Review: Starters - Lissa Price

Starters by Lissa Price, published by Random House Children's Books on 5th April 2012

Goodreads synopsis:
Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man.

He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. . .

Review:
Dystopian novels are huge at the moment which I'm personally really pleased about because I'm a massive fan of books which imagine what the world will be like in the future.  Lissa Price has a particularly frightening vision of the future in her debut novel 'Starters'.  This is one environment that I would not want to be a part of!

After the spore wars, everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty ended up dead - unable to get the precious vaccine which spared the lives of teens (Starters) and the elderly (Elders).  Without their parents to keep them safe and protected, some young people have had no choice but to live on the streets, facing potential dangers alone.  The main character Callie is determined to look after and provide for her younger brother Tyler which leads her to Prime Destinations.  A facility offering to pay a huge sum of money for Starters to rent out their bodies.  The whole idea of Prime Destinations was creepy and chilling.  I can't imagine how you would feel knowing that someone else was going to be walking around in your body.

I thought the whole plot was incredibly original and beyond intriguing.  I didn't have a clue what was going to happen to Callie who abhorred the concept of renting your body but who desperately needed the money for herself and her brother.  There are elaborate rules in place about what Enders can and can't do in these bodies but just hearing about some of these things made the situation seem even more terrifying.

The tension was kept high throughout the book - no one was really who they seemed to be, so you couldn't tell who to trust and who to be wary of.  There was also a huge twist near the end which completely threw me for a loop.

I would have liked to have seen Callie's relationship with Michael explored a little more, as I felt that the only thing missing from this book was the romantic element which I usually look for.  It may be though that there will be more of a focus on this in the next book in the series.

The sequel 'Enders' is due to be published Winter 2012.

Trailer: Riven - Sarah Bryant

One of my favourite books so far this year is 'Bound' by Sarah Bryant which was a dark and delicious read about fallen angels.  I'm absolutely dying to read the sequel which was published by Snowbooks on 1st May 2012 and is entitled 'Riven'.

If you haven't discovered this series yet then I urge you to get your hands on the first book immediately!  I was gripped by 'Bound' and after seeing the awesome trailer for 'Riven', I think Sarah Bryant could have another success on her hands.  Forbidden love, angels and a battle between good and evil.  What more could you possibly want!

Cover reveal: Throne of Glass - Sarah J Maas

On August 2nd 2012, Bloomsbury are publishing one of the most exciting releases of the year, 'Throne of Glass' by Sarah J Maas.

Here's the fabulous cover for the book with the main character Celaena looking very fierce!

Celaena Sardothien is a daredevil assassin with unrivalled fighting skills. After a year’s hard labour in the salt mines of the kingdom of Adarlan, Celaena is offered her freedom on one condition—she must fight as handsome Prince Dorian’s champion in a contest sponsored by the king, facing the deadliest thieves and assassins in the land in a series of set-piece battles in the country’s stunning glass palace. But there is more at stake than even her life—for Celaena is destined for a remarkable future...

I was extremely lucky to have been sent a pre-publication proof of the book so expect my review to be up on the blog in the next few weeks.  If you're already dying to know more about it then click here for an extract from 'Throne of Glass'.

Review: A Face Like Glass - Frances Hardinge

A Face Like Glass by Frances Hardinge, published by Macmillan Children's Books on 10th May 2012

Goodreads synopsis:
In the underground city of Caverna the world's most skilled craftsmen toil in the darkness to create delicacies beyond compare - wines that can remove memories, cheeses that can make you hallucinate and perfumes that convince you to trust the wearer, even as they slit your throat. The people of Caverna are more ordinary, but for one thing: their faces are as blank as untouched snow. Expressions must be learned, and only the famous Facesmiths can teach a person to show (or fake) joy, despair or fear - at a price.
Into this dark and distrustful world comes Neverfell, a little girl with no memory of her past and a face so terrifying to those around her that she must wear a mask at all times. For Neverfell's emotions are as obvious on her face as those of the most skilled Facesmiths, though entirely genuine. And that makes her very dangerous indeed ...

Review:
'A Face Like Glass' is the fifth book by British author Frances Hardinge.  It's one of the most original and spellbinding stories I've ever come across.  I can't even begin to try and compare it to anything else because it stands in a league of it's own and is so unusual and surprising that I could never guess what was going to happen from one chapter to the next.  This is one of those books that will gradually creep up on you to the point that you won't be able to think about anything else.  It's the perfect read for a lazy Sunday when you can read and read all day without ever having to put this book down.

Frances Hardinge has created something truly magical in the world of Caverna - an underground city where people can't express real emotion, where the Grand steward wields power with the help of his Right and Left Eye and where foods are potentially explosive and win can retrieve or hide memories.  I was continually astlounded by the millions of little details that were woven into the story.  This is a world unlike any other.

