- Title: My Soul To Steal (Soul Screamers #4)
- Author: Rachel Vincent
- Page Count & Publisher: 375 | Mira Ink (Harlequin)
- Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
- Format: Paperback
- Links: Amazon UK | Goodreads
Summary:
Still reeling after the events of My Soul To Keep, Kaylee is trying to figure things out with Nash. She still has deep feelings for him but can't work out how to trust him. But worse than that, his ex-girlfriend, Sabine, has started at their school and she fully intends on carrying on where she left off. After a spate of suspicious deaths at the school, Kaylee begins to suspect it has something to do with Sabine. It turns out Sabine is a mara, she feeds on people's deepest fears and Sabine isn't above using Kaylee's fears against her.
My Thoughts:
Four books into the series and it's not slowing down at all! We're still learning more about the Bean Sidhe world with Kaylee and a few new creatures are introduced. This book in particular was fast paced, never letting Kaylee relax for one minute!
I'm still feeling for Kaylee after the events of the last book and I'm somewhat stunned when I've seen reviews saying that she should just get over it and not leave Nash hanging. Kaylee was betrayed in a horrific way and she's got to deal with that before she can even think about a relationship again. Just as she's started talking to him again, the ex-girlfriend shows up. I liked Sabine, she knows what she wants and how to get it. Amazingly, she has no ill wishes towards Kaylee (until later in the book when events start spiraling) and offers to be friends once the whole Nash business is dealt with.
I'm liking Tod more and more as well. He seems to be offering some comic relief in the books, in this one he gets a new job to keep himself entertained between hospital shifts.
Perhaps this one had just a tad too much of a rushed ending. The long buildup was great, you're lead down one path of plot before it veers off and you see how wrong you were. But it all got resolved a bit too quickly and felt incomplete. Though I'm sure we'll be seeing more fall out from that in the next book.
My Rating: 
- Title: Cell
- Author: Stephen King
- Page Count & Publisher: 473 | Hodder
- Genre: Apocalyptic, Horror, Zombies
- Format: Paperback
- Links: Amazon UK | Goodreads
Summary:
In one instant the world changes. Known as The Pulse, everyone using a mobile phone is infected with a virus. At first they're violent but later on begin to change and adapt to the world they're in. Clayton Riddell realises what's happening and he. and a group of uninfected "normies", travel across country to discover the fate of his estranged wife and son.
My Thoughts:
This starts fast and throws you straight into the gore. There's no build up: one minute the world makes sense, the next someone is eating their dog (seriously). Clayton Riddell watches as the world around him goes mad before realising what's happening and meeting up with other people without mobile phones.
I'm not a fan of the "hero travels across country to discover the fate of his family" stories, it always seems a little to convenient. Of course, this being Stephen King, the outcome is not what you'd expect. Clayton wasn't the most sympathetic character for me, I didn't actually care if he was killed or turned in the meantime or not. The psychological games played against him by the leader of the "zombies" were far more interesting than his traveling moments.
I thought conclusions were reached far too quickly at times. It doesn't take Clayton very long at all to realise that the phones were the source of the problem, despite no real evidence to show they were. People using phones has become so much a part of life that I'm pretty sure only someone utterly paranoid about mobile phones would come to that conclusion.
I don't think this was one of Stephen King's best stories. The characters lacked some of the complexity and depth that I'd seen in The Stand and Misery. Plus, the zombie plot line just got really, really silly.
My Rating:
- Title: My Soul To Keep (Soul Screamers #3)
- Author: Rachel Vincent
- Page Count & Publisher: 378 | Mira Ink (Harlequin)
- Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
- Format: Paperback
- Links: Amazon UK | Goodreads
Summary:
Kaylee and Nash discover that Demon's Breath, a highly addictive and dangerous substance is being used by several people at their school. They need to cut off supply, and fast, as it is already having a disastrous effect on the people they know. Kaylee is devastated to learn that someone much closer to her is already addicted.
My Thoughts:
Oh gosh, this one utterly broke my heart. Kaylee has so much to deal with in this and she does it well. There's no immediate forgiveness after such an utter betrayal, she reacts with the shock and horror that I'd expect. She won't allow excuses and needs to work through things herself. She's growing into such an amazing character and I want to see where book 4 goes with this.
