Review: Missing, Presumed Dead by Emma Berquist

 With a touch, Lexi can sense how and when someone will die. Some say it’s a gift. But to Lexi it’s a curse—one that keeps her friendless and alone. All that changes when Lexi foresees the violent death of a young woman, Jane, outside a club. But Jane doesn’t go to the afterlife quietly. Her ghost remains behind, determined to hunt down her murderer, and she needs Lexi’s help. In life, Jane was everything Lexi is not—outgoing, happy, popular. But in death, all Jane wants is revenge. Lexi will do anything to help Jane, to make up for the fact that she didn’t—couldn’t—save Jane’s life, and to keep this beautiful ghost of a girl by her side for as long as possible.

Recently I have had this huge craving to reread the Mediator series by Meg Cabot, it was the first book that got me into the YA Paranormal genre in the first place. The issue is that I have such a huge TBR pile that I put that thought to the back of my mind and decided to pick a randomly selected book from my TBR list and read it.

That book was Missing, Presumed Dead. Whilst it isn't really on the level of The Mediator, it definitely filled a void and left me feeling pretty contect.

Firstly, let me say how much I loved the Film Noir vibe that this book had going on. From Lexi's spiky exterior and the menance behind the scenes and the almost crime familia kind of thing that Urie has going on, it was amazing. 

There's also some amazing characters as well. As much as Lex herself wasn't entirely likeable, she had her reasons for pushing people away so it's forgivable. She's also compelling to read, and I loved those around her. Deda is an amzing character and even though he wasn't in on the action he was a steadfast support. Ilia... Oh how I loved Ilia... I expected Ilia to be the main love interest to be honest and I am so glad he was not. It's such an amazing representation of how a male can be a protector and that can be completely platonic.

Now let's get onto the less alive characters. Trevor... oh get me a Trevor. he was funny and cute and witty and such a companion to Lex. Jane was also just amazing, so real to life and such an instigator for Lexi's change and arc. I supported the two of them all the way through even though I find dead/alive romance as a trope entirely cringeworthy.

The plot of this book was pretty simple, but the origianlity came from the underground network of magic and powers that exists in a modern day LA. I loved that the descriptions were vague enough to not be infodump but also not entirely complicated so it didn't feel like poor world building.

Overall, Missing, Presumed Dead is one of the better books that I have read recently. It's only because I compare all Urban Paranormal books to the ones that set me on this blogging course that this book won't get 5/5.

Book released 21st May 2019 by Greenwillow Books

Book received from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review

Review: The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

Welcome to the cursed town of Sparrow…

Where, two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town.

Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them under.

Like many locals, seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot has accepted the fate of the town. But this year, on the eve of the sisters’ return, a boy named Bo Carter arrives; unaware of the danger he has just stumbled into.

Mistrust and lies spread quickly through the salty, rain-soaked streets. The townspeople turn against one another. Penny and Bo suspect each other of hiding secrets. And death comes swiftly to those who cannot resist the call of the sisters.

But only Penny sees what others cannot. And she will be forced to choose: save Bo, or save herself.

Oh sweet mother of revenge books. This was a killer.

I was a little nervous going into this book, mostly because it's not quite like anything I have read before so I didn't know what to expect. Maybe I went into it with no expectations at all, or maybe they were just really low but this book blew whatever expectations I had out of the water. Literally. Get it? No... okay?

Whatever, puns aside, this book was a-ma-zing.

The first thing I have to note is how amazing the worldbuilding was. This book could have been a giant infodump - there is just sooooo much history and lore to squeeze into it but it was done with so much finesse. Ms Ernshaw, I applaud you for that. A lot of it came from the writing, which was beautiful without being over the top. It created such a heavy atmosphere that even though it's the middle of a heatwave here in England, I felt like I was right there on the stormy island with Bo and Penny.

