Book Review: Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Please note: This is the second book in the Hush, Hush series and does contain spoilers.

Check out my review for Hush, Hush (1).

A few weeks ago Nora Grey almost died. When her life was in danger, the smoky hot mysterious Patch did the unthinkable and saved her life. If she died Patch could have taken her life and become human, but instead he saved her and became her guardian angel.

Yet the angels above are keeping an eye on Patch, Making his relationship with Nora…complicated. When an old childhood friend of Nora’s comes back to town, suddenly there are questions involving her father’s death. In this small town of Maine there are a lot more secrets than Nora could ever imagine. If Patch isn’t by her side to sort them out, will she be able to handle the truth?

I can’t say that this sequel was as good as the first. The habits that Nora had established in the first book were completely absent and she reverted to an unimaginative one-dimensional character obsessed with her love interest.

However, I kept going because the plot was intriguing. What lacked in character development/progression can be slightly overlooked due to the thrilling mystery the story created. Fitzpatrick did a brilliant job of giving the reader just enough hints of information to keep me turning the pages.

Plus, the ending is even more explosive than the first book. I’m going to keep reading the series but I was disappointed that the second seemed to forget everything good it had established in the first.

Book Review: Story’s End by Marissa Burt

Jul9

Please note: This is the second book in the Storybound series and does contain spoilers from the first book.

For my review of the first book Storybound, click here.

With the enemy returning at the hands of an unknowing Una Fairchild, the fate of Story is in peril.

Whispers of the true king of Story waft from character to character. Yet, can it be believed?

As the Red Enchantress blankets most of the Story with lies, can a proper ending be written?

With Una’s new knowledge of who she is exposed, can Story forgive her for what she has done?

What will become of Story? What ending is it destined to have?

Burt is truly a gifted middle grade writer. I absolutely adored Storybound, and I wasn’t disappointed with Story’s End. I do think the second book is bit more mature than the first, but it’s an exciting end for such a fantastical world.

All loose ends are tied up and I really enjoyed how Una is not a traditional character. To avoid spoilers, it’s understood when the book is read.

Story’s End will challenge middle grade readers and expose them to battles against good versus evil. What is happening to the characters isn’t immediately understood, making them perfect for parent assisted or reading groups.

For all the parents, there is a happy ending. For a two book series it’s beautifully written with care for it’s age range, and brings to life stories in a way that hasn’t been done in many a year. Even adults can find the fun and thrill. Well done Burt! I am so happy to recommend such amazing work!

Book Review: Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Jun25

Angels. They’re supposed to be something believed in, heavenly creatures that act as guardians. What about those who fall?

Nora Grey is your average sixteen-year-old. With her best friend Vee, they go through the motions of high school. That is, until chemistry class takes a realistic turn when the handsome but mysterious Patch shows up and is paired as Nora’s partner. He’s smoking hot and irritating in all the wrong ways. As Nora tries to push him away he only succeeds in getting closer to her heart.

Then Nora runs into many just of luck chances. She has feelings of being followed and hears voices in her head. Others begin to warn her of Patch, but yet, she can’t stay away. As the danger lurks closer, Nora is going to have to make a choice to trust the voices of others or go with her heart. In the end it’s not just her life that will be on the line.

I’m such a huge fan of the covers. Terrible I know, but I am quite the sucker for a well-marketed book.

For the romance/series readers, this first book won’t disappoint. There’s thrill, sizzling, romance tension and lots of mystery. Nothing is really answered in this book, and as there are three more I’m happy with that. I was engaged and intrigued through every chapter, which is a rarity for me with romance.

I really liked Nora Grey as a character. I mean she’s got a great name. Due to family reasons’ dating wasn’t on her table until other characters come into play. I feel she’s relatively normal and relatable. She’s not blonde with blue eyes but has unruly curly hair and doesn’t wear makeup. I’m so curious to know more. There are nearly 400 pages and still I can’t wait to learn more in the next book!

Even the romance bit didn’t make me gag, which again is hard to do. I’m pleased with the beginning of the series, not overly sucked in, but pleased and happy to continue.

Book Review: Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Jun18

Please note this is the second book in the Delirium Series.

Find my review for the first Delirium.

THEN: Lena has escaped her life. Over the fence she has crawled, leaving Alex behind to trek through the Wilds into the unknown. Now Lena has been born anew. As apart of a group of those that wander the Wilds fighting for survival, Lena tries to move forward, grieving for Alex. The ways of her old life are long forgotten. Her body and mind shift to withstand the harsh reality of living beyond the wall.

