The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness.

Title – The Ask and the Answer
Series – Chaos Walking trilogy #2
Author – Patrick Ness
How I Got It – From the publisher
Pages – 528 pages
Publication Date – February 1st 2018 by Walker Books – 10th anniversary edition
ISBN – 9781406379174
My Rating – ★★★★/5

Viola and Todd have reached Haven but it wasn’t the haven they were expecting it to be. Now they’ve been separated from each other. Todd is imprisoned and is forced into Mayor Prentiss’s new “order.” Viola has been recovering at a healing house full of women. While she’s being as an apprentice a group starts bombing the town. The decisions Viola and Todd make next could change them forever.

I received a copy of The Ask and the Answer from Walker Books Australia to review. This is the second book in the Chaos Walking trilogy. You can read my review of the first book, The Knife of Never Letting Go, here. 

I was a little frustrated with Todd in this book. Actually with both Todd and Viola. I just couldn’t understand why Todd went along with everything Prentiss had him do, all the horrible things, especially after Viola left. For me, Prentiss is such a twisted and horrible person and I just expected Todd would have done anything to get away from him.

Also, the way Viola and Todd kept doubting each other was very frustrating. Especially after everything they’d been through on their journey to Haven. I guess when you have people in your ear telling you things and everything points to them being right, it definitely could put doubts in your head. I’m just glad they eventually decided to make their own choices. Which is what I feel this is all about – having the strength to make your own choices in the face of horrible situations.

Both The Knife of Never Letting Go and The Ask and the Answer have been very fast paced and enjoyable books. I couldn’t put all of them down. I’ll definitely be reading the last book in the trilogy, Monsters of Men, very soon.

At the end of The Ask and the Answer there was another short story or novella. This one took place before the Spackle War, which was thirteen years before the events in these books I think. I’m not sure how, or if, it will link into Monsters of Men but I’m looking forward to finding out.

*Thanks Walker Books Australia for sending me a copy to review*

– Aimee.

Ringer by Lauren Oliver.

Title – Ringer
Series – Replica #2
Author – Lauren James
How I Got It – From the publisher
Pages – 528 pages
Publication Date – October 10th 2017 by Hodder & Stoughton
ISBN – 9781473615052
My Rating – ★★★★/5

Outside the Haven Institute, Lyra and Caelum are struggling to fit in. Lyra was infected with a horrible disease and her symptoms are getting worse. One day Caelum leaves with no warning and Lyra follows, hoping to find a cure. Instead they discover a shocking connection to the Haven Institute.

Gemma just wants to go back to life before she uncovered her father’s secret. But he has other ideas – ones that include the replicas. Gemma and her boyfriend Pete try to stop him but soon find out they’re not safe either. The Haven Institute wasn’t destroyed and now Gemma is the one locked up. 

I received a copy of Ringer from Hachette New Zealand to review. This is the conclusion to Replica. I read Ringer the same way I read Replica – in alternating chapters. But they can also be read one POV at a time. Even though Gemma and Lyra’s stories are different they are also connected.

I thought Ringer was a great conclusion to Replica. There was so much going on for both Gemma and Lyra. It was action packed on both sides. Although sometimes I felt like there was more going on for Gemma. But looking back I think Lyra went through a lot too. While she was also struggling with an illness too.

I really liked both Gemma and Lyra. Caelum has annoyed me in both books but I guess I can understand why he did some of the things he did and I do get why he had trouble trusting other people. But I still found him annoying. I loved that even though it was Gemma’s father involved in the Haven Institute she was still willing to do everything she could to stop him and help the replicas. Not that it always worked out for her.

I really liked how this book what set out too. I’ve never read a book that’s been set out like these were. I don’t even know if there are other books like this.

I enjoyed both Gemma and Lyra’s stories and all the mystery and suspense. I also think Ringer had a really good ending. I wasn’t expecting a happily ever after and so I wasn’t disappointed.

I would definitely recommend both Replica and Ringer to anyone who loves mystery, sci-fi (pretty sure clones come under sci-fi?) and some action and suspense.

*Thank you Hachette New Zealand for sending me a copy to review*

– Aimee.

 

 

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo.

Title – The Poet X
Author – Elizabeth Acevedo
How I Got It – From the publisher
Pages – 361 pages
Publication Date – March 8th 2018 by Hardie Grant Egmont
ISBN – 9781405291460
My Rating – ★★★★★/5

Xiomara has secrets. She has a crush on a guy in her biology class. A notebook full of poems that she hides under her bed. A slam poetry club that pulls her secrets out in the open.

In a world where she feels like no one is interested in what she has to say, Xiomara refuses to keep quiet. 

I received a copy of The Poet X from Hardie Grant Egmont Australia to review.

