I read Thunderhead, here’s what I think of the series [NO spoilers]

The sequel to Scythe, I was so excited for this book… and it did NOT disappoint!!! I loved this book so much! I won’t be talking about any spoilers for either book so you can read on even if you’ve not read Scythe (but you should go read it).

In this version of the future, humans have conquered death so they had to find a way to deal with the ever rising population. The solution was scythes, these are people who’s only job is to randomly “gleen” (think: kill) people in order to stop the world from over-populating. This was working fine, although people were petrified of scythes when they saw them, but there’s obviously one very human problem. Corruption.

We have two main characters, and switch perspectives between them. They are both involved in the scythedom so we get to see events through two different eyes which adds another dimension to the world.

If you like dystopian, dark books (like anything else Neal Shusterman has published) then I definitely recommend picking this series up. I get so engrossed and I know 100% that I’ll speed through them and give them 5*.

Set it on fire and watch it burn

A classic, one of the dystopian books. I’d always planned on reading it, but I was never very active about it until I saw that my flatmate had the book and so I asked to borrow it. I didn’t really know what to expect from the book, other than books burning, so I went in with quite an open mind. I was also quite hopeful because of how The Handmaid’s Tale had turned out for me. Sadly, not quite the case here.

I did give the book 4*, but it was more like a very high 3. I loved the concept, the destroying of knowledge to further enable a political party to retain their power over the population. The brainwashing of individuals to believe that this is the right course of action, with their walls of TV’s taking them away from the drudgery of real life. However, there was something a little… off, about how it was written.

I really didn’t like our main character, his viewpoint seemed kind of stilted and not natural at all which made the reading experience an awkward one. And honestly, that’s what brought this book down for me. Of course, I didn’t hate the book, as I still gave it a high rating, however, this part was disappointing.

I did enjoy the plot progression and the slow dawning of understanding, as well as the way in which the book ended. I won’t spoil anything here but I liked the feel of the result of all this action at the very end.

All in all, this book isn’t the standout star I’d been hoping it would be, but it’s still a great dystopian work and a good look at society. So if you want to read it, go ahead!

The Handmaid’s Tale (Trump’s wet dream)

I finally read it! Okay so there seems to be societal pressure to read these modern classics, and after reading this book I get why, but at the same time please don’t feel like you must read these. This book is amazing and I loved it but if it’s not something you care about then don’t worry about it.

Anyways, that was a bit of a tangent that I went on so let’s get back to an actual review of this book. As you likely know, this book is a dystopian which is set within a world where there is an issue with mass infertility. We follow Offred (of Fred, as in Fred owns her…) as a Handmaid, she lives in a rich man’s house and must have sex with him in the aim to become pregnant and provide this household with offspring. If the Handmaid does give birth then the baby is straight away taken by the Wife of the house and is raised as their own child, with the Handmaid being moved on to the next household to serve the next family. Terrible, I know, but there is so much more depth, and therefore worse parts, to this world that I’ll leave you to find out yourself if you decide to read this book.

This book, despite being written a few decades ago, is still relevant today in a somewhat unsettling manner. If you’re a woman you will definitely recognise the exaggerated societal pressures and expectations within this book (blokes, you’ll probably see it too, please don’t take offense) that’ll strike a chord.

Overall, this book is one to give a shot if dystopians are your thing and if you want to read about Trump’s ideal world! Because I can only imagine how happy Trump would be if this was the reality and he was in charge *eye roll*

This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada

Okay so I did this backwards, I actually reviewed This Cruel Design (book 2) first. So if you’re interested then that review is available here! I reviewed that one first as I had received an ARC copy from the publishers and wanted to put up my review to coincide with the books release. This is also the first time I’ve been able to slot my review in, despite me finishing this book on the 8th October… so let’s get into the actual review!

Of course, I LOVED this book!!! It was absolutely amazing and I was completely engrossed from start to end. I adored our main character Cat and enjoyed slowly learning more about her background and also learning through her about how the world is and what has happened between now and the future in which this book is set.

The sci-fi, coding and tech side was so developed and clearly Emily had researched it well or previously had a good knowledge as it was in so much detail and was so interesting to learn about. It would be pretty cool if it was real! (Let me ignore the real world implications for a bit, okay?).

The ending of this book absolutely murdered me, as in lying on the kitchen floor making weird noises as my (at the time new) flatmate looked on in confusion. She’s not a reader. Yet. But it killed me and I cannot believe I hadn’t read this sooner. If you like any sort of dystopian, sci-fi, techy reads then definitely give this one a go! I will be reading absolutely everything Emily Suvada publishes in the future thanks to these two beauties ♥♥♥

Shattered by Teri Tery

This series can’t be over? Surely?

