Mini Review: The Two of Us by Andy Jones

Today I'm back with a mini review of THE TWO OF US by Andy Jones. Since the blog has been a bit too quiet for my taste in the past months, I've decided to post a few mini reviews in the next weeks in order to get caught up with my review schedule and rebuild a blogging routine. Really hoping this plan works. Let's do this!

The Two of Us by Andy Jones

Andy Jones' newest fiction release tells the story of Ivy and Fisher who have known each other for about nineteen days. Yet they both carry a strong conviction to spend the rest of their lives together. It's not only that they have to convince their friends and parents about the validity of their plan and feelings, but the reader and above all themselves as well. Their feelings for each other aren't always easy to admit, their approaches at honesty and loyalty not always fully comprehensible. Yet, Ivy and Fisher's romance is as comfortable and relatable to readers as it is, because their story just feels real.   Told from Fisher's perspective we are learning bit by bit about the beginning of Ivy and Fisher's love story and how their feelings for each other change and intensify over time. Great pick of a pov! Fisher is funny and committed, a fabulous protagonist. Just like him we never know entirely what is going on in Ivy's mind. Sometimes I was a tad glad, we don't. Based on her often reserved and withdrawn behavior I couldn't always be sure about her next move. Some parts of the story were definitely weaker than others and that's why I couldn't name THE TWO OF US a favourite read, despite enjoying it as an overall quick contemporary read. My favourite part about this book probably are the secondary characters that make THE TWO OF US extra special. I assure you, you'll love El!

3,5/5 ***/* THE TWO OF US - A surprising everyday love story, with a relatable narrator and a very moving side plot!

THE TWO OF US is a fast-paced read, even though there isn't really that much action to the story. Despite a few weak points to the story and its female protagonist, it's the exceptionally ordinary characters and quirky dialogues that make for a likable contemporary read. You should give it a try!  

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK

Publishing Date: May 7th 2015

Length: 400 pages

Keywords: romance, chick-lit, friendship, family, drama

Source: Publisher
Goodreads Summary  
The Two of Us Excerpt 

Book Review: Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

Title: Black Ice
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Publishing Date: October 7th 2014
Length: 384 pages
Keywords: YA, thriller, romance, Teton Range, hiking
Source: Publisher

Britt Pfeiffer has never been that adventurous, but that's about to change. Wanting to impress her ex-boyfriend, Britt convinces best friend, Korbie, to take a trekking trip with her. But when a freak storm leaves the girls stranded they seek shelter in a cabin, where they find two knights in shining armour. Or so they think.

Britt quickly realises that the girls need to get off the mountain, fast. In exchange for her life, she is forced to guide the boys down, and as they set out on a harrowing journey through the cold and snow, Britt realises the only way to escape with her life is to pretend she is on their side. But is gorgeous, sexy Mason an enemy or an ally? Tension mounts, and it's only a matter of time before things turn deadly . . .

Summary by Goodreads

 

I'm very glad Becca Fitzpatrick tried something different after her HUSH HUSH series and wrote BLACK ICE. I'll be reading her next YA thriller SAPPHIRE SKIES for sure.

In BLACK ICE a trip to the Teton Range doesn't turn out the way it should have. Brit and her friend Korbie were supposed to meet Brit's ex-boyfriend Calvin, who is also Korbie's brother, in a cabin. A snow storm forces them to find shelter in a remote cabin, where also two criminals have taken refuge. Hunted by the police, they now need Brit to get them off the mountain and to a safe escape.

The fact that Britt is held hostage by two potential killers was so unbelievable, I expected the whole scenario to feel constructed and fake at some point. One or two times towards the end things indeed felt like they were a bit over the top. Nevertheless, most of Becca Fitzpatrick's BLACK ICE was very authentic. Sometimes this book even made me feel isolated and robbed of breath. Her writing transported me into the snowy hell Britt finds herself caught in and I often shuddered imagining to live the nightmare Britt and Korbie do.

My favourite part of Becca Fitzpatrick's writing in her newest novel is the icy setting of the Wyoming mountainside she conjured. It is a very extreme setting with the power to set an avalanche of reading adrenaline loose. It's not only a human who is endangering Britt's life, but the extreme conditions of nature in the mountains themselves. It is bitter cold and snow storms are no uncommon occurrence in this novel.

Witnessing a love story emerge and bloom in a surrounding this inhospitable and cold, was a new reading experience for me. Of course Brit revises her relationship with her ex-boyfriend Calvin, but she also questions her very recent feelings for one of her kidnappers. Stockholm syndrome or is there something real about her feelings for Mason? I grew very fond of Mason despite his withdrawn character and all the secrets he carries with him. And secrets are definitely a big part of BLACK ICE!

4/5 **** BLACK ICE - One of the most spine-chilling YA thrillers I've read!

The dangerous icy terrain on which BLACK ICE is set had me in a vise-like grip. The romance warmed my heart like a crackling fire. And the murder and abduction part chilled me to my bones. If you are into YA thrillers you can't get past Becca Fitzpatrick's newest book without missing out!

"She screamed, over and over inside herself. She screamed while the pressure built, sweeping her toward the edge of death. He didn't want photographs. He wanted to kill her.

