Book Review #594 - The Big Lie by Julie Mayhew

My Rating:3/5 

Source: The Five Mile Press 

Buy: The Book Depository

Goodreads

A startling coming-of-age novel set in a contemporary Nazi England.

Jessika Keller is a good girl: she obeys her father, does her best to impress Herr Fisher at the Bund Deutscher Mädel meetings and is set to be a world champion ice skater. Her neighbour Clementine is not so submissive. Outspoken and radical, Clem is delectably dangerous and rebellious. And the regime has noticed. Jess cannot keep both her perfect life and her dearest friend. But which can she live without?

THE BIG LIE is a thought-provoking and beautifully told story that explores ideas of loyalty, sexuality, protest and belief.

This book poses the question what if Nazi Germany had won the war? It was the question that immediately won me over and convinced me to read it. 

The book follows Jessika Keller. Her family are hardcore Nazi followers, especially her father and Jessika has grown up with strong Nazi beliefs. 

On the other hand, Jessika has a forbidden crush on her childhood friend and neighbour Clementine who happens to despise the Nazis.


The whole setting of an alternative history was really interesting and compelling.


Jess seemed really naive at times and ultimately just wanted to please everyone all the time.


As the book progresses, Jess starts to question everything her parents value as Clementine's starts acting upon her extremist views. 

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 #592 - Trial by Fire (The Worldwalker Trilogy #1) by Josephine Angelini

My Rating: 5/5


Source: Pan Macmillan Australia


Buy:  Booktopia | The Book Depository



Goodreads









The exhilaratingly seductive new series from the author of the bestselling Starcrossed series.

Love burns. Worlds collide. Magic reigns.

This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying many of the experiences that other teenagers take for granted...which is why she is determined to enjoy her first (and perhaps only) high-school party. But Lily's life never goes according to plan, and after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class Lily wishes she could just disappear.

Suddenly Lily is in a different Salem - one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruelest of all the Crucibles is Lillian . . . Lily's identical other self in this alternate universe. This new version of her world is terrifyingly sensual, and Lily is soon overwhelmed by new experiences.

Lily realizes that what makes her weak at home is exactly what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. It also puts her life in danger. Thrown into a world she doesn't understand, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone, and a love she never expected.

But how can Lily be the saviour of this world when she is literally her own worst enemy?

This book was the perfect blend of the science fiction and paranormal genres. It has a complicated setting but the world building was really well done and I really enjoyed the idea of the infinite alternate universes. 

The witchcraft in this book was also really well done. I loved that the magic element was done in a very non-conventional way. The magic was more to do with science which was really fascinating and surprisingly very easy to understand. 

The romance in this book was rather complicated and messy. I can see perhaps there being a number of love triangles forming in future books which I'm not too sure about. 

The book mainly follows Lily as she transitions from a world reliant on science to a world completely fearful of science. 

I would have liked more of Lillian. She is the supposed villain in this book but she is not really involved until the end. 

The book ended with a pretty good cliff-hanger and there were a number of unanswered questions so I will be more than likely reading the sequel very soon.