After the Ink Dries - Am Reading

After the Ink Dries

by Cassie Gustafson

What they say: What does it mean when you thought you knew someone? What does it mean when that person is your new boyfriend? This page-turning suspense story asks what it takes to face hard truths about yourself and others, and how to find strength when you need it most.

Sixteen-year-old Erica Walker is a webcomic artist who wants to fit in at her affluent new high school. Seventeen-year-old Thomas VanBrackel is an aspiring songwriter and reluctant lacrosse goalie who wants out from under his father’s thumb. After their electric first kiss at Saturday’s lacrosse match, Erica and Thomas are both elated to see where their new relationship could take them.

The next morning, however, following a drunken house party, Erica wakes up half-clothed, and discovers words and names drawn in Sharpie in intimate places on her body—names belonging to Thomas’s lacrosse friends, including the boyfriend of Erica’s best friend. Devastated, Erica convinces herself Thomas wasn’t involved in this horrific so-called “prank”…until she discovers Thomas’s name on her skin, too.

Told in alternating viewpoints, Erica seeks to uncover what happened while battling to keep evidence of her humiliation from leaking out, as Thomas grapples with his actions and who he thought he was. Woven throughout, illustrated graphic novel interstitials depict Erica’s alter ego superhero, Erica Strange, whose courage just might help Erica come through to the other side.

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Whatcha Reading Wednesday - On the Move: Poems about Migration

On the Move: Poems about Migration

by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Quentin Blake

What they say: Former Children's Laureates Michael Rosen and Sir Quentin Blake join forces for a personal and uniquely affecting collection of poems about migration.

"What you leave behind

Won't leave your mind.

But home is where you find it.

Home is where you find it."

Michael Rosen and Sir Quentin Blake join forces for a landmark new collection, focusing on migration and displacement. Michael's poems are divided into four: in the first series, he draws on his childhood as part of a first-generation Polish family living in London; in the second, on his perception of the War as a young boy; in the third, on his "missing" relatives and the Holocaust; and in the fourth, and final, on global experiences of migration. By turns charming, shocking and heart-breaking, this is an anthology with a story to tell and a powerful point to make: "You can only do something now."

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Dead Pretty - Release and Review

Dead Pretty

by Samantha Towle

What they say: I'd once believed that nothing would equal the pain of losing my parents. 

I was wrong.

I had barely even begun to process their deaths when it started.

The love notes, flowers, gifts … all anonymously left on my porch.

Then, I opened my door to a dead bird.

At first, I thought it had died naturally.

I knew that wasn’t the case when I found my neighbor’s cat the next day.

Then, the murders started. 

The victims … women who looked eerily similar to me.

I had a stalker. A murderous one.

And I had no clue who he was. 

He never showed me his face. 

Not even when he carved his final message into me.

I survived that night. But my life was over. It had ended the moment Tobias Ripley’s infatuation with me began.

So, I changed my name and moved away.

Now, I live a life of solitude. I don’t make connections with anyone. 

Until Jack Canti walks into my life with his sharp eyes and easy smiles.

Only Jack isn’t the man he says he is. 

And when the murders start again, I’m left wondering if it’s a copycat. 

Or worse … 

What if Tobias wasn’t the real killer after all … and the murderer has been right here with me all along?

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I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review!

What I say: I'm always mindful of spoilers in my reviews but it is particularly difficult to review Dead Pretty without giving anything away so excuse my vagueness. 

In this thriller we meet Audrey. Audrey struggles with anxiety, having escaped from a horrific past with stalker Tobias. It's working as a librarian where Audrey meets handsome stranger Jack. Jack brings intrigue, romance and passion into her life and a whole load of danger and drama.

I liked Audrey although she's very different from the usual Sam Towle heroine, but different seems to be a big part of the entire book. The title sent my mind down the zombie route for a while...

The romance is hot and very naughty *blushes*. I kept changing my mind about what was going to happen and who was to blame. The story actually reminded me of an episode of one of my favourite TV shows, but I won't name it as it could give away huge spoilers. The ending, holy moly!!!

