Impostor (Variants: Book One)
Written by Susanne Winnacker
Science Fiction, Thriller
Published January 2014
320 Pages
Tessa is a Variant, able to absorb the DNA of anyone she touches and mimic their appearance. Shunned by her family, she's spent the last two years with the Forces with Extraordinary Abilities, a secret branch of the FBI. There she trains with other Variants, such as long term crush Alec, who each have their own extraordinary ability. When a serial killer rocks a small town in Oregon, Tessa is given a mission: She must impersonate Madison, a local teen, to find the killer before he strikes again.
Tessa hates everything about being an impostor, the stress, the danger, the deceit, but loves playing the role of a normal girl. As Madison, she finds friends, romance, and the kind of loving family she'd do anything to keep. Amid action, suspense, and a ticking clock, this super human comes to a very human conclusion: Even a girl who can look like anyone struggles the most with being herself.
Ugly Love
Written by Colleen Hoover
New Adult, Romance
Published in Australia August 2014
336 Pages
Thank you to Simon and Schuster Australia
Never ask about the past.
Don’t expect a future.
When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her. They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.
Hearts get infiltrated. Promises get broken. Rules get shattered.
Love gets ugly.
Charlie and The Chocolate Factory
Written by Roald Dahl
Childrens, Classic
Originally published 1964
208 Pages
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When Charlie Bucket finds himself the proud winner of a Golden Ticket in a chocolate bar, he knows he has the greatest treat in the world in store for him. Join Charlie on his fantastic world famous adventures in Willy Wonka's miraculous chocolate factory, where he sees strawberry juice water pistols, luminous lollipops, a chocolate river, and rainbow drops... And has the time of his life.
The Young World The Young World Trilogy Book One
Written by Chris WeitzSurvival, Post Apocalyptic, Dystopian
Published August 1st 2014
352 Pages
Thank you to Hachette Australia
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★★★★☆
After a mysterious Sickness wipes out the rest of the population, the young survivors assemble into tightly run tribes. Jefferson, the reluctant leader of the Washington Square tribe, and Donna, the girl he's secretly in love with, have carved out a precarious existence among the chaos. But when another tribe member discovers a clue that may hold the cure to the Sickness, five teens set out on a life altering road trip to save humankind.The tribe exchanges gunfire with enemy gangs, escapes cults and militias, braves the wilds of the subway and Central Park... And discovers truths they could never have imagined.
It was reported that the first case of the Sickness was found in Europe two years prior, before rapidly spreading throughout the United States. The flu like symptoms seemingly developing in children and adults, leaving teens the only age group that have escaped the deadly illness. They believe the virus is based on hormones, and the hundred on teens that now inhabit Washington Square in New York are surviving until they reach physical maturity at eighteen. The tribe is now looking towards Jefferson, brother of the former leader who had succumbed to the Sickness, a responsibility Jeff reluctantly accepts. It's been two long years, and the teens around New York have now segregated and who the Sickness doesn't take... Ethnic cleansing surely will.
Within the partially self sufficient environment, an important member of the tribe discovers what may be the key to the Sickness and a small group including Jefferson and Donna, make the journey to find information that they hope may lead to a cure. But navigating the mean streets of New York, is only the first step in making the treacherous distance in one piece. Rival communities are planning a violent takeover, and will stop at nothing until they monopolise what remains of society, while others seemingly thrive with off shore produce.
But one thing remains constant throughout New York, it's kill or be killed... If the Sickness doesn't strike you down first.
Kelly's Thoughts
The Young World was brilliant, a post apocalyptic fight for survival in which teens now rule New York. There are no adults or children, the teens believing that the Sickness lay dormant within their age group, then ensuring a quick death once a teen reaches physical maturity. None more so than Brainbox, the resident teen scientist who has his own theories about the deadly virus, but needs help to obtain proof. Their journey is incredibly dangerous, especially with the large community of Uptowners calling for blood after a failed trade attempt. During the journey, the group also come into contact with the Moles, kids who live underground, the racial divide between the African American teens and Hispanic, who are either vying for control or to simply survive.