I haven’t read a lot of books written in verse but out of the two or three that I have read I really enjoyed them. I always assumed that there wouldn’t be a lot of information or I wouldn’t be able to connect to the characters when books were written in verse but I was completely wrong. I couldn’t put this book down.

I really loved The Poet X! It was so honest and raw. Xiomara’s story hit on some really important topics – family, self acceptance, sexuality, religion, love and friendship. It was so beautifully written and I just couldn’t stop reading about Xiomara and her family.

I really felt for what Xiomara and her brother, Xavier, were going through. They had very strict parents, well maybe just the mother, I can’t really remember much about their father. Xiomara feels invisible and like no one is listening to what she wants. So she expresses herself through her poetry.

Xiomara was a very strong person, but vulnerable at the same time. I loved reading her story and the journey she went on in The Poet X. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to review this book. I’m not sure I would have heard of it otherwise. The Poet X is definitely worth reading!

This was an amazing debut and I can’t wait to see what Acevedo writes next.

*Thank you Hardie Grant Egmont Australia for sending me a copy to review*

– Aimee.

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness.

Title – The Knife of Never Letting Go
Series – Chaos Walking trilogy #1
Author – Patrick Ness
How I Got It – From the publisher
Pages – 496 pages
Publication Date – February 1st 2018 by Walker Books – 10th anniversary edition
ISBN – 9781406379167
My Rating – ★★★★/5

Prentisstown is unlike any other town. That’s because you can hear everyone’s thoughts in a never-ending Noise. There are no secrets in Prentisstown.

One month before Todd’s birthday, he comes across a place in the swamp where it’s completely silent and his life will never be the same again.

I received a copy of The Knife of Never Letting Go from Walker Books Australia to review. I haven’t read a lot of Ness’s books but I’d heard really good things about this trilogy so I wanted to finally check it out for myself. 

The synopsis for this book doesn’t really explain much but I also didn’t want to give too much away for the people who haven’t read it yet. Unless I’m the last one? Haha. Anyway, so much happened in this book I don’t even know where to start.

I loved Todd’s dog, Manchee. I thought he was hilarious. But I did find Todd kind of annoying in the beginning. I do understand why he did some things. I hated not knowing what was in the journal for most of the book and I probably blamed that on Todd.

The language, or Noise, in The Knife of Never Letting Go took me a while to get used to. Especially the slang. But once it because part of the story it didn’t bug me so much that the Noise had spelling mistakes. It makes sense though, Todd can’t read or write so his Noise wouldn’t be able to spell words correctly.

Like I said before, a lot happened in this book and I’m not going to spoil anything. But I will say that I liked this book a lot more that the others I’ve read by Ness. It had so many things that kept me coming back for more – secrets, lies, hidden agendas, alien-like beings and impending war – what’s not to love?

My copy of The Knife of Never Letting Go has a short story at the end called The New World. It’s in Viola’s POV and I really enjoyed it. I’m glad it was included in this edition.

I’m looking forward to reading The Ask and the Answer soon.

*Thank you Walker Books Australia for sending me a copy to review*

– Aimee.

Review: The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken.

Title – The Darkest Minds
Series – The Darkest Minds #1
Author – Alexandra Bracken
How I Got It – From the publishers
Pages – 576 pages
Publication Date – April 23rd 2018 by HarperCollins
ISBN – 9781460755594
My Rating – ★★★/5

On Ruby’s tenth birthday, she woke up changed. Something happened that made her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that got her sent to a brutal government “rehabilitation camp” called Thurmond. Ruby may have survived this mysterious disease that killed most of America’s children but the survivors have abilities they can’t control.

Ruby is now sixteen and one of the dangerous ones. When the truth about Ruby’s abilities comes out, she barely gets out of Thurmond alive. While on the run, she joins some other kids – Zu, Chubs and Liam – as they travel to find the last safe haven for kids with abilities. They’ll need to outrun the people tracking them. But before Ruby has a chance to live a life she’s only dreamed of, she’ll be faced with a horrible choice.

I received a copy of The Darkest Minds from HarperCollins New Zealand to review. This is the third book I’ve read by Alexandra Bracken. 

I’ve seen The Darkest Minds trilogy a lot online and I’ve been meaning to read it for a while. And I really wanted to pick it up before the movie comes out.

I want to say that this book started out kind of slow for me. I did end up liking the story but it took me a while to get into. I’m hoping the next two books will have more action or hook me faster.

I thought the story was really interesting and I’m hoping that there will be an explanation about the abilities – like why most kids don’t live past their tenth birthday and where they even came from. I also have some questions about Chubbs but won’t put them here because spoilers. I have so many questions.

I really liked Ruby, Zu and Liam. Chubbs took a while for me to like but I did by the end of the book. He was kind of annoying in the beginning. I could not stand Clancy.