Dead Pretty is a real change in genre and style for Towle and certainly wasn't what I was expecting but I really enjoyed the change and twists galore! Oh the psychological minefield!

4 Stars in my Sky!

Review - Dark Reflections

Dark Reflections

by Kelsey Ketch

What they say: Being possessed by a vampire sucks!

Alana Jones’s world has been completely turned upside-down after being bitten by a vampire’s reflection in a cursed mirror. Now she’s forced to stay in an abandoned Victorian inn on an isolated island off the west coast of Florida, where Alana lives a double life: one as herself and one as a vicious murderer. Over the past year, she has spilt and drunk the blood of sixteen victims. The guilt of their deaths slowly eating away her sanity.

Sixteen dead . . .

However, things become even more complicated when Alana finds Cole, a surfer she felt a connection with the moment they met on the mainland, locked up in the island’s shed. Knowing his death is inevitable, she attempts to distant herself from him, continually reminding herself of the monster residing underneath her skin. Unfortunately, it’s a small island, and the more she interacts with Cole, the more her feelings grow for him.

Eventually, she has to make a decision. Either accept his fate or find a way to expel the vampire’s spirit from within herself before she murders him as well.

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I received a copy in exchange for an honest review!

What I say: Alana is possessed by a vampire. Yep it was a new one for me too as most possession stories focus on spirits but I liked this take. The vampire, Charissa isn't exactly stable and is desperate to be free and doesn't care who she hurts *ahem* drinks and kills at night. Alana wakes up and is left to deal with the horrors and consequences of Charissa's actions.

Alana is feels a huge amount of guilt for Charissa's actions and struggles with what to do. When she wakes to find Charissa has 'befriend' ahem kidnapped Cole, a guy Alana had met and had an instant connection with, Alana is confused and furious as to why. I enjoyed seeing the connection between Alana and Cole grow, although I have to admit it took me a long time to warm to Alana because although I felt sorry for her situation I wanted her to be more proactive. As the story developed I began to like her more and really wanted her to find a way to break the curse and get rid of Charissa.

I liked the insights into the victims but I did feel that, at times at least, there was a little too much victim backstory because I wanted to see more of the action. Nikola was interesting... I'm trying to avoid spoilers here! 

I'm going to be wary of buying any antique mirrors for a while...

3.5 Stars in my Sky!

Hosted by YA Bound

Review - The Kingdom

The Kingdom

by Jess Rothenberg

What they say: Welcome to the Kingdom… where ‘Happily Ever After’ isn’t just a promise, but a rule.

Glimmering like a jewel behind its gateway, The Kingdom™ is an immersive fantasy theme park where guests soar on virtual dragons, castles loom like giants, and bioengineered species―formerly extinct―roam free.

Ana is one of seven Fantasists, beautiful “princesses” engineered to make dreams come true. When she meets park employee Owen, Ana begins to experience emotions beyond her programming including, for the first time… love.

But the fairytale becomes a nightmare when Ana is accused of murdering Owen, igniting the trial of the century. Through courtroom testimony, interviews, and Ana’s memories of Owen, emerges a tale of love, lies, and cruelty―and what it truly means to be human.

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What I say: The Kingdom is an intentionally Disney-ish fantasy dystopia/futuristic with a sci-fi twist. There's murder, cover ups and a deep look at morality. The story explores the debate surround AI and sentient beings. Can hybrids feel real emotions and develop beyond their programming? If so who is responsible for them and their actions? Do they have rights? The concept is clever because it's so familiar, yet dark!

In the Kingdom the seven Fantasists aka Princesses are hybrids designed to give visitors the best experience by making their dreams come true. Yep, even writing that sounds sinister. We experience events from Ana's POV and look at how she develops from the expected/programmed to something else or more. Ana learns more about human emotions through her experiences and those of her sisters (the other Fantasists) including Nia and Eve.

