REVIEW: THE LOST GIRL

Author: Sangu Mandanna
Series: No, standalone
UK Publisher: Random House Children's Publisher
UK Release date: 3rd January 2013
Genre: Dystopian
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

Eva’s life is not her own. She is a creation, an abomination – an echo. Made by the Weavers as a copy of someone else, she is expected to replace a girl named Amarra, her ‘other’, if she ever died. Eva studies what Amarra does, what she eats, what it’s like to kiss her boyfriend, Ray. So when Amarra is killed in a car crash, Eva should be ready.
But fifteen years of studying never prepared her for this.
Now she must abandon everything she’s ever known – the guardians who raised her, the boy she’s forbidden to love – to move to India and convince the world that Amarra is still alive ...

What I loved about The Lost Girl was how the story delved into Eva’s situation as a replica or 'other' – trying to balance the two conflicting sides to her life, each pulling her in a different direction. Eva was torn between doing what she was created as an echo to do, and discovery and expressing who she was as an individual. Receiving information from Amarra about her life and having to learn it as if it was her own life must have been difficult. Especially knowing you can never be yourself. And despite what some people thought, Eva did have a soul, a personality and her own thoughts and feelings. She was interesting and best of all didn't ever want to give up fighting. The idea that she couldn't be with the person she liked was really sad. On the flip side, it was interesting to hear snippets of how Amarra felt, having to share how every thought and every action with some stranger who might possibly usurp your life.

The concept of a replica to replace you when you die was also very thought provoking. How would I feel knowing there was a replica of me ready to jump into my shoes when I died? And is it right to create one in the first place? Surely echos only existed because families couldn't bear the thought of living without some they love, which is a nice thought but it's also selfish to some degree and doesn't allow the family to grieve properly when someone passes away. But once an echo has been created, it seems wrong to treat them as if they themselves are evil or soulless.

Aside from the concept behind the story, I also loved the writing which was natural and flowing. Although I expected Eva to become Amarra really quickly on, you actually get to see quite a bit of Eva as herself, struggling to cope with what is expected of her. I think this was a good thing though, as you feel the build up before she is thrust into her new life in India and can understand her fears about it. The plot focused a lot on Eva's emotional perceptions and the changes she undergoes, but there were also lots of suspenseful moments, when I was really worried that she might be found out, and plenty of action towards the end.

Although Eva grew up in England, Amarra lived in India. So for Eva, becoming Amarra was also a huge change in situation. I liked the contrast between the two places and how to some extent Eva already knew little bits of her new life. There were a few bugs for me, like Eva growing up in a country that would give her a different tan and accent to the real girl, but that's just me being ultra picky.

A stunning debut, The Lost Girl combines a brilliant concept with flowing writing to create a thought provoking dystopian.

Rating: 4*

MY TOP 5 YA BOOKS OF 2012

In order to pick out my 5 favourite reads of this year, I've very strictly had to pick only books that were released this year. Even so, it's been really hard to whittle my list down, as there have been so many good reads, but I've managed to pick one for five different sub genres within YA.

Dystopian - Breathe by Sarah Crossan
Published by Bloomsbury, October 2012

It's been hard to pick a favourite dystopian because this genre has bloomed. But I picked Breathe because the story is completely immersed in a ruined futuristic world which is so easily imaginable it's scary.

The world is dead. The survivors live under the protection of Breathe, the corporation that found a way to manufacture oxygen-rich air.
Alina has been stealing for a long time. She's a little jittery, but not terrified. All she knows is that she's never been caught before. If she's careful, it'll be easy. If she's careful.
Quinn should be worried about Alina and a bit afraid for himself, too, but even though this is dangerous, it's also the most interesting thing to happen to him in ages. It isn't every day that the girl of your dreams asks you to rescue her.
Bea wants to tell him that none of this is fair; they'd planned a trip together, the two of them, and she'd hoped he'd discover her out here, not another girl.
And as they walk into the Outlands with two days' worth of oxygen in their tanks, everything they believe will be shattered. Will they be able to make it back? Will they want to?

You can find my review here.


Paranormal - Everneath by Brodi Ashton
Published by Simon & Schuster, January 2012

As the plot counted down Nicki's remaining time before she is taken back to the underworld, the tension grew and grew. A very gripping story.

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she's returned--to her old life, her family, her boyfriend--before she's banished back to the underworld . . . this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.
Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance--and the one person she loves more than anything. But there's just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.
As Nikki's time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's queen.

You can find my review here.


Science Fiction - Partials by Dan Wells
Published by Harper Collins, February 2012

I loved this book because of the post-apocolyptic setting and the strange partials that Kira is off to hunt. Nothing in this books is what it seems though.

The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials--engineered organic beings identical to humans--has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.
Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic-in-training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws have pushed what's left of humanity to the brink of civil war, and she's not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will find that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them--connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.

You can find my review here.


Fantasy - Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Published by Random House Children's Publishers, July 2012

Rachel Hartman's debut features a brilliant fantasy setting and a female protagonist with a secret. Such a great read!

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.
Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

You can find my review here.


Contemporary - Whisper by Chrissie Keighery
Published by Templar, July 2012

I loved the unique perspective of this book, as it shows how Demi copes with becoming deaf and trying to deal with all the usual teenage issues and communicating with everyone around her.

Fifteen-year-old Demi's world is shattered when she is left profoundly deaf by a sudden illness. Everything is different now, and Demi must learn to adapt to a new school, new friends and even learn a whole new language.

Whisper is a coming-of-age tale, about discovering who you are and where you fit in life. About friendships and first love and, most of all, learning to love the person you are.

You can find my review here.



What have been your favourite books this year?

REVIEW: ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD

Author: Kendare Blake
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Orchard
UK Release date: July 2012
Genre: YA Paranormal

Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story...
Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.
So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay. When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home. (Goodreads)

First off, I loved Anna Dressed in Blood. It was a gripping and haunting ghost story. Beautifully written it had me engrossed from page 1. I just adored Kendare Blake's writing style which was easy to  read, flowed naturally and was wonderfully captivating.

