Book Review #562 - Hacked by Tracy Alexander

My Rating: 3/5


Source: Scholastic Australia


Buy: Book Depository


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Dan had been diagnosed as ADHD as a child. He quite liked the ritalin, but then he got into computers, and for his parents a geek was better than something feral. It was hard to remember when the genuine hacking started; but free phone credit was the first illicit, tangible "real-life" results of a hack, though not the last.

 

By the time Dan is contacted online by "Angel," he is eager for the challenge laid before him - creating tricky bits of code. But Dan begins to suspect that something more nefarious may be planned for his code than he thought. He will have to decide what truly matters more - protecting his anonymity and freedom or preventing a deadly terror attack ...

It took me a seriously long time to read this book and I read it in two parts, months apart. 

The first portion of the book was fast paced. It introduced the characters and the hacking ability of the protagonist Dan, which was surprisingly easy to understand. 

The book slows down considerably in the middle and this is where my bookmark lived for a few months. 

It was during this period that I found Dan quite irritating and immature (he is quite unbelievably 16 years old). He couldn't make up his mind whether to turn himself over to the Police or not after one of his hacks goes way too far and his indecisiveness took way too long. 

I really liked the thrilling suspense of it all. The American Government were the main antagonists (other than Angel, Dan's hacking rival) in this book which I thought was rather unique. 

The romance in this book felt out of place and I think this was mainly because I had to keep reminding myself that these characters were 16 years old and not much younger as they seemed. 

The writing style was rather basic and for that reason I would recommend this book for middle grade readers rather than young adults. 

Book Review #561 - Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider

A bitter-sweet, coming-of-age novel that's perfect for fans of John Green and Stephen Chbosky.


When he's sent to Latham House, a boarding school for sick teens, Lane thinks his life may as well be over.

But when he meets Sadie and her friends - a group of eccentric troublemakers - he realises that maybe getting sick is just the beginning. That illness doesn't have to define you, and that falling in love is its own cure.


Extraordinary Means is a darkly funny story about true friendships, ill-fated love and the rare miracle of second chances.



There are so many young adult books around at the moment about sick teens but what makes this book different to those is that the teens in this book aren't given an definite death sentence which means they are all hopeful of recovery. 


The book is told through split narration of the two protagonists Sadie and Lane. They are both completely different yet equally intriguing characters. They complimented each other really well. 


Sadie seemed to accept her predicament and settled well into the environment at Latham House whereas Lane constantly mourned for his previous life. 


The only negative thing I can say about this book is that the ending followed all the previous books I have read in this genre and in that sense it was rather predictable. 


I really liked the setting of Latham House and apart from the constant coughing and the lack of dress code, it seemed like a normal school. 

My Rating: 3.5/5

Source: Simon & Schuster Australia

Buy: TBD

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Book Review #560 - Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

My Rating: 4/5 

Source: Bought

Buy: TBD

Goodreads

Britt Phieffer has never been that adventurous, but that's about to change. Wanting to impress her ex-boyfriend, Britt convinces best friend, Korbie, to take a trip with her and go trekking through the Grand Teton Mountains in Wyoming.

But when a freak storm leaves the girls stranded they seek shelter in a cabin, and find two knights in shining armour, Shaun and Mason, who are also hiding out.

But all is not as it seems, and Britt quickly discovers that the guys are there for reasons other than hiking…dangerous reasons that mean they need to get off the mountain, fast. In exchange for her life, Britt is forced to guide them down, and as they set out on a harrowing journey through the cold and snow, Britt realizes the only way to get out of this alive is to pretend she is on their side. 

But playing nice is hard, especially when Britt is unsure whether Mason, gorgeous and sexy, is the enemy or an ally. And as she begins to lose track of who is in control it is only a matter of time before things turn deadly…

I had heard a lot of mixed reviews about this book before I even knew what it was about. Once I read the synopsis I knew I was going to love it as I love survivalist type stories. 

It took me a while to warm up to the protagonist Britt. There is a thin line between confidence and arrogance and Britt crossed it throughout especially in the first portion of the book. 

The plot was enthralling although a little predictable and transparent at times. 

I didn't understand the 'friendship' between Britt and Korbie. I would have liked more closure between them at the end. 

The romance in this book was a unique element as Britt was constantly questioning who she could trust. 

Calvin was the most intriguing character for me in this book. If you've read the book the reason is quite obvious. 

I loved how this book was told through a mixture of past and present as it gave a greater insight into the characters and their relationships with one another. 

Overall I would say that this book met my expectations without exceeding them. I would recommend it to anyone looking for something different to read as this book is entirely unique.