are powerful. I was a firm believer in trying to see the best in people and not deliberately hurting people beforehand anyway, but I highly recommend this to everybody. It's such a powerful message and I think every single person who reads this will take something away from it. I've not read Saving June, but I will be soon! (Oh look, that rhymed).

Thankyou HarlequinTeen Australia for providing me with a review copy. This has in no way affected my review

Losing Lila by Sarah Alderson

Losing Lila by Sarah Alderson
Release Date: August 2nd 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Add it: Goodreads
Overall: ♥♥♥♥♥

All of Sarah Alderson's books so far have blown my mind. Her first novel, and the precessor to this installment - Hunting Lila - was incredible! It was action-packed, funny, full of brilliant characters, it had a solid plot and it kept you on the edge of your seat the entire time, so I think it's safe to say I had high expectations for Losing Lila... I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED!

From the very first page, you're dragged back into Lila and Alex's story (not kicking and screaming cos come on, Alex... plus it's awesome) and it starts off exactly where the last one left. Alex and Lila are on the run from the Unit and they later meet up with Demos and the crew, they have to do... things *sly look* and you get to read about the whole crew being together in a new and exciting way.

We get explore the personalities of the secondary characters in greater detail, like Suki and Nate, and Jack and Sara. Sarah Alderson has delivered so much more than I expected in regards to the characters I grew to love in Hunting Lila, but didn't *really* get to know until now. Every single character is fresh, dynamic and full of personality! They each have their own little flaws and quirks which makes you just want to give them a hug or even yell at them (which is all the fun!).

As for Lila... Oh I think we all know how much I loved her in the first installment, well I loved her even more this time round! Lila goes from a loveable, quirky, funny, impulsive best-friend type to a MORE loveable, quirky, funny, impulsive best-friend type with 50x more badassery. Lila is growing into her power, she is learning what she can do, learning how to control it and learning what *it* can do. While she's on this journey, we see how much she's had to grow in such a small amount of time and how much she's really willing to risk for the people she cares for. I do have one problem though. Lila gets to see Alex naked. *ahem* I'M NOT A PERVE. I swear...

Speaking of OMG-how-are-you-so-hot-and-why-aren't-you-real Alex, HOT DAMN. I feel like such a pervert talking about him and I actually feel quite shallow. But do I care? No.
Now that Alex and Lila are actually together now, it's like we get to see so much more of him (physically AND his character personality....). Sarah Alderson has made Alex into something so much more than just eye-candy (book-boy candy?), she makes you want to cry for him and wrap him up in a big bear hug and say "it'll work out", he is even funnier, more protective, and vulnerable in this installment because he has to watch Lila grow and that's hard for him, but as a result, he grows with her and it's just so brilliant.

Like Hunting Lila, this installment was action-packed from the get-go and it's like viewing a movie in your head! There is romance, action and humour all jam packed into one little novel. The ending was a PERFECT wrap up to end Lila's story but I still want more *sobs into pillow*.

Guys. This isn't even a nice, long review like I normally do but you just have to read this. Please. And if you haven't read Hunting Lila, or her other novel, Fated yet... What are you waiting for? DROP what you are reading right now and go out and read them!

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna #1) by Kendare Blake Shift
Release Date: August 30th 2011
Publisher: Orchard Books
Add it: Goodreads
Overall: ♥♥♥♥♥

For version with spoilers, click here
 
I was exposed to horror movies at a young age; the first horror movie I ever watched was The Night Flier based on a short story by Stephen King at the age of about 8 (Hey, I begged my mum and looking back on it now makes me laugh, the trailer alone makes me LOL) and I remember when I was about 9 at a sleepover, I thought I'd be really hardcore and watch IT and Pet Semetary (yes, I grew up with a lot of Stephen King) without mum's permission and you know what? I laughed at them. My friend and I sat there pointing at the TV and laughed about the quality of the effects and how stupid the characters were. I was probably just a twisted little kid but my point is, I'm not easily scared. I've read a lot of reviews saying this book is scary as shit and to read it during the day or with the lights on but honestly, the only reason why this book kept me awake at night was because I couldn't put it down... And I do believe in ghosts.

Our main character, Cas takes after his dad and kills ghosts with his mystical athame for a living. He gets tips from people about where to go next and which ghosts needs killing next. When he gets tipped off about Anna, he has barely any information to go off except where he and his mum will move to next, the fact that she'll kill anybody who enters what used to be her home and that she is known as Anna dressed in blood.

I am normally not a fan of male perspectives AT ALL. I find that males are always badly written, boring, sound like a girl or are just really bland to read. But Kendare Blake has managed to write a wonderful cast of characters with an amazing male protagonist. Cas is badass, funny, overall awesome although somewhat cocky - but that doesn't bother me too much, if I was a ghost hunting badass I probably would be a bit cocky myself! There were so many times I laughed aloud at an inappropriate time during the book because Cas's inner dialogue is witty, truthful and entertaining! I also loved his relationship with his mum, instead of being all angsty teenager, you can tell he loves his mum and although he is very serious about his job and ghost hunting, it's obvious how much he cares for his mother and how much he needs her.