She would not let this horrible place to be her last memory.

Closing her eyes, she went away, into the darkness." ― p.8

BLACK ICE you might want to pick up LITTLE WHITE LIES by Katie Dale, FRACTURE by Megan Miranda and HUNTING LILA by Sarah Alderson. Three YA thrillers I really enjoyed.

* Becca's next novel, SAPPHIRE SKIES, will be coming out this fall.

* Here are some BLACK ICE sneak peeks.

* Click here to listen to the BLACK ICE playlist.

* For more information about Becca and her books visit www.beccafitzpatrick.com.

* Thanks to Simon & Schuster UK for sending me a proof copy of BLACK ICE for review!

Book Review: Written in the Stars by Ali Harris

Title: Written in the Stars
Author: Ali Harris
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Publishing Date: June 5th 2014
Length: 450 pages
Keywords: Adult, romance, chick lit, alternate future, London
Source: Publisher

Bea Bishop is horrible at making decisions. Forget big life ones, even everyday choices seem to paralyse her. She's learned to live with this because experience has taught her that it doesn't matter what you do, no one has the power to control destiny. Anyone who believes they can is a fool.
But as her wedding day approaches, her years of indecision are weighing heavily on her, and she can't help but wonder, 'What if, what if, what if….'
What if she hadn't upped sticks and moved to London? What if she hadn't grabbed the first job that came along and settled down with the first guy who showed an interest? But all of her questions are silenced when she slips while walking down the aisle and is knocked unconscious. In this split second her life splits into two: in one existence, Bea flees back down the aisle and out of the church. In the other she glides blissfully towards her intended.
But which story will lead to her happily ever after?

Summary by Goodreads

Knowing WRITTEN IN THE STARS would explore two different future scenarios, I was sure I wanted to make Ali Harris' new book one of my summer reads this year. And I didn't have to wait long until the present line of action slipped into the two possible future scenarios. It's Bea's wedding day and she is a beautiful bride, happy with her life. Or is she...happy? When her teenage love Kieran shows up in church, Bea slips and everything goes black. It's at this point that something changes and her life parts into two alternate strings of possibilities.

One path would be her walking down the aisle to marry her intended Adam. What would their life as newly weds be like? But what if she decided to be the runaway bride and find out that not Adam is her perfect match but Kieran? It's about the past and the future. The two men in her life. Adam or Kieran. The one who left Bea for eight years when he promised to be back in one. And the one who promised to spent the rest of his life with her and never left. In the big picture Bea's story is about who she belongs with. 

   Depending on her choice at the altar, every other aspect of her life is under the influence of fate. Bea's job, her friends, her love life, the past of her family and her missing her dad are all factors of importance. Mentions of tragic events in Bea's past made me so deperately want to find out what happened back then to Bea and Kieran. Maybe you think judging from the tone the story was told, you might know which path Bea picks or which guy she'd end up with, but you don't. I was surprised at how her story ended. 

Sometimes when the perspectives changed from one chapter to the next, it was a bit tricky to differentiate between the two and there was an initial confusion. Am I reading about Bea Hudson (married to Adam) now or Bea Bishop (still single and figuring out her relationship to Kieran)? But Ali Harris did her best to give us hints in form of social media status updates in the beginning of every chapter. Really liked that contemporary social media detail to Ali's new book. 

As mentioned before, Bea's past and her relationship to her father is one key element factoring into her decision in front of the altar. Usually, I'm very into stories with strong focus on familiar bonds, but I just couldn't stand the parts of the story that had to do with Bea's father. Of course there was meaning behind his disappearance when she was only a child, but the whole explanation and his letters to younger Bea in between chapters were just too tedious and absolutely annoying.

Readers fluent in the language of flowers will be delighted that Bea has a green thumb. Ali Harris has a thriving imagination and I was amazed about all the floral metaphors she could think of. I'm really into gardening and was delighted by Bea's passion for everything green. I especially enjoyed the garden planning projects Bea described, like her very own relaxing rooftop garden in London. Bea's new drive in her career life is purely motivational for every reader, too.

4/5 **** WRITTEN IN THE STARS -  An invigorating and cosmic new chick lit novel that promises a warm and flowery reading experience.

WRITTEN IN THE STARS is the first book by Ali Harris that I read. She's become an author I don't want to miss a single future book of. In the acknowledgements Ali Harris tells us that writing her new book was so hard. As it is a story that works with many parallels and alternate outcomes of even small decisions. It's a very complex book and a story that shows how much thought and creativity went into plotting WRITTEN IN THE STARS. 

"I'm not sure what is happening or where I am, but I feel like I can see the ghostly white shapes of my future and my past grappling with each other in some ethereal fight. One is on my shoulder, like an angel, desperately pulling me forward. The other is dragging me back. Two loves, two possible lives ― but which one is mine? Which path am I meant to take? I can't decide. I drop my head back against  the tiles and begin to see stars. Then there's just black." ― p. 14-15

WRITTEN IN THE STARS you might enjoy THE TIME OF MY LIFE by Cecelia Ahern about Lucy who has a date with her own life. CHASING HARRY WINSTON by Lauren Weisberger is the story of three girls who want to change one thing in their lives in one year, relationship status included. And WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME TOMORROW? by Claudia Carroll is about newly weds Annie and Dan and how their life changes with marriage.

