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Book Review: “The Antidote” by Shelley Sackier




The Antidote

Author: Shelley Sackier

Published by: HarperTEEN on February 5th, 2019

Rating: ★★★★

Genre: Young Adult // Fantasy

Similar Books I’ve Read: These Rebel Waves

Disclosure: I received this book from the Publisher/Author in exchange for an impartial review. This is an unpaid/unsponsored post.

Magic is not allowed, under any circumstances — even if it could save someone’s life. Instead, there are herbal remedies and traditional techniques that have been painstakingly recorded in lieu of using the mystical arts. Fee knows this, so she keeps her magic a secret.
Except her best friend, Xavi, is deathly ill. He’s also the crown prince. Saving him is important, not only for her, but for the entire kingdom.
Fee’s desperation to save her friend means she can barely contain the magic inside her. And after the tiniest of slips, Fee is thrust into a dark and secretive world that is as alluring as it is dangerous.
If she gives in, it could mean she can save Xavi. But it also means that those who wish to snuff out magic might just snuff her out in the process.

First Thoughts  

I’ve only read a few books this year, but I already know that I’m currently obsessed with YA Romances. I don’t even know why I am, or what book did it, but I just haven’t wanted to stray towards Fantasy reads at all lately. But when I got The Antidote, it just kept coming back up in my TBR and after the lovely Publishers sent me the gorgeous ARC, I just couldn’t resist seeing if this would win over my heart’s genre dilemma (didn’t mean for that to rhyme).

My Review 

You know you’re in for one heck of a story when there’s magic, and that magic can’t be used. So, in this case, it’s totally forbidden in The Antidote. Instead of magic and all it entails, they use herbal remedies (I guess our version of behind the counter remedies and prescription things) and special ways they incorporate into their lives instead of using magic. Fee (or Ophelia, as she was born), our main character, is loyal to the system and keeps her own magic buried within since a contagion forced half the kingdom away and separated her from her betrothed love and left her, and the future king, Prince Xavi, who were infected, behind. 

Fee’s best friend Xavi is on his death bed, struggling for life because of the way they were infected,  and knowing this, Fee’s own magic is playing games within her. Xavi is the prince and due to be the future king, so the stakes are a thousand times greater that he lives. Keeping him alive is all that Fee wants, and because of this, her magic ventures out during a momentary slip. Everything she knew about magic – and the secret world it has masked – is thunderous, throwing her life into a dangerous darkness. But to fully give in to everything magic holds would be worse than anything she could think of. She could save Xavi, but at the risk of her own life by those who forbid magic, deciding whether it’s truly worth the sacrifice, Fee stands on uneven ground that’s quaking under her footsteps.

Overall, watching Fee – and this entire world, characters and plot – grow over the course of the chapters, I was enthralled by this twisted fairytale of bonds, true love, magic, a dash of sassiness and high stakes. It did take me a while to get used to Fee’s character, because she is so determined in her ways and stubborn, but in the end, it kind of just made me love her even more. Whilst there were some slow moments, it was still a super amazing read. I still have my soft spot for YA Romances, but The Antidote is definitely up there with incredible YA 2019. Four stars!


Have you read The Antidote?


You can buy it:

Amazon | Book Depository


I definitely recommend you add to your Goodreads and browse it at your local Library!


happy reading!

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Book Review & Tour: “Yellow Brick War” by Danielle Paige


Title: Yellow Brick War

Author: Danielle Paige

Published: March 15th, 2016

Publisher: HarperCollins

Find the Author: Goodreads


I received this book for review! As always, my reviews are fair and unbiased.

In this dark, action-packed third book in the New York Times bestselling Dorothy Must Die series, Amy Gumm—the new girl from Kansas—must do everything in her power to save Kansas, kill Dorothy, and make Oz a free land once more.

Amy Gumm’s mission to take down Dorothy Gale is not going according to plan. Dorothy has found a way to bridge the worlds of Oz and Kansas, and if the power-hungry dictator of Oz has her way, Kansas will be destroyed forever. Now, Amy has to team up with the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked to save her home, restore the balance between the magic and nonmagic worlds, maybe get the guy—and kill that not-so-sweet Kansas farm girl once and for all.

In the third installment of the New York Times bestselling Dorothy Must Die series, Danielle Paige’s twisted versions of beloved Oz characters are back, including the biggest, baddest, most famous of all: the Wicked Witch of the West.

Welcome to the other side of the rainbow. Here there’s danger around every corner, and magic shoes won’t be able to save you.