Anna. Anna dressed in blood. Oh you deliciously creepy, murderous, sweet, innocent, funny, furious, terrifying girl! The image you get of Anna is so vivid and gorgeous, with her inky black hair, oily looking eyes and her blood dripping dress. When we find out what happened to Anna, it is really easy to understand why Cas had a hard time killing her. Her story is heartbreaking and quite honestly, I wasn't expecting it at all (view spoiler).

As for the other characters.... OH GOD. I WANT TO PRAISE THE YA GODS FOR THIS. Carmel - the pretty, popular girl that knows everybody was realistic dammit. As in, she was a NICE person. I think in almost every YA novel EVER, the pretty, popular girl is always a bitch and hates anybody who isn't goodlooking. Hate to break it to you majority-of-YA-novels-EVER, but more often than not the 'popular' people ARE nice (well, here in Australia anyway). Carmel is strong, helpful, funny, nice, caring, pretty and just not stereotypical in anyway. She is the type of person I love hanging around with! She also doesn't go for the obvious guy in this either which was so refreshing to see! Thomas is just cute. I loved him. He was a little bit whimpy in comparison to Cas, he was a nervous wreck at times and a bit weird but damn he was just adorable. Everytime somebody was an asshole to him, I wanted to scoop him up like a little puppy and tell him everything will be okay.

I found this novel to be gruesome but not scary. Kendare Blake held nothing back - there was all the necessary imagery of blood, bodies, dead people and the necessary use of vulgar language (which I am a HUGE fan of in YA because I'm quite bad, I swear A LOT - hanging out with mostly guys will do that to you) was done to perfection. All the right 'scary' scenes were written vividly, beautifully and in a delightfully creepy way. Although I guessed one major part of the plot about 100 pages in, I didn't care. It was one of those times where I didn't get pissed because I knew it was going to happen, the detail surrounding that moment, the events leading up to it and the events after it happened were all still a surprise for me and I was still so intrigued because there were still a few twists that I didn't see coming.

Kendare Blake has weaved an idea that would be boring and unoriginal into something magnificent, creepy, surprising, unique and hilarious. I don't know how she managed it but although I wasn't scared, I still managed to be creeped out a few times and it is well worth the read. If you're a fan of horror stories, you should definitely give this a go and if you're not, well you should still give it a go because it's brilliant.

Storm by Brigid Kemmerer

Storm (Elemental #1) by Brigid Kemmerer
Release Date: May 2012
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Add it: Goodreads
Overall: ♥♥♥♥♥ 

I haven't written a review for so long for two three reasons:
1. I just got a job doing public relations in the mining industry and I have to do inductions, training, drug tests and all that fun stuff (which is what I'm studying so I'm super excited for the work experience)
2. I'm up to the latest season of Doctor Who and I'm torn between watching it asap/wallowing in self-pity
3. THIS BOOK WAS AMAZE-BALLS.

Seriously. I was really, really worried about reading this because of how hyped up it was. I didn't want to hate it because I wouldn't have known what to say and would have been scared of the wrath of fellow bloggers, thankfully that wasn't the case. Instead, my problem is I have no idea what to say apart from,

"ASDFGHJKL THIS BOOK IS LIKE, TOTALLY AMAZING. LIKE, IT'S SO SO GOOD. YOU HAVE TO READ IT. I AM COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY A FANGIRL OF STORM AND THE BOYS ARE SO HOT IN IT AND IT'S ACTUALLY FREAKING AWESOME. I WANT THE MERRICK BROTHERS IN MY BED TO BE REAL. OMFG"

Yeah.
The sad thing is, that was basically my mindset once finishing this book. But I will try to provide details as to why I liked it - apart from the Merrick brothers being gorgeous that is...

When Becca Chandler saves one of the guys from her school from a vicious beating in a parking lot, and chases off his attackers, little did she know just how much her life would change after that. The guy she saves is Chris Merrick, the youngest of four brothers and a student at her school. The Merrick brothers can each control one of the elements; water, fire, air and earth.

From the get-go, Ms. Kemmerer sucks you in with her simple, yet brilliant writing and keeps you constantly wanting more the entire time. Although it took me a LONG time to read this (damn exams), Storm is incredibly fast paced and always had me wanting to read more. There was always something happening and the complexity of the story keeps you intrigued and keeps you reading. As there are four brothers, and a guy named Hunter who comes along, I was really pleased with how developed each of these character's were and how much in packed into one book! I would think, "Oh, I don't know much about Nick (air), but I guess he'll get his own book". I WAS WRONG. As soon as I thought Brigid couldn't POSSIBLY explore anymore into the secondary characters or the story, SHE DID IT! I didn't think having so many characters being packed into one novel would be such a success, so I'd like to say, Brigid Kemmerer is awesome.

