Book Review #659 - Article 5 (Article 5 #1) by Kristen Simmons

New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren’t always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it’s hard for her to forget that people weren’t always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It’s hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.

Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.

That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings…the only boy Ember has ever loved.

My Rating: 3/5

Dystopia is one of my favourite genres though this one fell a little flat for me.

Like with most dystopians this book takes place after a world changing war. I would have liked the reason or cause of the war to have been expanded upon as there was absolutely no depth in this area. 

Ember, the protagonist was frustrating at times but I mostly enjoyed her unique voice. 

The book bills itself, and actually sets off as a story about an ultra strict government when in fact it is more a roadtrip book with a dystopian backdrop. 

I didn't particularly like Chase - the male love interest and I think this was because there was so much history between he and Ember before the book starts and so I felt rather distanced from not only him, but his relationship with Ember. 

Book Review #647 - The Rain (The Rain #1) by Virginia Bergin

It's in the rain...and just one drop will kill you.

They don't believe it at first. Crowded in Zach's kitchen, Ruby and the rest of the partygoers laugh at Zach's parents' frenzied push to get them all inside as it starts to drizzle. But then the radio comes on with the warning, "It's in the rain! It's fatal, it's contagious, and there's no cure."

Two weeks later, Ruby is alone. Anyone who's been touched by rain or washed their hands with tap water is dead. The only drinkable water is quickly running out. Ruby's only chance for survival is a treacherous hike across the country to find her father-if he's even still alive.

My Rating: 4.5/5

As a huge fan of the dystopian genre, I was really intrigued by the premise of this book as it seemed so unique compared to others in the genre. 

Firstly, the book is set in the current day, not decades or even centuries into the future where a dystopian society has already begun. 

Secondly, there are no zombies, aliens or controlling governments. Instead, the earth's most needed resource water is the ultimate villain. 

When I first started this book I loved how open and honest Ruby (the protagonist) was. It was almost like she had no filter and I loved this because I felt like I truly knew her. 

Ruby's relationship with her step-father Simon was a favourite dynamic of mine in the book. Ruby went from hating him unconditionally to having to completely trust him. 

I loved how Ruby rescued all the neighbourhood dogs and transported them around with her as this is something that I could see myself doing in that situation. 

There were moments though where I wanted to reach into the book and slap Ruby. For example, she walks outside with no protection from the rain and she seemed more concerned about her physical appearance than her actual wellbeing. Like instead of thinking of sources of clean water, she is raiding shops for makeup and clothing. 

The whole romantic aspect between Ruby and Darius did not impact the story at all and felt rather out of place in the story. 

The way the book ended I am glad that I have already ordered the sequel entitled The Storm. 

Book Review #599 - William the Conqueror vs King Harold by Jesse Lee Vint

My Rating: 3/5


Source: The Author


Buy: The Book Depository


Goodreads





THE STORY THAT HAS NEVER BEEN TOLD! Even rarer than the appearance of Halley’s Comet in the year 1066 A.D. was the appearance of three undefeated warrior kings that same year. All three of these warrior kings felt that they had a claim to the British crown, and all three were intrepid fighters who were well known for never taking a step backward. For this reason 1066 was a historical year unlike any other. 

Normandy’s William the Conqueror is one of the most dashing, powerful, and massively influential figures in all of world history. Equally fascinating is Harold Godwinson, crowned King Harold II of England in January of 1066. Norway’s Haarald (Hard Rule) Hardrada, the incomparable Viking warrior king, also played a central role in the destiny of the world in that amazing year. 

These two historical giants, William and Harold, became the greatest of friends -- and the worst of enemies. Caught in the middle of this raging storm that resulted in The Battle of Hastings was Princess Adelize, the young and beautiful daughter of William, and the devoted fiancé of King Harold II. 

Humor! Heart! History! These are the three words that define this historical saga that is written in the style of an Arthurian adventure novel.

I am always looking for interesting books in genres I don't normally read and this book really hit that mark for me. 

William the Conqueror is a historical figure that I have heard of, but just didn't know that much about. I loved that this book blended the historical elements with an interesting and likable plot. 

The book had a very cinematic feel to it so it was not surprising that soon after finishing it I discovered it had originally been written as a screenplay. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I loved the time period that it was set in. 

I would recommend this book to readers of all genres as it blends a wide variety of genres really well and everyone is bound to find something they like with this book. 

Book Review #593 - Outlander (Outlander #1) by Diana Gabaldon

My Rating: 4.5/5

Source: Bought

Buy: The Book Depository

Goodreads

The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is just back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an “outlander”—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of Our Lord . . . 1743.

Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into the intrigues of lairds and spies that may threaten her life, and shatter her heart. For here James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire—and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

I was curious how I was going to see this book as on one hand I'm not the biggest fan of time travel book or romance books but on the other hand I love historical fiction (especially in the British era). 