* Have you read THE FIRST LAST KISS?

* Click here for an excerpt of WRITTEN IN THE STARS.

* Check out Ali Harris' advice for writers.

* For more information about Ali and her books visit www.aliharriswriter.tumblr.com.

* Thanks to Simon & Schuster UK for sending me a copy of WRITTEN IN THE STARS for review!

Book Review: A Gift To Remember by Melissa Hill

 

Title: A Gift To Remember
Author: Melissa Hill
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Publishing Date: October 24th 2013
Length: 406 pages
Keywords: Chick lit, romance, contemporary, New York, Christmas
Source: Publisher

Discover the magic of Melissa Hill this Christmas... Darcy Archer works in a small bookstore on Manhattan's Upper West Side. A dreamer who secretly wishes for true love similar to that in her beloved novels, Darcy refuses to settle for anything less than being swept off her feet by the perfect man.

One day, when cycling to work, Darcy accidentally crashes into a sharply dressed man walking his dog. He is knocked unconscious and rushed to the hospital, but his dog gets left behind. Wracked with guilt over the accident, Darcy resolves to care for the dog and reunite him with his owner. But the dog is not the only thing that's been left behind and when she finds a small beautifully wrapped package - suspiciously shaped like a book - she becomes curious. She decides to try and figure out all she can about this man, and make the delivery herself. Darcy gradually becomes drawn into his life; one that she soon discovers is filled with books, travel, adventure and all the wonderful things she's ever dreamt about. It doesn't take long before Darcy builds up a picture of this man's lovely life, and feeling an immediate kinship towards him, tries to make things right.

It might be a challenge but doesn't she owe it to him to try? But does fantasy match reality? And what happens when he finally wakes up?

Summary by Goodreads 

It's Christmas time in New York. Can you imagine the festive smells and the bright window displays? Perfect city, ideal season to set a story like Darcy's if you ask me. Melissa Hill captures the dreamy and romantic miracle character of New York and abandons all hecticness for a relaxing story that poses as an even more relaxing read. A read that will get you in the Christmas mood from page one.

I was very into the general focus on literature and all things bookish in A GIFT TO REMEMBER. The main character's name is Darcy, which makes it only natural to feel connected to her and instantly wanting to be best book friends. She's working in a book shop (heaven!) and shares her little apartment with a few books (more than a few). Chapters from Darcy's perspective always started with a fitting quote by a famous author or a favourite book. 

Some chapters in betwen are told from the mystery man's perspective. I can tell you that his name's Aiden and that he fills in the blanks as to what had been happening on his side of the story before the big crash occurred. His chapters are not as insightful or eventful as I would've wished them to be, but they are a nice bonus and worked well in alternation with Darcy's view on their story.

When I picked up A GIFT TO REMEMBER I expected a powerful romance to sweep me off my feet, like Darcy's crash would be an indicator for their relationship to be just as startling. Because Aiden can't remember anything, Darcy and he don't get the time they deserved to fall in love. It's not as turbulent and adventurous as I'd imagined her story with Aiden to be (they don't even have a date) and without any major surprises.
A GIFT TO REMEMBER isn't one of those loud and hilarious stories that you sometimes find in chick lit and romance books since Darcy's way of looking at things is more contemplative and unagitated, too. The ending was my favourite part of Darcy's story and that's where the story got into the romantic and flirtatious mood I wished the entire novel had possessed.

A large part of the book is dedicated to Darcy's hunt for clues about the stranger's identity. Aiden's appearance not only forces her into being a temporary dog sitter (the husky Bailey is so adorable!), but to come out of her book cave and play investigator. This one fateful crash gives her the opportunity to get to know her neighbour Grace better and open up to her reserved aunt, her last living relative. It's a different life that Darcy is facing every day now.

3,5/5 ***/*  A GIFT TO REMEMBER - A heart-warming holiday read with bookish Christmas spirit.  

A GIFT TO REMEMBER  was my first book by Melissa Hill and it was such a good pick to kick off the Christmas reading season. It's a wintry book of fateful crashes, clue hunts and has a light romance. Its hip New York setting and bookish theme are exactly what you need to pair with a cup of hot chocolate and some quiet reading hours curled up on the couch to enjoy Darcy and Aiden's story. 

"Anyone who says that money can't buy happiness has clearly never been inside a bookstore."
 ― p.1

A GIFT TO REMEMBER you might also enjoy three books I have on my Christmas reading list. Can't wait to read them! WINTER WONDERLAND by Belinda Jones, A WINTER FLAME by Milly Johnson and FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK by Miranda Dickinson.

* Can't get enough of Melissa Hill's writing? Then try her THE CHARM BRACELET!

* Click here to read an excerpt of A GIFT TO REMEMBER.

* Interested in Melissa's writing tips? Find them here.

* For more information about Melissa and her books visit www.melissahill.ie.