I adored the Merrick brothers not only because they're undeniably attractive, but they are all so unique! Each of the brother's have their own unique personalities, flaws and perfections and I was so impressed with their characterisation. There are too many (I must admit, swoonworthy) teenage boys in YA who are just too perfect, too nice, too sweet. These teenage boys were TEENAGE BOYS. Their banter, the way they talked about girls, their brotherly hate and brotherly love toward eachother was just spot on. In general, I have a lot of guy friends who I'm close with (because if we're being honest, girls tend to annoy me), and the behaviour of the guys in this book was brilliant. Oooh another thing I loved. THERE WAS SWEARING. Not just one case of the "F-Bomb", but multiple. That. Was. Awesome. It was so realistic and refreshing to see the word, "fuck" in general but every time it was used, I'd nod my head and be all, "yeah, I can see that happening".

Now Becca.. How do I begin to explain Becca. Well, I loved her. I was so pleased to see that it was the girl saving the guy in the beginning and so refreshing to know not only did she not think she was perfect (which happens in EVERY YA novel, ugh), but she ACTUALLY WASN'T PERFECT. She had flaws, she had made a mistake in the past that had shaped the type of person she was. Becca is bullied but she isn't bullied just as a stupid plot device to make you feel sorry for her, there is a reason she is so cruelly picked on (which still doesn't make it right, I know) and she's learned from this past mistake, tried to actually move on with her life and hasn't let it get to her. I admire Becca, she is so normal yet she is passionate, caring and relatable. Even when Hunter comes along, and introduces a love triangle to the story, Becca isn't an idiot.

Speaking of that love triangle, I have come across only one other love triangle which I didn't despise, so it was awesome to see another writer who knows her shit. The love triangle in this didn't feel forced and the character's involved (Hunter and Chris) are well-rounded and loveable. Becca's relationship with each of these boy's felt real and genuine and as you get to read from Chris' point of view as well, you understand him and feel sorry for him when he has to deal with seeing Becca and Hunter. OH THE ACCURATE TEENAGE REPRESENTATION IS KILLING ME <3

Overall, Storm (has a very fitting title) was an incredible story. With brilliant characters, a fast plot and the perfect amount of romance and action, Storm is definitely something I'd recommend to EVERYBODY.

PS - I NEED Spark immediately, just because I became obsessed with Gabriel as well as Chris. (Oh Gabriel, stop reminding me of attractive boys I know. Your hotness, it's too much.)

Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Iron King (Iron Fey #1) by Julie Kagawa
Release Date: February 1st 2010
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Add it: Goodreads
Overall: ♥♥♥♥♥ 

Most of the books that I rate 5 stars (which I know, is a fair amount - I'm easily pleased haha), are books that I find myself dreaming about after I put it down to go to sleep. And I'm not just talking about dreaming of the characters/plot/what will happen next? I'm talking about dreaming of READING the next chapter WORD-FOR-WORD in the book. I've had that with books such as Unearthly/Hallowed, Daughter of Smoke, Hunting Lila and The Last Vampire series. THESE are the kinds of books I wish every book was like because they stick in my mind for ages and they make me all giddy just thinking about them!

For those who haven't read this masterpiece yet, Iron King is about a girl named Meghan Chase, who's four year old brother is stolen and replaced with a Changeling and taken into the faery realms. Meghan goes on an adventure (I'm sorry, I know it's a lame word, but I just like saying it) and discovers her best friend, Robbie is actually Puck-a faery, and meets a cait sith named Grimalkin along the way. Oh, and she meets a faery winter prince named Ash, who carries a sword and is moody and stuff.

Iron King was brilliant, I don't know why it took me so long to finally pick it up! It was fast paced, action-packed and the world building was phenomenal. As I've been researching faery folklore myself for my own attempt at a writing project, it was great to see that Julie Kagawa had obviously done her research to the nth degree.

As for the characters, lets start with Meghan... I loved her. She was well developed and she wasn't a heroine who just had supposed "flaws", she actually had flaws, she was real. Meghan was cheeky, fiery and she made me laugh. For example,
[Grimalkin]: "Try not to bleed so much on the thorns," ... "Right now anyone could follow us, and you are leaving a very easy trail."
[Meghan]: "Right, 'cause I'm bleeding all over the place for shits and giggles."
HAHAHA!

I love how faeries aren't portrayed as friendly fluttery things like Tinkerbell, and how they're actually badass, ferocious creatures.

Puck? TEAM PUCK. I AM TEAM PUCK. That's all I'm saying. I like Puck. I wish we saw more of him! He is caring, funny, exciting, adventure-seeking, a bit reckless and (I'm going to assume as he's a faery) gorgeous. He would do anything for Meghan and had nothing but her best interests at heart so WHY COULDN'T THAT BLOKE CATCH A BREAK? Seriously. He caught the shit end of the stick so many times! *cries* I want to see Puck :(

Okay, I lie. There was ONE thing I didn't like, and please excuse me for going on a tangent here, but I could understand if Meghan fell for Puck, but she falls in love with Ash. This is probably my ONLY pet peeve in the entire novel. I mean yeah, he was hot, could battle and could freeze things and whatnot but they barely knew eachother. Plus, Ash is a bit too moody, 'mysterious' and has too much angst for my liking. I just felt the whole thing between them was a little rushed and unexpected.