There's a twist in this book that to be honest I had already suspected, but Ernshaw took what could have been a predictable twist and added layers onto it. I knew the truth, but I never had any clue how it would pan out so that made it acceptable that I had guessed it. 

That ending too... ugh. So well done. I had no clue how it would end and that sort of half closed out, but half open ending worked so well with me. It sat heavy on my heart as I turned the last page and is still there now days later.

I can't say much more about this book since I'm sure my feelings on it are abundantly clear by now. Please just pick this book up if you haven't already. It will most certainly blow you away.

Book released 6th March 2018 by Simon Pulse

Book received from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review

Review: Haunt Me by Liz Kessler

Joe wakes up from a deep sleep to see his family leave in a removals van. Where they've gone, he has no idea. Erin moves house and instantly feels at home in her new room. Even if it appears she isn't the only one living in it. Bit by bit, Erin and Joe discover that they have somehow found a way across the ultimate divide - life and death. Bound by their backgrounds, a love of poetry and their growing feelings for each other, they are determined to find a way to be together.

Joe's brother, Olly, never cared much for poetry. He was always too busy being king of the school - but that all changed when Joe died. And when an encounter in the school corridor brings him face to face with Erin, he realises how different things really are - including the kind of girl he falls for.

Two brothers. Two choices. Will Erin's decision destroy her completely, or can she save herself before she is lost forever?

The Mediator series by Meg Cabot is one of the book series that got me into YA paranormal fiction, so anything about a girl meeting and falling for a ghost is going to be something I'm interested in reading. When I was accepted for Haunt Me, I was so excited - Liz Kessler has written some brilliant books before and this had to be great for that reason.

I have to admit that it just didn't hit the mark for me - it kept my interest and I was definitely absorbed into Erin, Joe and Olly's story, but I'm not sure that this book did everything that it could have done. I was really absorbed into Erin and Joe's romance to start with, but I was not entirely on board with Olly's part even though I know why it was in there. That meant that the way the book went wasn't the best way in my opinion, that the story could have been executed.

What I did enjoy was the way Kessler addressed certain issues - from the way that Joe passed away and the baggage that this carried, to Erin's past and the bullying she has to deal with. Not least, the way that this book is about moving on as well. Not only does Kessler have an amazing writing style but she did deal with these issues very well.

Overall, Haunt Me had a lot of potential but it didn't completely blow me away. That being said, it did have some strong points and I would still recommend it.

Book released 6th october 2016 by Orion Children's Books

Book received from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review

Review: Extraordinary October by Diana Wagman

October is an ordinary girl. From her plain looks to her average grades, there seems to be nothing special about her. Then, three days before her eighteenth birthday, she develops a strange itch that won’t go away, and her life is turned upside down. Suddenly, she can hear dogs talk, make crows fly, and two new and very handsome boys at school are vying for her affections. After she starts “transplanting” herself through solid rock, October learns that she is not ordinary at all, but the daughter of a troll princess and a fairy prince, and a pawn in a deadly war between the trolls and the fairies. Now October will have to use all of her growing powers to save her family, and stop a mysterious evil that threatens to destroy the fairy world.

In the fantastical vein of authors such as Julie Kagawa and Holly Black, Extraordinary October takes us on a magical journey from the streets of Los Angeles to the beautiful and mythical underground fairy kingdom.

Why is this book not getting more publicity, it is literally a fun amalgamation of all of the fantasy books that have been 'big'. Think The Iron Fey series, meets the Wicked Lovely series, throw in a little of Trylle series and a Disney style evil queen and you get something like Extraordinary October - this was a really fun and quick read that I enjoyed.

At the start I didn't think this book would work for me - the writing seemed a little clunky and the protagonist spent the first few chapters talking about how plain and ordinary she was, how nobody really notices her and her life is nothing special. I hate that kind of stuff and it was seriously overload in this book at times, but the writing started to work and when we got to the plot this book really picked up and October came into her own.

