Sleepless Book Two
Written By Fisher Amelie
Contemporary, Romance, Realistic Fiction
Published June 15th 2012
175 Pages
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★★★
Thomas Eriksson thinks he has it all figured out.
People crossed the street when they saw me. I’m not really sure why that was. I mean, okay, I might have looked a bit intimidating if I was being truthful with you. I’d changed since New York. New York represented a life that wasn’t real, not truthfully, anyway. No, New York was the young, immature, in love, idiot side of Tom. The Tie Dye Tom of New York City didn’t exist anymore. Tie Dye Tom was dead.
January Mac Lochlainn thinks she’s her own worst enemy. I quit Berkeley. Threw away a full scholarship. Plans, you ask? What plans? But they’re both wrong.
Tom approached me slowly and met me under the light on the stone walkway. He leaned over me so closely, my neck craned to see his face. His expression was one of confusion as he studied my own.
What is it about you? he asked me. I gulped. What do you mean? I whispered, closing my eyes and swallowing again, my breaths becoming labored. He lifted his hand and dragged the backs of his fingers across my jaw so lightly I barely felt them, but they made me feel dizzy all the same.
How can you be this extraordinary, January MacLochlainn? He leaned closer, a look of pure frustration and anger lit his eyes and pressed his lips.
And why couldn’t I have met you before I realised I didn’t want anyone... Ever?
Life for Thomas and January will never be the same again... Whether they like it or not.
Thomas, originally from the book Callum & Harper, is now living in Austin, working as a talent scout and wears his anger as a shield. You see, Tom fell in love with his best friend who is marrying someone else, so rather than stay in New York with his support group, he fled to Austin. The Ivories have gone their separate ways and everyone is moving on into new phases in their lives.
January is the oldest in a whole herd of kids in her family. There is January, April, July... Her parents are free spirits. She is a piano prodigy and is attending Berkeley as part of a full scholarship, until she quits. She wants to help other bands get off their feet and into the music world, so when she meets Tom, the talent scout at a gig one night, instincts take over and she finds herself drawn to him. They share a life altering, mind blowing kiss on the dance floor and life will never be the same for either of them again.
January is a likable character, she's funny and carefree and has just enough quirks to make her cool, without being weird. Tom on the other hand is scorned and his heartbreak keeps him from wanting anything to do with January, so when she is offered a position as a scout, Tom knows he's in big trouble.
Not as endearing as the first in the Sleepless series by Fisher Amelie, Callum & Harper, but entertaining. This book is extremely short, it could be considered a novella. January really is a lovely character, she brings life to the story. Tom is radically different to how his character was portrayed in Callum & Harper, when he was known as happy go lucky, tie dye Tom. In this, he is moody, black wearing, cold and emotionless. I understand it's easier to portray him as heartbroken with the black, emo cliche, but he sounds more like Ten Second Tom from 50 First Dates, I could have sworn he was quite a bit older than his 22 years. I enjoyed seeing the old friends from Callum & Harper woven throughout the story.
Delirium Book Three
Written By Lauren Oliver
Dystopian, Fantasy, Romance
Published March 5th 2013
432 Pages
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★★★
This exciting finale to Lauren Oliver's New York Times bestselling Delirium trilogy is a riveting blend of nonstop action and forbidden romance in a dystopian United States.
Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has transformed. The nascent rebellion that was underway in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.
After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven. Pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels.
As Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain of the Wilds, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor. Requiem is told from both Lena and Hana's points of view. They live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.
With lyrical writing, Lauren Oliver seamlessly interweaves the peril that Lena faces with the inner tumult she experiences after the reappearance of her first love, Alex, the boy she thought was dead. Sophisticated and wide-ranging, Requiem brings the Delirium trilogy to a thrilling conclusion
Citizens are separated into two distinct societies, Invalids with the disease, and the cured, who are obedient and follow the rules of The Book of Shhh. The story picks up with Lena and Julian with the resistance in The Wild... And Alex's return from the crypts. Requiem is written from dual points of view, Lena our main character who fled society to live without the imposed rules and being 'cured', and Hana, once Lena's most trusted friend. Hana has since been cured and is now planning her wedding day to the new mayor, the son of the recently deceased mayor.
Hana is having strange dreams, but knows that telling anyone could jeopardise her life, but she can't help but feel a strange pang of guilt and covertly heads back to her old neighbourhood.
Lena, meanwhile is on the run. Guards have been summoned and are now attacking pockets of resistance allies on the ground. The impending war isn't the only thing on Lena's mind, the tension between Julian and Alex could be cut with a knife, but with a new girl rescued among the pack, has she caught someones attention?