I’ve been such a big fan of this series ever since I laid eyes on Dorothy Must Die. Something about the unique spin on Oz and Dorothy being the villain just rang all the right bookish bells for me.  
This series is a rollercoaster of ups and downs that include a huge variety of villains, witches and good girls gone bad, but Amy Gumm isn’t one of them. She’s the other girl from Kansas who was sent to kill Dorothy. See, Dorothy found a way back from Kansas to Oz and the power went to her head. Good is bad, bad is good and you never know who you can trust. Now, Amy is back and ready for more action, but the plan to kill Dorothy isn’t running as smooth as it should be. If Dorothy has her way, Kansas will be obliterated forever and Amy can’t let that happen. She needs to end Dorothy, even if that means teaming up with the biggest and baddest, fighting with magic and along the way maybe even find a little happiness. 
All they’ve got to do is follow the yellow brick road, right? Wrong – this Yellow Brick Road isn’t like the one you remember. It’s crumbling. Now Amy has to team up with the revolution and stop Dorothy once and for all.
Danielle never fails to disappoint with this series. It’s been a favourite since I can remember and the storyline never fails to be entertaining with action, excitement and a unique spin on Oz. Amy’s character building was perfect in the third instalment and I can’t wait to see her evolve further into the last instalment when it comes out. Danielle paints a picture of Oz so effortlessly and it’s never predictable- she leads us in a lot of different directions as to where the story can go and that way, I’m always turning the pages faster. Overall, Yellow Brick War is another brilliantly written, epic adventure in a distorted version of Oz. I’m always in awe book after book in this series with the edge-of-your-seat storyline and new revelations. If you haven’t picked up the series yet, this is your calling! You don’t want to miss this amazing series. I can just picture it becoming movies – it’s on my list of favourites that would be perfect for the big screen. Can’t you just picture Amy kicking butt on screen with Dorothy as the enemy?

YA Fans of Dystopia, Fantasy and Epic Adventure.

Have you read the Dorothy Must Die series?


What did you think?


Let me know in the comments, on twitter @LittleMemoirs or #YellowBrickWar and let the world know your thoughts this tour week! 


happy reading!

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Book Review: “Dead Until Dark” by Charlaine Harris (Halloween Week of Horrors)

Title: Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse #1)

Author: Charlaine Harris
Genre: Adult – Supernatural/Paranormal
Release Date: September 3rd, 2008
Published by: Ace Books


★ I bought this book myself and it was not gifted in any way. As always, my reviews are fair and non-bias. ★ 

Sookie Stackhouse is a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. 
She’s quiet, keeps to herself, and doesn’t get out much. Not because she’s not pretty. She is. It’s just that, well, Sookie has this sort of “disability.” She can read minds. And that doesn’t make her too dateable. And then along comes Bill. He’s tall, dark, handsome – and Sookie can’t ‘hear’ a word he’s thinking. He’s exactly the kind of guy she’s been waiting for all her life.
But Bill has a disability of his own: 
He’s a vampire. Worse than that, hangs with a seriously creepy crowd, with a reputation for trouble – of the murderous kind.
And when one of Sookie’s colleagues is killed, she begins to fear she’ll be next …

I started out reading Fantasy books before anything else, so naturally Vampires were going to appear in my reading habits at some point. Vampire books have come and gone (with some favourites in there) but True Blood has to be one of the most well-known and highly rated of them. So, for my Halloween Week of Horrors, I decided Vampires was on the list! And I delved into Sookie’s story and everything Bon Temps.

Sookie Stackhouse is your normal, small town girl with a regular job as a cocktail waitress. Except, well…she isn’t quite normal and this isn’t just any old small town. She lives in Bon Temps, where some Vampire behaviour is about to come rolling in. And she’s not that normal either – Sookie can read minds – and the craziness doesn’t end there.

Sookie had been waiting for a Vampire to come into the bar she worked for a long time, and one night, Bill does. He’s everything Sookie thought a Vampire would be; pale, beautiful and ordering the synthetic blood that had been manufactured since the years of the Vampires coming out of the coffin, as she put it. So when Bill gets himself into a little trouble, Sookie is quick to come to his defence when she has the upper hand of her mind-reading abilities. So Bill isn’t too hasty to want to repay the favor. 

Soon enough, Sookie and Bill are hanging out like normal friends do. He’s helping her Grandmother and she’s liking not having to hear his thoughts. It’s undeniable that they like each other, but when murders start happening in Bon Temps, there isn’t a finger that isn’t pointing to the new Vampire in town. So being the wise and charismatic character she is, Sookie decided to solve the case herself. But she was going to need Bill’s help, seen as their friend status was moving forward to dating. And when Sookie’s friends and family start getting roped in to the murders in town, she can’t just stay silent anymore. She had to find out who or what was killing the people she knew. 

Dead Until Dark was one of those books you can’t put down, not even if you wanted to. With Sookie’s charm and the book’s lively, gothic and enchanting small-town descriptions, I was reeled in to the dark and mysterious world that Charlaine created. I loved the way the Vampires weren’t your run-of-the-mill type and that Sookie was actually a one-of-a-kind character. Her point of view was interesting and smart, so much so that she was even funny in the way she thought about Vampires and made jokes. So it wasn’t all dark, there were some romantic, funny, heart-pounding moments thrown in. And I loved every second. 

Sophisticated, compelling and electrifying, Dead Until Dark is one Halloween read you don’t want to miss. 5 stars all the way. 

I think my favourite part would have to be the the final few chapters of mayhem and madness, where the story is unfolding piece by piece. 

Fans of Vampires, Fantasy and Paranormal things!

