{Bookish Review} The Selection by Kiera Cass

The Selection by Kiera Cass

(The Selection #1) 

Genre: YA Dystopian/Romance

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

In The Selection, America Singer was one of the thirty-five hopeful ladies vying for Prince Maxon's affection to become the next Queen, except there she wasn't there to win.

Being a member of the lower caste meant life was tough for America and her family but joining the Selection could help with the situation. Even America's secret boyfriend, Aspen, urged her to join as well to eliminate any "what if" thoughts. However, they broke up before America left. The first encounter between America and Maxon was... not what you would expect and Maxon was kind enough to let her continue in the Selection. I guess being true to oneself makes one special in their own way. I was rooting for her throughout the book.

I chanced upon this book again during the last library visit and I grabbed it again. This is the second time I read this book and I still enjoyed it. However, this time round I do feel that there are not much insights on the reason behind the attacks on the palace but I do enjoy reading the interaction between America, Maxon and Aspen. I can't recall if I have read the second book but I definitely will want to read it to find out what happens next.

My rating: 4🌟

Source: NLB Singapore

{Bookish Review} The Iron King (Iron Fey #1) by Julie Kagawa

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

(The Iron Fey #1)

Genre: YA Fantasy/Romance

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil, no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

Help! I'm hooked onto this series again.

I first read this book in 2012. This is a book on how a mortal girl, Meghan Chase, travelled into the Faery realm against all odds to save her little half-brother Ethan from the clutches of the Fae. Of course she had help of 2 boys from opposing Courts in Faery, Puck from the Summer Court and Prince Ash from the Winter Court and a witty cat, Grimalkin. 

Through this treacherous journey, Meghan  learnt the truth about her own heritage, the secret behind her closest friend in the mortal world and the impending danger that was approaching them all in the land of Fae. What is she going to do to save her little brother? What are the sacrifices to be made?

I simply enjoyed the characters' interaction, which can be really funny at times with a prankster around an icy prince. The author is really good at pulling me into the story, making me feel what Meghan was feeling and how anxious I was to see her succeed in the trials. I'm really glad I picked up the series again. Off to the next book!

My rating: 5🌟

Source: NLB Singapore

{Bookish Review} Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

Alex, Approximately
By: Jenn Bennett
Published on: April 4th 2017 by Simon Pulse
Genres: Romance (YA)
Source: Library
Rating: 

Classic movie fan Bailey “Mink” Rydell has spent months crushing on a witty film geek she only knows online as Alex. Two coasts separate the teens until Bailey moves in with her dad, who lives in the same California surfing town as her online crush.

Faced with doubts (what if he’s a creep in real life—or worse?), Bailey doesn’t tell Alex she’s moved to his hometown. Or that she’s landed a job at the local tourist-trap museum. Or that she’s being heckled daily by the irritatingly hot museum security guard, Porter Roth—a.k.a. her new archnemesis. But life is a whole lot messier than the movies, especially when Bailey discovers that tricky fine line between hate, love, and whatever it is she’s starting to feel for Porter.

And as the summer months go by, Bailey must choose whether to cling to a dreamy online fantasy in Alex or take a risk on an imperfect reality with Porter. The choice is both simpler and more complicated than she realizes, because Porter Roth is hiding a secret of his own: Porter is Alex…Approximately.

Took me a while to get my hands on this book after I saw it on some book blogs. I was already looking forward to reading about how their online identities will be revealed to each other. I wasn't disappointed and I thought that the characters' shock was expressed pretty well.

I felt that the author did a good job in creating relatable characters. I particularly like the friendship between Bailey and Grace. The only thing I wished the author would have touched more upon was the relationship between Bailey and her mom. I felt that it was just a touch and go thing. It would be good if there was more about them.

Overall, Alex, Approximately is an enjoyable and cute read for me even though the plot was predictable. Looking forward to reading other books by the author.

{Bookish Review} Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Scythe (Arc of a Scythe #1)
By: Neal Shusterman
Published on: November 22nd 2016 by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
Genres: Dystopia (YA)
Source: Library
Rating: 

Thou shalt kill.