Told in dual points of view, Jefferson is quiet, stoic and believes that those who remain can build a new society. He hopes for a future where the Sickness can be cured, and will either find a cure or die trying. Donna on the other hand is feisty, realistic and won't allow herself for anything more than seeing out each day. Friends since both were young, Jefferson secretly pines for Donna but can't bring himself to tell her. Their points of view are both incredibly diverse, and I loved seeing the same situation portrayed though both characters.
By far my favourite character was Peter, Donna's best friend and confidant. He's the token gay character, Christian, African American and incredibly snarky. His mild sexual innuendos and throw away one liners add a lightness to the storyline in an otherwise grim world.
The final Verdict
Overall, it's an awesome read, incredibly entertaining and had trouble putting this one down. Already I'm eagerly awaiting book two in the series. A brilliant debut author, Chris Weitz is definitely one to watch out for.
Contains spoilers for Gone.
Hunger (Gone: Book Two)
Written by Michael Grant
Supernatural, Dystopian
Edition Published in Australia April 1st 2014
586 Pages
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Hunger (Gone: Book Two)
Written by Michael Grant
Supernatural, Dystopian
Edition Published in Australia April 1st 2014
586 Pages
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An uneasy calm has settled over Perdido Beach. But soon fear explodes into desperation as starvation sets in and the mob look to place blame. For the ‘normals' the buck must stop somewhere, with the 'freaks'. More and more kids are developing strange powers and, just as frighteningly, so are the animals in the FAYZ. Talking coyotes, swimming bats and deadly worms with razor sharp teeth are just the beginning.
For Sam Temple the strain of leadership is beginning to show and he's got more that just dwindling rations and in fighting to worry about. Caine is back with the psychotic whip hand, Drake,by his side. And in the background lies the greatest danger of all, and he needs to be fed.
Guest review by Jeann at Happy Indulgence Books
The Falconer (The Falconer: Book One)
Written by Elizabeth May
Steampunk, Paranormal, Fae
Published May 16th 2014
378 Pages
Heiress. Debutant. Murderer. A new generation of heroines has arrived.
Edinburgh, Scotland, 1844
Lady Aileana Kameron, the only daughter of the Marquess of Douglas, was destined for a life carefully planned around Edinburgh’s social events, right up until a faery killed her mother.
Now it’s the 1844 winter season and Aileana slaughters faeries in secret, in between the endless round of parties, tea and balls. Armed with modified percussion pistols and explosives, she sheds her aristocratic facade every night to go hunting. She’s determined to track down the faery who murdered her mother, and to destroy any who prey on humans in the city’s many dark alleyways.
But the balance between high society and her private war is a delicate one, and as the fae infiltrate the ballroom and Aileana’s father returns home, she has decisions to make. How much is she willing to lose, and just how far will Aileana go for revenge?
After first dealing with a Windows crash where I've lost everything on my computer, my service provider then decided that I didn't need an internet connection or home phone, and my service was cut off for a few days. So now it's a game of catching up on my reviews for the books I read while I was offline.
Sinner (The Wolves of Mercy Falls: Book 3.5)
Written by Maggie Stiefvater
Paranormal, Romance
Published in Australia August 2014
369 Pages
Thank you to Scholastic Australia
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Paranormal, Romance
Published in Australia August 2014
369 Pages
Thank you to Scholastic Australia
Add to Goodreads
A standalone companion book to the internationally bestselling Shiver Trilogy.
Sinner follows Cole St. Clair, a pivotal character from the number one New York Times bestselling Shiver Trilogy. Everybody thinks they know Cole's story. Stardom. Addiction. Downfall. Disappearance. But only a few people know Cole's darkest secret, his ability to shift into a wolf. One of these people is Isabel. At one point, they may have even loved each other. But that feels like a lifetime ago. Now Cole is back. Back in the spotlight. Back in the danger zone. Back in Isabel's life. Can this sinner be saved?
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