Have you read Dead Until Dark?

What did you think?


Tell me in the comments, on twitter or by using the hashtag #DeadUntilDark


happy reading! 

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Book Review: “Lips Touch” by Laini Taylor

Title: Lips Touch (Lips Touch: Three Times)

Author: Laini Taylor
Genre: Young Adult – Supernatural/Paranormal
Release Date: October 24th, 2014
Published by: Hodder & Stoughton


★ I received this from Hodder & Stoughton in exchange for an honest review. As always, my reviews are fair and non-bias. ★ 



Three tales of supernatural love, each pivoting on a kiss that is no mere kiss, but an action with profound consequences for the kissers’ souls:

Goblin Fruit
In Victorian times, goblin men had only to offer young girls sumptuous fruits to tempt them to sell their souls. But what does it take to tempt today’s savvy girls?

Spicy Little Curses
A demon and the ambassador to Hell tussle over the soul of a beautiful English girl in India. Matters become complicated when she falls in love and decides to test her curse.

Hatchling
Six days before Esme’s fourteenth birthday, her left eye turns from brown to blue. She little suspects what the change heralds, but her small safe life begins to unravel at once. What does the beautiful, fanged man want with her, and how is her fate connected to a mysterious race of demons?
 

Laini Taylor is quite popular in YA literature right now, with her Daughter of Smoke and Bone series rising in popularity in the genre at the moment – so with the arrival of Lips Touch in my mailbox, I was super excited to get to read the powerful storytelling of Laini’s.
 
The book opens with the addictive Goblin Fruit, a story about a girl named Kizzy. Her family is quite unordinary and she is as well. But the most attention-grabbing sentences are the opener, ones that tell of the kind of girls Goblin’s like, how they used to rope them in with tempting fruits in past times. But in the modern times, there is a sharp turn on the story and Kizzy is almost blindsided with what extents the Goblins would go to tempt her. Of all the stories in Lips Touch, Kizzy’s is my favourite. The way each scene is crafted so bewitchingly just stole all my attention.
Then, in Spicy Little Curses, we meet the ambassador to hell and a demon, and their tale of a curse cast upon a young English girl in India. Her voice is cursed, and knowing that her voice spoken aloud would be disastrous for many, she keeps her lips sealed. But then she falls in love, and it changes everything she knew and cared for. Suddenly, she’s thinking about talking, about singing…she’s thinking maybe the curse isn’t true. Spicy Little Curses is gracefully written and the most creative of the stories.
And finally, in Hatchling, just before Esme’s fourteenth birthday, one of her brown eyes turns to blue. But it’s far more perplex than she could ever have thought. Everything she knows is on the line when her past suddenly comes into light, the howling creeping up on her, enchantingly setting the scene for her destiny to be revealed. Hatchling was charming and ingenious, the most page-turning of the three. I was turning pages fast, dying to find out the end, forgetting the real world.
Overall, Lips Touch was what storytelling is all about. Laini Taylor has captured every dark, lips touching, fate and destiny awaking, fairy tale and sealed it up in a magical, visionary novel. The illustrations that map out the story before we read are beautiful and elegantly drawn that they held my attention like the very words on a page. It was imaginative, passionate and by far one of the best books I’ve read this year. 5 stars completely.
 
 
Goblin Fruit! Everything Goblin Fruit.

YA Fans everywhere.

 

 

Have you read Lips Touch?

What did you think?


Tell me in the comments, on twitter or by using the hashtag #LipsTouch

 

happy reading! 

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Book Review: “Feathers And Flames” by Simona Pellegrini

Title: Feathers And Flames

Author: Simona Pellegrini
Genre: Young Adult – Fantasy/Paranormal
Release Date: August 5th, 2014
Published by: D’Angio Publishing

I received this from Simona Pellegrini in exchange for an honest review. As always, my reviews are fair and non-bias. 

Seventeen-year-old Arianna is a kind of genius, with an insatiable appetite for science and a rational explanation for everything. 


How, then, could a ‘brainiac’ like her accept that she is in fact the Angel of Light, and is being hunted down by one of the Seven Princes of Darkness? 
Angels and fallen angels form an unlikely alliance to protect her and train her for the battle ahead; but no matter how hard they try, none can get past her rational barriers and make her fully commit. 
None of them except Keaghan Blake, the blue-eyed demon charged with her protection. Keaghan seems to be the only one with the power to tear down the fortress around Arianna’s heart and persuade her to take her rightful place in the fight against evil. But Keaghan isn’t just ‘any’ demon, and Arianna learns that getting close to him would have catastrophic consequences for her, and would jeopardise the entire mission. Then why can’t she stay away from him? The ‘brainiac’ knows what she ought to do. But will Arianna listen to her head, or will she fall into temptation?

Angels and especially Fallen Angels, are my Paranormal and Fantasy go-to read, whatever the story. So I was beyond thrilled to get the chance to read Feathers and Flames – from the enthralling synopsis to the gorgeous and dazzling cover – I was hooked.

