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.

 

 

October Wrap Up & November TBR.

Time for my monthly wrap up and TBR. I think I’m finally out of my slump. I haven’t read as much as I did earlier in the year but I have been busier. And it’ll only get worse as the holidays get closer. Anyway, onto my October wrap up.

Burn Baby Burn by Meg Medina – ★★★
Swarm by Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan & Deborah Biancotti – ★★★
Run by Kody Keplinger – ★★★
American Monsters by Derek Landy – ★★★
The Bronze Key by Cassandra Clare & Holly Black – ★★★
Paper and Fire by Rachel Caine – ★★★★
Replica by Lauren Oliver – ★★★★
A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir – ★★★★
Gemina by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff – ★★★★★

My favourite book of October was definitely Gemina. I cannot wait for the next book!!

Now for my November TBR. I’m not sure how much I’ll get to read but these are all at the top of my TBR.

I forgot to put This Savage Song in this photo but I was almost finished it when I put my TBR together so I didn’t think it counted.

I’m currently reading Holding up the Universe and will definitely be finishing it today. It’s such a good book and I love Libby and Jack.

What’s on your November TBR?

Aimee.

Review: Replica by Lauren Oliver.

Title – Replica
Series – Replica #1
Author – Lauren Oliver
How I Got It – From the publisher
Pages – 520 pages
Publication Date – October 11th 2016 by Hodder & Stoughton
ISBN – 9781473614963
My Rating – ★★★★

Lyra lives at the Haven Institute, a building located on a private island off the coast of Florida. From a distance Haven looks beautiful but up close the fence, guns and bio-hazard suits tell a different story. Haven is actually a top-secret research facility that creates replicas, or clones, and they’re raised and observed. When someone attacks Haven two of its subjects, Lyra (also known as 24) and a boy known as 72 escape.

Gemma was constantly in and out of hospital as a child. After almost being abducted by a stranger who claims to know her, Gemma starts to look into her family’s past and discovers her father’s connection to the Haven Institute. Desperate for answers, she runs to Florida where she comes across two replicas and even more questions.

I received a copy of Replica from Hachette New Zealand to review. I think this is the first book in a duology.

Replica can be read three ways, Lyra then Gemma, Gemma then Lyra or alternative chapters. I decided to read this in alternative chapters starting with Lyra and then Gemma. I found out that Gemma had one more chapter than Lyra so if you wanted to read Replica the same way I did maybe start with Gemma? I don’t think it makes much difference though.. But I don’t think I could have read this the other ways, Lyra then Gemma or the other way around, because of how much their stories mirror each other I feel like I would have gotten bored. I’m glad I read Replica the way I did because when something was revealed in one story that affected the other I didn’t have long to see the reaction. I would recommend reading Replica in alternative chapters but it’s really up to you.

Like I said, there are parts of Gemma and Lyra’s stories that mirror each other but it’s obviously not exactly the same because they both experience the situations differently. And they both discover things that are important to the other girl’s story. Some things were obvious to me from the start, especially with Gemma (because I read Lyra first I think that’s why I clicked so fast). But there were other things I didn’t see coming and were really good twists to the story.

I liked both Gemma and Lyra. Obviously, because Lyra was raised at the Haven Institute she doesn’t have the same knowledge of what life is like off the island so there are some things she doesn’t understand but she’s not stupid. 72 was really frustrating to me. I do understand why he’d be prejudiced against “people” (the replicas were always told they weren’t people/human because they were made) because of how he was treated by the staff at Haven so he wouldn’t know any different. Lyra on the other hand had seen that not all the “people” were the same and some of them were even nice. Which is why Lyra has a name and not just a number. It was really sad to see how they were treated and how the staff had convinced them that they weren’t really people.

I really enjoyed Replica and all its twists and I can’t wait to read the sequel, Helix, when it comes out. If it’s set up the same as Replica then I’ll definitely be reading it the same way. I could not put this book down it was that good!

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

If you’ve read Replica let me know how you read it and if you liked it.

– Aimee.

WWW Wednesday [October 26th 2016] –

This meme is hosted by Sam over at Taking on a World of Words. All you have to do is answer the following three questions in a post and then put a link to that post in the Comments over at Taking on a World of Words.

The questions are:
1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading –  
Okay so I only started A Torch Against the Night this morning and I’m not that far in, a couple of chapters really, but I am so excited to finally read it!

I loved An Ember in the Ashes when I read it last year. I know I should have re-read it before I started this but I just don’t have the time right now for re-reads. I’m grateful that a friend on Twitter was able to sum it up for me or I’d be going into this kind of blind.

If you haven’t read An Ember in the Ashes you’re definitely missing out and need to pick up a copy!