A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery. Humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

I'm not a very big fan of dystopian reads but somehow the summary of scythe convinced me to give it a try. A world where there is no hunger, no disease, no war and no misery. Plus the fact that there is no death except for death by scythes' hands to keep the population under control. These are what got me thinking about how the story will turn out.

We first learnt about Citra and Rowan (what unique names they have) and their families and how they first came into contact with the scythe who will eventually take them as apprentices. The world building is realistic and kept me engaged throughout the story and I'm impressed by how the story unfolds--the unexpected twists and turns that had me hanging by the edge of my seat.

I really enjoyed reading Scythe, especially about the character growth of Citra. Once I have finished reading Scythe, I went to hunt for the second book immediately. That's how much I really want to continue reading the story.  I'll recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading this genre.

{Bookish Review} The Book Jumper by Mechthild Gläser

The Book Jumper
By: Mechthild Gläser
Published on: January 3rd 2017 by Feiwel & Friends
Genres: Fantasy (YA)
Source: Library
Rating: 

Amy Lennox doesn't know quite what to expect when she and her mother pick up and leave Germany for Scotland, heading to her mother's childhood home of Lennox House on the island of Stormsay.

Amy's grandmother, Lady Mairead, insists that Amy must read while she resides at Lennox House—but not in the usual way. It turns out that Amy is a book jumper, able to leap into a story and interact with the world inside. As thrilling as Amy's new power is, it also brings danger: someone is stealing from the books she visits, and that person may be after her life. Teaming up with fellow book jumper Will, Amy vows to get to the bottom of the thefts—at whatever cost.

It's the plot that captured my attention and that cover. To be able to interact with the world inside a story is like a dream come true for readers like me. Just imagine all the possibilities and the adventures! How exciting!

Unfortunately, the book fell flat for me. It took me a long while to get into the book. I had to renew my book once because I was stubborn and wanted to read till the end despite how the story dragged on.

The main character of this story is Amy, a book jumper who didn't know she had this ability until she went to her mother's childhood home and her grandmother insisted that she read books there. There were two other book jumpers as well, Betsy and Will, from another clan. Long story short, these two families have been protecting literature since long long time ago and they were enemies of some sort in the past and now, there's someone lurking out there and stealing ideas from stories. The book jumpers have to catch the culprit before it's too late.

The book jumping and what happened in the stories was interesting to read but in terms of finding out the culprit, somehow it fell flat for me. I didn't really feel any connection with any of the characters. Although there was a surprising piece of information in the story, I'm disappointed that the story did not elaborate further on it or made use of it for something special. The final blow for me was how the book ended. I wished it didn't end it that way.

Having mentioned all the points above, the book does have its good points. I like how each chapter ended with some sort of super short paragraph that all links together to form another missing story. It's a refreshing element for me.

If you are interested in reading this book, just remember not to expect too much from the story and you'll be fine. Perhaps it was because it was a book about stories, I have quite a high expectation of it. I'm glad I finished the book!

{Bookish Review} The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

The Cruel Prince
By: Holly Black
Published on: January 2nd 2018 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Genres: Fantasy (YA)
Source: Bought
Rating: 


Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

Faerie! That was my first excited thought when I read the summary. It promises mystery and excitement as well. Why would the sisters be stolen away to live in the High Court of Faerie? I just had to get this book to find out and so I did!

The prologue was about the murder of their parents which had me cringing. For the girls to have witnessed it... Imagine their horror. Then the story continued into the first chapter. My first thought of it was, "Wow! What a very short first chapter!" Indeed, it is only made up of one line. 11 words to be precise.

The thing I like about this book is the few surprises that it threw at me. Things did not turn up as what I've expected and I like that. I feel that the world building is well done as well as the politics within the High Court about the succession of the throne. The thing that didn't sit well with me was the fact that the human twins managed to live with the man who murdered their parents right in front of their eyes. That's brutal!