* Thanks to Simon & Schuster UK for sending me a copy of A GIFT TO REMEMBER for review!

Book Review: Unbreakable by Kami Garcia

Title: Unbreakable (The Legion #1)

Author: Kami Garcia

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK

Publishing Date: October 10^th 2013

Length: 320 pages

Keywords: YA, fiction, spirits, ghost hunters, romance

Source: Publisher

Kennedy Waters didn't believe in ghosts, until one tried to kill her.

When Kennedy finds her mother dead, her world begins to unravel. She doesn't know that evil forces in a much darker world are the ones pulling the strings. Not until identical twins Jared and Lukas Lockhart break into her house and destroy a dangerous spirit sent to kill her. The brothers reveal that her mother was part of an ancient secret society responsible for protecting the world from a vengeful demon - a society whose five members were all murdered on the same night.

Now Kennedy has to take her mother's place in the Legion if she wants to uncover the truth and stay alive. Along with new Legion members Priest and Alara, the teens race to find the only weapon that might be able to destroy the demon - battling the deadly spirits he controls every step of the way.

Summary by Goodreads

 

Kennedy's life changes abrubptly when her mother is murdered by a ghost that soon is after Kennedy as well. She has never been in contact with anything supernatural before and knows just as much as readers do when they first learn about the special group of people who call themselves the legion. We find out how the legion was founded and learn more about the different types of ghosts they have to fight and the best ways to send them back to where they came from. Sketches of meaningful symbols and inventions of importance to the story are included to underline the books' ritual character and give it another boost of authenticity.

The legion is a group of five people whose goal is to rid the world of evil spirits and ultimately of the demon Andras, that has been the legion's enemy for many hundred years. Now five teens have to continue their parents' or grandparents' legacy. The twins Lukas and Jared, one introduced as the bad boy, the other as the nice boy next door. Then there's the group's brilliant inventor and youngest member Priest. Alara, the only other female group member. She's very loyal and protective. And now Kennedy's a part of their group, too. 

Together they are set on finding clues that are meant to lead them to the weapon that could destroy Andras. It is a very absorbing quest and a few tasks and riddles demand to be solved.

It only takes a few days for Kennedy to become an accepted member of their group and suddenly ghosts are everywhere. Supernatural ghost encounters are the common theme in the story as one could expect from a story about ghost hunting kids. And not just your average ghosts. Kami's spirits are freakishly scary just as her ideas to frighten her readers. Ravens, abandoned prisons and old wells. Kami Garcia knows how to write a horror ghost story. Every single evil spirit in the story gave me a good scare.

The romantic relationship between Kennedy and Jared and the tension their intimacy creates between them and Jared's brother Lukas ,who obviously seems to like Kennedy as well, was generally appealing. But I always had a nagging feeling about their relationship. Not because I didn't like it (I really did), but because it wasn't as believable as I'd hope it to be/to grow. They have very strong feelings for each other from the moment they meet each other. And for me it was too early in the story that they were talking about overwhelming feelings of love and even trust issues. Too many strong emotions in too short a time, considering that both Kennedy and Jared are naturally cautious characters and trying to keep their distance. I'm really curious in which direction their relationship is headed in UNBOUND, the sequel to UNBREAKABLE.

I was surprised to read a story loaded with action, one ghost encounter following the next without lengthy dialogues or filling scenes in between. One or two more scenes on the characters in between their ghost huntings would've been appreciated, maybe a bit more on their backgrounds and former members of the legion.

Each chapter is on the shorter side with about eight to ten pages, making it easy to loose track of time and keep reading till the early hours of dawn...when it's more likely you'll be able to close your eyes after a ghost story like this anyway. 

4/5 **** UNBREAKABLE – A spine-chilling, fast-paced and ideal read for fans of Supernatural.

If you read the BEAUTIFUL CREATURES series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl you know that these two authors can write, international bestselling stories for that. UNBREAKABLE being Kami's first solo project, I was very curious to find out in how far her writing would change without the support of a co-author. The first book in the THE LEGION series was her opportunity to show how eerie ghost encounters can be. Kami Garcia always has another spooky spirit up her sleeve and the legion's five teens are easily my new favourite ghost hunters!

"As my bare feet sank into the wet earth, I tried not to think about the dead bodies buried beneath me. I had passed this tiny graveyard a handful of times but never at night, and always outside the boundaries of its peeling iron gates." ― p. 1

UNBREAKABLE by Kami Garcia you might also enjoy THE DEVOURING by Simon Holt, ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD by Kendra Blake and POSSESS by Gretchen McNeil with many new ghostly and demonic acquaintances to make.

* How do you like the US cover for UNBREAKABLE?

* Did you enjoy UNBREAKABLE? Don't forget to put its sequel, UNBOUND on your 2014 wishlist.

* Read an excerpt of UNBREAKABLE!

* Click here to watch the book trailer.

* For more information about Kami Garcia and her books visit www.kamigarcia.com.

* Thanks to Simon & Schuster UK for sending me a copy of UNBREAKABLE for review!