The most interesting thing about the people of Caverna is that their faces are all masks of expressions which have been learnt as their own faces are blank canvases.  Some people have been taught hundreds of different faces which they can alternate between as required and others, like the drudges of the city, only have two or three.  Amidst the people of the city, we are introduced to Neverfell who is the central figure in the story - an eleven year old girl who is set to change Caverna's whole future.

I have to say that a lot of things happened to Neverfell throughout the story but it wasn't until the very end that I was able to piece it all together and make sense of everything.  The puzzle finally made sense and I could sit back and admire the cleverness and ingenuity of the plot. 

I adored 'A Face Like Glass' and am now depserate to read all of Frances Hardinge's other books.  She's a real talent!  I can't wait to tell everyone I know about this stunning book.  Read it or regret it forever.

Review: Whatever Love Is - Rosie Rushton

Whatever Love Is by Rosie Rushton, published by Piccadilly Press in April 2012

Goodreads synopsis:
When Frankie Price goes to live with her wealthy cousins, she finds herself part of a social scene that she’d only read about in magazines.

Shy and overwhelmed, she retreats into her own passion: writing – pouring out her feelings into her short stories.

But when the entire family is rocked by scandal, and her mate Ned comes under the spell of the beautiful but manipulative Alice, Frankie realises that she has to fight for the life she wants.

Review:
This is a modern-day version of Jane Austen's classic 'Mansfield Park'.  It will introduce Austen to a whole new audience and for those that already love the original you'll want to rush off and grab your well thumbed copy for a re-read (which is exactly what I did!).  I really liked all the fitting quotes from 'Mansfield Park' at the start of every chapter which gave a tantalising glimpse of what lay ahead.

The setting has been updated to Thornton Parslow in Northampton, where our heroine Frankie Price goes to live with her rich cousins.  Frankie is head over heels in love with her cousin Ned but he doesn't seem to treat her as anything other than an honorary younger sister.  Although the heart of the story is Frankie's unrequited love for Ned, it is also about the importance of family, as well as containing a serious message about social issues. 

The storyline was engaging and even though I knew the plot from the original and guessed how some parts of the story were going to work out, I was still glued to the pages of this brilliant book.  I did think however that the ending slightly short-changed readers, as the resolution between Ned and Frankie was a bit rushed and over all too quickly.  All of that build-up and then no big romantic moment?! 

What's great about this series is that Austen may have been writing so many years ago but her stories still resonate with different generations and have so much relevance today.  Rosie Rushton has managed to provide a fresh twist and has given new life to Austen in her wonderful interpretation of a beloved classic.  I'm sad to see that this is the last book in the series because they've all been such great reads.

Review: I'll Be There - Holly Goldberg Sloan

I'll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan, published by Piccadilly Press on 24th May 2012

Goodreads synopsis:
Raised by an unstable father who keeps the family constantly on the move, Sam Border hasn't been in a classroom since the second grade. He's always been the rock for his younger brother Riddle, who stopped speaking long ago and instead makes sense of the world through his strange and intricate drawings. It's said that the two boys speak with one voice--and that voice is Sam's.

Then, Sam meets Emily Bell, and everything changes. The two share an immediate and intense attraction, and soon Sam and Riddle find themselves welcomed into the Bell's home. Faced with normalcy for the first time, they know it's too good to last.

Review:
A story that will genuinely touch your heart, 'I'll Be There' is the debut of author Holly Goldberg Sloan.  After only a few pages, I found myself immediately rooting for brothers Sam and Riddle and desperately hoping that life would take a turn for the better for them both.

One of the things that I found so different about this book was the fact that there's very few passages of dialogue throughout the whole story.  Instead, a third person narrator tells the story of how Sam met Emily and his life changed forever.  Emily feels an attration to Sam but as she becomes more involved with him, her whole family open the doors of their home to him and his younger brother Riddle.  Emily's parents' relationship with the boys was so touching, particularly the bond that formed between her mother and Riddle who has never really known a mother's love.

Half-way through the book the story went in a slightly different direction to the one I was expecting but that was okay because I actually loved this turn of events and found myself enjoying the second part of the book even more than the first.  Having connected with all the characters I was engrossed in 'I'll Be There' and raced through it in one evening.  I'll admit to reading most of it with my fingers crossed, desperately hoping for a happy ending.  I won't reveal how it does conclude except to say that Holly Goldberg Sloan couldn't have written a more fitting or more perfect ending.

One of the central ideas in the book was of people entering each other's lives, no matter how briefly and making a difference, sometimes changing someone's life forever.  This was really inspiring.  The power of human kindness is also extremely evident in the love that the Bell family show to Sam and Riddle who have never experienced anything like it before.

This book has soul - it's a read that will make you hug the people you love and hold them close.  I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this wonderful story to others.