But seriously, the overall epicness of everything else made up for that. I couldn't stop reading and as I said, I dreamed I was reading it. So that's a good sign to me! And, if you haven't read Iron King yet, DO SO NOW! It's awesome! I need the others immediately.

Julie Kagawa, I love you. (I know this is a rushed proclomation, but you've stolen my heart)

Night Beach by Kirsty Eagar

Night Beach by Kirsty Eagar
Release Date: April 26th 2012
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia
Add it: Goodreads
Overall: ♥♥♥♥♥

Why hello thar! Nice to be writing a review again :) You see, lately my time has been spent writing essays on things such as causes of action in order to sue somebody with and public relations scandals!
I HAVE been attempting to write this review for the past few days but my internet is being incredibly frustrating and RANDOMLY STOPS WORKING and shuts down my browser. So yeah, I've been a little bit annoyed! BUT YAYYYYYY! HERE IS A REVIEW AGAIN!

Now... about the book!

Abbie is a girl who loves to surf, loves to paint and has a major crush on Kane - a guy who lives with her and her family. Kane has just come back from a surfing trip a week early and something about him has changed, and Abbie is the only person who can see it.

Well shit, I've just finished picking up pieces of my brain and now I can somewhat think clearly again. I absolutely adored this book. It was twisted, weird, creepy, a little bit scary and just all round cool.

Whilst I found Abbie a little um, stalkerish and perhaps weird at first, I grew to love her! Abbie is a beautifully rounded character who has both flaws and talents and is just overall an incredibly realistic character. Her relationships with others are not ideal, but really, as a teenager when is anything perfect? Abbie is an extremely well developed character who is strong, confident, sensitive, tough and funny.

To begin with, I thought I might have a few issues simply due to some of the things at the beginning of the novel. However, these ended up becoming redundant and I just didn't give a shit about the fact I was a bit disturbed at one stage, because the rest of the novel was just so incredible. This novel is creepy in the same way that Imaginary Girls is creepy. It's haunting and disturbing and once I actually got into the book, I found myself always saying, "Just ONE more chapter!". The supernatural aspect of this is insane and Kirsty Eagar's writing is gorgeous! She is an Australian author (which automatically makes anyone awesome), so naturally I felt comfortable reading this, but her way of piecing things together is brilliant. I especially loved her writing. Everything she wrote placed a perfect image in my head, and I was going a bit nuts for this when she was describing all the supernatural aspects because the image I was getting in my head was just AWESOME.

The overall plot turned out brilliant. I'm having a lot of trouble writing this review because it was so incredible. I'm sure some of you know what I mean :)
This book just made me feel, and I love books that make me feel. It made me scared, happy, sad, frustrated, sympathetic, empathetic and completely intrigued. Having never read anything by Kirsty Eagar before (but I've heard awesome things!), her other books are now a top priority to read for me! Seriously guys, you HAVE to read this. It's fabulous. And creepy. Yeah, I know I've mentioned that but I love creepy :D

A few things I loved...
- The mention of 24 hour Maccas (this changed my life when I was 17)
- Someone is mentioned to have the name, "Jack Daniels", this got a giggle out of me :)
- "What feeds and obsession is not getting what you want. But my real problem is, I like being obsessed. It leaves me hollowed out and hungry, makes everything more intense. It's painful, yes. And frustrating. But it sure as hell makes me feel alive."
How AMAZING is that quote? I adore that quote. I think it makes a lot of sense and I love how much it adds to Abbie's character.

I received this from Netgalley and this has not affected my review

Torn by Stephanie Guerra

Torn by Stephanie Guerra
Release Date: April 1st 2012
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish
Add it: Goodreads
Overall: ♥♥♥♥♥

This book had me completely hooked from the very first page.
Stella is your average teenage girl. She is friendly with everybody, gets good grades, is on the Soccer team and has a pretty balanced social life... Stella's life is pretty good apart from having a father who left her mum and the kids when they were younger. Then Ruby shows up. Ruby is beautiful, edgy, cool and rebellious and ends up befriending Stella, causing Stella's life to be turned upside down.

This reminded me vaguely of the movie 'Thirteen'. Torn isn't a nice, comfortable story but it completely sucks you in. I don't know how she's done it, but Stephanie Guerra has written a teenage rebellion novel in such a realistic way.