The narrative itself is interesting. The book includes flashbacks, trial notes, CCTV excerpts, interviews and so on. If you're not a fan of this then it may not be the book for you. I found these elements added to the story. 

A friend asked me whether The Kingdom is just Disney with robots. The setting itself is clearly a distorted Disney-like theme park with artificial creations/intelligence, but it is so much more than that. The issue surrounding the hybrids reminded me of the part in Jurassic Park where Dr Malcolm says "your scientists were so preoccupied with whether they could, they didn't stop to think if they should." Ana and Owen explore this idea, as do the characters on trial. I didn't like the animal mistreatment but understood its inclusion in the story. I'd describe The Kingdom as a YA futuristic mystery thriller inspired by an imagined sinister version of the Disney theme parks...

4 Stars in my Sky!

Review - Havenfall

Havenfall

by Sara Holland

What they say: A safe haven between four realms. The girl sworn to protect it -- at any cost.

Hidden deep in the mountains of Colorado lies the Inn at Havenfall, a sanctuary that connects ancient worlds -- each with their own magic -- together. For generations, the inn has protected all who seek refuge within its walls, and any who disrupt the peace can never return.

For Maddie Morrow, summers at the inn are more than a chance to experience this magic first-hand. Havenfall is an escape from reality, where her mother sits on death row accused of murdering Maddie's brother. It's where Maddie fell in love with handsome Fiorden soldier Brekken. And it's where one day she hopes to inherit the role of Innkeeper from her beloved uncle.

But this summer, the impossible happens--a dead body is found, shattering everything the inn stands for. With Brekken missing, her uncle gravely injured, and a dangerous creature on the loose, Maddie suddenly finds herself responsible for the safety of everyone in Havenfall. She'll do anything to uncover the truth, even if it means working together with an alluring new staffer Taya, who seems to know more than she's letting on. As dark secrets are revealed about the inn itself, one thing becomes clear to Maddie--no one can be trusted, and no one is safe...

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What I say: The main thing I liked about Havenfall was the concept or a meeting point connecting worlds. I've spent many holidays and a couple of ski seasons out in the French mountains and there are several old-world hotels where you can be up a mountain with France one side, Italy on another and Switzerland to the other. There's one particular hotel or resort inn that reminds me of Havenfall, with other countries rather than worlds. There is something about the premise that really connected with me.

The worlds in question are Earth or here Haven, Byrn, Fiordenkill and the closed world Solaria. Havenfall is the inn or meeting point located in a mountain resort in America where the worlds meet and characters from the universes/dimensions/worlds come to trade and negotiate. Solaria has been closed off due to previous events... 

Maddie spends her summers at the inn and hopes to take over from her uncle one day. This summer doesn't go to plan and Maddie finds herself in charge, solving a mystery and trying to stop war from breaking out. There is romance and a hint of a love triangle but not too much, it really isn't the focus which is nice!

I'm not going to say too much about the other characters because I don't want to spoil anything. I will say that I liked meeting all the various delegates and had my doubts about a certain person from Byrn. I would like to see more development in the next instalment. I didn't feel as though we got to know much about Maddie and the characters. We get insights into her past trauma as more and more secrets are revelled but she's still a mystery. Can we have more on a certain soldier next time please?! Also an entire book on the antics of The Heiress? 

A promising start and fun world building!

4 Stars in my Sky!

Whatcha Reading Wednesday - The Cruel Prince

Re-read time baby!!

The Cruel Prince - The Folk of Air #1

by Holly Black

What they say: Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself. 

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Review - Thirteen Reasons Why

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

What they say: You can't stop the future. You can't rewind the past. The only way to learn the secret... is to press play.

Clay Jensen doesn't want anything to do with the tapes Hannah Baker made. Hannah is dead. Her secrets should be buried with her.

Then Hannah's voice tells Clay that his name is on her tapes-- and that he is, in some way, responsible for her death.

All through the night, Clay keeps listening. He follows Hannah's recorded words throughout his small town. . .

. . .and what he discovers changes his life forever.