Recently Finished –
I finished Gemina yesterday and LOVED it! Gemina is the sequel to Illuminae and it’s another book I loved last year. I couldn’t put either of these books down while I was reading them. They’re so different from what I normally read and really addictive.

I’ll be reviewing this soon but I wanted to give people a chance to read it before I put a review up.

If you haven’t read Illuminae yet then I highly recommend you do! It was one of my favourite books of 2015 and Gemina will be on my favourite list for 2016. I cannot wait to read the next book. 

I really liked Replica. I read this in alternative chapters, one of Lyra and then one of Gemma. I think, for me, this was the best way to read Replica because both stories mirror each other in places but also reveal things that relate to the other story. I think if I had read Lyra first and then Gemma (or the other way around) I wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much because it would feel like I’d read the story before.. At least in some places.

Anyway, I’ll be reviewing this soon. I am really looking forward to reading the next book. I think this is a duology but I’m not 100% sure on that. 

I finished Paper and Fire last week and really enjoyed this too. Looks like I’ve finally had a great week of reading!

I don’t know how many books will be in this series, or if it’s going to be a trilogy, but the first two books have had me hooked from the start. The story is just so gripping and horrible at the same time. I mean, the things some of the people that work for the Library are willing to do to control the world of books and knowledge is crazy.

I feel like I’m repeating myself in this post, which I am, but I highly recommend Ink and Bone and Paper and Fire if you haven’t read them yet. 

Reading Next –
I think it’s time for a graphic novel. I don’t read a lot of graphic novels but when I heard about this Snow White retelling I definitely wanted to read it. Plus, it’s not like they take long to read.

I love fairytale retellings even though I haven’t read the original stories yet.

Let me know what you’ve been reading in the comments.

– Aimee.

WWW Wednesday [October 19th 2016] –

This meme is hosted by Sam over at Taking on a World of Words. All you have to do is answer the following three questions in a post and then put a link to that post in the Comments over at Taking on a World of Words.

The questions are:
1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading – 
I’m really close to finishing Paper and Fire finally. It’s taken me longer than I thought it would to read but that’s probably because I’ve been watching a lot of TV lately.

I thought I’d have to re-read Ink and Bone before I could start this but I think I’ve remembered most things. If I’ve forgotten anything it’s obviously not important.

I have loved both books in this series so far (I think it’s a series..) and I hope I continue to love them. I don’t know how this will end but I’m really excited to find out.

If you haven’t read Ink and Bone then you should definitely find a copy!

Recently Finished –
The Bronze Key is the third book in the Magisterium series. I’m so glad I decided to keep reading these books. At first I thought they were cheesy and predictable, too much like Harry Potter, but they are getting much better now. This one even took me by surprise a couple of times, which is always a good thing.

I’ll be reviewing this soon so I don’t really want to say too much about it here. I will say that I really liked The Bronze Key and the ending has me wanting the next book in the series as soon as possible. Well, there were two things that the end of the book but you’ll have to read it to find out. 

American Monsters is the last book in the Demon Road Trilogy. I think I’ve said that these books are kind of predictable and cheesy at times but I still liked them. I don’t even know why. But I did.

I still have to post my review of American Monsters so, again, I don’t want to say too much here because of that and in case I give away spoilers for the first two books.

I think fans of Supernatural may like these books. That’s the reason I picked up Demon Road, because it reminded me of Supernatural. But I’m sure fans of Derek’s will like them too. 

Reading Next –
I’m so excited to read Replica! I’ve wanted to read this since I first heard about it.

If you don’t know Replica follows the stories of Lyra and Gemma. The stories do mirror each other in places but each story has revelations that link to the other. The book is split in two halves and you can read it any way you want. Lyra then Gemma, Gemma then Lyra or both at the same time. I’m going to be reading a chapter of Lyra and then flipping the book to read Gemma. This will be the first book where I’ll have to use two bookmarks.

What are you currently reading??

– Aimee.

September Wrap Up & October TBR.

Okay, so my reading has slowed down again. I only read eight books in August. I think that’s the worst reading month I’ve had all year.

Winter by Marissa Meyer – ★★★★/5
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken – ★★★/5
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas – ★★★★/5
The Last Star by Rick Yancey – ★★★★/5
Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas – ★★★★/5
Breathing Under Water by Sophie Hardcastle – ★★★★/5
The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer – ★★★★/5
United as One by Pittacus Lore – ★★★★/5

Even though I didn’t read much in August I still read some pretty good books. Two of them were re-reads though.

This month I’ve already read one book and I’m a little into the second, neither of them are on my TBR though.. I’ve read Burn Baby Burn by Meg Medina and I’m currently reading Swarm by Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan and Deborah Biancotti.

What’s on your October TBR?

Aimee.

September 2016 Book Haul.