I loved the whole interspecies chosen one thing, and I loved the individual traits that the fairies (who like birds and have addictive personalities) and the trolls (mushroom digging) had - I also really enjoyed reading about how they came together to defeat the bad guy, it was a fun romp.

I mean, this book isn't breaking any records - I'm not sure it's going to be on the best books I have read this year list, but it's pure escapism and brings back a genre which seems to have fizzled a bit in the last few years.

If you liked any faerie series (Tithe, Wicked Lovely, The Replacement, Trylle) then I would recommend you give this book a go, it was an enjoyable fun read. 

Book released October 11th 2016 by Ig Publishing

Book received from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review

Review: Afterlight by Rebecca Lim

Since her parents died in a freak motorbike accident, Sophie Teague’s life has fallen apart.

But she’s just enrolled at a new high school, hoping for a fresh start.

That’s until Eve, a beautiful ghost in black, starts making terrifying nightly appearances, wanting Sophie to be her hands, eyes and go-to girl.

There are loose ends that Eve needs Sophie to tie up. But dealing with the dead might just involve the greatest sacrifice of all.

Dark, thrilling and unrelentingly eerie, Afterlight will take you deep into the heart of a dangerous love story, revealing the otherworldly—and deadly—pull of past wrongs that only the living can put right.Of 

Me and Rebecca Lim are frenemies. I was not a fan of The Astrologer's Daughter but I really did enjoy the Mercy series. Afterlight comes somewhere in the middle for me. For one thing, this book kept my attention in a big way. I read it in one sitting and it was really addictive - I loved the paranormal mystery side of things with Sophie saving Eve and trying to figure out what was going on with her suddenly seeing dead people. That was really interesting to me and it kept me reading. This was also a pretty short read which was good because I couldn't really see myself enjoying it if it was much longer.

There was a romance story between Sophie and Jordan but it was absolutely insta-love. I could barely see any chemistry at all and I found that t all made very little sense at all - they had spoken like twice and then all of suddenly he is in love with her and they are insperable. I didn't like that side of things. I also found that I didn't really connect with either of them much - Sophie is very insecure and her reactions to things made me not like her a whole lot. Honestly, she was always talking about her looks and being self-depricating. I didn't like it much.

There were also a few questions with regards to Soph suddenly seeing dead people that I found weren't answered. This meant that I didn't feel like the book had been wrapped up all that well. 

Lim's writing is still amazing, I loved reading this book - it was actually a really well written books despite quite a few development flaws.

Book released June 2015 by Text Publishing

Book received from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review

Review: Dreamland by Robert L. Anderson

Odea Donahue has been able to travel through people’s dreams since she was six years old. Her mother taught her the three rules of walking: Never interfere. Never be seen. Never walk the same person’s dream more than once. Dea has never questioned her mother, not about the rules, not about the clocks or the mirrors, not about moving from place to place to be one step ahead of the unseen monsters that Dea’s mother is certain are right behind them.

Then a mysterious new boy, Connor, comes to town and Dea finally starts to feel normal. As Connor breaks down the walls that she’s had up for so long, he gets closer to learning her secret. For the first time she wonders if that’s so bad. But when Dea breaks the rules, the boundary between worlds begins to deteriorate. How can she know what’s real and what’s not?

I don't know what I was expecting from Dreamland. Honestly, I don't think I really knew what to expect, so I was pleasantly surprised when I got an original enjoyable book that both fit into the typical YA paranormal mould as well as managed to do something original that kept me interested. 

I can't claim that Dreamland was an amazing book because it definitely had it's flaws. I can, however, say that it did something new and original that kept me absorbed into the book. Odea was such a great character to read about, she was tough - that starnge girl that holds her head up even though people see her as weird. I did feel that at times her actions were a little inconsistent with what we have been lled to believe about her personality - I also felt like that about Connor.