Mini Reviews #14

Today's Mini Reviews post is part of my YA Halloween Fear Factor special in October and the beginning of November. Out of all the books that had yet to be reviewed I chose TEN by Gretchen McNeil, DANGEROUS GIRLS by Abigail Haas and LITTLE WHITE LIES by Katie Dale to represent the Halloween reads in form of a Mini Reviews post, because all three have something dark about them, in a horrific and/or thrilling way. Murder, betrayal, deception, now choose your brand of thrill ride.

Ten by Gretchen McNeil

Ten teenagers are invited to White Rock House, stately mannor on a private island. Meg and her best friend Minnie just wanted to have a fun weekend and enjoy the party, but someone on the island has different plans for them. When they find a DVD with a vengeful message, people start disappearing and getting killed. Of course the killer is after the two girls as well.

TEN is a mix of all the teen slasher movies that you've watched, turned into a book. The setting for TEN is very glum and isolated, a tiny island with only two mansions and a storm brewing. These factors are expected to make our characters' quest for survival harder and even though they often say they shouldn't separate they do exactly that. They were just as infuriating as teens in horror movies. Admittedly both setting and characters are a bit clichéd and the plot felt too generic. It could've been more extensive in explanations and allowed some more time to work on a stressed-out reader instead of rattling through the murders in a row, offing people like ticking off a check list. TEN comes along with a story of friendship, a small love story for Meg and one of the boys on the island and its grand killing spree. The story of our teens is supplemented with diary entries of an unknown person, whose past and entries are the key to finding out who's behind the murders.

3,5/5 ***/* TEN -  A mainstream YA horror slasher story, with creepy occurrences and gruesome murders according to schedule.

I read TEN during my summer vacation, in a lonely cottage on the Danish coast, while rainy and windy weather broke through the quiet of the night. So you can imagine a portion of the story's intended tension and creep-factor were definitly delivered to this reader.

Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publishing Date: September 18^th 2012
Length: 296 pages
Keywords: YA, horror, thriller, romance, island

Source: Bought

Goodreads Summary 

Ten Excerpt 

Author's Homepage

Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas

Murder in paradise. That's what Anna and her friends' vacation on Aruba ends with. The group of teens was only set out for a fun time and now Anna's best friend is dead and Anna herself is in jail, treated as the island's police's prime suspect.

The entire novel was strategically well-structured, scenes of Anna's trial alternating with scenes from the past and the previous nights on Aruba, doing some explaining and offering insight on how the characters play together, how they met each other and what ultimately led to the murder. Anna and Tate have a sweet romantic love story and Elise is the best friend Anna had been needing for so long.

While some short scenes of Anna's present days in prison, in dialogue with her lawyer or in the court room sometimes lack tension, sequences of Anna and Tate's as Anna and Elise's past can balance them out with their mixture of tropical romantic nights, parties, sex, drugs and deadly games.

Anna is a character one immediately feels sorry for, considering her current situation, caught in a foreign prison, without support, her friends or her family. While I felt strong sympathy for her, I even suspected her to be involved in Elise's murder as the prosecution is throwing evidence into the game that looks real bad for her.

3,5/5 ***/* DANGEROUS GIRLS – A paradisic concoction of sweet romantic and all the same murderous feelings!

 While DANGEROUS GIRLS offered a tropical dream of a murder case and I just flew through the story, the ending to the book left me disappointed in its vagueness.We are left with too flimsy a solution for the entire story that at first sight appeared to be complex in background, and with that many friends being possible suspects. Out of all the possible ways to end the story, the one Abigail Haas picked was also the reason for a perfectly engaging story to leave me unsatisfied in the end. So in the end I wished Abigail Haas would have presented us with much more details and actions on actual crimes than the ways of law.

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Publishing Date: August 1^st 2013
Length: 320 pages
Keywords: YA, thriller, friendship, murder, jail, trial, romance, Aruba

Source: Bought

Goodreads Summary 

Dangerous Girls Excerpt 

Author's Homepage

Little White Lies by Katie Dale

Lou's freshly attending university. It's a new start for her. She's making new friends in only a matter of hours and she meets the attractive and secretive Christian who lives in town, too. They seem to run into each other with a conspicuous frequency. Their attraction is mutual and almost palpable, their relationship though built on a construction of lies and secrets.
Katie Dale is a genius to even let her main character keep secrets from us. Brilliant idea! You don't know who to believe and trust. I never knew who was lying and even if Lou was to be trusted. LITTLE WHITE LIES keeps you constantly guessing and reforming your opinion about its characters. Their secrets are unravelled slowly and put into context in a well-paced manner. 

Christian and Lou's relationship isn't built on the most solid foundation: lies, or at least withheld information, so there was to be expected more than one conflict to disturb their peace. Their romance is continuously evolving, changing, turning steamier, darker, more reluctant, trusting and so it is beautifully fitting into the overall arc of suspense and the various secrets that have yet to be unveiled.

4,5/5 ****/* LITTLE WHITE LIES – An artfully constructed, suspenseful thriller with high recognition factor by one of my favourite British YA authors!