So far, this has got to be the best in the series. Well, I'm only 3 into it so far but this one hurt in a way that the others didn't. The writing is phenomenal. Addiction is hidden from friends and people are willing to go to drastic lengths to continue their access to Demon's Breath. That's not to say this is going to beat you about the head with the message "drugs are bad, m'kay". This is more "this is how addiction can screw up more than just one life".
We meet up with Addison again, who is somehow retaining her own sense of self and dignity despite the horrors she's subjected to in the Underworld. We also meet Alec, a human in the Underworld who is clearly going to be playing a large role in the future.
I cannot wait to read the next one, the Soul Screamers is turning out to be one of my favourite series.
My Rating:
- Title: The 5th Wave (The 5th Wave #1)
- Author: Rick Yancey
- Page Count & Publisher: 457 | Penguin
- Genre: Young Adult, Apocalypse, Science Fiction
- Format: Paperback
- Links: Amazon UK | Goodreads
Summary:
Only the unlucky survive. Humanity has been wiped out by aliens in 4 successive waves, and the 5th wave is still to come. We meet Cassie who has survived all 4 waves, she's learned to trust no one and that has served her well so far. She meets Evan Walker after being injured but can she trust him?
My Thoughts:
Well, this was one of the most hyped books from earlier this year. I was looking forward to getting it read but nervous as well, in case it didn't live up to the hype. So I grabbed it as soon as I saw it on the shelves and jumped into it as soon as I could.
I loved how real the characters feel in this book. Cassie is a teenager and is still fairly naive at the start of this, even with all that has happened. She's forced to grow up very quickly and she becomes someone much stronger. She's faced with some awful choices and she recognises that any choice she takes can result in a horrible outcome. Yet she still has the courage to do what she needs to do. Through this book, Cassie became one of my favourite lead characters. She's strong yet absolutely not perfect.
This story is told through multiple points of view. This generally works quite well but a few of the male characters seemed to flow into each other until we got to know them a little better. People get hurt in this, kids get hurt in this and they remain hurt. Being injured effects their actions later on and I really did appreciate that. No super fast healing or hand waving. Bullet wounds take time to heal.
There are so many twists and turns. You think you know what's going on and with who, but then it twists and twists again and by the end I had no idea who's side anyone was on and I loved it. I didn't want to have guessed the answers straight away, I liked that people remain ambiguous until the end. I couldn't read the last quarter or so of this book fast enough, I couldn't get the words into my head and absorbed fast enough for me to be satisfied. I wanted more when it was over.
But the 5th wave, the truth behind the 5th wave is utterly horrifying.
Loved it, will be buying the second book the minute it appears and I will hide for two days while I read it.
Rating:
- Title: Wool (Silo #1)
- Author: Hugh Howey
- Page Count & Publisher: 542 | Arrow Books (Random House)
- Genre: Dystopia, Post-apocalyptic, Science Fiction
- Format: Paperback
- Links: Amazon UK | Goodreads
Summary:
In a post-apocalyptic waste land, the only safe place to live is in the Silo. The world outside will kill you in minutes. The rules of the Silo need to be followed to maintain order. Rule breakers are simply sent outside, an efficient punishment - discord is removed and the cameras outside are cleaned. Jules is one of these rule breakers, she has questions, and she may be the most dangerous person there is.
My Thoughts:
This was one of my most anticipated books of this year! I waited for the paperback to be released and immediately dove into the pages.
The world building in this is absolutely amazing! The Silo feels like a real place filled with real (for the most part) characters. The descriptions inside the Silo made it feel fully fleshed out and a place I could imagine. Only one or two of the characters felt a little one-dimensional but on the whole they were complex and felt like actual people.
It did take me some time to get through, I've been reading quite a bit of young-adult at the minute so it was refreshing to get back into a book so densely packed with words and storyline. The plot is as many layered as the Silo in some places. People's motivations and actions are not always as you expect and people's loyalties can and do switch.
I loved Jules as a lead character. She was strong and utterly competent, sure of her convictions even when she wasn't sure of her actions. Her reactions felt real and believable, even when placed into some truly horrifying situations. I think she's one of my favourite leads that I've read in quite some time.
Again, I loved the descriptions of the world outside. I want to know more about it! I love a good description of a devastated environment and this teased me with just enough to keep me happy!