The story was engaging from the start but up until around two-thirds in I felt like not much happened, Of course, that all changed when we learn about Dea's origins. Then things got interesting, albeit a little confusing as well. I didn't feel like I completely connected with the story or the characters, but I definitely enjoyed them enough to keep on reading.

Overall, Dreamland was a good enough read that brought something new to the YA market. I don't feel like it was in any way, shape or form a great read, but it was certainly good enough to keep my attention. One to check out, just don't rush to do it.

Book released 22nd September 2015 by HarperTeen

Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Review: Life at the Speed of Us by Heather Sappenfield

Silence is safe. Fate is not.

When Sovern Briggs survives a car crash, she stops talking to seal in the memory of the final sounds from her mother’s life. As conflict with her father builds and failure in school looms, Sovern seeks relief in a dangerous boyfriend and in speed’s adrenaline edge. These needs collide, leading Sovern to a snowboarding accident that changes her future and perhaps that of our universe.

Life at the Speed of Us weaves dyslexia, math, cutting-edge science, genius, and love into a young woman’s reluctant journey toward grace.

Maybe I missed the point altogether, or maybe I just didn't read far enough to get to it.

My personal opinion is that if I can get a third through a book and not really get into it, I will allow myself to give up and post a DNF review, I know a lot of reviewers get squeamish about DNF reviews, but I do not. If I have given the book a fair trial and still find it guilty of not entertaining me, I see no harm in saying so.

Life at the Speed of Us was one of those books - I think I knew it was a DNF from 10% but I kept pushing and when I got to 35% and nothing was making sense and I had no idea of where this was going and didn't even like the characters, I gave up.

I felt that Sovern was a very boring main character and her internal monologue was honestly so annoying. The setting of the ski slopes was nice, but that isn't enough to make me want to read a book.

As I say with all DNF reviews though -so many people liked this book! Just go onto Goodreads and you will see all the 4/5 star reviews - they aren't wrong, neither am I - if this sounds like your thing give it a go, then tell me how you felt about it!

Overall Rating: DNF

Book released 8th January 2016 by Flux

Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Review: Shallow Graves by Kali Wallace

When seventeen-year-old Breezy Lin wakes up in a shallow grave one year after her death, she doesn’t remember who killed her or why. All she knows is that she’s somehow conscious—and not only that, she’s able to sense who around her is hiding a murderous past. In life, Breezy was always drawn to the elegance of the universe and the mystery of the stars. Now she must set out to find answers and discover what is to become of her in the gritty, dangerous world to which she now belongs—where killers hide in plain sight and a sinister cult is hunting for strange creatures like her. What she finds is at once empowering, redemptive, and dangerous.

Holy smokes... Shallow Graves was not at all what I was expecting, but it was something completely different and brilliant. Shallow Graves was fast paced from the start, throwing the reader into the action and making you chase to catch up to the goings on. Never did this seem like a bad thing, instead, it meant that the pace was fast and the book was addictive. Yes, there were parts where the pace did drop, but it never seemed slow.

I spent much of this book happily confused, and by the end I still had to ask myself what had happened for the last 300+ pages. This book was equal parts humor, paranormal and mystery, with a little horror thrown in for good measure (this is, after all, a thrilling zombie book). Yes, there were things that could have been better explored, but I think that exploring things better would have made this book drag so I'd like to think this was a conscious decision on Wallace's part.

Breezy as a character was brilliant, she was calm and cool, not at all like a lot of hysterical YA protagonists. Her internal monologue was entertaining with a dry, sarcastic humour you totally wouldn't expect from a zombie. She's well adapted to her situation, which seemed unrealistic but it worked.

The supporting characters, though they were few, were great - Zeke and Jake and their brownie under the stairs - seriously, these two were amazing. I want a book just about the two of them and their life!

Overall, Shallow Graves was a comedic, dry horror that kept a good pace and was written in such an entertaining voice. Plot wise, I wasn't completely blown away but every other aspect of this book made it more than worth a read. 