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Amazon US * Amazon UK

I received a copy from the publisher (via NetGalley) in an exchange for an honest review!

What I say: I have to admit that I first started reading Thirteen Reasons Why a long time ago but only just returned to read it properly after watching the now infamous TV show.

With such a difficult issue as teen suicide a book like Thirteen Reasons Why is always going to divide opinion between those who think talking about such topics glorifies suicide and those who think doing so serves as a good prevention aid. Personally I believe Hannah's story falls somewhere in the middle.

Without turning this review into a big old comparison between the book and TV programme I will say the pacing is increased for the show. We do see the same heartbreak and devastation caused by Hannah's death and we're still guided through what leads her to suicide.

I often found myself wondering how nobody saw the signs and how things escalated to the point where Hannah sees no way of living. I guess this is the devastating truth about depression and mental illness - it's often easy to ignore whats right in front of you. Especially when you're busy and young yourself. 

Whilst I felt bad for Hannah and truly believe mental illness should always be taken seriously, it was Clay I genuinely empathised with. It's particularly difficult when faced with Clay's devastation over Hannah's death and her tapes.

I would have liked to have seen greater consequences for the characters who commit some pretty horrific actions. 

I'm glad I found the time to go back and read the story because it definitely gives more insight into the events and helps bring traumatic issues into the spotlight.

3 Stars in my Sky!

One Broken Day - Blog Tour

One Broken Day
by Melissa MacVicar

Genre: YA Contemporary Fiction
Release Date: May 18th 2017

After a notorious school shooting leaves her a shadow of the girl she once was, seventeen-year-old Lizzie Beringer moves to Nantucket Island. There, Lizzie vows to hide her identity as the shooter’s sister. All her efforts to fly under the radar, however, are complicated by her P.T.S.D. and the attention she receives from two competing boys. While fending off the not-so-subtle advances of popular athlete Michael Wickersham, she must also deal with her growing feelings for her shy lab partner Gage Pike. Gage may act like he’s all wrong for her, but the pull between them is undeniable. 

Under the threat of discovery and the possibility of testifying in a televised trial, Lizzie fights to keep her secrets and start her life over.

One Broken Day is a brilliantly imagined story exploring the ways we are all broken and at the same time, offered redemption in the most unexpected of places.

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Buy on Amazon!

FREE short story on Amazon from July 17th-21st!

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review!

What I say: As you can probably tell from the blurb One Broken Day is a young adult book which focuses on some pretty dark topics as well as what happens to the survivors of  these dark events.

Lainey aka Lizzie and her mother assumed new identities and moved across the country to make a fresh start after her brother broke their hearts and ruined their lives by committing a school shooting.

Lainey is desperate to move on but doesn't know how to get past what happened. She suffers from PTSD as well as survivors guilt. I cannot even begin to imagine how anyone could ever cope with such a horrific ordeal, let alone having witnessed the attack firsthand.

We also get to meet Gage who is dealing with his own share of problems, albeit different from Lainey's... I liked Gage and felt he was a great support for Lainey.

I felt the shooting was handled with care and consideration but never shies away from dealing with the consequences. We even get an insight into the legal complications and what happens to the family of a killer.

I did initially want more information about Thomas and why he carries out the shooting, but when I really thought about things it became clearer that the focus isn't on Thomas. It's about how Lainey copes with the situation and how she looks within herself to see why things happened the way they did. Lainey is plagued by what ifs and struggles with her feelings towards him. 

One Broken Day is dramatic, upsetting and emotionally volatile but I loved the lighter moments and wanted Lainey, Gage and the gang to live normal, happy teenage lives away from violence and mistakes.