It’s that time again. Another book haul. I got 11 books this month. I bought one and the rest I received from publishers. 

The first book I received from HarperCollins New Zealand. I read An Ember in the Ashes last year and really enjoyed it. I’ve got it out from the library again because I wanted to re-read it before I started A Torch Against the Night but I don’t think I have the time with all the other review books I have to read. I did try to use a website that was supposed to give a summary of what happened in AEITA but it wasn’t that great.

I’m still trying to decide if I should re-read AEITA or just go straight into ATATN. But I’ll probably just pick it up and read it with out re-reading the first book like I do all the time.

The next two books were also sent to me from HarperCollins New Zealand for me to review. American Monsters is the last book in the Demon Road trilogy. I’ve read and reviewed the first two books and am looking forward to finding out how this trilogy is going to end.

I’ve been seeing The Thousandth Floor online lately and thought it sounded like a futuristic Gossip Girl, which I loved, so I was definitely interested in reading this.

I’m hoping to read both books this month but my reading has been so slow lately. Fingers crossed I can get to both of them.

Penguin Random House New Zealand sent me a copy of The Hypnotist to review. I’d never heard of this before it arrived at my house but when I read the synopsis I thought it sounded interesting.

If you’ve been reading my monthly book hauls for a while you’ll know how bad I am at remembering what books are about once I’ve read the synopsis. I read this one at the start of September and it’s October 3rd today so there’s no way I’d remember it in between then and now. But I do remember that I was interested in reading it when I read it.

Empire of Storms is the only book I bought this month. I still haven’t caught up on the Throne of Glass series but I have finally re-read the first three books (Throne of Glass, Crown of Midnight and Heir of Fire) and I want to read Queen of Shadows this month. I’m not sure if I’ll get to it or not but I have put it on my October TBR anyway.

I know a lot of people have a problem with Queen of Shadows and Empire of Storms but obviously I haven’t read them yet and I try not to judge books with out reading them first. There are some exceptions but I do try. And I love the first three books (plus Assassin’s Blade) so I do want to keep reading the series. I hope I still like them when I’ve read the next two books because buying the hardbacks wasn’t exactly cheap… 

I was so excited to receive Replica from Hachette New Zealand this month. I’ve read a few of Lauren’s books and have liked two or three of them… But Replica is such an interesting idea. I’m hoping I’ll love it. I think this is the first book in a duology.

I think this pretty much follows the “there’s two sides to every story” thing. I’m not sure whose side to start with… Is Lyra first because Gemma is at the back of the book? I have no idea.. But I have figured out that I’ll be reading one chapter of Lyra then flipping the book to read a chapter in Gemma’s perspective. So, this will be the first book where I’ll have to use two bookmarks. Replica is also on my TBR for October.

Allen and Unwin New Zealand sent me a copy of Swarm to review. I read the first book in the trilogy last year and liked it. It wasn’t my favourite book of the year but I did like it and wanted to read the sequel when it came out this year.

I’m not sure when this picks up after the first book but it follows the Zeroes as they come across two strangers with powers as they wreak havoc in their illegal underground nightclub. After following the strangers they learn that they’re running from someone even worse than them. Someone they call Swarm. And he’s coming to town. But each Zero is also dealing with their own problems too. How do I know the synopsis of this and hardly any other book in this haul? I started it today so I can’t say much about it but I like it so far. 

Allen and Unwin New Zealand also sent me a copy of Paper and Fire to review. I read Ink and Bone last year and love it. And it’s also another book I can’t really remember much about other than the fact I loved it. I don’t know if I should try that recap site again or just pick Paper and Fire up and read it. It’s not like it helped when I looked An Ember in the Ashes up on there.

Obviously I can’t tell you anything about this because I can’t even remember the first book. I did give it five stars and I remember wanting the sequel straight away so I must have liked it. I’ll see what happens when I get to this.

Hachette New Zealand sent me Nicholas Sparks’ new book to review. I have read all of his books, except this, and have enjoyed most of them. I think there are a couple I didn’t really like but I’m not going to get into them here.

I think this follows a guy, can’t remember his name, as he splits up with his wife and has to adjust to being a single father. Not sure if he has full or part time custody though. Then he meets an old girlfriend again and obviously things start to happen. That’s about all I can remember and even that could be wrong…

A lot of Sparks’ books feel the same but different at the same time. I am really not into romance but there’s just something about his books that I love. I don’t know what though. Two by Two is also on my October TBR. 

Penguin Random House New Zealand sent me a copy of Holding up the Universe to review. I read All the Bright Places last year and really liked it so I am excited to read this.

I can’t remember what it’s about but I think it follows a teenage girl that’s overweight? But again, I could be completely wrong.