As an MC, I loved Stella. She was fun, she had flaws, she was caring and in a way, she reminds me of my best friend. I really connected with Stella because she's a scarily accurate representation of a lot of teenagers. Stella wasn't considered perfect, things didn't always go her way and the problems she went through in her last year of high school with Ruby were pretty spot-on (if you occassionally rebelled and whatnot). She was feisty, protective, passionate but she had her issues too. I really admired her strength. She stood up for what she believed in and knew when to call it quits with certain uh, issues...

Ruby on the other hand is probably Stella's opposite. She is confronting, rebellious and has this awesome "Don't give a shit" attitude that just added so much spark and fire to her personality! The girls at school hate her because she didn't try to impress anybody. Ruby is a take it or leave it sort of character and I really appreciated this. The thing I loved the most is that while you'd expect yourself to hate Ruby for making such stupid decisions and being so direct, you just can't! In addition to Stella, Ruby is such a complex character and I don't know how she did it, but Stephanie Guerra manages to make you love Ruby although you know you should hate her.

This is probably one of my favourite contemporary novels so far (mind you, I'm very new to the genre). This is due to the fact that whilst I couldn't relate to Ruby (I could somewhat relate to Stella), I knew girls like that-and I knew them very well. Ruby was troubled, had her own way of dealing with things and Stella learnt what it means to be a true friend. The friendship between the girls was incredibly well portrayed. Some moments they had together reminded me of myself and my best friends. However, if you're looking for romance, this isn't going to do it for you! There are relationships, but there isn't romance (I appreciated this as well!). There isn't any, "I can't live without him" or "I was falling apart without him by my side" bull. The decisions made by some of the characters were stupid, but I could believe the situations they got themselves into because I've seen it firsthand.

There is swearing, drugs and law-breaking in this novel and whilst I didn't care (I thought it was well-done and a realistic, "THIS IS LIFE. IT HAPPENS" message), some others might. Due to the tone of the novel, I completely understood the swearing, it made me feel like I was in freaking high school again myself! I even understood the drugs and the law-breaking content because again, I've seen it happen and I think it's an unrealistic expectation that you won't get any of that in a novel as raw, gripping and edgy as this. I'm not saying that all teenagers are like those in Torn, but as one representation, I thought it was accurate and well-done.

Torn was gripping and edgy with a heart warming ending that hopefully gives hope to anybody who's been bullied. It teaches us that yes, karma can be a bitch and that not all things in life should be easy.

I received this from Netgalley and this has not affected my review

Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor

Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor
Release Date: October 1st 2011
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Add it: Goodreads
Overall: ♥♥♥♥♥
 
After picking up the little pieces of my brain and putting it back together after the masterpiece that was Daughter of Smoke and Bone. I thought I'd give my brain a little time to get working again before reading anything else by Laini Taylor. Lips Touch is wonderful. Just plain wonderful. It's a collection of three short stories that has kissing, magic, fantasy creatures and that beautiful, beautiful thing that is Laini Taylor's prose and imagination. I love adore and envy Taylor's imagination and her incredible story telling ability. Each short story just gets progressively better and better. You'll think you've had and incredible taste of what's in store after you've finished Goblin Fruit and just when you think it can't get any better then Spicy Little Curses Such As These, Laini Taylor pulls out the big guns and has Hatchling bewitching your mind (I've been re-reading Harry Potter...) and believe me, will have you begging for more!

Goblin Fruit:
Stephenie Meyer! Becca Fitzpatrick! Lauren Kate! Gather around and listen! In approximately 35 pages, Laini Taylor has managed to write a better story and a more developed character than some other YA authors have in their entire series. This is a great feat. Kizzy is interesting, different and intriguing and has always been on the sidelines and has wanted that extra something in her life. This was the shortest of the three, but Kizzy's story will have you laughing and doing double takes the entire time. It's not as dark and gritty as the others, but the goblins and their fruit are fascinating, and is aplenty in so few pages.

Spicy Little Curses Such As These:
There was so much meaning in this story. Estella once made great sacrifice to a demon, and due to that, has been forced to make heavy decisions every day of her life whilst living in Hell. In order to save children, the demon says she must make sacrifices. She makes these sacrifices but when she is forced to place a curse on a baby named Anamique, the demon eventually gets more than he bargained for. Due to the curse, Anamique grows up mute, unable to even murmer a sound for the chance that it will kill anybody who hears it. She is teased and lives her life lonely until a soldier named James, finds her diary and falls in love with her. The romance that unfolds is breathtaking, beautiful and heartbreaking. Throughout, many sacrifices are made, but many lessons are learned.

Hatchling:
This was easily my favourite of the three! It BLEW MY MIND. The mythology was brilliant and once again, Laini Taylor has written a more complex and deep plot in 100 pages that many YA authors have tried (and failed) to do in their entire series. I WANT THIS MADE INTO A MOVIE. Or maybe I don't... Ohh, I don't know!! The world of the Druj is shocking and incredible. The Druj Queen keeps human children as pets until they reach child bearing age. This has so many stories rolled into one. Mab was the Queen's pet once, and her treatment was unbearable, it was absolutely horrible. When Mab is forced to have a child (literally, forced), we are told of how she managed to escape with her baby and what becomes of them once she becomes of child bearing age. Esme is incredibly three dimensional, and at first you may just think this is the story of Mab and Esme. But, it's not. This is only the tip of the iceberg and there is so much folklore and incredible world building. The 'villain' and characters who you think are just minor at first, turn out to have incredible stories of their own and Laini explores them so deeply and wonderfully that this will have you absolutely begging for more!