I loved Katie Dale's debut novel SOMEONE ELSE'S LIFE so much. Her second book is headed in a much darker direction, a Brit thriller par excellence. Wild chases and the hunt for clues make her second novel so absolutely gripping. She shows the effect and dynamics of public news, an angry mob and a helpless individual caught in a web of lies, false assumptions and lack of chance to explain himself. I'm so excited to hear what will be Katie's next book.

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Publishing Date: August 1^st 2013
Length: 384 pages
Keywords: YA, thriller, friendship, romance, UK

Source: Bought

Goodreads Summary 

Little White Lies Excerpt 

Author's Homepage

Book Review: The Sound by Sarah Alderson

Title: The Sound

Author: Sarah Alderson

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK

Publishing Date: August 1^st 2013

Length: 320 pages

Keywords: YA, contemporary, thriller, murder, romance, summer

Source: Publisher

When aspiring music journalist Ren Kingston takes a job nannying for a wealthy family on the exclusive island of Nantucket, playground for Boston's elite, she's hoping for a low-key summer reading books and blogging about bands. Boys are firmly off the agenda.

What she doesn't count on is falling in with a bunch of party-loving private school kids who are hiding some dark secrets, falling (possibly) in love with the local bad boy, and falling out with a dangerous serial killer...

Summary by Goodreads 

THE SOUND is set on the island of Nantucket. And Ren's could've been a story about a beautiful summer spent nannying and enjoying a few weeks in the US, if it weren't for the unpredictable ways of a serial killer. The long stretching beach and the sound, a kind of small strip of sea between two masses of land, hold many secrets that make THE SOUND not your average sunny beach read. Sarah Alderson found the ideal setting for her new thriller. Her personal teen experiences as a nanny in Nantucket definitely contributed to that atmospheric and rich setting we get to explore in her newest novel.

Ren Kingston is British. And Sarah Alderson so cleverly made use of that fact to bring in small hints about the differences between the US and UK, with focus on their comical side of course.
In the US, Ren is staying with Carrie, Mike and their two kids. As it will be Ren's job to nanny them, we will get to know Braiden and Brodie, too and spent time with them. They are two absolutely adorable kids. But as Carrie and Mike are pretty easy-going and accommodating parents, they give Ren the space and time to explore the island and make new friends, too.
Ren meets local teens her age and is friends with them pretty fast. Her summer will be filled with riding her bike, hanging out at the beach and attending fashionable parties by the local kids and their families. She's into music, reading and blogging, aspiring to become a music journalist. I liked her a lot and think we could easily be friends. Her attribute of assistance: Ren is one of the few YA girls who seem to be able to calculate the danger they're in. She's very set on listening to her natural instinct.

Now let's come to the serial killer. Without him this thriller would be only half as much fun. The story around the nanny murderer is chilling and intriguing and it's someone who's on the island with them, someone who Ren already met. This serial killer could've been so creepy with all the tension building and Ren being his possibly next target. It seemed he was a bit too shy to bring on the big psychotic action in the end. His presence created an unnerving feeling, but didn't lead to the high number of bone-chilling incidents  I had been hoping for.

Besides the fear of becoming the next victim of a murderer, a dark secret of a different kind causes trouble and various conflicts in Ren's circle of new friends. Most of them are privileged children of rich parents and couldn't be bothered to hide their disdainful character, openly bullying and provoking local bad boy Jesse. The boy Ren feels herself drawn to, despite her dating someone else (there goes her no-boys-summer rule).
Jesse's father owns a bike shop and Jesse helps whenever he can. He appears to be the rough and scorned bad boy. Unsurprisingly, there's much more to him than the rumors that people so willingly believe. Jesse is confident even though he's not very popluar with everyone on the island and he is protective of the people he loves. He's very skilled with his hands (ha!), the perfect YA book boy crush. His and Ren's relationship is heated and much more compelling than the actual murder case (which is definitely not a bad thing). Sarah Alderson is the best at writing book boys that will have you crushing on them hard within seconds.

4,5/5 ****/* THE SOUND – This strinking new book by Sarah Alderson is a chilling beach read providing you with a luscious love story, a local bad boy to lust after and a slightly less creepy murderer than the story actually needed.

How about a few autumnal days spent at the sea? THE SOUND would make a perfect beach read for the currently darker season! Sarah Alderson is always a safe bet when you are looking for a thrilling and likewise steamy read. I'm a fan of her HUNTING LILA series and now officially can't decide between Alex and Jesse as my favourite Sarah Alderson book boy.

"He ignores me, reaching for a T-shirt on the counter and pulling it on as I watch, trying to force myself not to stare at. Those. Muscles. I forbid myself to quiver. Or to reach out and touch them to check that they are real." ― p. 42

THE SOUND you might also enjoy LITTLE WHITE LIES by fellow UK author Katie Dale, CLARITY by Kim Harrington, set in a beach town as well but with a specially gifted heroine. And of course, if you haven't read it yet, HUNTING LILA by Sarah Alderson. Lila's boyfriend Alex is just as yummy as Jesse.

* How do you like the US cover of THE SOUND?

* Read an excerpt of THE SOUND.

* For more information about Sarah Alderson and her books visit www.sarahalderson.com.

* Thanks to Simon & Schuster UK for sending me a review copy of THE SOUND!