Overall, The Cruel Prince is a well-written book which I really enjoyed a lot. A quick check on Goodreads told me book 2 will only be out in 2019 and book 3 in 2020. I don't think I can't wait that long to find out more about the story. That's the down side of reading a book when the series has yet to be completed. I'll try to be patient. 

{Bookish Review} Safe & Sound by Alli Hope

Safe & Sound
By: Alli Hope
Published by: Elephantine Publishing on February 22nd 2017
Genres: YA Romance/Thriller (Mature Content)
Source: Review copy
Rating: 

16 year-old, Hailey Perish, knows her life can’t get much worse. Since her dad split a few years ago, Hailey’s mother has spiraled hard and fast, careening toward rock bottom and threatening to take her daughter down with her. Hailey now marks time by evictions, her mother’s poker games, and Saturday School where she voluntarily shows up for weekend detentions to secure her one promised meal of the week. She has no room for relationships, especially with someone like her childhood love and junior class golden boy, Carson Hart. Hailey trusted him once and Carson failed her. She’s determined not to let herself be hurt again.

When Hailey’s mom does the unthinkable and bets her own daughter in a high stakes poker game, Mitch, the loan shark, is all too eager and determined to collect on his debt. To him, Hailey is nothing but property. His property. And he’ll do anything to recover it. On the run from a fate that promises a much worse life than she already knows, there’s only one person in the world Hailey can call for help.

Will Carson be there for her in her darkest hour and deliver her from harm’s way safe and sound? Or will he abandon Hailey—just like he’s always done—just like they all do?

Alli Hope’s debut novel delivers an unforgettable story about love & surviving in the dark places. Safe & Sound contains mature situations and content.

I receive a review copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Hailey's life went downhill when her father left their family 6 years ago and matters got worse with her mother's drug and gambling addiction. One day, her mother did the unthinkable and Hailey had no choice but to run and she desperately needed help.

Safe & Sound is an enjoyable book which I finished reading within 2 days. Although there are dark themes like rape and drugs in this book which would made me cringe whenever I read those scenes, there are also some lessons for the readers as well.

This book is all about betrayal and how to go about dealing with betrayal, especially the more serious ones. Below is a list of what I've gathered from the book:

• Do not gamble. You'll end up losing everything you have.
• Say no to drugs. You'll get addicted and do stupid things.
• Help your loved ones if they have the 2 problems mentioned above by seeking professional help. Don't wait until it is too late.
• Check the background of the professionals before you engage them.

As this book contains some mature theme, I would recommend to only those who aree 18 and above, or those mature enough to handle reading them.

{Bookish Review} Jet Black and the Ninja Wind by Leza Lowitz, Shogo Oketani

Jet Black and the Ninja Wind
By: Leza Lowitz, Shogo Oketani
Published by: Tuttle Publishing on October 29th 2013
Genres: Action/Fantasy (YA)
Source: Bought
Rating: 

Seventeen-year-old Jet Black is a ninja. There's only one problem--she doesn't know it. Others do, however, and they're scheming to capture her and uncover her secrets. When her mother dies, Jet knows only that she must go to Japan to protect a family treasure hidden in her ancestral land. She's terrified, but if Jet won't fight to protect her world, who will? Stalked by bounty hunters and desperately in love with the man who's been sent to kill her, Jet must be strong enough to protect the treasure, preserve an ancient culture, and save a sacred mountain from destruction. In Jet Black and the Ninja Wind, multiple award-winning author, poet, and translator team Leza Lowitz and Shogo Oketani make their first foray into young adult fiction with a compulsively readable tale whose teenage heroine must discover if she can put the blade above the heart--or die trying. 

I picked this book because of my interest in Japanese culture. Ninja story? Bring it on! Jet Black and the Ninja Wind is a story about a Jet's survival story as she travelled to her mother's birth country to protect a family treasure. This is also about her story to discover about herself, more specifically, trusting in her ability.

The book is filled with danger as Jet and her cousin travelled from one place to another and I was really engrossed in them. There is definitely character growth for Jet but somehow I didn't feel close to her as I thought I would. Don't get me wrong--I like reading about Jet's and her struggles through dangerous situation to protect what she need to protect. She did get on my nerves in the beginning but she slowly grew on me and I get to understand more from her point of view. Love interest? Not much. Not enough. I need more!