The illustrations are mind blowing. To call them beautiful would do them injustice. At first they don't make sense, but once you've finished, you realise they capture the true essence of each story. Jim Bartolo is so incredibly talented!

Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson

Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson
Release Date: August 5th 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Add it: Goodreads
Overall: ♥♥♥♥♥ 
 
Why did it take me so long to get around to reading this book?

Hunting Lila had me hooked from the very first page. Infact, I went straight up to my stepmum, read her the first line and said "How GOOD is that!". Lila is 17 years old and ends up using her telekintetic ability to defend herself from muggers. She then goes back to Southern California where her brother Jack, and his best friend Alex work for a top secret agency called the Unit. Lila figures out pretty soon that the Unit is much more dangerous than her Jack and Alex let on.

Lila is easily one of my favourite heroines ever! I loved that she wasn't defined by her ability, she was defined by who she was rather than what she could do. She is definitely a character you can somewhat relate to; she is completely in love with Alex (and so am I) and can't control her thoughts when she's around him! It's hysterical to read and yet she admits that she is stupid for thinking those things! She constantly has those, "Oh, God. What is wrong with me, why am I thinking of THAT right now?" moments. She is hilarious, I love Lila's voice and I love Sarah Alderson's way of describing and comparing Lila's emotions and feelings to something totally relatable, yet hilarious. Lila is also incredibly strong, even when she 'breaks' and runs away from a situation, she isn't stupid about it. She is strong-headed and I love that in a heroine.

As for Alex.... Hello Hottest Guy Ever. He is far too attractive for his own good, is caring, loyal, independent, strong, sensitive, intelligent, fit and just made of sexy. Honestly, no wonder why Lila's loved him her whole life, he's pretty much perfect!

About halfway through, I thought I knew how it was going to turn out but boy, I was WRONG. The last quarter of the book in particular had me laughing, gasping for air and crying. It was a rollercoaster ride of emotions and plot twists. Thank God I was laying in bed when I finished this book because I would have gotten a few strange looks if I was in public...

The romance, the twists (yes, plural), the characters, the villain (OH, THE VILLAIN!), the plot, the setting... just everything had me on the edge of my seat and reading like there was no tomorrow. Sarah Alderson is easily one of my favourite authors and I will quite gladly buy anything she brings out without hesitation!
I'm going to end this review now, because you should really be reading the book instead (if you haven't already!).

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand
Release Date: January 1st 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins Australia
Add it: Goodreads
Overall: ♥♥♥♥♥

I went shopping with my Mum the other day, and of course, I went into the bookstore (although I shouldn't be spending money I don't have!) and wasn't planning on getting anything, then I see this lovely gem, in THREE WEEKS early in Australia! I started squealing! Mum asks me what's wrong (probably thinking I saw a cockroach or something), so I show her and then I started jumping up and down squealing whilst the store-manager is busting herself laughing at me! Needless to say, I ended up buying it :D

All I can say is that I wish I could've rated this 6 stars (or 10) on Goodreads.
Cynthia Hand has done it again, this is far better than I expected as the second book in the series, and honestly as soon as I was finished, I wanted to re-read it all over again - this was at 2.00AM mind you!

Cynthia Hand has this beautiful way with words and story telling; If you've read Unearthly and thought that was a fluke, well I'm sorry, but in my opinion you're wrong. Cynthia Hand is an author all aspiring writers (especially YA angel writers) should look up to. Whilst this is an angel book, this book is so incredibly realistic, heart-warming, heart-breaking and incredible, it left me so emotionally strung that I read from page 30-the end in one sitting.

Of course, Clara and Tucker's cuteness personified relationship is as funny and as touching as it was in Unearthly. Their time spent together were so real. Whilst the plot of Hallowed may not be everybody's cup of tea, it was still amazing because it focuses so much on Clara and her relationships with Tucker and Christian (Yay! I personally love both of them - SO not ashamed to say!) and we make huge progress with Clara's mum. The character development in this instalment is as wonderful as it was in Unearthly, except somehow, better. One of my many favourite things about Hand is that she doesn't just introduce a character for the sake of it, they are introduced to help advance the plot - not just to make us "sympathise" for the heroine or to make her look better in comparison (ala, Nora Grey and Vee in Hush Hush). The major and minor characters are all so three-dimensional and lovable characters. Just quietly, I still want to meet Clara in real life. (Shh, I'll seem like a crazy person).