Arianna is a smart, immediately engaging narrator, so much so that it’s hard not to be pulled into her story from the very first page. At first, we see Arianna out of her comfort zone at it ultimately makes her so relateable to real life people, seeing a character in another country or out of their comfortable territory. But when she’s back at school with her (incredible) friends; Megan, Kayla and Julian, Arianna is the self-confessed brainiac they know her to be. But there’s been something on her mind – the gorgeous stranger who she can’t seem to stop bumping into everywhere she goes – who has now turned up at her school too. His name is Keaghan Blake, blue-eyed and catching Arianna’s attention whenever he’s in the room. 
But suddenly, the strange things that have been happening to Arianna come to a halt when she’s thrown head first into a battle she never thought in her wildest dreams could have existed – especially when she is the key to everything. Now, everything is clearer in a way, but perplexing in another. She’s torn between who she was destined to become and having the will and strength to fight the evil that is coming her – and her friends – way. Especially when she isn’t sure where her feelings for Keaghan fit into everything, and if he feels the same way about her that she did for him.
Feathers and Flames is without a doubt, an alluring, enchanting and fascinating novel. Simona created a world where Angels, Demons and Fallen Angels exist, where friends are our saviours and love is like a chaos filled battlefield. I completely adored Arianna and Keaghan and it’s so rare to care for the other characters in the books like Arianna’s friends as much as I did, too. There wasn’t a moment when I could tear myself away from the pages once I was reeled in to their mystifying and compelling world. 
Overall, Feathers and Flames is an angelic and irresistible novel that has to be one of the best I’ve read all year. If you haven’t read it or added it to your to-read, you’re missing out on something magical. 

 All Arianna and Keaghan scenes! And I loved Bruna – she was an amazing character.

 Young Adult Fantasy and Paranormal readers! You need to read this.

Have you read Feathers and Flames?


What did you think?


Tell me in the comments, on twitter or by using the hashtag #FeathersAndFlames


happy reading!

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Blog Tour: “Made For You” by Melissa Marr {US+Canada Giveaway!}

Title: Made For You

Author: Melissa Marr
Genre: Young Adult – Fantasy/Gothic
Release Date: September 16th, 2014 (UK)
Published by: Harper Collins

AMAZON | B&N | KOBO | iTUNES                                                                        
I received this from Harper Collins (for a blog tour) in exchange for an honest review. As always, my reviews are fair and non-bias. 

Bestselling author of the Wicked Lovely books Melissa Marr’s first contemporary YA novel is a twisted southern gothic tale of obsession, romance, and murder. A killer is obsessed with Eva Tilling. Can she stop him, or will he claim her?

 When Eva Tilling wakes up in the hospital, she’s confused—who in her sleepy little North Carolina town could have hit her with their car? And why? But before she can consider the question, she finds that she’s awoken with a strange new skill: the ability to foresee people’s deaths when they touch her. While she is recovering from the hit-and-run, Nate, an old flame, reappears, and the two must traverse their rocky past as they figure out how to use Eva’s power to keep her friends—and themselves—alive. But while Eva and Nate grow closer, the killer grows increasingly frantic in his attempt to get to Eva.

For the first time, New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr has applied her extraordinary talent to contemporary realism. Chilling twists, unrequited obsession, and high-stakes romance drive this Gothic, racy thriller—a story of small-town oppression and salvation. Melissa’s fans, and every YA reader, will find its wild ride enthralling.

Popular girl, Eva Tilling, wakes up one morning in a hospital bed, the victim of a hit and run with no memory of who or what hit her. She struggles to contemplate who would have tried to kill her in her small hometown in North Carolina. But when she discovers that not only does she have no clue who did this to her, but she was left with something permanent following the hit and run – the strange ability to see people’s deaths when she touches them. But now, not only are her friends and everyone she knows dropping dead here and there, but she still doesn’t know who tried to kill her. Still recovering limited her slightly, but Eva was determined to find out who not only tried to kill her, but who is now stalking her too – and isn’t going away any time soon from her life. 
Melissa has written one of my favourite Gothic Fantasies RIGHT HERE. I can’t tell you how realistic, suspenseful and creepy (in a good way) this book was. The ending and unveiling surprised me the most – I can usually sort of “guess” who did it – but Melissa’s thrilling roller-coaster of dark twist and turns left me speechless. I loved the element of romance fitting into the novel with Eva and Nate, and how the backdrop being a Gothic type of fantasy had given me this image of how this story could be a reality – something only a rare few books can do for me. 
I can’t recommend this highly enough. My first Melissa Marr book and I’m hooked! 5 stars all the way.
Follow the rest of Melissa’s tour here!

Fans of Melissa’s previous novels or if you’re looking for a racy-type of thriller that will give you flashbacks to Scream and Southern Gothic settings. 


Hmm, I’m never good at the bio bit. I used to teach college & bartend, now I write novels. I love to meet new people, to hear their stories, to walk through new streets and see new vistas. I enjoy art in all its guises–graffiti, surrealist paintings, classic sculptures, tattoos, interesting buildings, Renoir, photography . . . Art & nature, they feed my soul & thus my muse.