Keeping my review short and sweet, as I don't want to reveal too much. Great action scenes and it was a brilliant to show how far both Lena and Hana have come and their differing worlds now. Beautifully written and a unique concept, but felt empty once I had finished. For myself, there was no definitive ending as I had hoped, and it overshadowed the important social message that the series tries to portray.
Anna and the French Kiss Book Two
Written By Stephanie Perkins
Contemporary, Romance
Published December 29th 2011
384 Pages
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★★★★
In this companion novel to Anna and the French Kiss, two teens discover that true love may be closer than they think.
For budding costume designer Lola Nolan, the more outrageous, the outfit, more sparkly, more fun, more wild, the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect, right down to her hot rocker boyfriend, until the dreaded Bell twins move back into the house next door.
When the family returns and Cricket, a gifted inventor and engineer, steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.
Lola is fab - u - lous! She's a budding fashion designer with a flare for living within her costume outfits. She's bold, she's sassy and not afraid to express herself through her quirky fashion sense. She's a devoted daughter with two fathers, after her mother couldn't care for her. She has a older boyfriend who's in a band, in which her dad's don't approve of, an awesome Nancy Drew wannabe friend and works with Anna, from Anna and the French Kiss. Her life wasn't always so fabulous.
Cricket Bell, the lanky and equally quirky, boy next door broke her heart. An overprotective sister, moving houses and his inability to tell Lola how he felt, ultimately drove them apart. She hasn't seen him since. She tries not to think about him, those blue eyes, his crazy inventions and how he was proud to call her his best friend. Lola has always marched to the beat of her own drum, her father's dubbing her their 'little drag queen', and Cricket had always marched along beside her.
When she releases she has new neighbours, Lola panics. Surely it isn't... Phew. False alarm.
But it is...
Lola soon releases that Cricket isn't the same boy anymore. He's... tall. She knows he still stirs those feelings inside her, but with a jealous boyfriend, a mother back on the scene and Cricket's overprotective twin sister, can she handle being friends with the boy she once loved?
Stephanie Perkins is the queen of light and fluffy teen romances. They are fun, flirty and the characters she creates are quirky and full of life. I quite enjoyed how the story included both Anna and St Clair from her first novel, and intertwined them throughout Lola and Cricket's story. If your looking for a light, feel good read, you can't go past Stephanie Perkins.
Written By Stephanie Perkins
Contemporary, Romance
Published December 2nd 2010
386 Pages
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★★★★★
Anna was looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. So she's less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris until she meets Etienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Etienne has it all...
Including a serious girlfriend.
But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near misses end with their long awaited French kiss?
Stephanie Perkins keeps the romantic tension crackling and the attraction high in a debut guaranteed to make toes tingle and hearts melt.
Anna is a pretty awesome friend, an almost girlfriend, a daughter and a pretty cool big sister. Her whole life is turned upside down, when her trashy romance, writing father has arranged for her to spend her senior year abroad... In Paris.
Trying not to succumb to her panic, Anna realises she is truly alone... Until she meets the other American kids of S.O.A.P. Anna is missing her almost boyfriend, where they shared a kiss... Right before she was forced to leave. Anna can't get him out of her mind, until of course, she meets St Clair.
Etienne St Clair is the American at a boarding school in France, with the seriously sexy English accent. He is beautiful, with beautiful hair, a quirky smile and the most hideous knitted hat you've ever seen, but girls can't help but be drawn to him, Anna included. The two soon become friends, Anna starts to experience Paris like she never thought possible. St Clair can charm Paris like no other, with random facts about tourist attractions, he literately can get away with anything.
But he has Ellie, a former student at S.O.A.P, stylish, sophisticated, and St Clair's girlfriend. The two are not only wrong for one another, Anna can see that they don't make one another happy. What is it with couples who are wrong for each other, staying together?
With subtle brushes, longing stares and drunk declarations, does St Clair feel more for his best friend than he should? Surely Anna isn't imagining it.
This book was adorable! As cute as a button. It was funny, and beautifully written. If you've always wanted to see the city of love, Stephanie Perkins takes us on a journey to see the sights of Paris.
If you love sweet, innocent but quirky romantic comedies, you'll fall in love with Anna and the French Kiss.
The Secret Book One
Written By Jessica Sorensen
Contemporary, Romance, New Adult
Published October 4th 2012
316 Pages
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★★★
Ella and Micha have been best friends since they were kids. But one tragic night shatters their friendship and their lives forever.