I think Holding up the Universe comes out this month. Soon I think so it’s definitely on my TBR for October.

And the last book I received from Walker Books Australia to review. I’ve never reviewed a children’s book before but A Child of Books stood out to me because it includes classics in the illustrations.

Obviously this won’t take me long to read because it is a children’s book. My mother has already read it and she really liked it. I think I’ll take some photos of my favourite illustrations for my review as I read it.

I don’t know when I’ll be reading it yet though. It’s not on my TBR yet. If I have time I might squeeze it in.

The last thing I got that was bookish in October were two bookmarks from Confessions by Court. I’ve only taken a photo of one of the bookmarks though. Courtney is on holiday at the moment but she does beautiful wooden bookmarks inspired by a few different fandoms and some with flowers on them. If you like anything in her store when it opens again you can get 15% off with my discount code – AimeeReads15.

My favourite bookmark is still the Stormtrooper Alice that I bought a few months ago.

So that’s my September book haul. How many books did you get last month?

– Aimee.

Top Ten Tuesday (September 27th): Books On My Spring TBR List.

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is going to be pretty easy. I’ve changed it from Fall to Spring because I live in New Zealand and we’re now in Spring 🙂

Let’s get into my TBR!!

1. Replica by Lauren Oliver. 
I’ve seen this all over Bookstagram and I thought the idea behind this was interesting. There’s always two sides to every story. I’m still not sure how I want to read this. I think that if I read Gemma’s perspective first and then went and read Lyra’s I’d already have formed an opinion of her from Gemma’s story. And I don’t want to do that. So I might have to read one chapter of Gemma’s story, flip the book and read one of Lyra’s. I’m sure it will annoy me but I think that’s the way I’ll end up reading it.

If anyone has read Replica please let me know how you read it.

2. A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir.

I really want to read this soon but I think I may have to re-read An Ember in the Ashes first.. Which I really don’t want to do. Not that I didn’t like it, I loved it, I just don’t really have the time to re-read it. I managed to figure out Glass Sword without re-reading Red Queen and I really needed to so I might just pick it up and see how I go. I remember most things, I think, it’s just tiny details I’ve forgotten.

3. Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas.

I still haven’t read Queen of Shadows. But I have finished my re-read of the first three books, which I also didn’t have time for but somehow fit them in. I wanted to jump straight into Queen of Shadows when I finished Heir of Fire but I had to read some review books first. I’m hoping to get to it soon.

4. Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas.

I can’t wait to continue the Throne of Glass series. I hope to read both Queen of Shadows and Empire of Storms next month. I love these covers!

5. Paper and Fire by Rachel Caine. 

I loved Ink and Bone when I read it last year and have wanted to read the sequel as soon as I finished it. I don’t know when I’ll read it but it’ll be on my October TBR. And I love this cover!!

6. Unrivaled by Alyson Noel.

I received a copy of Unrivaled from HarperCollins New Zealand a couple of months ago. I wasn’t expecting it but I thought I sounded like something I’d enjoy. I still haven’t read it yet though.

7. United as One by Pittacus Lore.

The only photo I have of this is with Black by Fleur Ferris (which I also need to read). I am excited to finally see how the Lorian Legacies will end. I’ve really enjoyed this series.

8. Stars Above by Marissa Meyer.

This is the last book that I have to read in The Lunar Chronicles. I finally finished Winter at the start of this month. I know this is novellas and I have read two of them when they were e-novellas. I read Glitches and something else but I can’t remember which one.

9. Swarm by Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan & Deborah Biancotti.

Swarm is the sequel to Zeroes, which I read last year. It wasn’t my favourite book of 2015 but I did want to see how the next book in the trilogy went.

10. Two by Two by Nicholas Sparks.

I got this in the mail yesterday. I don’t normally read romance books but there’s just something about Nicholas Sparks’ books that I love.

What books are on your Spring/Fall TBR?

Aimee.

Top Ten Tuesday (August 2nd): Ten Books You’d Buy Right This Second If Someone Handed You A Fully Loaded Gift Card.

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and Bookish. You can check out the themes (if that’s what they’re called…) here. This week’s theme is going to be really easy. I’ll just go to my Book Depository wishlist and done. These aren’t going to be in order though because I cannot be bothered with that.

1. The Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan.

2. Heartless by Marissa Meyer.

3. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Illustrated Edition) by J.K. Rowling & Jim Kay.

4. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll & Anna Bond.

5. Shiny Broken Pieces by Sona Charaipotra & Dhonielle Clayton.

6. Frost like Night by Sara Raasch.

7. Replica by Lauren Oliver.

8. Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare.

9. The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh.

10. A Tyranny of Petticoats by Jessica Spotswood. 

What are some of the books you’d buy if you had a fully loaded gift card?

Aimee.