Cas was a brilliant protagonist. From the first person perspective, his distinctive voice and witty personality shone through. I loved his sense of humour and purpose, and I enjoyed seeing him change from the 'loner' that doesn't want to get close to anyone to actually needing the friends he had made. For his age, Cas was quiet mature and grounded and I think his character benefitted from not being a typical sulky teenager. Instead he had a sense of motivation, and a really great relationship with his mum, whom I adored.

As soon as I heard about Anna through the ominous letter covered in blood, I couldn’t help but think of her as some evil, wretched ghost (that looked like the girl off the film Ring) and that couldn’t be reasoned with thereby needing to be completely banished. I wasn’t disappointed (Anna was a force to be reckoned with) but she was also so much more. To then have the unusual interplay between Cas and Anna was so unexpected and well done that it felt completely natural and brilliant.

The secondary characters, Thomas and Carmel were well developed, each of their personalities bouncing off each other to create humorous but very natural feeling dialogue exchanges. Together with Cas there were an unexpected ragtag group: the ghost-hunter, the witch, and the popular girl. Considering Cas kept proclaiming he worked alone, the support he had from them was unexpected but it worked so well.

Looking back there was foreshadowing in the plot that could have helped me guess the ending. But I was so caught up in the tense action, the gory horror and fast paced plot, that I didn’t pause for even a second to try to interpret the clues. I just enjoyed the story for what it was. There were certainly a few moments that had me on the edge of the seat with tingles running down my spine.

Anna Dressed in Blood is a creepy, fast paced horror thriller, with wonderfully written characters and dialogue and a ghost story to match any horror film.

Rating: 5*

REVIEW: KATYA'S WORLD

Author: Jonathan L. Howard
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Strange Chemistry
UK Release date: 6th November 2012
Genre: Science fiction
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

The distant and unloved colony world of Russalka has no land, only the raging sea. No clear skies, only the endless storm clouds. Beneath the waves, the people live in pressurised environments and take what they need from the boundless ocean. It is a hard life, but it is theirs and they fought a war against Earth to protect it. But wars leave wounds that never quite heal, and secrets that never quite lie silent.
Katya Kuriakova doesn’t care much about ancient history like that, though. She is making her first submarine voyage as crew; the first nice, simple journey of what she expects to be a nice, simple career.
There is nothing nice and simple about the deep black waters of Russalka, however; soon she will encounter pirates and war criminals, see death and tragedy at first hand, and realise that her world’s future lies on the narrowest of knife edges. For in the crushing depths lies a sleeping monster, an abomination of unknown origin, and when it wakes, it will seek out and kill every single person on the planet. (Goodreads)

Katya, despite being only 15, was an extremely practical and logical young girl at the start of her navigation career. As her first job veered extremely off-course, she was able to come up with solutions to life threatening situations that even experienced war veterans weren’t able to think of. She was also very forthright and stubborn, refusing to be left behind from any dangerous missions on multiple occasions, despite the risks. All of these things made me like her a lot. She had smarts and balls!

The setting for the story is primarily underwater on a variety of different submarines. Russalka is a planet that has absolutely no land mass, forcing the inhabitants from earth to live under water, on submarines, on ships or on water platforms. This makes for a very interesting setting as the threats are different to normal sci-fi/YA, the obstacles characters face are very different, and because of this I found the story really engaging.

Outlaw Kane was a most secretive and mysterious character. He often withheld important information from the other characters and at best talked cryptically. I did expect certain things to be revealed about his past and links to Russalka, but never got any of this. I don’t know why but I expected more revelations and big surprises lurking in his past. I guess if this is the start of a series, there may be more revelations later on. Despite the fact that he has had a shady past, I couldn’t help but like him. I knew deep down he was a good man by the way he looked out for and protected Katya.

Although the current inhabitants of Russalka are long ago descendants of earth, specifically Russians, they have lost their sense of heritage and ancestry and formed a completely new identity and society for themselves. I liked seeing how a group of people from the same socio-economic and cultural group now lived without any earth history to go by. Even on Russalka, a people united against earth, they still managed to have their own factions and groups, and I thought that Jonathan L. Howard’s writing managed to subtly explore human nature and behaviour without overpowering the plot.

Katya’s World is an underwater, action packed adventure with a strong lead character and amazing space setting.

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: MYSTIC CITY

Author: Theo Lawrence

Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Corgi
UK Release date: 11th October 2012
Genre: Urban fantasy
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself.

Mystic City has lots of references and parallels to Shakespeare, most particularly the forbidden love between two young people from rival families. I loved how this classic theme was paired with dystopian and paranormal elements; New York had been transformed into a futuristic Venice with the global-warming flooded streets in the Depths and its motorised gondoliers. With the contrast between luxurious high rises and the humble Depths, the setting was perfect for two star-crossed lovers to find each other.

I loved both Hunter and Aria. Aria, although brought up in a very wealthy and powerful family, was a sympathetic and caring person. Her family's power doesn't seem to have been built on honest foundations, and rather than go along with it and enjoy all the luxuries thrown at her, Aria was determined to find out the truth and fight for what was right no matter the consequences.  I thought Aria and Hunter were a perfect pair and really wanted to see them together. Hunter was a mysterious, mystic rebel, combining a dark and dangerous side with a funny, charming and protective personality. I liked the way he teased Aria, and was  a sensitive and caring person with real charisma. As an undrained mystic rebel, he was going against the city laws, but honestly who could blame him. He was standing up against the oppression and persecution of mystics which gave him a passionate, moral and slightly wild edge.