Ella used to be a rule breaker with fiery attitude who wore her heart on her sleeve. But she left everything behind when she went to college and transformed into someone that follows the rules, keeps everything together, and hides all her problems. But now it's summer break and she has nowhere else to go but home.
Ella fears everything she worked so hard to bury might resurface, especially with Micha living right next door. If Micha tries to tempt the old her back, she knows that it will be hard to resist.
Micha is sexy, smart, confident, and can get under Ella’s skin like no one else can. He knows everything about her, including her darkest secrets. And he’s determined to bring his best friend, and the girl he loves back, no matter what it takes.
Ella is living a life that isn't her own. She has run from her past into a future where she is polite, smiles at strangers and turns into one of those girls. But that isn't Ella. Ella is a tough, gritty chick from the wrong side of the tracks in a bad neighbourhood. She's the girl who drag raced, started fights and helped fixed cars. She's the one with the alcoholic father, the one who's brother blames her for a tragic night that has destroyed her family, and nothing will ever be the same. Ella takes off, she can't stay or she's terrified she'll end up just like her.
It's been eight months, eight months! And he has been looking for her since. Micha. He has been best friends with Ella as long as he can remember. He was there that night when both their lives changed. He is still in love with Ella and has never given up. Not without his own problems, but when Ella returns to town on a break from collage, Micha tries to lure the firecracker that was Ella, out. Regardless of her new clothes, that fake politeness and tolerance, he knows she's still in there.
As Ella begins to piece her life back together, Micha's world is crumbling. Can he finally help her to open up, to forgive herself and make her see that he cannot live without her.
I really enjoyed The Secret of Ella and Micha, but it reminded me of so many other contemporary young adult novels that I've read before. Your broken, let me fix you syndrome. Ella's character is the equivalent of a teen boy's wet dream. A hot tomboy who loves cars, wears tiny shorts, curses and starts fights. Her character is mildly likeable and in parts you can identify with her and sympathise. Micha on the other hand, he's a cliche. Not exactly the 'bad boy', but is sexually experienced and used missing and trying to get over Ella after she left, as the 'excuse'. It seems to be a common theme with leading male characters in contemporary young or new adult novels, is that what labels them as bad boys?
Regardless, it was a good read, but it ends with the promise of the next book in the series to have already been released, but this isn't the case. So for those who can't wait, I suggest to add this one to the back burner.
Shatter Me Book Two
Written By Tahereh Mafi
Dystopian, Supernatural, Romance
Published February 5th 2013
465 Pages
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★★★★★
Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick
It's almost
Time for war.
Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her - people with gifts - and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.
She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.
Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.
In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life - changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart - and Adam's life.
Juliette's touch is lethal. She has never felt loved, wanted or desired, until she met Adam. The former rebellious soldier of Warner's army division. Warner, the boy who has breathed and studied Juliette for years. He want's revenge, he wants Juliette.
The story begins where Shatter Me, the first novel in the series, left readers. Juliette and Adam are now members of the resistance at Omega Point. Preparing for an assault from the Reestablishment army and The Supreme Commander's ruling hand, Juliette is trying to master her curse gift... With little success. She feels as though she is still being held against her will. She now barely sees Adam. Adam is undergoing testing in the hope to understand his abilities, his immunity to Juliette's lethal touch could only mean that he too is cursed blessed. Right?
With the army increasing manpower and patrols, the movement know that time us running out, and quickly. Warner lives for Juliette, the most exquisite, yet deadly creature he's ever met. He must have her. Compound citizens are being killed for protesting and there is steadily growing unrest towards the reestablishment. But when four gifted team members are taken hostage. It's now or never. Juliette is ready, but with two men that would give their lives for her, she's conflicted. Two polar opposites, one a freedom fighter, the other thrives on the emotionless, oppressive regime. Both can touch her it shouldn't be possible it is possible. Revelations will blow their world apart.
I am officially in love with Tahereh Mafi. Tahereh isn't a writer, she's a storyteller, she's a poet, she creates entire worlds where the reader can live, she's brilliant. I've never come across an inner monologue even close to that of the character of Juliette. It's purely poetic. Taherah can describe one emotion with paragraphs of random descriptions, shrieking tea kettles, being able to capture minutes ticking by in your pocket, I am scared, I am scared, I am scared, I am strong. It's quirky and poetic and captures Juliette with an amazing inner monologue. That originality wont sit well with everyone, but the strike through text, the short clipped lines and poetic descriptions are incredible. I've never read anything remotely similar. There are no awkward pauses and it's written with such beauty. I read the entire book in one sitting, I devoured it and couldn't put it down.