Book released 26th January 2016 by Katherine Tegen Books

Book received from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review

Review: Shade Me by Jennifer Brown

Nikki Kill does not see the world like everyone else. In her eyes, happiness is pink, sadness is a mixture of brown and green, and lies are gray. Thanks to a rare phenomenon called synesthesia, Nikki’s senses overlap, in a way that both comforts and overwhelms her.

Always an outsider, just one ‘D’ shy of flunking out, Nikki’s life is on the fast track to nowhere until the night a mysterious call lights her phone up bright orange—the color of emergencies. It’s the local hospital. They need Nikki to identify a Jane Doe who is barely hanging on to life after a horrible attack.

The victim is Peyton Hollis, a popular girl from Nikki’s school who Nikki hardly knows. One thing is clear: Someone wants Peyton dead. But why? And why was Nikki’s cell the only number in Peyton’s phone?

As she tries to decipher the strange kaleidoscope of clues, Nikki finds herself thrust into the dark, glittering world of the ultra-rich Hollis family, and drawn towards Peyton’s handsome, never-do-well older brother Dru. While Nikki’s colors seem to help her unravel the puzzle, what she can’t see is that she may be falling into a trap. The only truth she can be sure of is that death is a deep, pulsing crimson.

Ahhh Shade Me, one of the most difficult books I have had to review - it was such a tearing book because it had all the makings of brilliant mystery crime books, like The Body Finder. It also had many things that made me less than convinced about it. I've loved Brown's other gritty books and this had her characteristic writing style, which I loved - it may be a new area for Brown but she sticks to what she knows; suspense, emotion and strong female characters. 

The thing is that in making Nikki a tough character, she also instilled some traits that were less than desirable - Nikki came across as thinking that nothing was out of her depth and that she could single-handedly solve a crime case. This involved putting herself in some stupid situations, making some idiotic decisions and withholding important information from the authorities. Some stupid decisions that she made? Getting involved with the brother of the victim and aimlessly believing he had nothing to do with it... also, sleeping with the same boy in the home of a potential suspect (or something like that). I mean... uhhh... what?

Despite all of the obvious flaws, I still managed to get through Shade Me in one sitting, and I was super frustrated when all of my questions weren't answered at the end. I did enjoy the book, despite some (many) things that I was wary over. The parts where Nikki's synesthesia comes into it were really engaging and whilst I won't say it was anywhere near a brilliant book, I still can't deny that I will be reading the rest of the series....

Book released 19th January 2016 by Katherine Tegen Books

Book received from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review

Review: City of Fae by Pippa DaCosta

From the moment Alina touches London's hottest fae superstar, breaking one of the laws founded to protect all of her kind, her fate – and the fae – close in.

Below ground, the fae High Queen plots to claim the city as her own and places her pawns, ready for the battle to come. A battle she cannot lose, but for one small problem – Alina. There are four ancient keepers powerful enough to keep the queen in her prison. Three are dead. One remains … And to fight back, Alina risks sacrificing everything she has come to love.

I've never really been into the whole New Adult thing, but the idea of City of Fae was just too good for me to deny. I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would, it was actually a really absorbing storyline even if the pace was slow at times and some of the story was difficult to keep up with - especially after the big reveal when things got a little confusing and convoluted. Despite this, City of Fae still managed to keep me absorbed.

I think that what really sets this book apart from other faerie books is the way that the fae exist in this modern day world - people are aware of their existence and our main guy, Reign, is a famous rockstar fae. It meant that our main character, Alina, is learning new things but their existence isn't a big surprise for her.

I really loved Alina, she develops so much throughout this book from headstrong but a little nervous and shy to this kick-ass heroine. She has an understandable existential crisis later in the book but deals with it. Yes, she makes some bad moves as the plot develops but she is still pretty likeable. Our pretty boy bad boy Reign is also pretty awesome -I've heard him descried as a Fae Christian Grey but I totally disagree with that - Reign is actually pretty heroic and caring - and I definitely enjoyed their developing relationship.