Although huge chunks of the plot were easy to foretell, I didn't mind because I was so invested in Hunter and Aria and their potential relationship. Their escapades to the Depths, especially during the old-fashioned carnival, were so romantic. When Aria was sneaky around and hiding from her family there was palpable tension and also plenty of mystery as Aria tried to fill in the missing gaps of her memory and figure out what the interesting little locket meant. This tension reached some big climaxes as she was discovered by her family and forced into some very horrible situations. Quite frankly I don't know how such a selfish, evil family brought up such an amazing girl!

Aria's friends were your typical spoilt socialites. They were selfish, ignorant and just a little annoying. Their speech included words like "upper" to describe anything cool. It definitely made the point that they were the popular girls, although it bugged me a little. But more importantly, their behaviour gave a strong contrast to Aria's; whereas they wanted to shop, eat and look good, Aria wasn't bothered attending parties or climbing the social ladder, caring instead about equality, fairness and truth. I did however love Turk, Hunter's best friend. He was witty, cool and cared about his friends, and I would much rather have him as a friend.

Mystic City is a gripping tale of forbidden love, magic, politics and fighting for what is right.

Rating: 5*

REVIEW: BREATHE

Author: Sarah Crossan
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Bloomsbury
UK Release date: 11th October 2012
Genre: Dystopian
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

Inhale. Exhale. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe . . . The world is dead.
The survivors live under the protection of Breathe, the corporation that found a way to manufacture oxygen-rich air. And as they walk into the Outlands with two days' worth of oxygen in their tanks, everything they believe will be shattered. Will they be able to make it back? Will they want to? (Goodreads)

Oxygen and breathing is something we take completely for granted despite how essential it is to our survival. In Breathe, oxygen is a luxury only the rich Premiums can afford. The poor have their lives' controlled by the amount of oxygen they use, and for them energetic lovemaking and exercise isn't something they can enjoy freely. Their world within the Pod seems so barren, without trees or greenery, and with so many restrictions on how they can live. But the reality of a world where trees have been cut down and oxygen levels have been depleted doesn't seem that far-fetched, which makes the Pod seem scarily realistic and all too possible. I almost wish everyone would read this, so that they can start appreciating nature a little bit more and the vital role trees play in our lives.

In Breathe, the story is told from the perspective of Alina, Bea and Quinn. Each has a very different background and belief system. Quinn for example is a premium and used to have a life of luxury with as much oxygen as he wants. I often found him to be childish and naive, which is probably normal for someone of his upbringing. It was only towards the end that he started to show some real backbone and gain a bit of favour with me. However the two girls really stood out for me. Although Bea was more quiet, reserved and obedient, like would be expected of an auxiliary, I really liked her. She had strenth and courage when it was needed, but she was also caring and compassionate. And because I liked Bea, I was automatically hesitant to like Alina because she was unwittingly a rival for Quinn's attention and affections. At first glance she seemed very forthright, passionate, brave and a little dangerous. But as I started reading from her perspective, I saw her in a totally different light. She would sometimes put on a brave face and a bit of a front to create a certain image, so it was really interesting to hear her thoughts and see the real her.

The plot is packed with fast paced scenes, tension, and nervous energy, especially when Alina, Bea and Quinn are in the wastelands and facing a whole host of dangers from a lack of oxygen to drifters. There were some unexpected moments I had expected the Hub to be some idyllic place, filled with hippy types. But as the home to the resistance, they could be ruthless and cruel too especially their leader and her strange rather creepy pet. But their ideals were very honourable - if I was Alina or Bea I would be right behind saving and growing trees.

Breathe is dystopian with a scarily real feel to it. This could be our future.

Rating: 5*

Here is the trailer for Breathe:

REVIEW: BLACK CITY

Author: Elizabeth Richards
Series: Yes, #1
US Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
US Release date: 13th November 2012
Genre: YA
Kindly lent by Casey at Dark Readers

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong.
When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

The world building in Black City was a lot more atmospheric and dystopian than I expected. The city where Ash and Natalie lived was a crumbling, burnt mess after the post-apocalyptic bombing that waged war between the two races: Darklings and humans. For some reason the boundary wall built to separate Darklings and humans reminded of the Berlin wall. In this case, the boundary wall prevented Wraths and Darklings from mixing with humans and killing or infecting them. Despite the fact that Darklings, like vampires, do bite and drink blood there was a lot of prejudice towards them as approved and incited by the government and sentry. This prejudice and violent discrimination gave the plot heaps of tension and also made the budding romance between human Natalie and half-blood Ash completely forbidden and illegal.

I loved the simultaneous hatred and passion that Natalie and Ash felt for each when they first met. Their dialogue exchanges were biting and witty. Coupled with the fact that any feelings they might have felt had to be hidden, this made their developing romance so exciting. I loved the two of them and wanted them to be together. Although Natalie was like the privileged rich kid, she had a real sense of morals and was able to stand up for herself and her beliefs. And although Ash was the dark and dangerous half-human, he was kind and sensitive, and deeply charismatic and attractive.

The plot had plenty of tension, romance excitement, and intertwining stories. Particularly towards the end, the plot took some dramatic and surprising twists. One of the events involving Ash and twin-blood Evangeline did annoy me. I won't say why, but I will say I was disappointed in Ash's decision making and reasoning. He lost a little of my trust in him, and he will have to work hard to earn it back in Phoenix.

My only little peeve with the writing would be the word "fragging", which was regularly used by several of the characters. I know it's more of an American and teenage thing, but I would have preferred the characters to either have sworn or said something completely different instead. This is just my personal preference, so it probably wouldn't bother anyone else.

Black City is a dark, atmospheric romance story set in a dystopian world where humans and Darklings are segregated at every turn.