The historical element was my favourite aspect of the book of the book. Like the characters, it was very realistic and reading it was like being transported to that time period not unlike Claire. 

The men of that era, although savage like and thinking very little of women were accurately portrayed for that time period. 

The book alludes to a lot of historical moments such as the Irish Potato Famine and the Jacobite Risings and I am looking forward to hopefully seeing these and more develop. 

I had mixed feelings towards the protagonist Claire as I found her rather annoying at times but for the most part I did like her. 

The differences between Claire's era (1946) and the era she magically transports herself to (1746) are endless and for that reason I didn't think that enough was explained illustrating that point. I also didn't think it was very accurate how quickly Claire adjusts herself to her new world. 

There are so many graphic moments in this book (especially at the end) that if I had not become so heavily invested in the book I would definitely stopped reading. It was more the non-romantic graphic scenes that I didn't particularly care for. 

The pacing of this book was all over the place. There were times where I just wondered where the plot was going and other times when I simply couldn't put the book down. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and hope to read the sequel soon. 

Book Review #588 - Legacy of Kings (Blood of Gods and Royals #1) by Eleanor Herman

My Rating: 4/5


Source: Harlequin Australia


Buy: Publisher or Dymocks


Goodreads

Imagine a time when the gods turn a blind eye to the agony of men, when the last of the hellions roam the plains and evil stirs beyond the edges of the map. A time when cities burn, and in their ashes, empires rise.

Alexander, Macedonia’s sixteen-year-old heir, is on the brink of discovering his fated role in conquering the known world but finds himself drawn to newcomer Katerina, who must navigate the dark secrets of court life while hiding her own mission: kill the Queen. But Kat’s first love, Jacob, will go to unthinkable lengths to win her, even if it means competing for her heart with Hephaestion, a murderer sheltered by the prince. And far across the sea, Zofia, a Persian princess and Alexander’s unmet fiancée, wants to alter her destiny by seeking the famed and deadly Spirit Eaters.

Weaving fantasy with the salacious and fascinating details of real history, New York Times bestselling author Eleanor Herman reimagines the greatest emperor the world has ever known: Alexander the Great, in the first book of the Blood of Gods and Royals series.

This book has been commonly referred to as 'Game of Thrones for young adults'. I think that description is spot on although I found this book much easier to follow than the other. 

At first I was a little hesitant when I discovered how many narrators there were (there were at least 5) but I found that when they all had very distinct voices and the story settled very quickly making it almost impossible to get confused. 

I partially predicted the major plot twist and thought that it was fairly transparent. 

The romance in this book was lacking which I was pleased about as romance tends to overshadow other aspects. 

I really enjoyed both the historical and mythological elements this book contained and I cannot wait to see how this develops further. 

Zo (the least used narrator) reminded me of Daenerys from the A Song of Ice and Fire series in that she is separated by distance from the other characters. Her portion of the story had no real conclusion to it as not much time was spent with her. 

Kat and Alex dominated the most attention and for that reason they were the most developed characters. 

I would like to hear more from the lesser used narrators Zo and Jacob in the next book. 

Overall, I loved how neatly the historical elements blended in with the epic action scenes.  

Book Review #584 (Part 2 of 2) - Contact (The Phoenix Files #2) by Chris Morphew

My Rating: 4.5/5

Source: Hardie Grant Egmont

Buy: Booktopia

Goodreads

As soon as Luke touches down in Phoenix, he knows that something's not right. 

The brand-new town is supposed to be a paradise, but it's not long before the cracks begin to show: malfunctioning phone lines, restrictions on car use, and a private security detail instead of a police force. 

Then Luke, Peter and Jordan uncover the true reason for the town's existence - a secret that means Phoenix is suddenly both the safest and most dangerous place on Earth. 

Someone in Phoenix is plotting to wipe out the human race. 

AND THE CLOCK IS ALREADY TICKING. 

This book takes place right where the first one leaves off which would be good continuity if you read them back to back (which I didn't). 

Like with Arrival, this book was extremely fast paced and action driven. There is always something happening which keeps you on the edge of your seat. 

This book is told from Peter's perspective (whereas Arrival was told from Luke's). I found this distracting at first as I had to keep reminding myself of that fact. In that regard, their voices were rather similar. 

There were some answers to a lot of the mystery aspects in the story, however they mostly only ended up in asking more important questions. 

Overall, I am really enjoying this series as not only is it engaging and fast paced it is also extremely fun to read. 

Book Review #584 (Part 1 of 2) - Arrival (The Phoenix Files #1) by Chris Morphew

My Rating: 4.5/5

Source: Hardie Grant Egmont

Buy: Booktopia

Goodreads

As soon as Luke touches down in Phoenix, he knows that something's not right. 