Tour-wide giveaway (US & Canada)

  • All 5 of Melissa’s Wicked Lovely books (paperback), 
  • The Desert Tale – Wicked Lovely companion book (paperback),  
  • A hardcover copy of Made For You

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is an Xpresso Book Tour! 

Have you read Made For You?


What did you think?


Tell me in the comments, on twitter or by using the hashtag #MadeForYou


happy reading!

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Book Review: “Red Rising” by Pierce Brown

Title: Red Rising

Author: Pierce Brown 
Genre: Young Adult – Dystopia/Fantasy
Release Date: September 25th, 2014
Published by: Hodder & Stoughton 


I received this from Hodder & Stoughton in exchange for an honest review. As always, my reviews are fair and non-bias. 

Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. 

 Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations. Yet he spends his life willingly, knowing that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children. 
But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and sprawling parks spread across the planet. Darrow– and Reds like him– are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class.
Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity’ s overlords struggle for power. He will be forced to compete for his life and the very future of civilization against the best and most brutal of Society’ s ruling class. 
There, he will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies . . . even if it means he has to become one of them to do so.

This book definitely intrigued me right from it’s synopsis. I’m a HUGE dystopian fan, so I’m always looking out for new ones in the genre – and Red Rising looked like it fitted everything I look for in my dystopia literature.
Dystopian books seem to be literally everywhere at the moment with all the success of YA books turned-to-film like Hunger Games, The Maze Runner and Divergent, and I won’t be the only one to say how I would immediately go and see Red Rising on the big screen. 
Darrow, our main character, is a Red, a helldiver – an extremely dangerous type of miner on Mars, unlike the Golds, who are better than them in the society. He married his childhood sweetheart at sixteen and like all the Reds around him, he works everyday, making the surface of Mars ready for the future population to live on. He does this because ultimately, he knows it will someday benefit his future children and not just his future family, but others. It’s not long before he finds out that everything he knows – and everyone around him – has been a massive lie. Mars is already habitable and has been for a very long time. Now, he is thrust into being the one to save the Reds – he must become the best Gold he can, whilst pervading their system. He has to be the best he can be – better than all the rest – to attack them from the inside of their own region. But the Golds are lethal, treacherous people, who kill or be killed.
Red Rising is a thrilling ride of dark, gritty and remarkable characters and plot. Pierce Brown has created a dystopian world full of phenomenal twists and a roller-coaster of betrayal and a mystic, enigmatic tale. He created a magnificent hero of Darrow, a character that just joined my top favourites in a series – competition for Katniss and Tris!
Overall, Red Rising is perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner – they would join the already growing fans of the series and tear them from the shelves. This is definitely going to be the next big thing in YA literature!



The quote that stuck with me was definitely:

“Love and war are two different battlefields.” 

Fans of YA and Adult dystopia and fantasy. If you’ve finished The Hunger Games, Divergent and The Maze Runner, PICK THIS UP! 

Have you read Red Rising?


What did you think?


Tell me in the comments, on twitter or by using the hashtag #RedRising

happy reading!

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Book Review: “Multiversum” by Leonardo Patrignani

Title: Multiversum (Multiversum #1)

Author: 
Genre: Young Adult – Dystopia/Fantasy
Release Date: September 11th, 2014
Published by: Scribe UK


I received this from Scribe UK in exchange for an honest review. As always, my reviews are fair and non-bias. 

A spellbinding adventure and a captivating tale of first love…


Alex and Jenny are sixteen. He lives in Milan; she, in Melbourne. For the past four years, they have glimpsed each other at random moments, while they are both unconscious — a telepathic communication that occurs without warning.


During one of these episodes, they manage to arrange a meeting. But on the day, though they are standing in the same place at the same time, each of them cannot see the other. This leads them to a startling discovery: they live in different dimensions. In Jenny’s world, Alex is someone else. And in Alex’s world, Jenny died at the age of six.


As they try to find each other, the Multiverse threatens to implode and disappear, but Jenny and Alex must meet — the future of the Earth depends on it.

When I was first introduced to Multiversum, I was so thrilled to get the chance to read a translated YA novel from Italian – not to mention how the genre plays right into my favourite things to read – so I couldn’t wait to get started reading. 


Multiversum opens right up into the world of Alex and Jenny, seemingly ordinary teenagers if it wasn’t for the fact that they could communicate in random moments telepathically, their voices intertwining in each others minds at any given moment. Although they can just barely utter a few words through these moments together – the far from nice experiences – one time, they manage to exchange their locations and place of meeting, and from there, it takes Alex and Jenny on a roller-coaster of an adventure neither of them were expecting.
Alex is just your regular teenager from Milan. He likes sports, particularly basketball – and is even team Captain – and spends his nights hanging out with his best friend. Jenny is like Alex too, a champion swimmer and smart student from Melbourne. But when they try to meet, a disaster strikes when they discover that in each others worlds, Jenny has died in Alex’s and in her world, Alex is someone different. 
Now startled with this evidence and the constant struggle of trying to reach each other through the Multiverse with no one believing their claims of knowing each other and discovery of living in different dimensions, everything they know and are begins to shatter beneath them. 
Multiversum is quite a page-turner, and although in places I got a little lost within their complex world, it was an addictive read. Alex and Jenny are lively and play off each other amazingly and I loved their relationship – the friendship and romantic element – and their story was very compelling. The different dimensions that they lived in was a highlight of the book for me, particularly because it was a unique, enthralling addition to their story unlike any books similar. 
Overall, Multiversum is not to be missed for Fantasy fans who want a little extra spark in their novels. A brilliant, read-worthy novel that I’m extremely looking forward to continuing in the series! 