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: THE ASSASSIN'S CURSE

Author: Cassandra Rose Clarke
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Strange Chemistry
UK Release date: 4th October 2012
Genre: Fantasy
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan: she wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to her handsome yet clueless fiance. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns the scorned clan has sent an assassin after her.
And when the assassin, Naji, finally catches up with her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse — with a life-altering result. Now Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work together to break the curse and return their lives back to normal. Or at least as normal as the lives of a pirate and an assassin can be. (Goodreads)

Ananna is gruff, tough and most certainly rough around the edges. But as a pirate's daughter that has grown up aboard a pirate ship, who can blame her. She's not the sort of girl that I would want to meet in a dark alley, and to start I didn't take an instant liking to her. But she very quickly grew on me, as she  wouldn't take stick from anyone. I loved the way she could stand up for herself, fight her way out of a situation and give as good as she got. And despite her stubborn and coarse nature, she seemed to develop a little soft spot for the assassin sent to kill her.

I loved that Naji and Ananna were bound together by an Impossible Curse. There’s something very fairytale and romantic about the idea, and the fact that they had to remain within a certain proximity of each other meant they were forced to spend time together and get on to some degree. Although Naji was completely blind to Ananna and her feelings and also very reticent about sharing anything, I could see why Ananna might start to fall for him. Because Naji is an assassin that wears black clothes to cover his entire body and face, he has this dark, mysterious appeal. His scarred face gives him a vulnerable and self-depreciating quality.

The story is set in some magical, exotic and rugged places, from deserts, the ocean and a magical jungle on an unusual floating island. These different places add to the action and the plot and give the story a really mystical air. I'm really intrigued to see where Ananna and Naji might visit next and I really hope it's some where new, different and special.

Plot-wise, the story starts with Ananna running away and very soon after sees her and Naji set off on a journey fraught with danger and adventure. There is dark magic mixed in and strange women from other worlds. Like Ananna I didn't know who could be trusted, and coupled with being on the run this made Anannna's situation seem very scary. She seemed to relish a lot of this danger though, getting involved in the action whenever she could.

A slight pet peeve for me was Anannna’s use of incorrect grammar, to make her speech more colloquial and pirate-esque. She regularly used double negatives even when she intended for the end result to be negative. I'm not know sure why this bothered me so much, it just did. Despite this, I still really enjoyed   this book.

The Assassin’s Curse is a pirate fantasy bursting with romance, action and adventure.

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: THE PECULIAR

Author: Stefan Bachmann
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: HarperCollins
UK Release date: 18th September 2012
Genre: Steampunk faery fantasy
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

Don't get yourself noticed and you won't get yourself hanged.
In the faery slums of Bath, Bartholomew Kettle and his sister Hettie live by these words. Bartholomew and Hettie are changelings--Peculiars--and neither faeries nor humans want anything to do with them.
One day a mysterious lady in a plum-colored dress comes gliding down Old Crow Alley. Bartholomew watches her through his window. Who is she? What does she want? And when Bartholomew witnesses the lady whisking away, in a whirling ring of feathers, the boy who lives across the alley--Bartholomew forgets the rules and gets himself noticed.
First he's noticed by the lady in plum herself, then by something darkly magical and mysterious, by Jack Box and the Raggedy Man, by the powerful Mr. Lickerish . . . and by Arthur Jelliby, a young man trying to slip through the world unnoticed, too, and who, against all odds, offers Bartholomew friendship and a way to belong. (Goodreads)

In The Peculiar, Bachmann has created an alternative England where a door to the faery world was once opened. This alternative world incorporates elements of Victorian England, gothic steampunk and magical fantasy, and is both wonderfully vivid in its opulence but also darkly dangerous. Since the destruction of Old Bath and the introduction of faeries to the country, there has been an uneasy alliance between humans, changelings (half humans half faeries), and the different types of faeries from sprites and gnomes to Sidhe. Neither side understands or trusts the other. And it is unfortunately the half bloods or changelings that bear the brunt of this prejudice and mistrust. I do love this world that has been built, but I do feel more could have been done to add depth and development to the characters.

My feelings towards Mr Jelliby are a little ambivalent. He’s the kind of upper-class gentleman that doesn’t like to rock the boat and is rather ineffectual. But despite the fact that he can be indecisive and cowardly, he doesn’t just idly sit back and let events unfold without trying to intervene. I’m not fully convinced this was down to character development, and I did sometimes doubt the believability of his actions. Would such a nervous character really be able to step up as the hero without more persuasion than just thinking ‘well someone has to do it’?

Poor changeling Bartholomew and his little sister have been forced to live hidden away from everyone else. It is only when the curious Bartholomew spots a mysterious lady magically whisk away his young neighbour, that he sets out into the wide world. I felt I understood and liked Bartholomew a lot more, with his desire to have a fairy helper and yet even greater desire to protect his sister.

The story is written in third person from Bartholomew’s and Mr Jelliby’s perspectives. Occasionally the perspectives overlapped, to give an omniscient narration within the same chapter. I found this a little  disconcerting, as my preference is to keep third person perspectives quite separate. Something that also stood out about the writing was that the story gave no context straight away to what the characters' motivations were. You are plunged straight into the story and have to figure out what is going on as the characters Bartholomew and Mr Jelliby do, and decipher what Mr. Lickerish might be up to. I actually liked this though, as I had to keep guessing and wondering how their paths might all cross and come together.

Despite some of the narrative and character niggles, I enjoyed The Peculiar as a visually splendid Victorian delight, mixing up steampunk and gothic, faery fantasy to create something that children will love.

You can read an excerpt of The Peculiar on Goodreads and you can also listen to Peculiar Pieces, the music written by Stefan Bachmann to accompany the book.