The plot itself wasn't anything brand new in the realms of fae books, but I still found myself absorbed and loving it, so it wasn't too bad The end, as mentioned before, did get a bit rushed and confusing, but this wasn't too big a deal. Maybe it could have done with being paced out a bit better but I still was hooked.

Overall, City of Fae was an absorbing read with a plot which wasn't massively original but did have me hooked. I loved the characters and would still recommend it to fans of paranormal books.

Book released 7th May by Bloomsbury Sparks

Book received from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review

Review: Cold Burn of Magic by Jennifer Estep

It's not as great as you'd think, living in a tourist town that's known as "the most magical place in America." Same boring high school, just twice as many monsters under the bridges and rival Families killing each other for power.

I try to keep out of it. I've got my mom's bloodiron sword and my slightly illegal home in the basement of the municipal library. And a couple of Talents I try to keep quiet, including very light fingers and a way with a lock pick.

But then some nasty characters bring their Family feud into my friend's pawn shop, and I have to make a call--get involved, or watch a cute guy die because I didn't. I guess I made the wrong choice, because now I'm stuck putting everything on the line for Devon Sinclair. My mom was murdered because of the Families, and it looks like I'm going to end up just like her. . .

Oh gosh, what a surprise this book was. It's exactly what I have been waiting for after a run of pretty bad to average books. I have never read anything by Jennifer Estep before though I have heard great things about her other series and I have to say that Cold Burn of Magic did not let me down. From the first page I was invested in Lila's story and from then to the very end I was so gripped in the story.

Lila was such a strong character. She was witty, she admits when she makes mistakes and she was absolutely just a likable yet bristly tough gal. Sure, this did mean that I was sort of upset when she fell head over for heels with Devon without really having much to do with him. That being said, I liked Devon enough that I totally got it - he was swoonworthy - actually, I think that Devon is the first love interest in such a long time where I really understood why the main girl fell for him. He was lovely! Sure, Devon could sometimes be a bit cold but he was just a nice guy most of the time. The love was a little bit too fast, buuuuut there was no love triangle which I loved because it seemed like there was going to be one.

One thing that pretty much blew me away was the worldbuilding. The setting was a typical American tourist town, except the tourism is because the place is the most magical place in America. The world was so amazing, the magic was the forefront - this happy, bustling town - in the background is the magic gangs.

I really can't wait for the next book in the series, Lila is so far one of my favourite heroines in YA in 2015 and I am so excited to find out where her story goes from here.

Book released 28th April 2015 by Kensington

Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Review: Forsaken by Kristin Day

Abandoned by her parents as an infant; seventeen year old Hannah spent her childhood wading through countless foster families until being adopted by the Whitmans three years ago. 

Unfortunately, Atlanta’s high society wasn’t quite ready for Hannah…or the strange events that plague her.
Chilling visions of murder, unexplained hallucinations, and a dark, mysterious guy who haunts her nightmares all culminate to set in motion a journey of self-discovery that will challenge everything she’s ever believed; not to mention her sanity. 

Sent to live at The House of Lorelei on Bald Head Island, NC for ‘kids like her’, Hannah quickly realizes things are not what they seem. Her fellow ‘disturbed’ teens are actually the descendents of mythical Sea Gods and Goddesses. And so is she.

But when Finn, the ghost from her dreams, appears in the flesh; her nightmares become reality and her dark visions begin coming true. Inexplicably drawn to him, she can’t deny the dangerous hold he has on her heart. The deadly secrets he harbors will ultimately test her courage and push the boundaries of her love. 

She must decide if she is ready to embrace the ancient legend she is prophesied to be a part of. The fate of all the descendents will forever depend upon it.