I loved how Multiversum began and even though the endings are usually my favourite parts like cliff-hangers and happy endings, the introduction to their worlds was by far my favourite.

YA Fantasy, Dystopian or Science Fiction fans will love this without a doubt, especially if you’re looking for something different. 

Have you read Multiversum?


What did you think?


Tell me in the comments, on twitter or by using the hashtag #Multiversum

happy reading!

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Book Review: “Half-Blood (Covenant #1)” by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: Half-Blood (Covenant #1)

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout 
Genre: Young Adult – Fantasy/Mythology
Release Date: August 14th, 2014
Published by: Hodder


I received this from Hodder in exchange for an honest review. As always, my reviews are fair and non-bias. 



HALF-BLOOD is the unputdownable first book in the acclaimed Covenant series from #1 New York Times bestselling Jennifer L. Armentrout. This special paperback edition also includes the prequel novella DAIMON.


The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi – pure-bloods – have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals – well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.


Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:


Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden.


Unfortunately, she’s crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn’t her biggest problem – staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.

I’m a huge Jennifer L. Armentrout fan (I’m halfway into the Lux series, and adored Don’t Look Back) so Half-Blood couldn’t have arrived at better timing in my mailbox. I was super excited to get into it since I love anything with a plot twisted into Greek Mythology since it never fails to be interesting whatever way the author takes it.

Alexandria (although she asks everyone to call her Alex) has just barely escaped with her life after being on the run from Daimons, not long after her mother was killed by one. So when Aiden, a Sentinel and highly regarded Pure-blood, saves her and takes her back to the Covenant that she left years ago with her mother to live in the normal world, things aren’t the same as when she left. Coming back is hard to adapt to, especially with the new changes like her Uncle being the new dean or the crush-worthy Aiden being her new trainer – it’s either he get her up to Daimon-fighting standard or she’ll end up being a servant for her stepfather – and Alex doesn’t want that. 
Like some other readers, in parts it struck a remembrance of the Vampire Academy novels, but I think for me it was just because Alex and Rose are such similar strong female characters – not to mention their similarly sarcastic personalities. For me, that’s where the similarities ended and it really did stand on it’s own for the originality in Greek Mythology and twist on the mythology itself in the modern world. 
The more Alex and Aiden spend together in Half-Blood, it’s obvious they have a strong connection but it’s not like that instant-love that readers hate – it’s done without any of the cliches in some YA literature so their relationship was one of my favourites within the book. But Halfs and Pures are highly forbidden, so it’s something that kind of halts their relationship in places, but nevertheless makes for a super-cute pairing within the book. Being a fiery, kick-ass heroine, Alex proves she’d beat anyone to the top spot for best lead character and I thought the way Jennifer wrote her was flawlessly done. 
Half-Blood was without a doubt in the top-five books I’ve read this year. Jennifer never fails to write a magnificent, alluring novel with characters I wish were real life people (Alex, Aiden, Caleb, I could go on!). This series has gone straight into my must-read novels and I can’t wait to delve into them all. 5++ STARS.

 There are far too many scenes/moments I loved, but one of my favourite (and funniest) quotes from Half-Blood was:

“You better have had a baby, killed someone, or slept with a pure. Those are your three options. Anything less is unsuitable.” 

Fans of Fantasy and Mythology books, YA or even Adult fiction fans. If you loved Percy Jackson and Vampire Academy series’, you’ll love the Covenant series.

Have you read Half-Blood?


What did you think?


Tell me in the comments, on twitter or by using the hashtag #HalfBlood

happy reading!

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Book Review: “Otherbound” by Corinne Duyvis (Spoiler Free)

*Spoiler Free Review*

Title: Otherbound

Author: Corinne Duyvis
Genre: Young Adult – Fantasy
Release Date: June 17th, 2014
Published by: Amulet 

I received this from Amulet in exchange for an honest review. As always, my reviews are fair and non-bias. 

Amara is never alone. Not when she’s protecting the cursed princess she unwillingly serves. Not when they’re fleeing across dunes and islands and seas to stay alive. Not when she’s punished, ordered around, or neglected.

She can’t be alone, because a boy from another world experiences all that alongside her, looking through her eyes.
Nolan longs for a life uninterrupted. Every time he blinks, he’s yanked from his Arizona town into Amara’s mind, a world away, which makes even simple things like hobbies and homework impossible. He’s spent years as a powerless observer of Amara’s life. Amara has no idea . . . until he learns to control her, and they communicate for the first time. Amara is terrified. Then, she’s furious.
All Amara and Nolan want is to be free of each other. But Nolan’s breakthrough has dangerous consequences. Now, they’ll have to work together to survive–and discover the truth about their connection.