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: FALLING TO ASH

Author: Karen Mahoney
Series: Yes, Moth #1
UK Publisher: Corgi
UK Release date: 27th September 2012
Genre: YA Paranormal
Read via NetGalley
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

Trapped between two very different worlds, newly made vampire Moth is struggling to find her place in either. Not only does she have to answer to her strict Irish-Catholic Dad, but her over-protective maker, Theo, is intent on making her the star attraction in his powerful Boston vampire clan. Moth will have to pull off the double-act of the century to please both of them...
Adding to her problems is the dangerously attractive Jason Murdoch, a trainee vampire hunter who loves to play cat and mouse in his spare time (Jace = cat; Moth = mouse). But when the teenagers of Boston’s wealthiest families start to disappear, it forces Moth and Jace into an uneasy truce. Will they be able to solve the mystery behind the disappearances—before someone winds up undead? (Goodreads)

I have to admit, I'm a bit fed up with vampire stories. But Falling to Ash didn't bore me at all. For starters, Moth is a little rough around the edges as a vampire. She wears a leather jacket, steel toe capped biker boots and is extraordinarily witty. It kind of made me feel good though that even as a vampire, Moth wasn't unnaturally perfect all the time. The fact that Moth could still feel pain and had to overcome that to get things done made her character tougher and somehow more humane. Having been turned against her will, Moth is undergoing the emotional turmoil of trying to reconcile her new vampire life with with old life and family. Her protectiveness of her younger sister was really sweet. Moth may be a kickass heroine, but she will capture your heart.

Although the murder mystery was easy to predict, there was plenty of action and twists to the story. Surprising things happened after the murders, which I won't tell you about but were a little gruesome and made some interesting links.

I loved the relationship between Moth and Jace and the fact that they already had a backstory that affected how they interacted at the start of the book. Jace, following in the footsteps of his fathers, was a monster-hunter. And Moth was considered the monster. Despite the fact that Jace had been brought up to kill vampires, Moth and Jace were perfectly balanced. Both in strength and charisma. When they both start investigating the murders of local teenagers they form a tentative alliance. And as Moth is so down to earth, Jace slowly started coming around to seeing her as a person and not just a human blood-sucking killing machine. The fact that he could overcome all the believes his father had instilled in him was impressive and endearing.

This may sound patronising, but it isn't meant to be in the slightest. As Karen is a British author, I was really impressed by how authentic the writing was to the American setting. OK so I haven't  ever been to Boston, where the book is set, but the locations described felt so real. And the language and style really did make me believe Moth was a born and bred American. With Irish roots ;)

Dark, witty and with a dash of romance, Falling to Ash is a refreshing addition to the vampire genre.

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: THE CORPSE-RAT KING

Author: Lee Battersby
Series: No, standalone
UK Publisher: Angry Robot
UK Release date: September 2012
Genre: Fantasy
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

Marius don Hellespont and his apprentice, Gerd, are professional looters of battlefields. When they stumble upon the corpse of the King of Scorby and Gerd is killed, Marius is mistaken for the monarch by one of the dead soldiers and is transported down to the Kingdom of the Dead. Just like the living citizens, the dead need a King — after all, the King is God’s representative, and someone needs to remind God where they are. And so it comes to pass that Marius is banished to the surface with one message: if he wants to recover his life he must find the dead a King. Which he fully intends to do. Just as soon as he stops running away.

Marius de Hellespont is a liar, cheat, thief and witty charmer. A little like Jack Sparrow, he seems to always land on his feet no matter what ridiculous situation he ends up in. And trust me, he ends up in a number of bizarre and unexpected circumstances, and usually on the wrong end of the law or moral compass. Particularly because he is now dead. Marius' initial response to his situation and duty to find a new king was to run away, and it makes him seem as cowardly and pathetic as you would expect a looter of the dead to be. Whilst his character developed and grew throughout the book, making Marius a just-about likable character, his daring, cunning and unreprehensible behaviour really made the story.

At first the writing tended towards the over descriptive, which sometimes slowed the plot down with its tangential diversions. But further into the book, the plot, dialogue and wit improved by bounds and had me chuckling away. In fact the story reminded me a little of the madcap adventures that befall Voltaire’s character Candide in his book of the same name. Both plots have a philosophical bent to them and involve a series of rather absurd adventures and mishaps.

Although some of the secondary characters could have benefitted from a little more fleshing out to avoid them feeling one dimensional, my favourite character was King Nandus, who had a slightly strange (and possibly inappropriate) affection for horses. Found in the underwater wreck of his groundbreaking ship, the skeletal form of Nandus unfortunately takes on a few too many horse-like qualities, which made the story both humorous and endearing. The fact that the poor man didn't even realise the truth of his situation made it all the more pitiful and comical.

Despite the darker themes of death, deception and looting, overall the story had an underlying moral and spiritual emphasis, as Marius very slowly started to see the error of his ways. I loved the rather maccabre idea of the dead needing a king to rule their deathly kingdom, and being able to extend their deathly grip into the mortal realm to get Marius and Gerd to find them a ruler. What on earth would their job be as a King of the Dead?

The Corpse-Rat King is an absurd and fantastical tale of a man about to learn the error of his ways the hard way.

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: WHAT'S LEFT OF ME

Author: Kat Zhang
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Harper Collins
UK Release date: 27th September 2012
Genre: YA, Dystopian
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t . . .
For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet . . . for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.

As a dystopian, I loved that Zhang's concept of being born with a dual soul was completely original, unique, and very thought provoking. In What's Left of Me, Eva lives in the Americas where being a Hybrid with two souls is forbidden, taboo and considered a huge threat to society. My mind couldn't help but ponder the scientific implications of this idea: what might the evolutionary benefit be of having two souls? Could I have been born with two souls, but never have realised? Why did one soul just disappear? And what must it be like to share one life and one body with someone so close to you, that isn't you? Eva and Addie's relationship was like normal sisters, but so much more intense because they had to cope with situations that no-one would normally have to do with someone else in such close proximity. I can't imagine what it would be like to have someone else directing me body to do things I wasn't exactly comfortable doing. This difference in desire, motivation and needs often lead to big emotional dilemmas and experiences between the pair which kept the story fresh and gave lots of different viewpoints to consider.