The brand-new town is supposed to be a paradise, but it's not long before the cracks begin to show: malfunctioning phone lines, restrictions on car use, and a private security detail instead of a police force. 

Then Luke, Peter and Jordan uncover the true reason for the town's existence - a secret that means Phoenix is suddenly both the safest and most dangerous place on Earth. 

Someone in Phoenix is plotting to wipe out the human race. 

AND THE CLOCK IS ALREADY TICKING. 

This book is a bind-up of the first two books in the Phoenix Files series. As I read them at different times I will post my reviews separately. 

This book was incredibly easy to read as it was action packed, fast paced and there was ALWAYS something happening and was highly adventurous. 

The mystery element wasn't as strong as it could have been, simply because there was no time to ponder potential possibilities as the book moved too fast. 

Book Review #583 - The Adventures of Robin Hood by Roger Lancelyn Green

My Rating: 3/5


Source: Bought


Buy: Booktopia


Goodreads

The classic story of social justice and outrageous cunning. Robin Hood, champion of the poor and oppressed, stands against the cruel power of Prince John and the brutal Sheriff of Nottingham. Taking refuge in the vast Sherwood Forest with his band of men, he remains determined to outwit his enemies.

My knowledge of Robin Hood prior to reading this book was quite limited. I knew that he was an outlaw that lived in the forest, stole from the rich and gave to the poor and that was it. 

To be honest, there is not much more to know than that. The book is told in multiple small fable like stories that are actually quite repetitive. 

I really loved the history element to it especially given that it involved some Plantagenets as I am a descendant of them. 

It also made the story feel more real as it is set in a real location amongst the backdrop of real antagonists during a real conflict. 

Overall, given how repetitive the small individual stories were I don't think perhaps I should have read the book cover to cover instead read a few short stories at a time. 

Book Review #558 - A Storm of Swords, Part One: Steel and Snow (A Song of Ice and Fire #3.1) by George R.R. Martin

Winter approaches Westeros like an angry beast.

The Seven Kingdoms are divided by revolt and blood feud. Beyond the Wall, a horde of hungry, savage people steeped in the dark magic of the wilderness is poised to invade the Kingdom of the North. Throughout Westeros, the war for the Iron Throne rages more fiercely than ever, but if the Wall is breached, no king—or queen—will live to claim it.

My Rating: 4/5

This series just keeps on surprising me. It was not a series I expected to be able to keep up with let alone love (which I definitely do). 

I love how many aspects this series has that are normally things that turn me off books such as the massive amounts of characters that are involved. 

There were certain narrators that I found more interesting than others and so having to wait 100 or so pages at times to get back to favourite characters made the book seem slower paced than what it was. 

What I loved most about this book was that it finally started hinting at merging storylines. 

I loved the inner look at the wildlings which is the reason I wasn't too happy with how the book ended (spoiler - Jon Snow escaping them means there is no longer a narrator with them). 

The amount of characters hasn't bothered me (yet). I still get some of the minor characters confused but that has no impact on the story. 

Dany is by far the most under used character. I feel like we haven't had enough of her narration across the books I have read so far. I am hoping this changes as when her dragons grow her role in the war will only grow also. 

I would have also liked to have had Robb Stark as a narrator. It would have been interesting to have his perspective on his role in the war rather than seeing it through his mother. 

Jamie Lannister was the character that I felt developed the most in this book. Now that he has gotten away from Cersei he is also starting to become likable. 

Book Review #551 - The Death Cure (The Maze Runner #3) by James Dashner

The Trials are over. WICKED is planning to restore the survivors'

 

memories and complete the final cure for the Flare.

But Thomas has already remembered more than they think. And he 

knows WICKED can't be trusted...

The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than Thomas could ever imagine. Will anyone survive the Death Cure?

My Rating: 3.5/5

This is the third and final book in the Maze Runner trilogy. It is the sequel to The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials. 

Whilst I didn't like this book as much as The Maze Runner, it was significantly better than The Scorch Trials and The Kill Order. 

With a series like this - where the reader knows as much about the plot as the characters who have had their memories wiped, a lot depends on the last book. We want answers and for the most part we got them but there were still significant holes. 

There was a significant death about 250 pages in but I found that it didn't affect me as much as it should have because I don't have much of a connection with any of them. This is because after 3 books I still don't know very much about them. 

The most under-developed characters were Teresa and Brenda and at times they were both just plain annoying. James Dashner definitely creates better males better than he does females. 

Teresa and Brenda's relationships with Thomas was just plain weird and awkward. 

The way the series ends leaves the door open for a possible sequel - which published I would more than likely read. 

This book was absolutely action packed and because of the short chapters I breezed through it very quickly. 

Book Review #536 - The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #5) by Rick Riordan

All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of a victory are grim. Kronos’s army is stronger than ever, and with every god and half-blood he recruits, the evil Titan’s power only grows. 

