3 Stars

Review: The Queen of the Tearling

08:00

The Queen of the Tearling
By Erika Johansen

 Source: Personal purchase, ebook
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, High Fantasy, Adventure

Kelsea Glynn is the sole heir to the throne of Tearling but has been raised in secret by foster parents after her mother – Queen Elyssa, as vain as she was stupid – was murdered for ruining her kingdom. For 18 years, the Tearling has been ruled by Kelsea’s uncle in the role of Regent however he is but the debauched puppet of the Red Queen, the sorceress-tyrant of neighbouring realm of Mortmesme. On Kelsea’s 19th birthday, the tattered remnants of her mother’s guard - each pledged to defend the queen to the death - arrive to bring this most un-regal young woman out of hiding...

And so begins her journey back to her kingdom’s heart, to claim the throne, earn the loyalty of her people, overturn her mother’s legacy and redeem the Tearling from the forces of corruption and dark magic that are threatening to destroy it. But Kelsea's story is not just about her learning the true nature of her inheritance - it's about a heroine who must learn to acknowledge and live with the realities of coming of age in all its insecurities and attractions, alongside the ethical dilemmas of ruling justly and fairly while simply trying to stay alive...


This book looked really intimidating to me before I read it - not only is it almost 500 pages and looks really wordy, but everyone seems to love it. I literally haven’t read a bad review of it! This can be really scary, especially for a book blogger. I was worried I wouldn’t enjoy it as much as everyone else did, but sadly, that was the case.
It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy this book, because that’s not true at all. I did like reading it, but for me, it wasn’t anything special at all. I wasn’t blown away by the plot, the characters, or the world, and I found the writing to be pretty bland. It was readable, and I did want to read on, but I wasn’t hooked at all, and was constantly waiting for something exciting to actually happen.
My favourite aspect of this book was Kelsea, the protagonist. I really liked her - she made the right decisions, and actually had some common sense. She was strong and brave, and I really admired just how tough she was. She was my favourite character by far, and the only thing that made the book bearable.
My main problem was that nothing happened. There were plot points, and there were scenes that I think were meant to be exciting, but for me, it just didn’t work. It wasn’t built up enough, and there was no tension, so the book overall felt a bit dull. I was anticipating greatness, and for it to be super exciting, but sadly that never came.

I would recommend this book to some people, but if high fantasy isn’t really your thing, I don’t think this is the one for you. It takes perseverance, so if you’re looking for a fast-paced, highly exciting novel, I’d recommend something like Half Bad. It was well-written, but left me disappointed with the slow-pacing. I thought it to be a rather dull read.



3 Stars

ARC Review: Dangerous Lies

11:28

Dangerous Lies
By Becca Fitzpatrick

 Source: Gift from Anna @ Enchanted by YA - thank-you! (YALC), ARC
Genres: Young Adult, Thriller, Mystery, Romance, Contemporary

Goodreads Synopsis:
Stella Gordon's life is a lie.
She does not belong in Thunder Basin, Nebraska. As the key witness in a murder trial, Stella is under witness protection, living a life she doesn't want. No one can know who she really is. Not even Chet Falconer, her hot, enigmatic neighbour. But against her better judgement, Stella finds herself falling under Chet's spell ...
A storm is brewing. Is Stella really safe in Thunder Basin? And will Chet be her shelter, or her downfall ...? 

I went into this book a little nervous. I binge-read all of Becca Fitzpatrick’s books around this time last year, and while I really enjoyed them then, I’m not sure that I would feel the same way now. Though, I was pleasantly surprised, because I ended up really enjoying Dangerous Lies! It was in no way a perfect book, and was greatly flawed, but it was a really fun, quick read. I think it’s definitely her best book to date!

My favourite thing about this book was all of the family themes. The book explored the importance of family, and the unconditional love within families. I haven’t found this in Fitzpatrick’s other books, but it was done really well in this one. It could get quite sad at times, but Carmina - Stella’s foster Mum - was always there, which I thought was really important. The book would have been pretty miserable without the constant love of Carmina!