With the story written from Eva's perspective, it gave a very unusual slant to the story. This is because whilst being a first person narrative, Eva simultaneously used a completely different narrative mode by using 'we' and 'ours' to describe what her and Addie were both doing together. It took a little getting used to, but it instantly added a unique element to the story.

Eva's fight to be more than a recessive soul that just disappears was completely compelling. Eva was so full of life, despite having no body of her own or control of her shared one, that it seemed wrong and cruel to think she could be ripped out or made to disappear. Both her and Addie had their strengths, and with Eva as the narrative voice, she didn't seem like the recessive one at all. I did make me think though about what makes us individuals and real people: do we need a body or is a soul enough to allow us to live and function happily in the world? What makes someone dominant and is dominance always best?

In terms of the plot, I expected a little more to happen setting wise. Don't get me wrong, I found the plot really thrilling and often it was fast paced and full of suspense. But I did want a little more action and adventure - which I think we will probably get in the next book.

One of the interesting aspects to the plot was the underlying romance between Eva and Ryan, Devon's recessive soul. I found it really intriguing that Addie didn't fancy Devon or Ryan, but Eva liked Ryan. I can see why, as he showed her a lot of tenderness. I was however a little dubious as to why exactly Ryan liked Eva, as they didn't exactly spend much time together when both of them were in control and able to talk or do things together. For Addie however, it must have been a very strange situation to be in.

What's Left of Me is a gripping and thought provoking insight into one girl's struggle to stay alive in a society that controls even your soul.

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: POLTERGEEKS

Author: Sean Cummings
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Strange Chemistry
UK Release date: October 2012
Genre: MG & YA
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

15-year-old Julie Richardson is about to learn that being the daughter of a witch isn't all it's cracked up to be. When she and her best friend, Marcus, witness an elderly lady jettisoned out the front door of her home, it's pretty obvious to Julie there's a supernatural connection.

In fact, there's a whisper of menace behind increasing levels of poltergeist activity all over town. After a large-scale paranormal assault on Julie's high school, her mother falls victim to the spell Endless Night. Now it's a race against time to find out who is responsible or Julie won't just lose her mother's soul, she'll lose her mother's life.

Sean Cummings writing style was the first thing that grabbed me when I started reading. It flows naturally, and perfectly encompasses Julie's character including her sassiness, wit and outspoken teen voice. It reads so naturally like a teenager that I instantly got a sense of what Julie's personality was like and I loved her.

Although I guessed pretty much from the outset what was coming at the end, I'm not sure if this was down to my extra good guessing abilities or easy to read plot/characters. Despite this there were still a few twists and surprises that threw me so that I still enjoyed the ending, and the plot overall was energetic and action packed. The premise behind the story has so much potential and I can see Julie getting into a whole host of adventures, or misadventures, in future books and I think it would work so well as a TV series.

The magical elements bring the story to life, with the grimoire passed down to Julie, her mother's collection of unusual smelling concoctions, the shadowcull legacy and don't forget a bit of grave digging.

After Julie, I liked Marcus the best. Because he provides the 'reasonable' and scientific perspective. He tries to fit magic into science and his understanding of the physical world, remains a little sceptical, but also makes steps to believing some of the crazy things that are happening around him.

Although it hadn't really crossed my mind at the time, Non at Catnip, pointed out how well the content and style for Poltergeeks would be appropriate for a younger Middle Grade age range. I think younger audiences would really relate to Julie, the confusing situation she is in with Marcus and their changing relationship. Although she's not popular in school, she is quirky, quick-witted and completely herself. For young girls I think she shines as a role model.

Poltergeeks is a sassy, funny, and thrilling YA debut.

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: vN

Author: Madeline Ashby
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Angry Robot
UK Release date: August 2012
Genre: Science fiction
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

Amy is a vN, a von Neumann humanoid robot able to self replicate. With a human father and humanoid mother, Amy has grown up in a mixed organic/synthetic family, kept safe at home and school from other children in case their fighting might cause her failsafe to kick in and her memory to shutdown. But when Amy's mother is attacked by her grandmother, her instinct is to protect her mother - and she eats her grandmother. Now with a faulty failsafe and her grandmother piggy backing inside her, Amy is being hunted down and must find a way to escape.

I will warn you now, vN isn't a light read. Unless of course you eat technical science for breakfast. I really had to concentrate on the story, and this was for two reasons. Firstly the science fiction elements were fairly complex and technical, to my brain anyway, and I had to focus to understand the language used to describe Amy's physical makeup and artificial intelligence. Secondly vN was constantly presenting thought provoking situations, whether it was about what makes someone human, where do morals and ethics end and robotics begin, or how much can humanoid robots be aware, conscious or considered human.

I felt frustrated that humanoids like Amy weren't given any of the rights that humans were, because they had been programmed to act certain ways. There was a massive manhunt for Amy after she attacked and ate her grandmother, despite the fact that it was to protect another humanoid. vNs could be used for pedophilia, rape, or torture and they would endure it with a smile because their programming told them to enjoy human's company and never to hurt them in return. Can you argue that it's ok to do these things just because they aren't fully human and are built of silicon? For me it felt very creepy to see young vN children being kept by grown men for indecent sexual acts. It was situations like these that kept challenging my moral and ethical values.

Amy was such a gentle and likeable character. Despite being an artificially intelligent humanoid, she felt so real and human. Her compassion and caring for Javier's baby was unexpected but intriguing. I loved the fact that she was able to take on key features of others she ate and changed as a character throughout the book. Granny was scary, violent, motivated, singleminded and squatting inside Amy's consciousness like an artificial toad. Her thoughts interrupted Amy's own thoughts and at times she would completely take over Amy and wreak havoc. The huge difference between Amy and Granny was fascinating, and  I loved seeing Granny take charge and go on a violent spree.