I read the Goodreads description after hearing about Otherbound from the publisher and was immediately intrigued. I mean, when Nolan closes his eyes, he’s in Amara’s world?! That’s just too good of a premise to pass up.
Nolan lives in our world – Earth – and he has epilepsy, or so they think. But Amara isn’t from our world – she’s from a Fantasy world that only Nolan can see into. For a while, Amara has no idea of his sight into her world, until his new medication has an effect that means Nolan can control and visit Amara’s world through her, instead of like before, when he could only see her world when he blinked. 
Everyone thinks Nolan has epilepsy because he kept being seen as unconscious. But Nolan knows he isn’t, because of Amara. All they want is to be freed of each other when Amara finds out of his ways into her world, but when he can actually control her in her world it seems that the only way they can break free of each other is for them to work together. 
Amara is very much in love with her love interest in the book, so much so that she believes that her and Maart – a sweet, protective character that comes across that he treasures Amara as much as she does him – will be together no matter what. They are both servants in her world, and nothing could break their bond, which is similar to the bond that Nolan shares with his sister; Pat. They are close and protective of each other and it was so refreshing to see a sibling dimension to the novel too, which was a nice touch.
There are so many intriguing characters and roles in Fantasy and reality in Otherbound (Cilla, Jorn, Pat..) that it’s literally made up of characters flawed and diverse, so much so that they are real. They are multidimensional and seem so rare and visionary, with real-world characteristics and actions. 
Otherbound is not just your standard heard-it-all-before book and run of the mill characters. In that way and in so many others with it’s enthralling and vivid factors, it’s truly one of the best Fantasy books I’ve read in a while and reminded me why I love these types of books. With adventure, a captivating journey from a contemporary world to fantasy, Otherbound will surely be on my five-star reads recommended list for a very long time.  


Even though I didn’t want Otherbound to end, the ending was probably my favourite part, in that surrounding scene it was just especially when I thought: “Woah, I actually loved this…how long have I been sat here reading? Almost all night?!”

Fantasy YA book readers will adore this, alike readers who like Paranormal and Magic-filled books. 

Have you read Otherbound?


Tell me what you think in the comments or on twitter!

happy reading!

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Book Review: “Dark Metropolis” by Jaclyn Dolamore {Giveaway + Blog Tour Playlist}

Title: Dark Metropolis

Author: Jaclyn Dolamore
Genre: Young Adult – Fantasy
Release Date: June 17th, 2014 
Published by: Disney-Hyperion

I received this as part of Jaclyn’s blog tour in exchange for an honest review. As always, my reviews are fair and non-bias. 


Cabaret meets Cassandra Clare-a haunting magical thriller set in a riveting 1930s-esque world.

 Sixteen-year-old Thea Holder’s mother is cursed with a spell that’s driving her mad, and whenever they touch, Thea is chilled by the magic, too. With no one else to contribute, Thea must make a living for both of them in a sinister city, where danger lurks and greed rules.
Thea spends her nights waitressing at the decadent Telephone Club attending to the glitzy clientele. But when her best friend, Nan, vanishes, Thea is compelled to find her. She meets Freddy, a young, magnetic patron at the club, and he agrees to help her uncover the city’s secrets-even while he hides secrets of his own.

 Together, they find a whole new side of the city. Unrest is brewing behind closed doors as whispers of a gruesome magic spread. And if they’re not careful, the heartless masterminds behind the growing disappearances will be after them, too.

 Perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, this is a chilling thriller with a touch of magic where the dead don’t always seem to stay that way.

 I love everything 1920’s and 1930’s. There’s something about those times that seemed so intriguing and magical to me. So when I got the chance to read Dark Metropolis, I was eager to jump into the magic itself!
The first thing I picked up on in Dark Metropolis was how dark and bewitching the storyworld was. With it’s glittering atmosphere, yet dark and thrilling side, the book was enchanting from the very start. 
Set in a 1930’s-esque world, sixteen year old Thea’s mother had been cursed by a spell that’s making her insane. With no one to help them, Thea takes it upon herself to make a living for them both in a malefic city, where you can’t escape the dangerous and selfish rules. She starts spending her nights being a waitress at a wicked club called Telephone Club, attending all who enter. The beginning of Dark Metropolis is fast-paced, but when Thea’s best friend; Nan, goes missing, things get even more enticing. Thea will stop at nothing to find her. It’s then that she meets Freddy, a patron at the club who appeals to Thea, and he agrees to help her weave her way through the city’s secrets, keeping his own still. 
The world of Dark Metropolis is alluring, yet vicious, and it’s never safe. And when Thea and Freddy close in on the city’s secrets, it’s far too late to turn back. 
I was enthalled from the very start of the book right until the last page. It was definitely the fast-paced, heart-stopping wickedness and evil clawing at every page that kept me reeled in. Thea was a brilliant lead character and seeing the world that she lived in inside DM was fascinatingly lucid. Though at times a little gory with it’s dabblings in Zombies and spells, I was overall surprised at how much I liked it! I definitely recommend it to YA Fantasy lovers and of course for fans of the 1930’s-esque world. Just one look at that cover and I want to frame it! 