I really liked the direction the book went in. It could have been stuck in the past, trying to build up tension, but the unknown was sometimes forgotten so we could just enjoy what was happening. I liked how fast paced it was, because it meant I was never bored. There was always something happening, and if it wasn’t major, I wanted to read on to solve the mystery about Stella’s past. It made Dangerous Lies a really fun and quick read.

My main problem with this book was Stella, the protagonist. At the start, she was bratty, spoiled, and hideously stupid. Under the circumstances, she was extremely lucky to be in the position she was in, but seemed to be completely taking it for granted. I hated the way she was slut-shaming and putting down complete strangers and just being really rude. This was a bad setup, because it meant I really didn’t care about her at all! Though thankfully, she changed drastically throughout the book.

By the end, I had grown to like her. She had grown out of her immature behavior from the start, and was actually really likeable. She noticed her stupid decisions, and didn’t make them any more. I was actually very surprised, because in Fitzpatrick’s other books (and YA in general), this amount of character growth is rare! She had turned into a very likeable character, which meant I was really invested in what was to happen to her in the ending.

I was disappointed in the way the book ended. With about 20 pages to go, everything wasn’t rounded off at all, and we were no better for answers than we were about 100 pages ago! I was really worried that things wouldn’t be tied up well enough, so I was a little disappointed with the way it ended. It felt very rushed, and I think it needed longer so everything wasn’t just happening at the same time. An epilogue would have been nice too, because I would have liked to see a bit more of Stella’s life and what to come for her.

Overall, this was a really enjoyable read! I know that fans of Fitzpatrick’s other books will love this too, because the style is exactly the same, and in my opinion, this one is the best. There were a few things that bothered me, but I liked how everything came together at the end. I’ll definitely be reading more by Fitzpatrick in the future.

3 Stars

Review: Fans of the Impossible Life

12:37

Fans of the Impossible Life
By Kate Scelsa

 Source: Netgalley, ARC
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Coming of Age, LGBT+, Romance, Mental Illness, 

 Goodreads Synopsis:

 This is the story of a girl, her gay best friend, and the boy in love with both of them.

Ten months after her recurring depression landed her in the hospital, Mira is starting over as a new student at Saint Francis Prep. She promised her parents she would at least try to act like a normal, functioning human this time around, not a girl who sometimes can’t get out of bed for days on end, who only feels awake when she’s with Sebby. 

Jeremy is the painfully shy art nerd at Saint Francis who’s been in self-imposed isolation after an incident that ruined his last year of school. When he sees Sebby for the first time across the school lawn it’s as if he’s been expecting this blond, lanky boy with a mischievous glint in his eye. 

Sebby, Mira’s gay best friend, is a boy who seems to carry sunlight around with him like a backlit halo. Even as life in his foster home starts to take its toll, Sebby and Mira together craft a world of magic rituals and secret road trips, designed to fix the broken parts of their lives. 

As Jeremy finds himself drawn into Sebby and Mira’s world, he begins to understand the secrets that they hide in order to protect themselves, to keep each other safe from those who don’t understand their quest to live for the impossible.

 My review:
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley
I expected this book to be amazing. From the first line of the synopsis (This is the story of a girl, her gay best friend, and the boy in love with both of them), I expected there to be a bisexual love triangle with lots of romance. I was disappointed because there was barely any romance - more friendship and self-discovery. I enjoyed the characters, and the plot was okay, but the writing style really let this book down for me.
The characters were all instantly likeable. Everyone was funny and charming on the surface, yet were well developed and had lots of depth. They all had their own private problems, and were all fighting their own personal battle.


I liked the dynamics between each character. They all had different relationships - my favourite was Mira and Sebby. The author had captured the essence of being best friends so it felt very realistic. Their relationship was unusual yet very special.


My main problem with the book was the writing style. It was very disjointed and chucky because it constantly switched between Mira (3rd person), Jeremy (1st person), and Sebby (2nd Person). It got a little confusing at times - I would have been able to enjoy the book much more if everything was in 3rd person.