There is a valuable lesson to learn from the book alongside Jet which is why you need to read the book if you are interested. I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about Ninja and Japanese culture but I'd hesitate if you are looking for some romance story. It's still a good read.

{Bookish Review} 13 Minutes by Sarah Pinborough

13 Minutes
By: Sarah Pinborough
Published by: Gollancz on July 14th 2016
Genres: Mystery (YA)
Source: Gift from boyfriend
Rating: 

I was dead for 13 minutes.

I don't remember how I ended up in the icy water but I do know this - it wasn't an accident and I wasn't suicidal.

They say you should keep your friends close and your enemies closer, but when you're a teenage girl, it's hard to tell them apart. My friends love me, I'm sure of it. But that doesn't mean they didn't try to kill me. Does it?

What caught my eyes about this book was the bright red title and then followed by the intriguing tagline. Oh yes! I definitely want to know why the character is dead for 13 minutes! Why? Why? Why?

My first impression on this book was... Drama. Drama. More drama especially true for the group dynamics in school. I would say Ms Pinborough has a great cast of characters, each with their special role to play in the story. Even the way the story was told was unique. It includes text messages among the girls, recordings and diary entries. Ms Pinborough also packed a great surprise in the book and it totally blew me off! I didn't thought I would enjoy this book so much but I did!

13 Minutes is a well-crafted crime thriller which will have you flipping through the pages to find out what actually happened. Keep guessing and be surprised!

About Sarah Pinborough

Sarah Pinborough is a critically acclaimed adult and YA author based in London.

Sarah was the 2009 winner of the British Fantasy Award for Best Short Story and also the 2010 and 2014 winner of the British Fantasy Award for Best Novella, and she has four times been short-listed for Best Novel. She is also a screenwriter who has written for the BBC and has several original television projects in development.

Her next novel, Behind Her Eyes, coming for HarperFiction in the UK and Flatiron in the US (January 2017) has sold in nearly 20 territories worldwide and is a dark thriller about relationships with a kicker of a twist.

You can follow her on Twitter @sarahpinborough

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{Bookish Review} The Mussorgsky Riddle by Darin Kennedy

The Mussorgsky Riddle
By: Darin Kennedy
Published by: Curiosity Quills Press on 12 January 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Mystery (YA)
Source: ecopy from publisher
Rating: 

Psychic Mira Tejedor possesses unique talents that enable her to find anything and anyone, but now she must find a comatose boy wandering lost inside the labyrinth of his own mind. Thirteen-year-old Anthony Faircloth hasn’t spoken a word in almost a month and with each passing day, his near catatonic state worsens. No doctor, test, or scan can tell Anthony’s distraught mother what has happened to her already troubled son. In desperation, she turns to Mira for answers, hoping her unique abilities might succeed where science has failed.

At their first encounter, Mira is pulled into Anthony’s mind and finds the child’s psyche shattered into the various movements of Modest Mussorgsky’s classical music suite, Pictures at an Exhibition. As she navigates this magical dreamscape drawn from Anthony’s twin loves of Russian composers and classical mythology, Mira must contend with gnomes, troubadours, and witches in her search for the truth behind Anthony’s mysterious malady.

The real world, however, holds its own dangers. The onset of Anthony’s condition coincides with the disappearance of his older brother’s girlfriend, a missing persons case that threatens to tear the city apart. Mira discovers that in order to save Anthony, she will have to catch a murderer who will stop at nothing to keep the secrets contained in Anthony’s unique mind from ever seeing the light.

The Mussorgsky Riddle is a really interesting book about how Psychic Mira Tejedo was able to make a breakthrough with regards to the case of a withdrawn autistic boy called Anthony, who was trapped in his own mind. I was as skeptical as the boy's therapist initially about her abilities but she slowly grew on me and I found myself craving to know what happened next.