NOW: Together with her group Lena tries to gather more information as she lives undetected within society. When she gets caught up in the kidnapping of Julian Fineman, the son of the Mayor and symbol of a Deliria Free America. She’s going to have to use everything she learned out in the Wilds to insure their existence.

Throughout everything, the struggle, tears death and hunger, Lena pushes more. Alex died to give her a real chance at life. But in a world where feeling love is outlawed, what’s the point in living when that love is gone?

I really liked the format of this book. Switching between THEN and NOW, as readers we learn how Lena has evolved as a character and she does not disappoint! Multi layered and tough, I have loved to see how Lena has grown into a strong female character. Her heartbreak is also all too real and relatable. The grief within this book is harsh but realistic. I praise Oliver for taking her world to the limits and not backing down from anything uncomfortable.

I was also pleased to read how much more complex this world became. There are more adult themes present. The more I think about it, it’s a standout sequel that does a 180 from its debut. Lena has woken up from the false reality that her government has been controlling and as it’s weaknesses become more apparent the future for everyone looks bleak. It’s a terrifying reality.

Yet throughout Lena never losses hope nor determination. It made me feel as if this world environment was the starting catalyst for The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Humans always want power and control, but a small group will never win over the population thus chaos is inevitable. This is book has hints on that power and it was a pleasure to read something that speaks lightly about the world around us now. Gritty and well paced this second book is a great revelation.

Book Review: Glitch by Heather Anastasiu

Jun11

Zoel’s world is run by her constant adherence to the Link, a controlling system that creates all peace within The Community. Connected by her implanted V-chip, Zoel feels nothing but a grey haze of indifference. That is until she starts ‘glitching’. For the first time Zoel can hear her own thoughts. Now calling herself Zoe, she must fight to hide her malfunctions or risk being terminated.

That is until she meets Adrian, who is able to explain emotions and share what the real world truly is. As Zoe meets others like her that glitch, she struggles with not being able to understand how to feel around them. The Community can’t discover their anomalies. Under any circumstances, they must keep their disconnection from the Link unknown. There’s also the issue that the glitchers are developing supernatural powers, and there are others than The Community that would do anything to convince these fragile minds to join their side. But which side is truly worth fighting for?

Sigh. I wanted to like this book, really I did. I got through the first ten pages and thought, hmmmm, kind of like The Giver, but dystopian, decent beginning, maybe if I kept reading it will get better.

I made little notes. There were a lot of repetitive words. Also some overwriting. However, I was still holding out that the story would get better, but it didn’t. BOOM came in the ‘love triangle’ of characters that have known each other for five seconds. Big disappointment. (Especially as this book isn’t directly marketed as romance in my eyes) Halfway through the book I was constantly distracted by the fact that timelines were all over the place. Those chapters seriously needed some editing.

My biggest issue is that one of characters attempts to sexually assault the main character and she sympathises and thinks it’s her fault that he is acting that way. Zoe is a lump of chewed up oatmeal that doesn’t have any redeeming qualities about her. Sure, chalk it up to the fact that in this world the characters don’t feel emotions and this would cause Zoe to be without a personality. However, she makes the choice to change her name, therefore she has the potential to discover herself whenever she was alone, but instead she stands as weak and uninspiring.

I was greatly disappointed with this first book and I won’t be continuing with the series. (The sequel Override, sounds like a X-men rip-off) If anyone else has read this book, I’d love to hear thoughts about this story that could have gone places but seems to be lacking structure and direction.

Book Review: Storybound by Marissa Burt

Jun8

A lonely foster child, full of wonder about who and where she came from; Una Fairchild is shocked as she’s transported to the land of Story when browsing her school library.

Now she’s a part of a magical land she never imaged could exist. Story, a world filled with characters one grows up with. Talking animals, princes in training and a school where all the students learn to be either a Hero or a Villain.

Yet not all is well in the land of Story, and twelve-year-old Una is about to discover that she wasn’t brought there by accident. There are secrets waiting in the dark and an evil just bidding time to be restored to Story. With her new friend Peter, it’s going to be up to Una to set a prophecy in motion.

What a fantastic middle grade series! I absolutely loved it! Can you tell? The setting, the characters, the breath of fresh air that brings humour and fun to the fairytale world where there’s more than meets the eye! Not to mention the fact that there is plenty of challenges for all ranges of middle grade readers.

Plus the ending is so AMAZING! I don’t know how else to praise Burt for creating such an intriguing series. Not only are the characters easy to relate to, but the whole creation of Story is an awesome way to get kids to think outside of the book. This is length done right with loads of new characters, places and motives. As the knowledge within Story is challenged, the information is at a perfect rate to keep kids turning those pages!

I’m looking forward to delving back into Story with Burt’s sequel, Story’s End.