This book tried so hard to be meaningful and beautiful, but in my opinion, it really wasn’t. There were too many themes explored (bullying, suicide, depression, mental health, homophobia, drugs, friendship), and I thought it got too crowded. Because it was so busy, it wasn’t able to fully explore most of these themes. This made me feel like the book wasn’t as important as it would have been, if it delivered a strong and poignant message about just a couple of themes.


I found the ending frustrating. It didn’t give enough closure, and I was left feeling confused. I really cared about the characters, so I was very disappointed for it to leave us wanting more. It was too ‘poetic’, and tried too hard to be beautiful, and left to the reader’s interpretation. Just a few more pages would have rounded off this book so much better.

I thought this book was a very fun contemporary. At many points, I was smiling and laughing with the characters: I enjoyed the book a lot. The writing style mainly let it down for me, and the way it tried too hard, but it definitely had potential to be a very important book. I'd recommend for fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, or I'll Give You the Sun.

 Rating:

3 Stars

Review: More Than This

21:19

More Than This
By Patrick Ness

 Source: Library
Page count: 470
Genres: Young Adult, Dystopian, Thriller, 

 Goodreads Synopsis:

 A boy drowns, desperate and alone in his final moments. He dies.

Then he wakes, naked and bruised and thirsty, but alive.

How can this be? And what is this strange deserted place?

As he struggles to understand what is happening, the boy dares to hope. Might this not be the end? Might there be more to this life, or perhaps this afterlife?

 My review:
Having never read a Patrick Ness book before, but hearing so many good things about all of his works (especially this one), I went into this book expecting greatness. Sadly I was a little disappointed - although the writing style was really addictive and I enjoyed the book, it didn’t take the direction I’d hoped.
Everything was just very average. The characters were interesting to read about, but I felt that they didn’t really develop through the book. Seth was a good protagonist, but I couldn’t really relate to him, and some of the decisions he made confused me a bit (I wouldn’t have done the same if I was in his situations).
This book had very promising potential. I found the initial concept very intriguing and the book started off really well - I instantly cared about the story so really wanted to read on. The reason I’m disappointed with the book was because of the overall direction the story took. I was expecting a philosophical reflection on life and death, not just a fight for survival. I was hoping for daring plot twists that I had never heard of before, not just the average dystopian/thriller.

I enjoyed the book and I definitely would recommend it if you’re looking for an exciting dystopian/thriller. I enjoyed the book but I was disappointed with the direction the book took.

Rating:

3 Stars

Review: Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2)

17:17

Frostbite
By Richelle Mead

 Page count: 327 
Source: E-book
Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Vampires, Romance, Fantasy, 

 Goodreads Synopsis:

 Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with a rare gift for harnessing the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest vampires - the ones who never die. The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a dhampir. Rose is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making Lissa one of them.

Rose has serious guy trouble. Her gorgeous tutor, Dimitri, has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason has a huge crush on her, and she keeps getting stuck in her best friend Lissa's head while she's making out with her boyfriend, Christian.

Then a nearby Strigoi attack puts St. Vladimir's on high alert, and the Academy whisks its students away on a mandatory holiday ski trip. But the glittering winter landscape and posh Idaho resort only provide the illusion of safety. When three students run away to strike back against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. Only this time, Rose - and her heart - are in more danger than she ever could have imagined... 

 My review:
I was hoping to really enjoy this book, judging by how great Vampire Academy was. Sadly, it was a bit of a disappointment. Everything VA had, Frostbite didn’t. Although it had different themes which I liked, I was left feeling a bit meh.

Rose was still my favourite aspect of the book. She was equally as witty and sarcastic, but in this book she had grown-up. Before, she was very reckless, but in this book she took more responsibility for her actions. She was less selfish, so I enjoyed reading about her much more (mainly because she wasn’t as annoying!).

The whole book was quite predictable, so it felt a lot like it had second book syndrome (did I invent that?). It definitely felt like a filler for the rest of the series because nothing much happened. Because of this, I know I will continue with the rest of the series (even if it is just so I can see what all the hype is about), but I wouldn’t really recommend this book.