I thought it was obvious what was happening between Ruby and Clancy right from the start and the longer it dragged on with out Ruby figuring it out the more she frustrated me. I was so glad when it eventually came out.

What Ruby did at the end of the book was kind of unfair but I can see why she did it. I’m looking forward to reading the next book, Never Fade, soon. I really want to know what’s next for Ruby.

*Thank you HarperCollins New Zealand for sending me a copy to review*

– Aimee.

Go Girl by Barbara Else.

Title – Go Girl
Author – Barbara Else
How I Got It – From the publishers
Pages – 210 pages
Publication Date – April 1st 2018 by Puffin
ISBN – 9780143771609
RRP – $45.00
My Rating – ★★★★/5

“Go Girl is a collection of true stories about New Zealand women who have done extraordinary things. 

They strove for their goals. They weren’t afraid to step up or speak out. They blazed a trail for others to follow.” 

I received a copy of Go Girl from Penguin Random House New Zealand to review.

I loved that Go Girl was all about New Zealand women. I had heard of a few of them but there were so many women in this book that I’d never heard of before. I’m so glad I was about to read about them in this amazing book.

I also loved the illustrations and the fact that they were done by New Zealand artists/illustrators. They were all amazing and I loved looking at them just as much as reading the stories.

I know the title is Go Girl but I think this book can be read to or by boys too. Especially if they’re from New Zealand too.

I really enjoyed Go Girl and would definitely recommend this to anyone and everyone!

*Thank you Penguin Random House for sending me a copy to review*

– Aimee.

Review: The Radical Element by Jessica Spotswood.

Title – The Radical Element
Series – A Tyranny of Petticoats #2
Author – Jessica Spotswood
How I Got It – From the publisher
Pages – 320 pages
Publication Date – March 13th 2018 by Candlewick Press
ISBN – 9780763694258
My Rating – ★★★★/5

“Twelve of the most talented writers working in YA literature today have created a century and a half of heroines on the margins and in the intersections, young women of all colours and creeds standing up for themselves and their beliefs. They are ignoring their mother’s well-meant advice and forging their own paths – whether secretly learning Hebrew in early Savannah, using the family magic to pass as white in 1920s Hollywood or singing in a feminist punk band in 1980s Boston.”

I received a copy of The Radical Element from Walker Books Australia to review. This is the second book in a series I guess. I haven’t read the first book, A Tyranny of Petticoats but I don’t really think you need to as they’re both anthologies so it’s not like the stories continue from the first book to the second. I will read the first book eventually though.

I know I’ve said this before. Probably more than once actually. But I have had problems with anthologies before. I either don’t like any of the stories or only a handful at most. I did enjoy every story in this book though. Which hardly ever happens. 

A friend of mine recommended the first book a few years ago and I did buy a copy but I still haven’t read it. I will hopefully pick it up soon. I really want to read it after how much I enjoyed this.

The Radical Element was full of strong and amazing young women and diversity too. I always love reading about different cultures and countries. I don’t think I’ve read a lot of books set during these times so I did find this really interesting.

A lot of the stories were based on the years they were set in but there were two, that I can remember off the top of my head, that had magic in them. I think they’re called magical realism? I’m not really sure. I can’t remember having ever read a magical realism story before but I think I have two sitting on my shelves.

Anyway, I do wish some of the stories were longer and I wanted to know what happened to the characters after their stories were over. But that’s always the problem with short stories if you like them. I’d definitely recommend this to people who love reading about strong, independent women who dare to follow their dreams and hearts!

*Thank you Walker Books Australia for sending me a copy to review*

– Aimee.

Review – Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend.

Title – Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow
Series – Nevermoor #1
Author – Jessica Townsend
How I Got It – From the publisher
Pages – 480 pages
Publication Date – October 31st 2017 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ISBN – 9780316439954
My Rating – ★★★★/5

Morrigan was born on Eventide – the unluckiest day for any child to be born – and has been blamed for every local misfortune all her life. But even worse than that, the curse means Morrigan will die at midnight on her eleventh birthday.

As Morrigan waits for midnight, a strange man called Jupiter appears. Hoping to outrun the shadows that are trying to kill her, Jupiter takes Morrigan to a magical and secret city called Nevermoor.  

Soon, Morrigan discovers that Jupiter chose her to compete for a place in the Wundrous Society. For Morrigan to be accepted in the Society, she much complete four trials against other children. If she fails she’ll have to leave the city and face whatever’s waiting for her back home.

I received a copy of Nevermoor from Hachette New Zealand to review. I’d heard a lot of good things about this book but I didn’t want to get my hopes up. Especially with it being compared to Harry Potter and The Hunger Games. I love those books and I really didn’t want to compare them. But I really enjoyed it!

I did find it a bit cheesy in places but it is a middle grade book so I guess it was kind of expected. I mean, it’s not cheesy in a bad way.

