Almost Dead by Kaz Delaney

02 Mar 2016 1 Comment

by Amy in 5 Stars, Australian Women Writers, Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult Tags: , , , , , ,

Published: 1st January 2014Goodreads badge
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Pages: 400
Format: Paperback
Genre: Young Adult/Paranormal Romance
★   ★   ★   ★   ★  – 5 Stars

A glitzy whodunit set amongst the Gold Coast elite and a hilarious romance between Macey Pentecost, the privileged teenager with a social conscience who just happens to see ghosts, and the good-looking surf champion Finn.

Macey’s life has been turned upside down. Her mother has left, her father is absent and her two best friends (her brother Seth and his girlfriend Willow) are MIA. On top of that Macey is being visited by ghosts who need her help to ‘move on’. But as wild as all that sounds, it’s all under Macey’s control until a rakish, good-looking spirit called Nick turns up … in her bedroom!

Nick’s a spirit with spirit who insists he’s not dead, he’s astral travelling and has a message for Macey: someone is out to get her. Macey’s biting wit has got her in trouble before, so she’s not surprised but when the threatening notes start turning up, she’s seriously shaken. Does someone want her dead?

It’s all rather disturbing but she’s finding it hard to focus on who could mean her harm with the annoyingly handsome surf god Finn turning up at the most inopportune times and a father with a rather large surprise of his own.

Is it a case of bad timing? Or are these things somehow connected? And if they are, what on earth should she wear when she’s solving the mystery?

Even at 400 pages I flew through this book. I started at maybe 11pm and by 3:30 am I was done. I kept telling myself I should stop but then I convince myself to read some more and then all of a sudden I’d read another 40 pages and I was telling myself to stop again. And so the cycle continued until 3:30 when I finished the final page.

There is a perfect balance between the paranormal, the mystery, and the every day, and Kaz’s writing is so inviting that you want to keep turning the page. Her words draw you in and even closing the book for sleep is unthinkable because you don’t want to leave the story. Your curiosity overrules sleep, and who could sleep anyway when such an enthralling tale is being told!

A companion book to Dead, Actually, this time it’s Macey’s story that gets told. What I loved about this was that it was a completely new story but didn’t forget what had come before it. It is impossible to compare the two because they both have very different mysteries with different focuses, but the similarities and same surroundings is a comfortable familiarity. Willow and Seth are not forgotten, and there are throwbacks and references to the other book, but not so much that it tries to make you connect the two and see it as a sequel. Macey’s story is her own and Willow’s hers, and I loved that Kaz gave them both stories that suited them.

There are so many drawcards about this book, not only the creative paranormal aspect, but the mystery, the drama, and the realities of life that all mix together. It is easy to love the amazing events that play out around Nick as well as Macey’s newly discovered gift, not to mention the surprising home life she had found herself living in. Kaz’s portrayal of the stresses and confusion in Macey’s life is divine, as well as managing to express beautifully how overwhelmed and out of her depth she becomes. It’s wonderful.

Macey and Finn’s relationship is cheeky and adorable. He is a wonderful friend, loyal and protective, and seeing Macey fight her feelings for him reveals more of who she is and why. Everything connects and has consequences with this story and moments fit together and react off each other with style and creativity. This is just one of the many things that interact and connect, sometimes you don’t even realise just how connected things are until the last moment.

The mystery side definitely needs mentioning because the way Kaz plays it out you find yourself suspecting even the most innocent of people. There are hints and clues, and no clear motive which means anyone could be the culprit. With so much else happening in Macey’s life, having someone stalk her is another thing she has to worry about, and seeing it overlap with her other problems makes the story more intense and enthralling.

This multifaceted story has something for everyone’s tastes: There are great characters to fall in love with and great friendships to admire, there’s a great YA story, a thrilling mystery, some excellent paranormal, a budding romance, family drama, self discovery and acceptance, and an ending that’s beautiful – all wrapped up in a thrilling 400 pages.