Rating:

3 Stars

Review: Finding Audrey

16:00

Finding Audrey
By Sophie Kinsella

 Source: Borrowed from a friend
Page count: 288
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Mental Health, 

 Goodreads Synopsis:

 An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey’s daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.

 My review:
I read this book with no expectations. I borrowed it from my sister, so I knew that it wouldn’t matter if I didn’t enjoy it. Also, I knew it wasn’t going to be my thing. I like a book with more action and more of a plot line, so I knew that this book wasn’t going to be for me. However, it was addictive and a really cute book, and I am glad I read it.

Audrey was really irritating. I couldn’t connect with her at all, and she frustrated me a lot. The chatty style of writing got a bit tiresome to read, and I felt like Audrey had no personality, though - in my opinion - the author was desperately trying to write her one.

Another thing about Audrey that really bugged me was her recovery. The whole book was building up to her taking off her dark glasses, but when she finally did, it was if she just took them off and that was it. It felt a bit too unrealistic, and made the book feel open ended.
The plot was boring, and I felt like nothing really happened. I still enjoyed the book quite a lot (I don’t know why, but I just couldn’t stop reading!), though nothing happened. It’s a short book, so it was a light and cute read. Although it’s not my thing, I know lots will enjoy this book.
The main romance in this book was with Audrey and Linus. I didn’t like the romantic parts because I felt their relationship didn’t really work. I would have much prefered for the book to have more scenes about Audrey’s family, and less about her relationship.
My favourite part was all the scenes about Audrey’s family. The author captured family life perfectly: the way it’s disorganised, chaotic, but at the end of the day, everyone is very loving and supportive of each other.

Overall, I didn’t really enjoy this book, but I know others will. The book just really isn’t for me, but if you like books by Rainbow Rowell, or you enjoyed To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han, I think you’d really like this story.  

 My rating:

3 Stars

Review: Soulmates

16:00

Soulmates
By Holly Bourne

Source: Library, paperback
Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, 

 Goodreads Synopsis:
Every so often, two people are born who are the perfect matches for each other. Soulmates. But while the odds of this happening are about as likely as being struck by lightning, when these people do meet and fall in love…thunderstorms, lightning strikes and lashings of rain are only the beginning of their problems.
Enter Poppy, the 17-year-old cynic with a serious addiction to banana milk, and Noah, the heart-throb guitarist; residents of mediocre Middletown, and sometime students. After a chance meeting at a local band night, Poppy and Noah find themselves swept up in a whirlwind romance unlike anything they’ve ever experienced before. 


I have such mixed views on this book - it’s a real guilty pleasure. It was very engaging, and I constantly wanted to read on (Holly Bourne’s writing is so addictive!), yet I hated the romance and the characters. I wanted to hate this book, but I really couldn’t. Although I may dislike the writing style, I can’t deny that I really enjoyed reading it.

The thing that bugged me the most was the whole ‘cliche’ thing. Poppy - the protagonist - was obsessed with not becoming a cliche - so much that the whole story became a massive cliche. It annoyed me because it was so obvious what was going to happen (I’ve seen 10 Things I Hate About You, I do know how these stories end...)

The plot was extremely predictable. I didn’t even read the goodreads synopsis before reading this book (which totally gives the whole book away - that’s why I’ve shortened it for on here), but I still knew what was going to happen. I don’t think we were meant to be able to guess so easily the entire plot, but the way it was written made it feel like we definitely were.


Although I really didn’t like the writing style, I constantly wanted to read on. It flowed really well and made the story an easy read. It was very plain and simple, so read more like a middle grade book, yet I found it really addictive and constantly wanted to read on. I found myself rolling my eyes every other page, yet still really enjoying the book.

I hated the characters. They weren’t well written at all and seemed a bit 2D. Although Poppy irritated me the most, Noah was also really annoying too (and can every YA love interest please stop being called Noah?!). He acted strangely and was very unlikeable (everyone in this book was unlikeable!). I hated them together so didn’t enjoy any of the romance (which is unfortunate because the whole book is romance!). Also, all of the character’s behaviour felt immature at times.