Written By Kelly Oram
Contemporary, Young Adult
Published December 11th 2012
360 Pages
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★★★
When Val Jensen gets dumped for her decision to stay a virgin until marriage, the nasty breakup goes viral on YouTube, making her the latest internet sensation.
After days of ridicule from her peers, Val starts a school-wide campaign to rally support for her cause. She meant to make a statement, but she never dreamed the entire nation would get caught up in the controversy.
As if becoming nationally recognised as Virgin Val isn’t enough, Val’s already hectic life starts to spin wildly out of control when bad boy Kyle Hamilton, lead singer for the hit rock band Tralse, decides to take her abstinence as a personal challenge.
How can a girl stay true to herself when this year’s Sexiest Man Alive is doing everything in his power to win her over?
Val is a virgin. Born to a teen mother who gave her up for adoption at the chance of a better life, leaves her with only a letter and a necklace with the letter V. Eighteen year old Val is a popular girl, not so much with the in crowd, but she had her best friend Cara and boyfriend Zach. Zach and Val have been dating for a few months, and have never discussed sex. He clearly assumed that, like most couples, the time would come where they would make the decision to take their relationship further, but Val is a virgin for a reason. She wont have sex until she is married. Once Val explains to Zach that she is waiting until marriage, he dramatically breaks off their relationship, and that's where the real story begins.
The rumours are spreading through the school like wildfire. Zach, with his male pride in tatters, implies that he and Val did indeed have sex, and the experience was horrible, hence the breakup. Usually polite and quiet Val would push her feelings aside, but decides that she has had enough of being mocked and makes a brash announcement. Standing on a table top, shouting to the students that Zach is a liar, she is a virgin and proud to be waiting until marriage. If that wasn't mortifying enough, someone has filmed her outburst and posted it on Youtube... Where she is fast becoming known as Virgin Val.
Ladies and gentlemen, introducing Kyle! Kyle is a so called Bad Boy rock star. More of a smart mouthed flirt than the bad boy cliche. Kyle takes an interest in Val, which in turn increases Val's popularity. Before she knows it, she's known as the 'V for Virgin' ambassador, has her own jewellery line and supports both the right to retain your virginity and abstinence. Kyle isn't making her life easy, he writes songs about her, blogs about her and confesses that he would do just about anything for a chance to have her V card.
When Val's world starts to crumble, overwhelmed, overworked and on the verge of being friendless, can Kyle show her that he is interested in more than Val's purity and that she's worth waiting for
Fresh and funny in parts but I was lost somewhere within the true meaning of the story. Was that it is better to wait until your in love or care about the person? Well, yes, that goes without saying. But there was no opposing voice, that it is alright to have sex, the world wont end. As long as it's your decision and your not coerced. Zach's character was supposedly the voice of reason towards the end, but it wasn't a very strong point at all. A bit too one sided for me.
Val was likable in the beginning, but her virgin crusade became more of a constant lecture of not supporting the cause. If that's your prerogative to wait until your married, more power to you, you go girl and other various cliched motivational sayings, but it's not for everyone. I just found her annoying by the end.
Legend Book Two
Written By Marie Lu
Supernatural, Romance, Dystopian
Published January 29th 2013
384 Pages
Add to Goodreads
★★★★
June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens, the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the two join a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and offer passage to the Colonies. They have only one request, June and Day must assassinate the new Elector.
It’s their chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long.
But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she’s haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood, what if the Patriots are wrong?
Prodigy begins with Day and June on a train bound for Vegas to join the Patriot movement, while fleeing the oppression of the republic. On the run, the relationship between Day and June is strained. He despises republic soldiers and still can't silence the nagging doubts he has whether he can trust her. June has given up everything for Day, her position as the infamous young republic prodigy, her wealth and now needs to instill her trust with Day, finding his brother and making it to the colonies.
When the leader of the Patriots, Razor, wants to strike a deal, June doesn't hesitate to agree. Kill the the new Elector, the young and attractive Anden, son of the former elect, and the Patriots will ensure the return of Day's brother. Day has envisioned the colonies as a free and proud land and a chance for a better life.
June knows something isn't right, on the verge of illness, she is planted to be captured by the republic. When she is finally taken to meet with Anden, she quickly releases that he isn't the same leader his father was. He's young, he wants a free society for the people of the republic and his ideas are sure to upset the senate and Republic traditionalists. So why do the Patriots want him dead?
Beautifully paced and written. The world created by Marie Lu is so detailed, and you can't help but feel immersed. My only annoyance is the use of '...Yeah?' at the end of a line of dialogue to turn a statement into a question. Be prepared for a few emotional shocks, and an ending that may leave you a tad deflated.
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