I liked Morrigan and her friend. I think his name was Hawthorne? But I’m not 100% sure. I found Morrigan’s story really interesting and I was totally rooting for her to get into the Wondrous Society. But there were other, very unique, characters in the book and all of them lived in Jupiter’s hotel. Even the hotel seem to have its own personality.

Nevermoor was full of adventure with all the trials Morrigan had to do and it added to the fun and magic of the book. It was dark in places, especially with the curse and Morrigan’s family (except her grandmother) But I really enjoyed this and will definitely be picking up a copy of the sequel when it comes out.

*Thank you Hachette New Zealand for sending me a copy to review*

– Aimee.

Review: This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada.

Title – This Mortal Coil
Series – This Mortal Coil #1
Author – Emily Suvada
How I Got It – From the publishers
Pages – 464 pages
Publication Date – November 2nd 2017 by Penguin Books Ltd
ISBN – 9780141379272
RRP – $23.00
My Rating – ★★★★/5

When Cole turns up with news of Lachlan Agatta’s death, hope seems lost for Catarina. Her dad was the leading geneticist and humanity’s best hope of finding a cure for a deadly virus. But hidden in Cole’s genehacked enhancements, Cat finds a message – Lachlan created a cure!

But only Cat can decrypt it. That’s if she can figure out all the clues he left her. The closer she gets, the more she finds herself in danger from Cartaxus. There are a billion lives at stake and a handful of people who have a chance at saving them. But Lachlan has one last secret that Cat needs to unlock and it will change everything. 

I received a copy of This Mortal Coil from Penguin Random House New Zealand to review. I’d heard really good things about this so I was really excited to finally pick it up. I will admit that it took me a while to get into. I don’t think all the tech and science talk helped at all. Those are two subjects that bore me to read about but I pushed through it and I’m so glad I did.

Anyway, wow Cat’s father was a piece of work. It wasn’t all that obvious to me in the beginning because Cat loved her father but the more she showed of her past and her time with Lachlan I just got a weird feeling about him. I don’t really know why.

There were a lot of twists in This Mortal Coil. And I mean a lot! Most of them came as a surprise. If you’re like me and all the science and tech stuff isn’t your thing, I’d definitely push past it all because this book is so work it just for all the surprises.

Speaking of the twists, I did see the one at the end coming. I mean, when is anything ever that easy? But it has me hanging out for the sequel!

I liked both Cat and Cole and I’m also excited to find out what’s next for them. I cannot wait for the second book to come out!!

If you love books with amazing twists, mystery, suspicion and death then I definitely recommend picking up a copy of This Mortal Coil.

*Thank you Penguin Random House for sending me a copy to review*

– Aimee.

Review: Scythe by Neal Shusterman.

Title – Scythe
Series – Arc of a Scythe #1
Author – Neal Shusterman
How I Got It – From the publisher
Pages – 448 pages
Publication Date – February 1st 2018 by Walker Book
ISBN – 781406379242
My Rating – ★★★★/5

“In a world where disease, war and crime have been eliminated, the only way to die is to be randomly killed (“gleaned”) by professional scythes. Citra and Rowan are teenagers who have been selected to be scythes’ apprentices, and despite wanting nothing to do with the vocation, they must learn the art of killing and understand the necessity of what they do.

Only one of them will be chosen as a scythe’s apprentice and as Citra and Rowan come up against a terrifyingly corrupt Scythedom, it becomes clear that the winning apprentice’s first task will be to glean the loser.”

I received a copy of Scythe from Walker Books Australia to review. This is the first book in the Arc of a Scythe series. 

I’d heard really good things about Scythe so I was excited to finally pick it up. It did take me a while to get into but once I did I couldn’t put it down. I think the idea of a world without war, illness or crime was what took me so long it get into the book because it was so hard to accept. It’s just not something I find very likely but this is a work of fiction so anything is possible.

I really liked Citra and Rowan and I felt bad for what they were going through. Not only did they not want to be apprentices but then they found out that one of them would have to glean, or kill, the other.

I enjoyed Citra’s POV all the way through the book, especially with some of the twists that happened towards the end. But there was a point in Scythe when I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what was happening with Rowan. Even though I was sure he wasn’t like the other Scythes he was with.

I was actually kind of surprised that the corruption in the Scythedom wasn’t all that shocking to me. I kept thinking a quote I’d heard a few years ago – “power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Not every Scythe had an agenda or wasn’t exactly Scythe material. But I think that quote fits really well for all the others.

This book had a lot of great twists, most of them I wasn’t expecting at all. And the ending!! Especially Rowan’s POV leading up to the end… I cannot wait to pick up Thuderhead and find out what happens next.

*Thank you Walker Books Australia for sending me a copy to review*

– Aimee.