It picked up towards the end. Everything was explained well, and at the right pace. The ending came at a natural time (though the book could have been shortened quite a lot) and wasn’t rushed. I enjoyed it more because it got more science-fiction, and the characters were acting much more rationally.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, even though I definitely shouldn’t have. I would recommend it to fans of The Selection because the writing and romance is similar, but if you didn’t enjoy that you can still enjoy this (like me)! The plot was an unoriginal idea and the characters bugged me, yet I found it really addictive.


My rating:


3 Stars

YA Epic Reads Tour - Guest Review for Deviate by Tracy Clark

16:00

Today I am guest reviewing Deviate for the YA Epic Reads Tour hosted by YA Bookish News.

Publication Date: March 3rd 2015
Page Count: 356
Goodreads Synopsis:
Tormented after a daring escape, Cora Sandoval must find a way to stop the Arrazi from murdering innocent people and from violating, using, and killing the Scintilla for their powers. She must also accept one bitter betrayal: Finn Doyle—the Irish boy who has both a piece of Cora's heart and soul—is Arrazi...

On the verge of extinction and sought by those who would either consume or destroy them, Cora and the remaining Scintilla survivors must solve the mystery of The Light Key. If they fail, the truth will stay buried forever and mankind will pay the ultimate price.

No longer will she hide.

No longer will her loved ones be hunted.

And she will have her vengeance...even if she shatters her heart in the process.

My Rating:

My review:

I have really mixed opinions on this book. I think that this is a truly magic concept, with a writing style that it so vivid and beautiful; yet the pacing was killing me. I loved everything about the book apart from the pacing and the characters (although they did improve greatly, so much that I’ve grown to love some of them). The dual POV was a little confusing at times, but the main thing that I think needs improving is the pacing. Apart from that I really enjoyed the book.

My favourite aspect of the book was the writing style. I feel like I can’t justify my love for the way Tracy Clark writes - she is so talented, and even though I didn’t give this book a very high rating, I know I will be picking up other things she writes because I just love her style. The concept was also very unique and original. I have never read anything like it - these days, many authors make it seem difficult to come up with original concepts (we’ve all read hundreds of books where the protagonist can do magic, or where the world is split into 2), but Tracy Clark makes me realise that YA fantasy/paranormal is not dry, and I definitely commend her on that.

My main problem with this book was the pacing. It started off strong, with new things happening and a few new characters being introduced, but it was just a downward slide from there. In the middle of the book, nothing was happening - there was no goal that was going to be achieved / have progress made towards in the foreseeable future, and nothing was happening. At times, there was a massive info-dump, which made it just boring. At least in the end something interesting was happening, but for me, it was too little too late.

Another thing that I really enjoyed was the characters. Cora was still a little irritating, but she changed into a much stronger person over the course of the book. She developed into a much more determined person, and although she moped around a bit at the beginning, this soon changed and she rarely complained towards the end.

Also, Cora didn’t just abandon her best friends (which happens a lot!). They had a big part in the book which I really enjoyed because it added a new layer to her character. Mari and Dun (Cora’s best friends) were some of my favourite characters so I was really pleased when they featured in the majority of the book.

Surprisingly, there wasn’t much romance in this book. I was really pleased because I found the romance in the previous book, Scintillate, a bit cringey. As you will know from the last book, Cora and Finn weren’t together (which I was super happy about because I hate them together), so Cora had the chance to rely on herself and be much more independent. I enjoyed the mystery aspects more than the coming-of-age parts too because it was much more exciting.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, but found it to drag incredibly. The concept of the book was fantastic, but the pacing killed me so I can’t give it a very high rating. The world-building was done in too much info-dumps, and there was no climax. While reading it, I could really tell that it was the 2nd book in the series, and suffered from second-book-syndrome. I think I will pick up the next book, just because I like the writing style so much. Hopefully the pacing will be better!