…

Nope! Teri Terry has a prequel within this world and OMG I need to read it!!!!! But this is about the third book in the Slated trilogy, so let’s get down to business. First obvious thing first, I adored this book, 5/5*, it was amazing.

We not only get the wrapping up of so many loose ends, but at the beginning of the book new ends are created, and some are created by splitting apart threads we had thought were all twisted and wrapped up.

There were so many heartbreaking moments, those which will shock you and those which make you feel warm and fuzzy. There is romance present in this book, and surprisingly for me I absolutely loved it! It took a backseat to the main plot, but was also very much present throughout the book (which I find to represent real life and is my preferred romance representation and gives me the most heart fluttering feels), as well as being slowly developed over time rather than rushed into.

This is definitely a series you should start if you haven’t already (check out my review for book one here and give it a go!) and if you’ve not gotten around to finishing up the series then I hope this pushes you towards it as I massively enjoyed it and am so excited to read more from Teri Terry in the future! I definitely need to get more of her books!!!

Fractured by Teri Terry

This is the second book in the Slated trilogy by Teri Terry, (check out my review of book one here) which follows a girl named Kyla after she has been through the slating process and has lost her memories.

Yes, this is the middle book in the series, but it definitely doesn’t suffer from middle-book-syndrome! This book not only keeps up the fast pace set by book one but smashed through that and ups the ante yet again, keeping you on the edge of your seat and making the book incredibly difficult to put down.

There is so much character development within this book, as well as introducing new characters and developing them well also. Kyla’s memories are becoming more clear, although still blurry, and she has a great desire to question why she was slated. Who she had been. This is done very well, and feels very realistic and it also feels that it is how a teenage girl would react to this bizarre situation.

I am incredibly invested in the relationships that have been developed throughout these two books, both those that are romantic and platonic, friendly and unfriendly. There is so much thought and attention to detail put into this book and book three can only get bigger and better! I just hope it doesn’t break my heart in the process!

Have you picked up Slated yet? Or any other books by Teri Terry? I’ve only read this series by her but I definitely need to read more from her!

 

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon, a review

I adored this book, so so much! I read it back to back with Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard and when I say back to back I mean immediately after each other. Combined they got me out of a reading slump, and I have managed to keep their storylines completely separate which to me, when reading them so close together, means that their plots were incredibly strong and engaging.

This book follows Paige Mahoney, who works within the black market. We get a good sense of this world and how it functions, before Paige is then kidnapped. Hidden in a city which has not existed for over 200 years, Paige must figure out a way to survive in a situation designed to kill her.

The world building done within this book was incredible and is fitted seamlessly within the storytelling. I enjoyed being able to grow alongside Paige as she learns more about the people around her, what is going on within her world, and also as she becomes more aware of her own abilities. The actual plotline is also incredibly engaging, with so many different moving parts and intricate pieces which have been balanced perfectly in order to make a world which I feel like could rival that of Harry Potter if the following books continue in this way. Of course it’s not the same magical book as the Potterverse, however, JK is renowned for her plotlines (in a similar way to the Whoniverse) and I feel like this series could also do this incredibly well.

I am so excited to read more books in this series, I own books 2 and 3 and plan to read book 2 in December. I’m just nervous to start them because I know it’s going to be amazing and also probably destroy me! I’m nervous to read it and not be anticipating it anymore! Isn’t that silly haha.

Have you read any of this series? Am I going to cry when I read the next two books? Let me know in the comments!

Slated by Teri Terry, a review

It’s been many years since I’ve read this book, and I still absolutely adore it and recommend it to anybody who wants some amazingly done ya dystopian! It’s a well-covered genre within the young adult age bracket, and yet this book manages to bring a fresh look to the genre and is incredibly engrossing and absorbing.

I read this when I was 17 (5 years ago now, oh god) and there are two reasons that I know this book was amazing.

1. I was still obsessed and needing to read the rest in the series years later (I couldn’t afford to buy the next two straight away)
2. I read this whole 400+ page book on my phone. I found ways to read it in class, on the bus, when I should’ve been revising for my exams. I was so into it!

This isn’t some mahoosive phone either guys, this is an iPhone 6. This book was so damn good. So obviously I’ve given this 5*s, but why?

First of all, the concept. Our main character Kyla has been “slated”, which means that she was caught doing something illegal and those under 16 have their minds wiped by the government and are placed with a sort of foster family in order to try and give them a second chance at life. Sounds great, sounds like a good solution. But her memories are gone, her personality erased, and she has no clue why.