4 Stars in my Sky!

Author Spotlight:

Melissa was born and mostly raised on Nantucket Island, and she currently lives there with her husband and two teenage children. When not being a wife and mother and teaching writing to seventh graders, she enjoys binge watching shows like Big Little Lies, House of Cards, and Outlander. Despite the rumors to the contrary, she does not actually wish she was a teenager again, nor does she see ghosts like the main character in her first novel, Ever Near. She does, however, love to hear from readers so send her a message on social media or at her email: melissa.macvicar@gmail.com

Website * Goodreads * Twitter * Facebook * Instagram

Giveaways:

Amazon & Goodreads

Blog Tour Organized by:

YA Bound Book Tours

Sweetpea - Just Read

I've just finished reading something different...
Sweetpea by C.J. Skuse

The last person who called me ‘Sweetpea’ ended up dead…

I haven’t killed anyone for three years and I thought that when it happened again I’d feel bad. Like an alcholic taking a sip of whisky. But no. Nothing. I had a blissful night’s sleep. Didn’t wake up at all. And for once, no bad dream either. This morning I feel balanced. Almost sane, for once.

Rhiannon is your average girl next door, settled with her boyfriend and little dog…but she’s got a killer secret.
Although her childhood was haunted by a famous crime, Rhinannon’s life is normal now that her celebrity has dwindled. By day her job as an editorial assistant is demeaning and unsatisfying. By evening she dutifully listens to her friend’s plans for marriage and babies whilst secretly making a list.

A kill list.
From the man on the Lidl checkout who always mishandles her apples, to the driver who cuts her off on her way to work, to the people who have got it coming, Rhiannon’s ready to get her revenge.


Because the girl everyone overlooks might be able to get away with murder… 

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Watch out for my review coming soon!

Allegedly - Review

Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson

What they say: Mary B. Addison killed a baby.

Allegedly. She didn’t say much in that first interview with detectives, and the media filled in the only blanks that mattered: A white baby had died while under the care of a church-going black woman and her nine-year-old daughter. The public convicted Mary and the jury made it official. But did she do it? She wouldn’t say.

Mary survived six years in baby jail before being dumped in a group home. The house isn’t really “home”—no place where you fear for your life can be considered a home. Home is Ted, who she meets on assignment at a nursing home.

There wasn’t a point to setting the record straight before, but now she’s got Ted—and their unborn child—to think about. When the state threatens to take her baby, Mary must find the voice to fight her past. And her fate lies in the hands of the one person she distrusts the most: her Momma. No one knows the real Momma. But who really knows the real Mary?

In this gritty and haunting debut, Tiffany D. Jackson explores the grey areas in our understanding of justice, family, and truth, and acknowledges the light and darkness alive in all of us.

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Pre-order:

Amazon UK * Amazon US (Allegedly was released in Jan in US) * Harper Collins

I received a copy from Harper 360 in exchange for an honest review!

What I say:  Stereotype: Noun: A widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing.
 A person or thing that conforms to a widely held but oversimplified image of the class or type to which they belong.

Verb: [With object] View or represent as a stereotype.

Allegedly is a story which will stay with me for a long time. It's extremely difficult to read at times but is never meant to be easy. What do you do when everybody believes you incapable of making good choices, yet more than capable of doing something horrific? How would you cope when you have to fight popular opinion and cultural stereotypes? Would you fight for justice, to have your voice heard, or fold against the pressure? Would you challenge racist stereotypes and fight for more diversity in the world? Allegedly looks at it all.

Although the plot is difficult and uncomfortable I found myself pulled into the story and the controversial subject. I wanted to know the real Mary. 

The plot has a festering truth to it. Enriched by the back story, reports and research, I never quite knew what to think or feel. Mary's choices are difficult and the story really points out some pretty unsettling truths about the world we live in. I'm going to add a trigger warning due to the more adult content and scenes of abuse.

  

I'm not sure what I expected from Allegedly but I wasn't prepared for the grit and drama to be as hard hitting as it was for a YA story. I appreciated the message of the story, even if the ending had me wanting to hide the book in the naughty corner.

Tiffany D. Jackson really knows how to test her characters and readers - I felt emotionally raw after finishing Allegedly but am very glad to have read it.

4 Stars in my Sky!

Author Links:

Goodreads * Website * Twitter