I like that the main character is not perfect--she has her own problems besides the cases going on. I also liked how the author used the Exhibition to represent Anthony's mind with interesting characters in there whom Mira has to interact with in order to solve the mystery behind Anthony's withdrawal. The twists that happened in the story do that me by surprise and that made the story even more interesting.

The whole story is easy to read and follow, with a full cast of well-developed characters to liven up the story. I must confess that it took me quite a while to get past the front part of the book but I'm totally hooked beyond that.

If you enjoy reading mystery with a hint of paranormal, The Mussorgsky Riddle is the book for you. In addition, this book is also suitable for young adults.

About Darin Kennedy

Darin Kennedy, born and raised in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is a graduate of Wake Forest University and Bowman Gray School of Medicine. After completing family medicine residency in the mountains of Virginia, he served eight years as a United States Army physician and wrote his first novel in 2003 in the sands of northern Iraq. His debut novel, The Mussorgsky Riddle, was born from a fusion of two of his lifelong loves—classical music and world mythology— and is slated for publication by Curiosity Quills Press in Fall/Winter 2014. His short stories can be found in various publications, as well as two short story compilations available on Amazon, and he is currently hard at work on his next novel. Doctor by day and novelist by night, he writes and practices medicine in Charlotte, North Carolina. When not engaged in either of the above activities, he has been known strum the guitar, enjoy a bite of sushi, and rumor has it he even sleeps on occasion. He is represented by Stacey Donaghy at Donaghy Literary Group. Find him online at darinkennedy.com.

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{Bookish Review} The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West

The Fill-In Boyfriend
By Kasie West
Series: -
Published by: HarperTeen on May 5, 2015
Genres: Contemporary YA Romance
Source: Bought
Rating: 

When Gia Montgomery's boyfriend, Bradley, dumps her in the parking lot of her high school prom, she has to think fast. After all, she'd been telling her friends about him for months now. This was supposed to be the night she proved he existed. So when she sees a cute guy waiting to pick up his sister, she enlists his help. The task is simple: be her fill-in boyfriend—two hours, zero commitment, a few white lies. After that, she can win back the real Bradley.

The problem is that days after prom, it's not the real Bradley she's thinking about, but the stand-in. The one whose name she doesn't even know. But tracking him down doesn't mean they're done faking a relationship. Gia owes him a favor and his sister intends to see that he collects: his ex-girlfriend's graduation party—three hours, zero commitment, a few white lies.

Just when Gia begins to wonder if she could turn her fake boyfriend into a real one, Bradley comes waltzing back into her life, exposing her lie, and threatening to destroy her friendships and her new-found relationship.

The whole story started off with Gia being dumped by her boyfriend Bradley right before her prom. This unique start intrigued me and the whole pretend thing was what prompted me to get the book. Lucky for her, she managed to find a fill-in at the parking lot to prove that she was not lying when she told her friends she had a boyfriend. I just had to know how Gia's story will turn out. I have read West's On the Fence (no relationship between this two books) and I know that I will definitely be enjoying this book, which I did.

Character wise, I like how Gia's character has grown throughout the entire book. She's a character that most of us can relate to. I can understand why she did what she did--to retain the status among her group of friends and to prevent that one person from taking her friends away from her. Group dynamics can be pretty scary at times. Fill-in Bradley was a good addition in the book--sweet and charming with a dose of nerdy. His sister, on the other hand, was a complete opposite of him. I like the contrast and I also like how the siblings interact with each other.

Reading the book made me giggle and laugh at some scenes. It was an enjoyable ride for me. It tackles on friendships and some social issues. The latter came as a surprise to me. I thought the author did a good job on it. However, I was a little disappointed with the ending. Just a little as some issues weren't resolved. Overall, The Fill-In Boyfriend was still a good and cute read. Looking forward to the author's next work.

About Kasie West

West love to write--too much. It's a sickness really. West's debut novel, PIVOT POINT, is out now with HarperTeen. (And will be followed by its sequel, Split Second on February 11, 2014.)

THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US, her contemporary YA novel, is also available for purchase! (HarperTeen).

Her agent is the talented, funny, and sometimes crazy, Michelle Wolfson.

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