Javier really surprised me. The fact that he was built to breed and reiterate and then would just leave his children to grow up on their own, made me initially think he would be unreliable and selfish. But he kept surprising me throughout the story, coming back to help Amy and changing his own behaviour because of her.

vN digs deep into the human and AI psyche, and is a thoroughly thought provoking read.

Rating: 4*

Don't forgot to drop by tomorrow to read my interview with Madeline Ashby!!

ON MY WISHLIST (7)

On My Wishlist is a fun event now hosted at Cosy Books. It's where you can list all the books you desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming.

My choices for this are both 2012 debut authors and due out in August 2012. What do you think? Would they go on your wishlist?

Innocent Darkness (The Aether Chronicles #1) by Suzanne Lazear 

To be published 8th August 2012 by Flux

Wish. Love. Desire. Live.

Sixteen-year-old Noli Braddock's hoyden ways land her in an abusive reform school far from home. On mid-summer's eve she wishes to be anyplace but that dreadful school. A mysterious man from the Realm of Faerie rescues her and brings her to the Otherworld, only to reveal that she must be sacrificed, otherwise, the entire Otherworld civilization will perish.

*****

The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy by Nikki Loftin

To be published 21st August 2012 by Razorbill

When Lorelei's old school mysteriously burns down, a new one appears practically overnight: Splendid Academy. Rock-climbing walls on the playground and golden bowls of candy on every desk? Gourmet meals in the cafeteria, served by waiters? Optional homework and two recess periods a day? It's every kids's dream.

But Lorelei and her new friend Andrew are pretty sure it's too good to be true. Together they uncover a sinister mystery, one with their teacher, the beautiful Ms. Morrigan, at the very center.

Then Andrew disappears. Lorelei has to save him, even if that means facing a past she'd like to forget – and taking on a teacher who's a real witch.

What Lorelei and Andrew discover chills their bones – and might even pick them clean!

REVIEW: STARTERS

Author: Lissa Price
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Random House
Release date: March 2012
Genre: Dystopian
Read via NetGalley

In a future when only the young and the old survived the spore war, enders will do anything to maintain their youth. Even if it means renting out a 'starter's' body. Living hand to mouth and looking after her brother has been tough on Callie. So the idea of a huge payout from Prime Destinations to rent her body seems too good to be true. But when her mind returns to her body early, she uncovers a dangerous plot that will leave her regretting her decision and cut off from everyone she knows.

Price's idea that young people or 'starters' can rent out their body to old people looking to regain their lost youth is fascinating and really different. Whilst a starters' consciousness sleeps soundly, their body is inhabited by the mind of an ender, giving them impressive and youthful looks, agility and talents. When our society becomes bored with cosmetic surgery and body modification, what will we develop to relive our youth? I certainly hope it isn't Prime Destinations' body transfers.

Despite every instinct screaming no, Callie puts herself forward for Prime Destinations' secretive and highly paid body transfer experiment. Having to look after her ill younger brother, constantly running from the marshals, and having to survive on crusts and scraps of food, Callie feels like she has no other choice in order to look after her brother and protect his childhood and health. She's had to take on a parental role, for which I really admired her. With both her parents gone, she has a tough job surviving and keeping her brother safe. I would have liked to have seen more between Callie and Michael, as there was so much potential and hidden feelings.

Starters is definitely very plot driven. The story twists and turns and Callie is pretty much always on the run or in trouble. The only downside is that the characters suffered a little, with key details and development lacking. However I thought the ending to the story was really strong. You're left wondering who the Old Man is, and I really wanted to figure out the odd little clues and learn who was behind the mask. His character was truly mysterious, malevolent and intriguing.

Despite all the positives and the fact that I did enjoy this book, there was something missing for me. Although I can't pinpoint exactly why or what, it just didn't hit my reading sweet spot and sadly it won't make my list of top books released this year. Having said this, if you like dystopian with a hint of sci-fi, then give this a read.

Rating: 4*

APRIL 2012 RELEASES: SCIFI, FANTASY & YA

Here is a snippet of some of the hot new books coming out in April, in the US or UK....Anything here on your wishlist?

Immortal City by Scott Speer (Razorbill) 

The Calling by Kelly Armstrong (HarperCollins)

Black Heart (Curse Workers #3) by Holly Black (Orion/Gollancz)
The Shape of Desire by Sharon Sinn (Ace)

Kiss the Morning Star by Elissa Janine Hoole (Marshall Cavendish)  

Summoning by Carol Wolf (Night Shade Books)

The Return Man by V.M. Zito (Orbit)

Losers in Space by John Barnes (Penguin/Viking)
Radiant Days by Elizabeth Hand (Penguin/Viking)
Starters by Lissa Price (Doubleday Children's)
Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw (Walker Childrens YA)
When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle (Simon & Schuster Children's Books)

Angels of Vengeance by John Birmingham (Random House) 

Deadfall Hotel by Steve Rasnic Tem (Solaris)

Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris (Balzer + Bray) 

The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coats (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

 

 

 

 

TOP 5 AWAITED FANTASY BOOKS OF 2012

I really love reading fantasy books, and this year I really haven't read enough. So I've been doing a little research on what's coming out next year that sounds like a fab read. Here are my top 5 choices...

Winterling by Sarah Prineas

TBP January 2012

With her boundless curiosity and wild spirit, Fer has always felt that she doesn’t belong. Not when the forest is calling to her, when the rush of wind through branches feels more real than school or the quiet farms near her house. Then she saves an injured creature—he looks like a boy, but he’s really something else. He knows who Fer truly is, and invites her through the Way, a passage to a strange, dangerous land. 

Fer feels an instant attachment to this realm, where magic is real and oaths forge bonds stronger than iron. But a powerful huntress named the Mor rules here, and Fer can sense that the land is perilously out of balance. Fer must unlock the secrets about the parents she never knew and claim her true place before the worlds on both sides of the Way descend into endless winter. 