                                                                        

Jaclyn Dolamore was homeschooled in a hippie sort of way and spent her childhood reading as many books as her skinny nerd-body could lug from the library and playing elaborate pretend games with her sister Kate. She skipped college and spent eight years drudging through retail jobs, developing her thrifty cooking skills and pursuing a lifelong writing dream. 
She has a passion for history, thrift stores, vintage dresses, David Bowie, drawing, and organic food. She lives with her partner and plot-sounding-board, Dade, and two black tabbies who have ruined her carpeting.

www.jaclyndolamore.com | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

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PLAYLIST! (Blogger’s Choice)

I’ve been trying to come up with songs that I felt suited what Dark Metropolis was about and yet, there isn’t much music to really describe the sort of vibes that I felt it would have sounded like if music played within the book. So, I came up with a couple that I thought suited the different themes, era and style!


What do you think of Dark Metropolis?


Tell me what you think in the comments or on Twitter using the tag; #DarkMetropolis 

happy reading!

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Book Review: “Deep Blue” by Jennifer Donnelly


Title: Deep Blue

Author: Jennifer Donnelly
Genre: Young Adult – Fantasy
Release Date: May 6th, 2014 
Also by the Author: The Tea Rose, A Northern Light
Published by: Hodder (UK) 


Thanks to Hachette for the ARC of this book! As always, my reviews are fair and non-bias. I received this from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.




 The first in a series of four epic tales set in the depths of the ocean, where six mermaids seek to protect and save their hidden world.
Deep in the ocean, in a world not so different from our own, live the merpeople. Their communities are spread throughout the oceans, seas, and freshwaters all over the globe.
When Serafina, a mermaid of the Mediterranean Sea, awakens on the morning of her betrothal, her biggest worry should be winning the love of handsome Prince Mahdi. And yet Sera finds herself haunted by strange dreams that foretell the return of an ancient evil. Her dark premonitions are confirmed when an assassin’s arrow poisons Sera’s mother. Now, Serafina must embark on a quest to find the assassin’s master and prevent a war between the Mer nations. Led only by her shadowy dreams, Sera searches for five other mermaid heroines who are scattered across the six seas. Together, they will form an unbreakable bond of sisterhood and uncover a conspiracy that threatens their world’s very existence.


 As soon as I heard that Deep Blue was a book about Mermaids, I was instantly catapulted back to my favourite Disney character; Ariel. I haven’t ever read a book about Mermaids, and seeing how the folklore has changed and adapted into more and more mythical creatures coming to life in YA fiction, I was happy to add Mermaid to the list!

 Deep Blue is all about recreating our image of Mermaids. There wasn’t a moment where I thought; oh, that’s been done before, because it was quite a unique reading experience. When I did a character profile list back in early May, we met the characters; Serafina, Neela, Ling, Becca (name-twin!), Ava and Astrid. In the book, they play very different roles from each other in the history of the book and for the majority of the beginning of Deep Blue, there’s a lot of back story and world-building that goes on to show us more into the world of the characters. Our main character, Serafina – who though very headstrong and tough, is frightful and scared for her home underneath it all, unveiling a whole new layer to her character that slowly shows itself over the course of the book. 
There were great uses of puns for the Mermaid’s, with witty, playful and clever takes on their world, like Currensea as money. But it also uses some girl-power type themes being very female-driven, which was one of my favourite things about the book. It’s going to set a great example for younger YA readers with that friendship aspect. I was constantly trying to remind myself that Deep Blue is set…under the sea. I kept forgetting that all this was underwater, so it was definitely a new and diverse way of envisioning the world in the eyes of the characters. 
Although it’s not my usual genre choice, I really enjoyed Deep Blue. It was a fresh idea that surprised me, made me laugh and learn tons about a deep, enchanting history and all that would come with the sequel. I felt that book one has set a good jump into book two, getting all the things we as readers needed to know in our minds and leaving us with the anticipation for more. If you’re looking for something exciting and a modern take on what lurks in the ocean, Deep Blue is going to be the book for you. Plus being a major franchise for Disney, I can easily see myself watching and loving Deep Blue as a film. 

 I usually say that there’s a “scene” that was my favourite, but I actually liked the parts where we learnt what things like what money was called (currensea) and that Dolphins speak Dolpheen. They were little parts that made it unique, but amusing nevertheless.

For younger-to-mid YA readers, this will be something you’ll enjoy the most. For older YA readers and Adults, I’m going to say it’s subject to if their open-minded and creative with the novels they read and have an understanding of Fantasy. Whereas I’m older YA, and I really liked Deep Blue. So it’s really down to individuals. 



Have you read Deep Blue?


Tell me what you think in the comments or on twitter!

happy reading!

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