Boarding school for 'special' kids, check. Handsome brooding guy who might be bad, but is irresistable, check. Dark mysterious background and secrets that nobody tells the MC about, check. This book was just a ball of cliches, bouncing between one trope and another. Not that I'm saying Forsaken was bad, but as afar as un-originality goes, this takes the cake.

I was taken aback by the start of this book because everything happens so quickly and before we know it, Stasia is at Hogwarts the magic mermaid/siren/mythology school (I don't know what it was), and we're suddenly thrown into this world of magic and secrets and brooding boys. I felt that the storyline itself was good, if pretty predictable, but the pacing seemed very off - at the start it's fast and then it sort of slows down to a snails pace which makes this book difficult to stay focused on about a quarter of the way in, so as far as feeling engaged with this book I can't say it succeeded with me.

That being said, I did enjoy the storyline - these tropes are popular because they work, so despite the fact that it was clear what Finn was and what he does, and it becomes pretty obvious that Stasia is some sort of chosen one, it was still a decent read for the most part. I don't feel like it met any conclusion though, so I wish a little more thought had gone into the ending. 

Would I read the sequel? Maybe, depending of the size of my TBR pile at the time. Would I go out and buy it on release day and devour it right away, definitely not.

Forsaken takes on the typical YA recipe and to an extent it works. That being said, it didn't add much to the mix, so there wasn't a whole lot to set it apart from other similar books.

Book released January 28th 2014 by Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly 

Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Review: Made For You by Melissa Marr

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.

Made For You was a pleasant surprise for me - I have read a lot of Marr's previously book and one thing I have always noticed is that I never really get gripped by her writing, but Made For You had me gripped within the first 10 pages and I had to finish the whole book in one night. It was exciting and chilling and dark. The only thing that I struggled with was the multiple points of view - the killer's chain of thought definitely added to the creep factor, but I did feel like it made it quite easy to guess who the killer is half way through the book.

That being said, I still enjoyed this book enough to recommend this book to my mother and she agreed with all of my points - this book is reminiscent of The Body Finder, or Clarity, and it's a tried and tested premise which works almost every time - this is, thankfully, one of those times. Eva was a great character, she did make some stupid moves, but those were because she trusted people that she shouldn't have which I can forgive because it only seems stupid to the reader because by the n we've guessed who the killer is.

I also found that Marr's writing was so much more immersive this time around, and I was absorbed into both the mystery side of things and the relationships in the book. I would definitely feel more confident reading another book by Marr now. That being said, I did feel that the end seemed a little abrupt - there was so much build up and it all just sort of... fizzled out, I guess.

Still, Made for You was an engaging and exciting book full of mystery, romance and with a touch of the paranormal. Definitely one worth check out, I'd say. 

Book released 26th March 2015 by Harper Collins Children's Books

Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Review: Death Wish by Megan Tayte

Seventeen-year-old Scarlett Blake is haunted by death. Her estranged sister has made the ultimate dramatic exit. Running away from school, joining a surfing fraternity, partying hard: that sounds like Sienna. Butsuicide? It makes no sense.

Following in her sister’s footsteps, Scarlett comes to the isolated cove of Twycombe, Devon, with grand plans to uncover the truth. Alone. But she hasn’t reckoned on meeting two boys who are determined to help her. Luke: the blue-eyed surfer who’ll see the real Scarlett, who’ll challenge her, who’ll save her. And Jude: the elusive drifter with a knack for turning up whenever Scarlett’s in need.

As Scarlett’s quest for the truth unravels, so too does her grip on reality as she’s always known it. Because there’s something strange going on in this little cove. A dead magpie circles the skies. A dead deer watches from the undergrowth. Hands glow with light. Warmth. Power.

What transpires is a summer of discovery. Of what it means to conquer fear. To fall in love. To choose life. To choose death.

To believe the impossible.