Sarah Prineas captivates in this fantasy-adventure about a girl who must find within herself the power to set right a terrible evil.

*********

House of Shadows by Rachel Neumeier 

TBP July 2012

After their father’s death, two sisters must find their own fortunes. Karah’s seems secure as she has a place waiting for her in a glamorous Flower House. But Nemienne sees the world differently, as if on a slant, and no one will take her in until she meets the mage who will change everything in her life.

An apprenticeship means a home and survival, but can Nemienne trust the mage? Life in the Flower Houses turns out to be rife with unsuspected intrigue and subtle games of power. Now Karah and Nemienne find themselves at the center of a plot that threatens not only to upset the fragile futures they have found for themselves, but also to destroy their kingdom.

The arrival of a mysterious bard uncovers dangerous secrets that not even the mages suspect… sleeping dragons will wake some day.

*********

The Iron Wyrm Affair by Lilith Saintcrow 

TBP August 2012

Emma Bannon, Prime sorceress in the service of the Empire, has a mission: to protect Archibald Clare, a failed, unregistered mentath. His skills of deduction are legendary, and her own sorcery is not inconsiderable. It doesn’t much help that they dislike each other, or that Bannon’s Shield, Mikal, might just be a traitor himself. Or that the conspiracy killing registered mentaths and sorcerers alike will just as likely kill them as seduce them into treachery toward their Queen. In an alternate London where illogical magic has turned the Industrial Revolution on its head, Bannon and Clare now face hostility, treason, cannon fire, black sorcery, and the problem of reliably finding hansom cabs. 

The game is afoot…

*********

Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey

TBP January 2012

Wilde Island is in an uproar after the recent death of its king. The uneasy pact between dragons, fairies, and humans is fraying, and a bloodthirsty witch hunter with a hidden agenda whips villages into frenzies with wild accusations. Tess, a blacksmith’s daughter from a tiny hamlet near the mysterious Dragonswood, finds herself caught in the crosshairs of fate when she is accused of witchery and has to flee for her life along with her two best friends.

Not even Tess’s power to see the future can help the girls as they set off on their desperate journey, but she keeps having visions of a man wielding a sword. And when she finally meets him, Tess has no idea how to handle the magnetic attraction she feels for him, or the elusive call she hears from the heart of the Dragonswood.

In this epic romance, an ancient prophecy comes true in a way neither dragon, fairy, nor human would have predicted.

*********

Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers

TBP April 2012

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others. 

Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

TOP 5 AWAITED YA BOOKS OF 2012

I can't really believe it but 2011 has been my first full year blogging, reviewing and keeping up with new releases (or at least trying to!).

As 2012 promises so many exciting new books, I decided that one post wouldn't do them all justice. So over the next five weeks, I'll be highlighting the top 5 books I'm awaiting in 2012 for the following categories: YA, Fantasy, and Children's books.

This week's category is YA, and below are the top 5 I'm looking forward to reading. (Forgive me but I've lumped dystopian and contemporary into this category!)

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Divergent #2

TBP May 2012

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love. 

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so. 

*********

Torn by Cat Clarke

TBP January 2012

Four girls. One dead body. A whole lot of guilt. 

Alice King isn’t expecting the holiday of a lifetime when she sets off with her classmates on a trip to the Scottish wilderness, but she’s not exactly prepared for an experience beyond her darkest nightmares… 

Alice and her best friend Cass are stuck in a cabin with Polly, the social outcast, and Rae, the moody emo-girl. Then there’s Tara – queen of mean. Powerful, beautiful and cruel, she likes nothing better than putting people down. 

Cass decides it’s time to teach Tara a lesson she’ll never forget. And so begins a series of events that will change the lives of these girls forever... 

A compelling story of guilty secrets, troubled friendship and burgeoning love.

*********

Thumped by Megan Mccafferty

Bumped #2

TBP April 2012

It’s been thirty-five weeks since twin sisters Harmony and Melody went their separate ways. And now their story has become irresistible: twins separated at birth, each due to deliver twins…on the same day! 

Married to Ram and living in Goodside, Harmony spends her time trying to fit back into the community she once believed in. But she can’t forget about Jondoe, the guy she fell for under the strangest of circumstances. 

To her adoring fans, Melody has achieved everything: a major contract and a coupling with the hottest bump prospect around. But this image is costing her the one guy she really wants. 

The girls’ every move is analyzed by millions of fans eagerly counting down to “Double Double Due Date.” They’re two of the most powerful teen girls on the planet, and they could do only one thing to make them even more famous: 

Tell the truth.

*********

Wood Queen by Karen Mahoney

Iron Witch #2

TBP February 2012

Donna Underwood is in deep trouble. An ancient alchemical order is holding her accountable for destroying the last precious drops of the elixar of life.

Never mind the fact that Donna was acting to free her friend, Navin, from the dangerous clutches of the Wood Queen at the time. But what the alchemists have in store is nothing compared to the wrath of the fey.

The Wood Queen has been tricked and Donna must pay. Get ready for all hell - quite literally - to break loose...

*********

Fated by Alyson Noel

The Soul Seekers #1

TBP May 2012

So here's the deal . . . 

Strange things have been happening to Daire Santos. Animals follow her, crows mock her, glowing people appear from nowhere. Worried that Daire's having a breakdown, her mother sends her to stay with the grandmother she's never met, who lives on the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico. There Daire crosses paths with Dace, a gorgeous guy with unearthly blue eyes. 

Her grandmother recognizes Daire's episodes for what they are - a call to her true destiny as a Soul Seeker, a person who can navigate between the living and the dead. Guided by her grandmother, Daire must be quick to learn how to harness her powers because Dace's brother is an evil shape-shifter, out to steal them. 

Daire must embrace her fate as a Soul Seeker and discover if Dace is the guy she's meant to be with . . . or if he's allied with the enemy she's destined to destroy.