I'm planning on reading the rest of this trilogy as soon as the paperbacks appear. The next part is out in hardback already so I may just cave and buy the Kindle edition!
Rating:
This is the second in a series of 7 books, I've got them all to read through and I'm liking them so far!
- Title: My Soul To Save (Soul Screamers #2)
- Author: Rachel Vincent
- Page Count & Publisher: 362 | Mira Ink (Harlequin)
- Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
- Format: Paperback
- Links: Amazon UK | Goodreads
Summary:
Set 6 weeks after the end of the previous book, Kaylee is learning more about her Banshee heritage and learning how to have a relationship with her Dad. She's also developing her relationship with Nash and her friendship with Tod. They go out to a concert one night when the singer collapses and dies on stage. Kaylee, however, doesn't feel the urge to scream. How can she, when there's no soul to scream for? It then becomes a race against time to discover who girls are selling their souls to and why, before someone else meets the same fate.
My Thoughts:
I jumped straight into the second book in the series after finishing the first, I certainly was glad that I had it to hand! In this book, more of the Banshee world is fleshed out. We see more of the Netherworld and what Kaylee could be capable of. However, I did think that Kaylee was just a little too competent a little too quickly. It doesn't exactly take her long to work out her new abilities.
The relationships still feel real in this book. The slight distance she has with her Dad still, the remaining doubts she has about her relationship with Nash. Kaylee feels like a well fleshed out character, someone who is starting to grow as a person. I still want to shout at her for not involving someone who could actually offer help at some points in this but her hesitance to do so does make sense.
We meet some more clearly important character in this and Tod's almost hero worship is somewhat adorable.
The main plot doesn't quite feel as personal this time round. Previously, the people involved were Kaylee's friends and family. This time round she's helping a friend of Tod's and it seems to be because she couldn't save everyone last time.
Not quite as strong as the first book, but still worth its rating!
My Rating:
I didn't get quite as much reading done in June as I did in May, but I read three really fantastic books!
-Wool by Hugh Howey - took me nearly two weeks to get through as it was a dense, layered book that deserved a lot of attention while reading. Really enjoyed the world created in this and I can't wait to read the remainder of the trilogy.
-My Soul To Keep by Rachel Vincent - the best in the series so far, I'm looking forward to reading the 4th in the series to read the fall out from the events in this one!
-The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey - hugely hyped and popular in the book community, it deserves all the praise it has been getting! Absorbing and shocking in parts, the sequel is just too far away!
July is already shaping up to be a busier reading month, I've got one finish already and I'm almost done with another book!
This is one of the books that featured in my very first haul video! I bought it not long after Christmas.
- Title: The Departure (Owner Trilogy #1)
- Author: Neal Asher
- Page Count & Publisher: 498 | Tor (Pan Macmillan)
- Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopia
- Format: Paperback
- Links: Amazon UK | Goodreads
Summary:
Alan Saul wakes up on his way to the Calais Incineration Plant. He can't remember much, but he does remember pain and his tormenter's face. He has an illegal AI in his head who reveals a world full of death and despair. Earth is a hugely overpopulated planet, ruled over by the Committee, watched over by the Argus Array. The Committee need to kill 12 billion in order to stabilise the population of Earth, Saul doesn't intend to let them.
My Thoughts:
This took me some getting through! The first quarter or so of the book seemed to take so long to get through but the second half flew by. It's probably because while I love love hard science fiction (and this is definitely in the ranks of hard sci-fi), I'm not the biggest fan of post-humans. Aliens and such are fine, but something about AI and computer enhanced humans just doesn't do it for me. Maybe I was just traumatised by the Borg as a child.
This Earth is a brutal, violent world where the sheer scale of human life has cheapened its value. The phrase "manswarm" is used a few times and it sums it up quite well. There are Zero Asset and Societal Asset citizens. The be a Societal Asset means you have use (unless you start asking questions, then you get taken away to be re-educated) and the ability to buy food. Zero Asset citizens are nothing.
The world building in this was pretty fantastic. You got a good idea of the sights (and occasionally the smells) around Saul. You can understand how this world came to be, especially with the snippets of future history at the start of each chapter. This world actually makes sense, it feels real. Horrifically brutal, but real.