Book Review: The Longest Holiday by Paige Toon

Title: The Longest Holiday
Author: Paige Toon
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Publishing Date: April 25th 2013
Length: 400 pages
Keywords: romance, chick-lit, vacation, self-discovery, Key West
Source: Publisher

He's smiling down at me with tears in his eyes as I say my solemn vow:
'I, Laura, take thee, Matthew, to be my lawful wedded husband…' I thought I would never feel like this about anyone ever again. Not after my first love… Not after the heartbreak and the loss and the trying to pick myself back up again… Then I met Matthew, and I know that he has my heart forever: my perfect, gorgeous, adoring Matthew. And then I wake up. And I remember that he's not perfect. He's so far from perfect that my heart could surely collapse from the pain that instantly engulfs me…
To say Laura is unlucky in love is an understatement. Her first boyfriend died in a horrific accident, and now she's just discovered that her husband of six months has been hiding a terrible secret. Devastated and unwilling to face reality, she escapes on a girls' holiday to Key West with her best friend Marty. But a deep and instant attraction to a sexy Cuban scuba diver takes her completely by surprise. When her two weeks in the sun come to an end, Laura doesn't want to go home again. But she can't run from real life forever. Can she?

Summary by Goodreads 

Laura, Marty and Bridget are on their way to Key West. They've come to explore Florida, to party and most important to forget (and forgive) Laura's husband Matthew. THE LONGEST HOLIDAY is told from Laura's perspective who has to deal with a lot right now, something her husband did to her. Like possibly every other woman I couldn't help to feel sorry for Laura and angry at otherwise pretty perfect, but admittedly plain, Matthew.

The Keys open up a whole new world for Laura. Without the pressure and pretence of life back in London. And without any barriers to hold her back. For Laura it's not just a trip across the Atlantic, but a chance to discover herself and find her place in life.What is life worth if you are constantly stressing or worrying yourself? Laura's inspirational quote sums it up best: "Don't wait for the storm to pass, learn to dance in the rain." 

The trio's girl power is a fabulous and carefree plunge into the story. Marty and Bridget urge Laura to let go and drink, party and have fun with them. Together they absolve a dive course and drive around to explore the island. You'll learn a few fun facts about the Keys and are awarded with a gratis crash course on Scuba diving. It's a wonderland of colorful underwater scenery, brightly painted houses and the richness of nature and food in its exotic glory. They are having a blast, but when the time comes to leave and go back to England Laura does what she feels like and not what others expect her to do. She stays.

One evening Laura finds herself wandering around and is magically drawn to an overgrown garden. It's life that throws fortunate coincidences your way and so it comes that Laura moves in with her new crush, sexy Scuba diver Leo, his friend Carlos and his sister Carmen and her boyfriend. By stepping into their home, she's entering an almost dream-like world, paradise right outside her window. Now it's her task to find out what's in her heart. Can she go back to London and face reality or does she stay in Florida. And what does brooding and cautious Leo want?

Laura's and Leo's relationship is like a little game itself. They are slinking around each other, testing, and teasing. When they are ready and willing to let go of their inhibitions, their emotions flow into a sensual bond that gives THE LONGEST HOLIDAY a very passionate and slightly erotic air. Be assured, this isn't about the sex only, their love story convinces with a a true romantic feel to it. 

Leo isn't your typical love interest. He's unrelenting and at first seemingly uninterested. But there's much more to him than you first thought. In the course of the story he goes through something that shows his loyal and loving character that you can't help but be touched by. 

So far I have only read one other book by Paige Toon, ONE PERFECT SUMMER, and I enjoyed it so much that I did a jump of joy when Simon & Schuster sent me her newest book THE LONGEST HOLIDAY. I heard that Paige Toon brings back characters from her previous books and involves them in her new stories. That's something I am absolutely cheerful about. I'm a reader who never wants to let go of her characters and meet them again and again. I recognized one character from ONE PERFECT SUMMER crossing Laura's way but there could be others, too I haven't met yet. My goal is to read all previous Paige Toon books by next year so that 2013 can be officially named my Paige Toon year.  

1) of its vibrant underwater scenery
2) we've always wanted to live in paradise
3) of a glimpse on the other side of love
4) there's a new dream for everyone
5) we get a chance to meet other beloved Paige Toon characters again

4/5 **** - A luscious and inspirational journey to paradise, self-discovery and beyond!

THE LONGEST HOLIDAY is indeed a fine holiday read and another definitive chick-lit favourite of mine. You practically feel the soft sea breeze combing your hair, sand between your toes and smell the richest flavours of Leo's curry. Between Laura's sorrowful past and her confusing present, there's hope at a bright and rewarding future.

* Want to read more by Paige Toon? Start with her first novel, LUCY IN THE SKY!

* You can read an excerpt of THE LONGEST HOLIDAY by clicking here.

* You might want to have a look at Paige Toon's research photos for THE LONGEST HOLIDAY.

* For further information about Paige Toon and her books visit www.paigetoon.com

* Thanks to Simon & Schuster UK for sending me THE LONGEST HOLIDAY for review! 