You can purchase Almost Dead via the following

Dymocks | Kindle | Booktopia

iTunes | Publisher

Amazon Aust | QBD

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Dead, Actually by Kaz Delaney

24 Feb 2016 1 Comment

by Amy in 5 Stars, Australian Women Writers, Book Bingo, Paranormal, Young Adult Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Published: 1st January 2014Goodreads badge
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Pages: 312
Format: Paperback
Genre: Young Adult/Paranormal Romance
★   ★   ★   ★   ★  – 5 Stars

dead-actuallyWillow’s having a bad week. A dead body, a funeral and now she’s being haunted by the star of it all, the dead queen of Ruth Throsby High herself, JoJo Grayson.
Being dead hasn’t made JoJo any nicer. She’s still venomous and vacuous and, unfortunately, determined to stick around unless Willow finds out what happened.
But the mystery keeps multiplying. There’s a missing phone. An anonymous blackmailer. Dirty secrets that won’t stay buried. And the blame is being cleverly pointed right at Willow.
The only good thing? The gorgeous Seth Pentecost. He’s got his own agenda but it looks like he’s going to help Willow out. Could solving this death be what it takes to finally bring him into her life?

There is so much to love about this book: the characters, the mystery, the fabulous writing that sends your heart and mind crazy with anticipation and suspense. I loved everything about this book from start to finish, it’s enthralling, it’s messy and complicated, but that is what makes it exhilarating to read.

The way Kaz has played out this story and these events, and in such a short space of time, is marvellous. Her writing captures the chaos in Willow’s mind, the conflict and the passion, the fear and self-doubt. Everything comes across beautifully on the page and makes this story come alive.

There’s a hundred different things happening all at once, all linked together, crushing Willow’s brain and sending her in every which direction and the chaos and mystery of it all is wonderful. Kaz pulls you along with a mystery and a quest for answers but there’s also other things happening and Kaz links these seemingly unconnected things together so wonderfully that it works on so many levels, interconnected snippets and separate things woven together to create Willow’s life and story. It’s divine.

Having everything happening in a short period of time makes everything more intense, but Kaz never makes it feel rushed or too soon. The strange and compelling nature of the events and the multiple angles covered brings the intensity to a point where Willow’s stress and overwhelmed feeling leap off the page and brings you into the story so you understand her frustrations, fears, and victories.

The romance element is natural and not once feels cheesy or fake. Willow’s crush on Seth is adorable, Seth himself is wonderful so you also fall in love with him, and Kaz beautifully misses out on the making the “crush on best friend’s brother” feel clichéd. Her exploration of Willow’s feelings, mixing it into the paranormal events and life drama, brings out the realism, such as Willow’s romantic feelings cropping up unexpectedly, her desire to control her reactions and emotion’s play down her feelings for fear of ruining what she has. That is what makes it feel so real, so believable, Willow’s feelings don’t come from nowhere, nor do they take away from who she is as a person, everything about her is mixed together into this dramatic and captivating novel.

Despite the paranormal element, everything about this feels so genuine, so much like the every day, and it’s made even better by JoJo being both ghost like and as she was alive. There is so much drama going on without the paranormal but the paranormal is the heart of it, both the main essence and an almost background feature.

I loved this book so much I gave it five stars before I had even finished. The narrative Kaz has constructed is clever, creative, and so incredibly intriguing. From start to finish she brings you into Willow’s world with curiosity and captivating characters and she holds onto your attention until the very last page. As the final chapters play out your heart pounds, your excitement grows, and you still have no idea where the story is going and what is going to happen. Kaz keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat until the end, even after the whodunit has been solved.

You can purchase Dead, Actually via the following

Dymocks | Kindle

Booktopia | iTunes

Publisher

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Enthrall by M. R. Reed

12 Feb 2016 2 Comments

by Amy in 2 Stars, Science Fiction, Young Adult Tags: , , , ,


Enthrall by MR Reed
Blog Tour
February 1-12th, 2016

Published: 12th October, 2014Goodreads badge
Publisher: Self Published
Pages: 312
Format: ebook
Genre: Young Adult/Science Fiction
★   ★  – 2 Stars

After years of being a helpless witness to his alcoholic father’s abuse towards his family, seventeen-year-old Miles Boswell has just about reached his breaking point. He dreams of the day where he can leave everything behind and begin a new life on his own — that is, until he discovers that he has the ability to control people’s minds. Suddenly, the odds are overwhelmingly in his favor.

But what begins as the answer to all of his problems soon causes him to question his every thought when he captures the attention of August Sylvan, who seems to be the girl of his dreams. As someone who has limited experience with girls, Miles can’t help but wonder — where do his powers end, and where does reality begin? 

At the same time, he finds himself at constant odds with his morals and his potentially warped sense of justice…and soon discovers that nothing is as simple as it seems.

This book contains strong language, violent scenes, and some sexual content.

Note: I was provided with a copy of this book for review.

I could possibly bump my two stars up to a 2.5 on the basis that while the story wasn’t unenjoyable, I came away feeling unsatisfied. I finished it feeling like things were unresolved, left unanswered, and even taking into account the surreal moments and strange quality the story had, it felt as though something was lacking.

Enthrall tells the story of Miles and August, a pair of teenagers who fall in love and both have families they would rather avoid for varying reasons. The pair seems perfect for one another, but when Miles discovers he has developed a strange ability, it is the start of a dangerous downward spiral for both of them.

I started this book with a nice warm feeling. It was so sweet to see the two characters attracted to each other but thinking the other one was out of their league. Seeing August become nervous around him and Miles awestruck, it was cute. Both were semi social outcasts and had an attitude that made people avoid them. But when they become a couple they join forces to become a team of pretentious and moralistic teens who feel superior to the world which turns you off them a bit.

I liked the story, the characters had depth, they were teenagers and did teenage things. I loved their complicated home lives and the school drama, it was an enjoyable story. The concept Reed’s explored is interesting, and it certainly was an interesting experience watching Miles’ struggle. There were just a few things that didn’t sit right. One of the biggest disappointments was the lack of explanation. Even if there wasn’t a detailed explanation, something would have been better. Reed offers hope towards the end, but even then you end up more confused than anything, trying to see if you’ve missed something. The mystery would have been ok to deal with if it didn’t hint throughout that you were going to get a reason.

Reed writes with the voice of a teen and each character tells their story as if speaking to the reader, which is fine, but it takes a few chapters to get into the swing of it. The dual narration works really well and seeing both sides of the story and both experiences adds meaning and offers a different perspective on similar events. It’s also a great chance to see the gradual downfall and changes of each character, Miles in particular.

As a character Miles is someone who is hard to figure out. He seems sweet, but arrogant; he is incredibly selfish and as you watch him descend further into the mess he’s made for himself there is not pity whatsoever because you’ve seen how he’s brought it on himself. I found myself at times comparing him to punk version of Holden Caulfield, he doesn’t think everyone is a phony per se, but he is quite judgemental of others and pushes his moralistic agenda over everything and judges those who do things he doesn’t approve of. August does this as well, but to a slightly lesser extent.

As fun as unlikable characters are though, I was sad I didn’t connect with him because Miles actually does some good things when he isn’t being selfish. But because I didn’t care about him I couldn’t feel that proud of him for what he was doing, and it didn’t really suit his character when he did.

Reed shows Miles’ decent gradually, and you can see his mindset change as time goes by. Some things he did I felt were quite a big leap, and a few characters reactions were not that realistic, but it didn’t take too much away from the story. Overall it was a good read, you take enjoyment from the characters and their lives, and while there isn’t a satisfactory conclusion, the story being told is quite enjoyable.

You can purchase Enthrall via the following

Amazon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Our formative years are the ones that stick with us the most–you know, those tirelessly frustrating yet unforgettably magical moments that shape us into the people that we will become. The music that I liked as a teenager, the books that I read, the relationships that I created (and destroyed)…those are the things that I think truly formed the adult that I am today. I still love those things. I still think about those things. I still harbor a lot of anger in relation to the events that I experienced as a teenager, and it does nothing but fuel my creative spirit.

And that’s what I like to write about: Teenagers, and all of their idiosyncrasies, and concerns, and that whole unintentionally egocentric view that they have about their worlds. I find it fascinating. I’m thankful every day that I’m no longer a teenager, but I have to admit that it’s a interesting time to look back on.

Miles and August encompass a lot of me, and my experiences, and my observations. The music, books, and beliefs that I held at that time inspired me to write about the events that take place in Enthrall. My intense hope is that somebody reads it and is able to relate, or get through a difficult time, and just know that somebody understands what he/she is going through (at least a little bit.) That’s what music and books did for me. I hope to pay it forward.

 

Angels Dawn (#1) by Komali da Silva

05 Feb 2016 Leave a comment

by Amy in 2 Stars, Paranormal, Young Adult Tags: , , , ,

Angels Dawn Review Blitz

Published: 25th January 2014Goodreads badge
Publisher: Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing
Pages: 277
Format: ebook
Genre: Young Adult/Paranormal
★   ★  – 2 Stars

Dawn Huntington wants what every girl wants, a sweet sixteen birthday party with her friends, family, and some hot boys, but fate has other plans. On the night of Dawn’s sixteenth birthday, she witnesses a crime she can’t turn her back on, and the decisions she makes that night will change her life forever. 

Never having been confronted with such violence, Dawn turns to a mysterious and beautiful boy named Angelo, only she can’t remember what happens that night. To make things more complicated, Dawn is in a relationship with Angelo’s complete opposite, Nate. Dawn doesn’t want to hurt Nate, yet she can’t shake her feelings for Angelo, even when she can’t help but feel he’s hiding something from her, and it could be something dark. Why is Angelo acting so weird around Bonita? Are they together? Are they really only friends?

Angelo may be trouble, but Dawn can’t ignore her feelings for him. Dawn is at a crossroads. Should she choose love? Or friendship? Once Dawn finally finds the courage to choose, she thinks the drama is over. But Dawn wasn’t expecting her choices to have such dire consequences. 

Do you believe in love at first sight? But can one trust someone blindly? Can love overcome all the obstacles?

Is friendship just the beginning of love?

Note: I was provided with a copy of this book for review.

Reviewing a book that a lot of people really like but you don’t is always hard. I didn’t dislike it, it just didn’t come across as amazing as everyone is saying it was, not for me anyway. The story was not the problem exactly, there is a story to follow but it felt choppy, something was definitely missing. At the risk of spoilers, I thought there really needed to be more information provided about Angelo; about his situation, what were the rules were, why he was there. It was a completely new part of the story that gets minimal attention. And other aspects get attention that makes it feel like they are going to become bigger parts of the story but they end up being minor.

For most of the book I felt the story seemed a bit flat, characters were one dimensional and even though da Silva has tried to give them some depth and back story it didn’t feel like enough. Dawn’s family come across as the most ideal and perfect family, and other characters were nice but I didn’t have any real connection to them. In addition, the romance and affection I think da Silva was trying to build between Angelo and Dawn didn’t come across as such. Angelo’s doting affections and romanticisms are cringe worthy and feel more obsessive and stalkerish than love, and Dawn’s insta-love and literal three day romance is a lot to deal with.

Even bearing in mind that Dawn’s sixteen and a lot can be excused in her actions, there are a few things you have to find unbelievable; the fact she is stalked and doesn’t tell her parents, harassed for weeks on the phone and doesn’t tell anyone, or even simple things like when her dog goes missing and she doesn’t tell anyone.

I could feel there was a story under the surface but it just wasn’t coming through as strongly as it could have. I had no interest in the love triangle and with no connection to the characters I wasn’t fussed who was chosen. It took the majority of the story before it felt interesting, and even then it was more mild curiosity than any real pull to see what was going to happen. We weren’t given enough detail to understand what was happening and without that it was hard to become too invested. I’m wary to say it was predictable because I’m not sure whether my own knowledge of paranormal tropes made it seem that way, though this didn’t take anything away from the story.

The blurb certainly makes the story seem darker than what it actually is, not that some events in the novel aren’t awful, but there are a few things that just leave it lacking, extra detail that could have built up the story to make it less flat and with less holes that need filling. Too much was left unanswered and never readdressed that I felt was a problem. I know a few things will be answered in the sequel, but there were other things that needed answering in the first book.

You can purchase Angels Dawn via the following

Amazon

All Your Bits and Pieces Needs

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About Komali:

Komali da Silva was born and raised in Colombo, Sri Lanka. She started writing as a teenager but never took it seriously because her love for basketball and track and field sports was much stronger. At the age of seventeen she moved to Switzerland. Komali has a degree in Insurance but is dreaming of one day owning her own book cafe.

She adores reading and some of her favorite authors include Lauren Kate, Cassandra Clare, Becca Fitzpatrick, Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Cecelia Ahern, J.K. Rowling and Richelle Mead. She started immortalizing her own words on paper in June 2012. Komali, her husband and their daughter Amalia now live in Switzerland, where they eat a lot of chocolate and freeze during the winter.

Komali could live on love and happiness if life lets her do so. She laughs a lot and has different smiles for all her moods.

The Princess Companion by Melanie Cellier

29 Jan 2016 Leave a comment

by Amy in 5 Stars, Australian Women Writers, Book Bingo, Fantasy, Young Adult Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Published: 2nd January 2016Goodreads badge
Publisher: Luminant Publications
Pages: 244
Format: ebook
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy/Fairy Tale
★   ★   ★   ★   ★  – 5 Stars

One dark and stormy night, lost and alone, Alyssa finds herself knocking on the door of a castle. 

After a lifetime spent in the deep forest, Alyssa has no idea what to expect on the other side. 

What she finds is two unruly young princesses and one very handsome prince. When Alyssa accepts the job of Princess Companion she knows her life will change. What she doesn’t know is that the royal family is about to be swept up in unexpected danger and intrigue and that she just might be the only thing standing between her kingdom and destruction. 

This retelling of the classic fairy tale, The Princess and the Pea, reimagines the risks and rewards that come when one royal family goes searching for a true princess. 

Danger and romance await a woodcutter’s daughter in a royal palace.

Note: I was provided with a copy of this book from the author for review.

Fairy tale retellings are some of my favourite books and fairy tales themselves are one of my favourite genres. I love everything about them, their universality, their ability to become any story possible while still being recognised at a level as being a fairy tale, and I love that there are one hundred ways to tell the exact same story and have it come out one hundred different ways.

Cellier’s story is exactly this. It is The Princess and the Pea story we all recognise, but told in a way that it becomes a whole new story on its own. There is still so much of a fairytale in this story: woodcutter’s daughter, godmothers, princes and kingdoms, but Cellier manages to create something more intricate and complex than the original tale. It is sweet, creative, incredibly clever, and even sneaks in another fairy tale reference and shows us what happens at the end of a happily ever after.

The writing feels really honest. Cellier easily could have fallen into the trap of having misunderstandings resulting in the stereotypical drama caused by miscommunication, but she doesn’t. Alyssa is upfront and honest about mistakes and even though it doesn’t always work it, she is never is dishonest or deceptive.

The narration stays with Alyssa for the majority of the book which is a wonderful move as we get to see the palace life and her experience through her eyes and thoughts. You really can’t ask for a better character than Alyssa. She is honest and intelligent, filled with wisdom but also delightfully innocent at the same time. Where readers can see the affection between Max and Alyssa, she always comes to the wrong conclusion. It’s so sweet, and it is a nice change than having her pine for a prince she can’t have.

Alyssa’s role as a Princess Companion brings about all sorts of adventure and danger, and seeing her develop and change, along with all the other characters, is quite rewarding. When the romance emerges it is beautifully told; Cellier doesn’t spring it on us, she weaves it through, misdirection and ignorance throughout. I can’t go on enough about how well this is written.

The original Princess and the Pea fairy tale is not an overly popular retelling compared to Cinderella or Beauty and the Beast, but Cellier has expanded on this incredibly short fairy tale phenomenally, giving depth and fullness to every character and creating a solid and emotionally stable story all within the beginning and end of the traditional fairy tale.

Reading this novel gives you the warm fuzzy feeling that a well-told story produces, and this simple fairy tale has been filled with so much, so many details and complexities, tiny moments that add so much meaning but seem so innocent. It’s fantastic. Cellier truly has written an enchanting, enthralling, and brilliant novel that still feels like you are reading a classic fairy tale.

You can purchase The Princess Companion via the following

Amazon

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