Teri Terry has mixed dystopian and sci-fi together here to create an interesting and unique concept of a world that has drastically changed, for the worse, since the past but no one can quite see it with the technology and the government blinding them with lies and deceit.

Kyla is a relatable character and a typical teen. But more than that, she also has a great developmental arc and slowly, very slowly, starts to become her own person. Just here, it’s instead of one the government molded rather than our parents. When it comes to the rest of her foster family, you don’t know who to trust. Sides keep changing and the cards in play are never fully revealed. Her mum is the daughter of the assassinated previous Prime Minister, her dad seems to be on her side but there’s something he’s not saying, and her foster sister is a slated too. What did she do?

We also have Ben, beloved Ben. He’s the cause of the romance in this book, and Teri writes him in a way that would make almost anyone fall for him. You need their relationship to succeed. And yes, I know, I don’t like romances. But when they’re intertwined brilliantly with a story arc which is technically separate I just can’t help but fall in love with couples!

Some older readers might be put off by the “ya-ness” of this book, but I urge you to give it a go. I may have been within the age bracket when I read book #1, but I read the next 2 books when I was 21 and adored them both and definitely want to re-read them. Get the from the library, from a charity shop, just give this amazing author and amazing book series a go. You never know, it might surprise you.

Have you read the Slated trilogy? Or any of Teri Terry’s other books? I’ve yet to get around to her other writing but I’m very excited to! I adore it!

Scythe by Neal Shusterman, a review

This book. THIS BOOK! Okay, so I loved it, starting here. 5 stars, no question about it. I really don’t know why I’ve not read more by him because I always seem to be completely engrossed within his writing and this book has just proved it to me. 100% recommend! Now, let’s get into an actual coherent review that isn’t just me going aaaahhhhh!!!

In this world, all disease, hunger and was has been wiped out. People no longer have a natural lifespan, as medicine can solve any aging issues. This sounds great, until you think about the massive overpopulation. To control this issue, there are Scythes. Scythes are the only people who are able to end a life, and they are commanded to do so. It is mostly a job that no one wants, but someone has to do it, and if you are recruited your family gets immunity from gleaning (their name for the killing done by Scythes). A good incentive to keep recruits incoming.

Citra and Rowan have been chosen by a master scythe to be his apprentice, only one of them will become a fully fledged scythe. Neither of them wants the job, but neither of them wants to give up the immunity it would offer their loved ones or the chance to be part of something. One problem. Master scythes can only have one apprentice, and the other scythes are not happy.

So much goes down in this novel, we learn a lot about the different arts of killing and when each method is used. Many are killed as kindly as possible and based on mathematics equations, but some have less kind deaths. There is also the internal politics of the Scythes themselves, there seems to be corruption high up in the ranks, but some haven’t noticed, and others are too scared to act against this group who are ignoring the basic rules of Scythdom.

It is one of the most perfect ya novels I have ever read, and I borrowed my copy from the library (poor student problems), and I 100% need to own my own copy in the future! One of my favourite reads so far in 2018 and I am super excited for Thunderhead when my library gets it in stock!

Aaru beat my expectations

Have you heard of this book? I hadn’t until the author contacted me and asked if I would review the book. I read the synopsis (click here to visit the Goodreads page) and thought that it sounded like a really interesting concept, so I said yes. It’s a dystopian book, about the possibility of storing the consciousness of an individual (whether alive or dead, as long as they had their data collected before their death) in a utopian world. Our main two characters are sisters, with one who has leukemia and is likely to pass away soon and the other is her younger sister and agrees to be the face of this new company in return for her sister being “saved” within this system.

I will say, that the beginning third of this book wasn’t great. The concept was still interesting but the writing wasn’t good enough to carry the story and I was feeling disappointed. However, I’m really glad I carried on with the book as the end two-thirds of the book are done so well and I was fully absorbed. The writing improves vastly and I was so invested in the events, that when I finished the story I knew I needed to read Halls of Hel! (The second book, click here to see it on Goodreads)

I still maintain that the beginning of this book could be improved, there’s a lot of information in there that is essential to the rest of the book so the content is important. However, the writing could be more engaging and I worry that others may be put off and not reach the more intriguing sections.

Overall, I think you should give this book a shot and be prepared to not fully click with the first section. Just be aware that it gets so, so interesting (and you could be the opposite of me and adore the whole thing) so give it a shot! I’m happy to add this to my collection!

Have you heard of and/or read this book? I’d be interested to know how many people know of this already!