At first I wanted to sympathise with Saul. He has no idea who he is, everything about him was wiped out during his torture. You want him to find his answers, find out who he was and how he reached that point. However, as he began to get his answers he moved further and further away from what it meant in his world to be human. He's downright disturbing at the end and I even began to ask myself if he was "the good guy" after all. He doesn't seem to want to cause suffering, only death. Some of the obvious "bad guys" were a bit stereotypical bad guy-ish. You knew they weren't good but lacked some depth that could have added more interest to the world and storyline.
I am planning on reading the rest of this trilogy, but it's probably not going to be a priority.
Rating:
This was my first for review book! The author contacted me and offered me a free download in exchange for an honest review. This has had no effect on the review I'm going to give.
- Title: Noah's Ark
- Author: Andrew J. Morgan
- Page Count & Publisher: 289 | That Right Publishing
- Genre: Science Fiction, Apocalypse
- Format: eBook
- Links: Amazon UK | Goodreads
Summary:
We follow two characters, Alex and Michael. Alex is living the perfect life. He has a wonderful family and a successful career. Michael is living a perpetual nightmarish existence in a locked facility under sadistic guards. Alex thinks he's along after the darkness took everyone away. He's wrong.
My Thoughts:
This is such a hard book to review because discussing the plot at all will give away the biggest spoiler in the book! It was utterly confusing at first, until you figure out what's going on. And by confusing, I mean to the point where I put the it down for a few days until I could devote a bit more attention to it! You get absolutely no answers during these confusing first chapters but it all falls into place later on in the book.
While this book follows two main characters, there are a few other people involved. I don't think the other people felt as fleshed out as Alex and Michael and one or two were a touch stereotypical. I liked Michael a whole lot better than Alex, even at the start when it appears Michael is a violent, cold blooded murderer. Michael is always fighting for himself, to not give into those around him. Alex slips into a melodramatic funk quite early on and has a lot of things happen at him, rather than to him.
There is a huge amount of descriptiveness in this book, sometimes it's actually quite beautiful:
"His pondering swirled out through his mouth and drew spirals in front of him. They collided, showering reflective sparks in every direction.The ones that touched him burnt and stung; he yelped and they turned and slithered away, wriggling and writhing as they burrowed into the black."
-Noah's Ark by Andrew J. Morgan
Other times, the description got in the way of the momentum of the story, it felt a little bogged down in adjectives.
The tone completely changed once the two met, it got a little "action hero" dialogue-ish. There was some "I can't go on, leave me", "Never!!" type dialogue which felt a bit out of tone with what had happened so far.
There's a huge, and not unexpected plot twist at the end but there's a huge amount that still doesn't get explained by the end of the book.
Overall, it's a good and solid debut. I'm looking forward to seeing more from Andrew J. Morgan!
My Rating:
I really enjoy watching everyone's monthly reading wrap ups on Youtube and I thought it would be a fun thing to do on my blog as well!
I had such a good reading month this month, managing a total of 7 books! Five of those were paperback and two were on my Kindle. I actually had a slow start to the month but picked up pace a week or so in.
-Uglies by Scott Westerfeld - my first finish this month, I enjoyed the world that he created and found it to be a pretty easy read.
-Pretties by Scott Westerfeld - I quickly moved on to the next in the series and devoured it in a couple of days. This was another easy read that I really enjoyed.
-Specials by Scott Westerfeld - I don't normally go through a trilogy so quickly so I was getting a little book fatigue by the end of this! Still, it was every bit as good as the other two in the series.
-The Need For Flesh by Matthew Hawking - this was a free at the time download from Amazon. It wasn't that long and I read it over a bus trip. It only rated one star, it might have been better if it felt like it had actually been edited before being released.
-The Departure by Neal Asher - this took my most of the month to work through, it's brutal and violent and took me quite some time to get into. A much better second half helped me finish.
-Extras by Scott Westerfeld - not quite as good as the other three of the series, I'm not sure this really adds anything essential to the overall plot of the Uglies series even though we're seeing the world after the events of Specials.
-Noah's Ark by Andrew Morgan - the last book I read this month (I finished it at about 11pm last night!) and the first book I received for review. A pretty good first half and a mind bendingly twisty plot!
What have you read this month? Any suggestions for me to add?