Book Review: The Impossibility of Tomorrow (Incarnation #2) by Avery Williams

Title: The Impossibility of Tomorrow (Incarnation #2)

Author: Avery Williams

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK

Publishing Date: July 4th 2013

Length: 375 pages

Keywords: YA fiction, incarnation, romance, thriller

Source: Publisher

The immortal Seraphina is forced to face the darkness of her past—and risk losing the love of her life—in this second novel in the Incarnation series.

Seraphina has been living for centuries, thanks to a special method of alchemy, but only recently has she really felt alive. She’s finally broken free from her controlling boyfriend, Cyrus, and after years of swapping bodies to preserve her immortality, is happily settled into a life worth sticking with. Because in this life, she has Noah.

But Noah might not be as trustworthy as he seems. After he delivers an ominous message that could only come from Cyrus, Sera is worried that her new friends and family will find out her secret. And as her suspicions extend beyond Noah, Sera is forced to wonder about her new friends as well: Could her old coven be disguising themselves right under her nose?

Will Sera have to move to another body—and take another life—or can she find a way to keep what she’s got, forever?

Summary by Goodreads 

After the cliffhanger THE ALCHEMY OF FOREVER ended with I couldn't wait to read its sequel. Believe me, if you have the chance, you want to read the two INCARNATION books back to back because they both are so unbelievably irresistible. I was surprised and elated to find out the second book had about one hundred pages more than the first which guaranteed so much more freaskishly frightening reading fun.

Incarnates are souls that have lived for centuries. They possess the ability to take over the body of any human being they come near enough to do the transfer. Sera was one of them once, but not anymore. In THE ALCHEMY OF FOREVER she left her coven and her possessive boyfriend Cyrus for good and took over one last body on her escape. And with it the life of sixteen-year-old Kailey. She goes to school, hangs out with her friends and falls in love with Noah.

It should all be about the undying love between Cyrus and Seraphina, who met hundreds of years ago and have been together for almost all of their immortal lives. Rudely phrased, Cyrus is a jerk that has lived way too long to be granted another chance in life. So it's only fair that Sera was lucky enough to begin a new life on her own and that she found Noah.

And the sweetness that's Noah, her boyfriend from next door! You won't be able to resist him. Sera and Noah's love story is an epic one.

Sera is such a kind soul. She's lived all these different lives and has been to so many different places all over the world, still it seems this new life as Kailey is an entirely new thing to her. She's never felt so accepted and loved before and you can't but be happy for her. Now Sera has to deal with all the problems Kailey left behind and get to know the people who were important to the mysterious teenage girl that was Kailey.

The alchemy part and the power to transfer your soul into another body still fascinated me so much. But the fact that every time a new body was possessed, the person would die and the old body disintegrate to dust scared me pretty much. So a new murder case was caused every time Cyrus, the crazy immortal stalker ex of Sera, changed bodies. He sure leaves a path of death on his mission to find Sera's new body.

Not knowing whose body Cyrus would have possessed by then, was creepy. It was like a very elaborate game of hide and seek. You automatically suspected everyone around Sera who acted

strange. I started analysing every sentence and motif. And these little hints and threats Cyrus leaves all around town? The game he's playing couldn't be more terrifying.

Also, how dare Cyrus endanger Sera and Noah's future together? You just want to kick him and rip him apart for the dread and fear he puts into Sera and thereby sabotages Sera and Noah's relationship at some point. You sabotage their relationship and you have to report to me!

You know I loved THE ALCHEMY OF FOREVER very much (read my review here), so you also know what it means when I say that THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF TOMORROW was even better than the first book. How is that even possible? Avery Williams doubled the package of awesomeness she installed in her first INCARNATION book. She added some more mystery, thriller. Plus the romance is something to be eternally enarmored with. Avery Williams always keeps the story exciting. You never know what comes next and especially who or what is waiting around the next corner. Love or death.

Sera's story doesn't find a complete wrap-up in this sequel, so it's only natural I have the hugest hope for a sequel to follow THE IMPOSSIBLITY OF TOMORROW!

1) of a seriously thrilling hide and seek

2) of a new life

3) of stary night skies above glasshouses

4) of intimate souls

5) of the one and only unicorn hotline

5/5 ***** THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF TOMORROW – The most astounding and thrilling game of hide and seek. This is a YA love like no other!

There's no chance you'll get around this stunning sequel to THE ALCHEMY OF FOREVER! Avery Williams spun an elaborate and magnificient story around the essence of souls, incarnation and alchemy and gifted readers with one of the most adoring and timeless love stories of YA. But never fear thrill-seekers, Sera's ex Cyrus has never been more dangerous and unpredictable than in THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF TOMORROW. This is a read for your mind, heart and soul!

* Have you read THE ALCHEMY OF FOREVER, the first book in the INCARNATION series?

* Read an excerpt of THE ALCHEMY OF FOREVER here. 

* Click here to watch the book trailer of THE ALCHEMY OF FOREVER.

* Click here to learn more about the characters of the series. 

* Thanks to Kat and Simon & Schuster UK for sending me a copy of THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF TOMORROW for review!