One thing that I was terrified about before reading this was the love triangle rumours I'd been hearing about, my thoughts were sort of like this: "NOOOO Cynthia! You can't do this to us! You can't follow in the footsteps of every crappy YA novel and do the unthinkable!" but IT'S INCREDIBLE.
Award to the best "love triangle" - and I put quotation marks because I don't want Cynthia Hand to have bad cliches associated with her, it's just THAT good - in YA literature goes to Cynthia Hand!
I was Team Tucker in Unearthly although I  had a bit of a thing for Christian, but now my heart is taken by both of them. Christian definitely won over my heart in this, but in saying that, Tucker still has my heart too (oh, the agony!). We see Clara and Christian's friendship bloom and we see Clara making incredibly smart decisions for the wellbeing of others and not just what she wants. Clara is easily the #1 heroine because she is so selfless, she is smart and she has flaws. I love her for it! Clara goes through an incredible amount of pain and the entire time I just wanted to give her a big hug.

This book had me crying, laughing, smiling and worried. I love a book that can make me feel so many things. Whilst some parts may upset some fans of Unearthly, I thought everything was so well-done and necessary.

I award this book with 6 shiny, gold stars and I would like to say, this is up there with Harry Potter as my favourite series ever (and THAT is saying something!)
Thankyou Cynthia Hand for once again delivering such an incredible novel.
I will without a doubt read and buy whatever Hand writes in the future (2013 for Unearthly 3? *sobs*) just because she really deserves everything for writing such an incredible series.

Oh, and we can't forget the poking-fun-at-Twilight lines :)

"This isn't going to become one of those creepy situations where you show up at all hours of the night to watch me sleep, is it? he asks playfully.
"Every moment I'm away from you, I die a little," I say in return.

Before I moved here, I never got the whole love-triangle thing. You know, in movies or romance novels or whatnot, where there’s one chick that all the guys are drooling over, even though you can’t see anything particularly special about her. But oh, no, they both must have her. And she’s like, oh dear, however will I choose? William is so sensitive, he understands me, he swept me off my feet, oh misery, blubber, blubber, but how can I go on living without Rafe and his devil-may-care ways and his dark and only-a-little-abusive love? Upchuck

It's not like I can be with him all the time. I did get so wigged out that I sneaked out to his house a couple of times in the middle of the night to watch over him while he slept, just in case, I don't know, his comic book collection decided to spontaneously combust. This was dumb and admittedly creepy in an Edward Cullen kind of way.

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma
Release Date: June 14th 2011
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Add it: Goodreads
Overall: ♥♥♥♥♥

Sweeping statement: I don't think I've ever read a book like Imaginary Girls.

Chloe believes her sister Ruby is capable of controlling anything and anyone, and she pretty much can. After discovering the death of classmate London Hayes, Chloe moves away from Ruby only to be bought back by her two years later to find that some things weren't the way they originally were. All because of Ruby.

Imaginary Girls doesn't have much action (in fact, it has pretty much none), nothing much happens throughout the book except for some creepy and eerie stories told by Ruby about the reservoir and the town that was swallowed up to extend the reservoir, Olive.
So why did I give this 5 stars if it didn't have much action?
Well, Chloe's voice is incredibly easy and interesting to read. Nova Ren Suma's (I'm using her full name because it's awesome) writing is beautiful. The writing flows through the pages and tells the story effortlessly. None of it feels overdone or forced. It was clear from page one that this was going to a difficult review to write.

As far as characterisation goes, I felt disturbed and creeped out by both Chloe and Ruby. The relationship they have is dysfunctional (in my opinion) but loving. It's a disturbing mixture. I personally got the impression that the two sister's were a bit not-right in the head and reading from Chloe's perspective and about what Ruby was capable of proved to be an uncomfortable reading experience. Although it was uncomfortable, I feel that was Nova Ren Suma's intention and it really set the tone of the entire novel.

I don't know what to define this book as... I don't think it's contemporary, fantasy, paranormal or anything like that. I think it's a strange combination of possibly all three. Upon finishing, I still had many questions I wanted answers to but they were questions that weren't necessarily going to advance the plot and were left open to interpretation. **SPOILER** Like, I want to know more about the story of the sisters and whether it has anything to do with Chloe/Ruby and WTF is Ruby? But I'll just let my imagination run free instead :) **SPOILER END**

Imaginary Girls is not a light read. It sucks you in, freaks you out and makes your head spin. It's intense and haunting and is a stand-out in the YA genre. Imaginary Girls has you begging for more, yet satisfied at the same time.

It's truly a compelling and eerie read and I'll be on the look out for anything else Nova Ren Suma writes

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Release Date: December 2nd 2010
Publisher: Dutton
Add it: Goodreads
Overall: ♥♥♥♥♥

 As you may have noticed, I'm not a huge fan of contemporary fiction, ESPECIALLY contemporary romance... Oh boy, turns out I was wrong that not ALL contemporary is mind-numbingly boring. Anna and the French Kiss had me me in fits of laughter on every page and from the moment that 'Hogwarts' was mentioned, I was in love!