I received Death Wish for review and judging by the gorgeous cover and that blurb I was expecting for a stunning mystery with a paranormal twist and more focus on Scarlett's creepy death powers. For me, I was a little disappointed because the paranormal in this book is so subtle even though it is a big deal - in fact it kicks in right near the end and it made this book feel like a very long winded prologue as opposed to a first book. The plot creeped very slowly for me, which was really annoying because there were so many aspects of this book that blew me away!

For one, the setting was gorgeous. As someone who spent many a summer in Cornwall and Devon with my family during my childhood, I was really blown away by how well Tayte describes the location. The dangerous, choppy seas, the quaint environment of a coastal village - it really was beautiful and so easy to envision. Scarlett's process of getting used to the location was well written and I loved the characters that she met there - Cara was brilliant and the old man that Scarlett meets and works for (forgive me for forgetting his name) was just so genuine. In fact all of the characters were pretty well written, even Jude - the typical broody bad boy with a secret - was bearable. I though Luke was nice but he didn't really offer a whole lot and I wish there was a little less focus on this relationship and a little more focus on Scarlett's mystery and the story behind her sister's death.

I was also taken aback that Scarlett's parents just let her disappear off to the village her sister supposedly killed herself in just months later. Surely they would be more concerned? It seemed very confusing to me that they didn't really seem to care - and Scarlett is only 17 in this book! It was just convenient that Scarlett's parents weren't around to see her self-destructive behaviour. I was also put off Scarlett when she was ignoring her mother's attempts at getting in touch. Surely if your sister has killed herself, you would be more respectful of your mother's worrying?

I felt that the writing was good, but it did seem clunky in the way that indie published books often are. Many people has put that down to the writer being a Brit author, but as a Brit reader I think it is just down to the lack of streamlining the dialogue and I can't blame Tayte for this - it could just have used another round of editing, I think.

Overall, Death Wish was a pretty average book. I think that I was put off by the very slow pace, but the writing and setting was well done, so I would read the sequel. The book doesn't pick up to the end, but I am interested in it now that the story is picking up.

Book released 7th February 2015 by Heaven Afire

Book received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Review: Red by Alyxandra Harvey

Red is the color of Kia Alcott's hair.
It's her temper, which blazes hot and always gets Kia into way too much trouble.
And it's the color of fire. Fires that Kia can start…just by thinking about them.

When her latest “episode” gets her kicked out of school, Kia is shipped off to her grandmother, who works for the wealthy Blackwoods. It's an estate shrouded in secrets, surrounded by rules, and presided over by a family that is far from normal…including the gorgeous and insolent Ethan Blackwood.

Ethan knows far more about the dangers of the forest surrounding the estate than Kia can ever imagine. For this forest has teeth, and Ethan is charged with protecting the outside world from its vicious mysteries.

But inside, even the most vibrant shade of red doesn't stand a chance against the dark secrets of the Blackwood family…

I'll start off with this: Red wasn't the most original book in the world, nor was it the most thrilling or gripping or the best at anything. What it was though was good, it managed to stand on it's own despite filling pretty much every single YA book cliche possible. If a book can take a tried-and-tested formula the way Red did and still have me flicking the pages in earnest then it is a good book. It isn't innovative and new and shiny, so I can never call it an A book, but it is the better side of average and I liked that.

Kia was such a great character. She doesn't make stupid decisions and she is sassy but not in that reckless way that so many authors think makes a character strong. She was witty and had a voice that I enjoyed reading. The other characters were great as well - Ethan, despite being the typical broody YA hero, was also a very likable character and I liked that there was a development in this relationship. No instant love - well not as much as in other YA books!  

The storyline was great as well, it was eerie and developed slowly, building the tension in an atmospheric way that I sort of felt in my bones. It was great. The ending was fantastic, the twist as absolutely fantastic even though I had guessed it was coming, and how the characters dealt with the situations felt real and great.
Overall, despite the lack of originality in this book, it was fresh and fun the read. it kept me gripped and I came to really care about the characters. Harvey did good again!

Book released 10th March 2015 by Entangled Teen

Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review