While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus stands virtually unguarded. Now it’s up to Percy Jackson and an army of young demigods to stop the Lord of Time.

In this momentous final book in the New York Times best-selling series, the long-awaited prophecy surrounding Percy’s sixteenth birthday unfolds. And as the battle for Western civilization rages on the streets of Manhattan, Percy faces a terrifying suspicion that he may be fighting against his own fate.

My Rating: 4/5 

This being the last book in the series that I have done nothing but read for the last week I was very hesitant to read it as I was reluctant to finish the series. 

The action in this book was immense. There was significantly more in this book than any of the others. Even with that it still maintained the humour used throughout the series. 

Annabeth was a little too emotional and angsty in this book whilst showing obvious (to everyone but Percy) jealousy towards Rachel, who was also rather annoying in this book. 

The ending obviously sets up the Heroes of Olympus series which I am eagerly wanting to read as soon as possible. 

Book Review #535 - The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #4) by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson isn't expecting freshman orientation to be any fun. But when a mysterious mortal acquaintance appears on campus, followed by demon cheerleaders, things quickly move from bad to worse.

In this fourth installment of the blockbuster series, time is running out as war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Even the safe haven of Camp Half-Blood grows more vulnerable by the minute as Kronos's army prepares to invade its once impenetrable borders. To stop the invasion, Percy and his demigod friends must set out on a quest through the Labyrinth - a sprawling underground world with stunning surprises at every turn.

My Rating: 5/5

This is my new favourite Percy Jackson novel. This series just gets better and better and I regret waiting so long to read them (especially when they have all been sitting on my bookshelf for years). 

I loved the whole concept of the labyrinth and the monsters contained in it. 

There was a lot more depth in this book compared to the others and this was largely due to the maturing of the characters. 

I loved that Tyson played a larger role in this book than in The Titan's Curse as he is one of my favourite characters. 

There was a lot of action in this book including a great battle scene. 

I had planned on reading a contemporary book or something else before I started The Last Olympian but with the way this book ended quite ominously I couldn't help but delve straight into Percy Jackson's last adventure. 

Book Review #534 - The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #3) by Rick Riordan

When Percy Jackson receives an urgent distress call from his friend Grover, he immediately prepares for battle. He knows he'll need his powerful demigod allies at his side; his trusty bronze sword, Riptide; and . . . a ride from his mom.

The demigods reace to the rescue to find that Grover has made an important discovery: two new powerful half-bloods, whose parentage is unknown. But that's not all that awaits them. The Titan lord, Kronos, has set up a devious trap, and the young heroes have just fallen prey.

Hilarious and action-packed, this third adventure in the series finds Percy faced with his most dangerous challenge yet—the chilling prophecy of the Titan's curse.

My Rating: 5/5

This book is the sequel to The Lightning Thief and The Sea of Monsters. 

I am marathoning these book so expect reviews of the rest of the series soon. 

Given the way The Sea of Monsters ended I'm not sure why I waited so long to continue with this series. 

This series just seems to get better and better and as someone who doesn't know much about Greek Mythology, I love how much I am learning just by reading a book that I actually enjoy. 

I really enjoyed the amount of action contained in this book and it is definitely my favourite so far in the series. 

I can see a slight change in Percy and Annabeth's relationship so I am intrigued to see where they go as they continue to mature as characters. 

Book Review #510 - The Grim Grotto (A Series of Unfortunate Events #11) by Lemony Snicket

Dear Reader,

Unless you are a slug, a sea anemone, or mildew, you probably prefer not to be damp. You might also prefer not to read this book, in which the Baudelaire siblings encounter an unpleasant amount of dampness as they descend into the depths of despair, underwater.

In fact, the horrors they encounter are too numerous to list, and you wouldn't want me even to mention the worst of it, which includes mushrooms, a desperate search for something lost, a mechanical monster, a distressing message from a lost friend, and tap dancing.

As a dedicated author who has pledged to keep recording the depressing story of the Baudelaires, I must continue to delve deep into the cavernous depths of the orphans' lives. You, on the other hand, may delve into some happier book in order to keep your eyes and your spirits from being dampened.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

My Rating: 4/5

I was actually surprised by how much I loved this book. I haven't been the biggest fan of this series so far but with this book I actually started to understand why these books are as popular as they are.

I felt like I had to finish this series because the companion series All the Wrong Questions has started referencing this series a lot and I didn't want to get confused. 

This book was very adventurous, action packed and fast paced. It was also filled with the trademark Lemony Snicket wittiness of course. 

In this book the Baudelaires end up on a submarine and learn a lesson about distinguishing friends from foes. 

I am looking forward to reading the remaining 2 books in this series as I found that I am liking each book more than the one before it.