Anna Oliphant is sent to go to school in Paris by her father against her wishes. Anna can't speak French, she doesn't want to leave her friends and family behind but once she arrives, she soon makes friends and meets Etienne St. Clair *swoons*.

Reading about Anna was like reading about myself when I was 16 *what was I THINKING?* and I found I could really relate to her, particularly because of the way she would think and what she would go through with her friends and guys. The thing I loved most about Anna is that she didn't immedietely go "OMG I LOVE HIM", it took the entire novel to realise that she loved Etienne. First, she just thinks he's hot and has a hot accent, which I agree with because English accents are AWESOME. Then they become best friends, they then like eachother and then they realise they love eachother. Anna and the French Kiss is easily the best couple I've seen in YA. They had chemistry, as in real, make-your-heart-race chemistry. I loved Anna, she was smart, funny, sarcastic, confused and flawed (she has gap-teeth, how often do you come across that in YA?)... I wish I could meet Anna, I love her, but I love her boyfriend too :S...

Etienne, ahhh Etienne... Etienne.
Oh I loved him! He was funny, he was hot, he was caring, sweet, short (if he was real, this wouldn't be a problem, I'm 5'3"), had issues, got drunk, got angry, got upset.... I could go on and on about how great Etienne is but you wouldn't know unless you read the book (which, I know it took me a year to read this. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME)

The secondary characters were not just there for shits and giggles, they had a purpose, they had their own stories and they were real. They swore, they argued, they laughed, they partied, they were typical teenagers!

This is probably the worst review I have ever written because this is one of the best books I have ever read. Why is it always harder to review a book you love?
Anyway, go read this now. Especially those who don't read contemporary (believe me, I don't), but Stephanie Perkins has created some of the most fantastic, well-rounded characters and such a beautiful, fun story I guarantee you will laugh, possibly cry, hope and swoon over this story, Anna and Etienne

PS - I want to go to Paris now more than EVER.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Release Date: November 15th 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins
Add it: Goodreads
Overall: ♥♥♥♥♥

Firstly, thankyou Tahereh for writing such a wonderful novel! You are now toward the top of my 'Awesome authors' list, which translates to: stalking your blog and your Twitter :)

Shatter Me is the debut novel of Tahereh Mafi and boy does it deliver!
First things first, let me thank whoever decided that Shatter Me be released in Australia first for a change (Australia never gets ANYTHING first)!

Shatter Me is the story of Juliette, a 17 year old girl who's touch is lethal (like Rogue off of X-Men). Juliette has been in isolation for 264 days. When I began this book, I was a bit shocked by how it was written because it is just SO unique! I loved it! There are things crossed out and repetition of words. But it works so well! The way Ms. Mafi has written this is brilliant - you really feel like you're reading from a person on the brink of insanity...

Juliette is the type of heroine I love reading about. I loved her way of thinking, I loved how strong, bold, honest and somewhat fragile she was. As you read her story, you realise how much she just needs and wants. That's all, just needs and wants. She hasn't touched somebody in years, she has never been able to touch somebody without harming them and she has never even known the warmth of a hug. She recognises what she wants/needs and GOES FOR IT! How cool is that? She is a heroine that does things for herself! Isn't that AWESOME!

I also loved Adam, he seriously made me swoon! Adam is ANOTHER literary crush to add to the list (keep it up YA authors! About time there are some decent love interests!). Adam was another character with so much depth and mystery! He is determined, strong, kind and you can really tell how much he loves Juliette. Adam was perfect, especially for Juliette *sulks*.

As for the secondary characters, they are quite possibly some of the best and well-developed secondary characters ever! WARNER! Oh how I hate him! Ms. Mafi crafted the perfect villian, he is not wishy-washy, (infact none of the characters are cardboard) he is seriously creepy and the things he forces Juliette to do (won't mention spoilers) is seriously some of the most disturbed shit I've come across. He is calculating and evil, he is utterly tapped in the head and it was great!

The way everything is described in this novel is beautiful and unique. From dresses to eyes, to a bland, grey room; Tahereh Mafi manages to make everything, no matter how dull, sound wonderful! I seriously can't get enough of her writing and the book isn't even technically out yet!

"My world is one interwoven web of words, stringing limb to limb, bone to sinew, thoughts and images all together. I am a being comprised of letters, a character created by sentences, a figment of imagination formed through fiction" - Not only is this completely true but the context in which it is written is crazy! She loves reading. Instead of simply saying "I like books", those wonderful sentences were constructed instead! Ms. Mafi can twist something that is seriously boring in most YA novels into something amazing.

As I got to the end of the novel, it reminded me alot of X-Men, but it was still original and it was still breathtaking! I got through this novel in about a day, the only reason I didn't finish it in a day is because 2:30AM is the maximum I stay up for reading :)

All in all, this was amazing and I can't really write a coherent review! Sorry guys! But I'm definitely tempted to pick it back up and reread it all over again!