About the author:
Tracy Clark is a young-adult writer because she believes teens deserve to know how much they matter and that regardless of what they’re going through: they aren’t alone. In other words, she writes books for her teen self.
She grew up a “Valley Girl” in Southern California but now lives in her home state of Nevada, in a small town at the base of the Sierra Foothills. Her two children teach her the art of distraction and are a continuous source of great dialogue. She’s an unapologetic dog person who is currently owned by a cat.
Tracy was the recipient of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Work in Progress Grant. A two-time participant in the prestigious Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program where she was lucky enough to be mentored by bestselling author, Ellen Hopkins, who taught her so much about the art of writing and cured her of her ellipsis addiction.
Her debut novel was inspired by her enchantment with metaphysics as a teen, seeing it as the real magic in life. Tracy is a part-time college student, a private pilot, and an irredeemable dreamer


3 Stars

Review: Red Queen

12:11

Red Queen
By Victoria Aveyard

 Source: Gift, e-book
Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian, 

 Goodreads Synopsis:

 The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.

 To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.

 Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of
those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.

 But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?

 Review:
I didn’t - and still don’t - understand all the hype for this book. I have only read amazing reviews on this book, and the whole of bookstagram have been loving it. I thought this book was okay - I enjoyed it, but I definitely wouldn’t rave about it or recommend it. Everything was just average.
The concept was kind of original, but not really - the world is split into 2, not really very original. I was a bit bored at the start - the scene setting dragged a bit, and because we hadn’t known the characters for long I didn’t really care about them, so overall I didn’t care about much in the start!
In many places, it was really slow moving. When I finally thought something big was going to happen, it just flopped and didn’t turn out to be that exciting. I definitely had to persevere through quite a big chunk of this book.
Mare was an okay protagonist. At some points she was brave and courageous, but not outstandingly. For most of the book she was just average lead, nothing special. She didn’t stand out at all, and was maybe even a little annoying because she was so plain.


The romance was terrible. There was barely any (which I actually quite liked), but what was there was measly and cringey. I can see potential for the other books in the series, but at the moment I wish it was just cut out.

Overall, this book definitely did not deserve all it’s hype. I have had so many people tell me that it was their favourite book or that they were super excited for the next book but this is definitely not my opinion. I will buy the next book in the series, but I’m not really excited or anything.

My reaction:

My rating:


3 Stars

Review: These Broken Stars

20:11

These Broken Stars
By Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

 Source: Book depository
Page count: Young Adult, Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure, 
Genres: 374

 Goodreads Synopsis:


Luxury spaceliner Icarus suddenly plummets from hyperspace into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive -- alone. Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a cynical war hero. Both journey across the eerie deserted terrain for help. Everything changes when they uncover the truth. The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy.


 My Review:


 I'm going to start off by saying how this book was beautifully written. I was so jealous of the author's writing - they really made a sense of mood, and the description was amazing.

The book took a while to get going, but once I was past the start, I really enjoyed it. The middle was definitely the best part - the starting and ending definitely weren't as good, and bored me a little. But the middle was so good! I was racing through that, so it did disappoint me a bit when I got to the end.

Which was so confusing! Anyone else who has read this book must agree with me. It was so strange and odd! It was also not satisfying at all *sigh*. So, it really was disappointing, which is sad, been as this book is so hyped about.

Though, I did really like Tarver. He was a great character, really nice to read about, and kept on going, which is what I was looked for in him and Lilac.

Although, Lilac was a disappointment. She was always complaining and getting things wrong - she was really irritating to read about. When she did finally grow up, she just got foolish and reckless - as if all of sudden, she had a complete change of heart, and now doesn't care about her life at all. This was really annoying!

But, saying all this, I did go into this book with really high expectations. I had heard such good things about this book, which made me think it was going to be great. One of the main selling points on the back of this was the character development - this really puzzled me because the character development in this book was appalling. Tarver just developed to be a whiny character in the end, and Lilac just turned out to be stupid. This really made me wonder - why put that on the back of a book cover? I know it sold the book a bit, but the quote was from someone's review. Why would you put that in your review? To me, it's just a lie.

Though, I was that excited to read this book, that in hindsight, I don't think it could have ever lived up to my expectations. I did really enjoy the book though, and I am going to buy the rest of the series!

Rating: