Book Review Hollow City by Ransom Riggs

Title: Hollow City

Author: Ransom Riggs

Publisher: Quirk Books

Release Date: January 14th 2014

ISBN: 1594746125

Rating: 4.5/5

Cover Impressions: I love, love, love the photography.

I received a copy of Hollow City from Quirk Books in exchange for an honest review so here goes:

Synopsis: Having escaped Miss Peregrine's island by the skin of their teeth, Jacob and his new friends must journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. Along the way, they encounter new allies, a menagerie of peculiar animals, and other unexpected surprises.

Review: It was exciting to see the children travel to London, as the first book was set in a very closed environment, it was interesting to see how thy interacted with the outside world. The world building was great with more loops and other interesting thinks such as peculiar animals.

I love learning about the characters and I feel that Riggs’ characterization is so good. It was good to explore the personalities of Jacob, Emma, Olive and so many others further and connect with them more. The loop really contributed to this, having to live the same day over and over again makes it seem like the children are actually adults trapped in children’s bodies.

My only problem with Hollow City wasn't really a problem, just something I don’t really understand and therefore can’t particularly endorse, I love both Emma and Jacob exclusively, but I still feel that their relationship is completely unneces
sary to the series and doesn't really add anything to it either.

The vintage photographs in Hollow City are just as bizarre and outlandish as the ones in the first book, taken from private collections; they each raise questions to the reader about the lives of those in them. I admired Riggs’ ability to craft a story out of them; they were dark and sometimes nightmarish, but managed to add a whole other dimension to the story which I loved.

Hollow City is incredibly fast-paced with an interesting story that fans of Miss Peregine’s Home for Peculiar Children will absolutely love. With plenty of unexpected twists, Hollow City is quite frankly one of the best sequels I've read to date and it definitely surpasses its predecessor which is unusual to say the least. Overall, I give it four and a half out of five stars and I can’t wait to read the final book in the trilogy when it comes finally comes out, I can’t wait.

Book Review: Miss Peregine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Title: Miss Peregtine's Home for Peculiar Children

Author: Ransom Riggs

Publisher: Quirk Books

Release Date: June 7^th 2011

ISBN: 1594744769

Rating: 4/5

Cover Impressions: I like the use of black and white photography; it ties in really well with the story.

I read Miss Peregtine’s Home for Peculiar Children on my kindle a while ago and when I heard that Quirk Books were going to send me a copy of the next book in the series, Hollow City, I thought I might as well throw a review on here:

Synopsis: As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

Review: From the very start, I was at ease with the way the book was written and was in love with how Riggs conveyed words. I never knew that such simple sentences could be so haunting and beautiful. The way Jacob's character was portrayed was really good, I found him easy to relate to and admired his curiosity, relentlessness and his peculiarity.

The idea of ‘the loop’ was really interesting as were the hollowgast's and I liked reading about the different powers that the children possessed.

I didn't really latch on to Jacob’s romantic attraction to Emma because all I could think about was that she had previously been involved with his Grandfather and this reminded me of JacobxRenesmee, which I hated.

 I especially enjoyed Miss Peregtine’s Home for Peculiar Children because of the way it incorporated unusual antique photographs into the narrative, this ensured a unique and extraordinary reading experience and I loved it.

This book follows a very realistic story which combined with Riggs’ incredible and vivid writing you feel like you've fallen through time, right into his world of wonders. I love the characters, they're all very special, in every aspect, and their fear mixed with their bravery makes them seem that much more realistic, overall I give it four out of five stars.

Book Review: How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

Title: How I Live Now

Author: Meg Rosoff

Publisher: Penguin

Release Date: November 30^th, 2004

ISBN: 0553376055

Rating: 4/5

Cover Impressions: I love that behind the stylized outlines of trees and butterflies (which are beautiful), there is a drawing like a child has crossed out their work, a large swirling pattern which indicates that not all may be as it seems.

I picked this up off my shelf after buying it some time ago, primarily because my cousin and I watched the DVD for the first time last week. I know, I know – never watch before you read but I couldn't say; “just wait there for a couple of hours so I can read this book”, so I watched it with her and when we were done I read the book. The film was good but of course the book was better (as per norm).

Synopsis: Fifteen-year-old Daisy is sent from Manhattan to England to visit her aunt and cousins she’s never met: three boys near her age, and their little sister. Her aunt goes away on a business trip soon after Daisy arrives. The next day bombs detonate as London is attacked and occupied by an unnamed enemy. As power fails, the farm becomes more isolated. Despite the war, it’s a kind of Eden, with no adults in charge and no rules, a place where Daisy’s uncanny bond with her cousins grows into something rare and extraordinary. But the war is everywhere, and Daisy and her cousins must lead each other into a world that is unknown in the scariest, most elemental way.

Review: Can I firstly say that I LOVED the writing in this book. I have heard some people hating on it purely because it is a little out of the ordinary (no speech marks are used, what the characters are saying is just stated instead). Having never read a book like this before, I however thought that it was unique and I felt that it added significantly to the story.

I liked the voice of fifteen year old daisy. After her Dad remarried to a woman she despised and with their baby on the way, she was shipped to London. Throw in some great but abnormal cousins, an eating disorder and a war and you’re going to end up with a character whose perspective is extremely interesting to read about, being inside her head was funny, unusual and thought provoking. I liked reading about Daisy’s family, especially her cousin Piper. The war is like a character itself, making brutal appearances in the lives of Daisy and her family, it made the characters stronger, forced them to grow up before their time.

After the family is split up, they quest to find each other once again. Traveling through a country terrorized by the effects of modern war, Daisy fights for what she wants. I really liked the world in which How I Live Now was set in, where adults are making the wrong decisions for the wrong reasons, children are making decisions for only one reason, no one can be trusted and there is no well-defined adversary.

Overall I give this book four out of five stars, it is a touching mix of how far people will go for those they love, how strong the bonds of family can be and the ultimate test of survival, a great coming of age read.

The Book of Ivy by Amy Engel Trailer Reveal

Trailer:

Synopsis:

After a brutal nuclear war, the United States was left decimated. A small group of survivors eventually banded together, but only after more conflict over which family would govern the new nation. The Westfalls lost. Fifty years later, peace and control are maintained by marrying the daughters of the losing side to the sons of the winning group in a yearly ritual.This year, it is my turn. My name is Ivy Westfall, and my mission is simple: to kill the president’s son—my soon-to-be husband—and return the Westfall family to power. But Bishop Lattimer is either a very skilled actor or he’s not the cruel, heartless boy my family warned me to expect. He might even be the one person in this world who truly understands me. But there is no escape from my fate. I am the only one who can restore the Westfall legacy. Because Bishop must die. And I must be the one to kill him…

Buy links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1mj5PXZ

B&N: http://bit.ly/BoIBN

iTunes: http://bit.ly/BoIiTunes

Kobo: http://bit.ly/BoIKobo

Goodreads link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20640755-the-book-of-ivy?ac=1

About Amy Engel:

Amy Engel was born in Kansas and after a childhood spent bouncing between countries (Iran, Taiwan) and states (Kansas, California, Missouri, Washington, D.C.), she settled in Kansas City, Missouri where she lives with her husband and two kids.  Before devoting herself full time to motherhood and writing, she was a criminal defense attorney, which is not quite as exciting as it looks on TV.  When she has a free moment, she can usually be found reading, running, or shoe shopping.

Find Amy online:

Website: http://amyengel.net

Twitter: http://twitter.com/aengelwrites

Goodreads Giveaway:

Here's the link to the giveaway: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/111469-the-book-of-ivy

Goodreads Book Giveaway:

The Book of Ivy

by Amy Engel

Giveaway ends November 04, 2014.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Book Review: The Book of Ivy by Amy Engel

Title: The Book of Ivy

Author: Amy Engel

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Release Date: November 11^th, 2014

ISBN: 9781622664658

Rating: 5/5

Cover Impressions: She is wearing a wedding dress holding a knife, doesn't that say it all?

I received a digital copy of The Book of Ivy from Entangled Teen in exchange for an honest review and was so excited because I love dystopian fiction so much and this one did not disappoint at all.

Synopsis: What would you kill for? After a brutal nuclear war, the United States was left decimated. A small group of survivors eventually banded together, but only after more conflict over which family would govern the new nation. The Westfalls lost. Fifty years later, peace and control are maintained by marrying the daughters of the losing side to the sons of the winning group in a yearly ritual. This year, it is my turn. My name is Ivy Westfall, and my mission is simple: to kill the president’s son—my soon-to-be husband—and return the Westfall family to power. But Bishop Lattimer is either a very skilled actor or he’s not the cruel, heartless boy my family warned me to expect. He might even be the one person in this world who truly understands me. But there is no escape from my fate. I am the only one who can restore the Westfall legacy. Because Bishop must die. And I must be the one to kill him…

Review:  Dystopia has hands down got to be my favourite genre of YA and having read The Book of Ivy three times now (yes I loved it that much), I think I can safely say that it is on par with the Hunger Games and Divergent, it is one of the best books I have ever read (or in my case re-read).

The way that Ivy’s society functioned was so complex and interesting, addressing questions such as, what to do for the greater good? And also making it difficult to keep secrets. I loved the world that Engel set up. Is it just me who thought that this book was a better executed version of Romeo and Juliet, except without the instant love and untimely deaths? Anyway, I loved the idea of two warring families and all that jazz.

Ivy was certainly a character that I could relate to. While she wasn't always completely likable, she made sense. She'd certainly been through a lot during her life, and didn't really have a lot of support. Her family was quite focused on their mission and preparing Ivy for it, and weren't really focused on building Ivy up as a person her Father and sister were cold and distant to Ivy, but in a way I felt that this enabled Ivy to be a stronger, more rounded person because she was not sheltered and knew what hardships her world had to off. Bishop was insanely likable, just a normal boy who dreamed of going to the ocean, who cared for anyone and everyone.

Thankfully there was no love triangle of any kind in this book, just a slow, well-paced build up between Ivy and Bishop. I loved the fact that Engel didn't make Ivy and Bishop’s romance instant, instead they became friends slowly, began to trust each other and fall in love within a realistic time frame and I felt that this made the book all the more enjoyable.

The writing was to die for… enough said.

The Book of Ivy raises all kinds of questions for Ivy, Bishop, and the reader. There were political issues, and familial issues, and the biggest of them all, morality issues. Questions about allegiance, sacrifice and loyalty. Overall, I give this book five out of five stars, it was perfect.

*Spoilers beyond this point*.

In the words of Zoe Marriott, I would chew of my right arm to have it the sequel (Revolution of Ivy) now *sighs*. Unfortunately we have to wait till November 2015.

In the meantime read this beautiful synopsis; Ivy Westfall is beyond the fence and she is alone. Abandoned by her family and separated from Bishop Lattimer, Ivy must find a way to survive on her own in a land filled with countless dangers, both human and natural. She has traded a more civilized type of cruelty—forced marriages and murder plots—for the bare-knuckled brutality required to survive outside Westfall’s borders. But there is hope beyond the fence, as well. And when Bishop reappears in Ivy’s life, she must decide if returning to Westfall to take a final stand for what she believes is right is worth losing everything she’s fought for.

There is hope yet.

Book Review: Queen of Someday by Sherry D. Flickin

Title: Queen of Someday

Author: Sherry D. Flickin 

Publisher: Clean Teen Publishing

Release Date: October 7th, 2014

ISBN:  1940534909

Rating: 4/5

Cover Impressions: It is certainly very pretty.

I received a digital copy of Queen of Someday, the first book in the Stolen Empire series, in exchange for an honest review (thank you!) and here it is:

Synopsis: ONE GIRL WILL BRING AN EMPIRE TO ITS KNEES... Before she can become the greatest empress in history, fifteen-year-old Sophie will have to survive her social-climbing mother’s quest to put her on the throne of Russia—at any cost. Imperial Court holds dangers like nothing Sophie has ever faced before. In the heart of St. Petersburg, surviving means navigating the political, romantic, and religious demands of the bitter Empress Elizabeth and her handsome, but sadistic nephew, Peter. Determined to save her impoverished family—and herself—Sophie vows to do whatever is necessary to thrive in her new surroundings. But an attempt on her life and an unexpected attraction threatens to derail her plans. Alone in a new and dangerous world, learning who to trust and who to charm may mean the difference between becoming queen and being sent home in shame to marry her lecherous uncle. With traitors and murderers lurking around every corner, her very life hangs in the balance. Betrothed to one man but falling in love with another, Sophie will need to decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice in order to become the empress she is destined to be. In a battle for the soul of a nation, will love or destiny reign supreme? 

Review: Can I just say that this story will not appeal to everyone, however it did appeal to me so yeah (I literally have no idea where this sentence is going).  While some may deem this book a ‘predictable’ because of its content, I felt that it was anything but.

I absolutely adore the main character, Princess Sophie, who was fiercely intelligent and witty (think Katniss only in a ball gown).  She dealt with Peter’s possessiveness and objectification of her really well and overcame stereotypes that ‘men are stronger than women’. She showed initiative, determination, cunning and strength and refused to sit back and be the damsel in distress.

There were three love interests, and back to my original point, I didn't even predict who her lover was going to be *face palm*. This book revolves around the romance in Sophie’s life it is touching and well written with unexpected twists and turns (the ending was so unexpected but of course great).

I enjoyed reading about all the characters in this book, even the side characters. Everyone seemed to have ulterior motives which made Sophie’s quest for the throne all the more difficult, but at the same time all the more enjoyable and realistic.

This book is based on the life of Catherine the Great, before she became empress of Russia and even though it is not meant to be an accurate representation of events, I love history and found it was hugely enjoyable to read.

Lastly, the writing was gorgeous, the descriptions made me feel as if I was there beside Sophie going through what she was dealing with, feeling what she was feeling, wanting what she wanted.

Overall, I give Queen of Someday four out of five stars, it was fast paced, and full of twists, I found myself one-more-chapter-ing all night until I realized that I had no more chapters left, I can’t wait to read the penultimate book in the trilogy, Queen of Tomorrow and the final book, Queen of Always when they hit the shelves hopefully sometime in the near future.