Book Review: Ramcen's Assignment by Simone Gillespie

Image taken from Amazon

Carmen and Jenny have always been bitter rivals and soon Carmen becomes consumed by her hatred for Jenny. When a mysterious and frightening creature appears to her and offers to help her defeat Jenny, she overcomes her initial terror of him and accepts his help. Ramcen’s pranks make revenge sweet but when these pranks cross the line into attempted murder Carmen begins to distance herself from Ramcen and to rely on her own strength . That’s when the trouble begins, Ramcen does not take the rejection lightly and begins to plot his revenge.

I recently received an email from Simone Gillespie with a link to the trailer for Ramcen's Assignment, she is giving everybody who subscribes to her website a PDF version of the book so go and check it out if you get a chance to. As this was the first book I have ever been sent to review, I was eager to get started.

The premise for this book is great, it's a fresh idea which is great to see. Ramcen is the physical embodiment of rage, and he quickly persuades Carmen to exact her revenge upon her nemesis, Jenny. I was pretty excited to read this book and Gillespie has a kicker of an opening sentence: "The sky was dark, very dark, it was only three o’ clock in the afternoon but it looked like midnight." The use of weather to set up a novel always has something to say for the way the novel will go, and using darkness to open the book was a great way to engage the reader and make us wary of the events about to take place.

At 76 pages, it's a very quick read, the kind that you can sit down on a rainy day with a nice cup of tea and read in one sitting. However, I found myself losing interest at some points. I found that the dialogue could be a little stunted, and actually the plot moved way too quickly for the story to be engaging. I know I usually complain that plot is awful when it moves too slow but shh.  Obviously, I understand that this is quite a short novel so Gillespie is going to need to keep the plot moving fast but she missed out on important character development which I felt led to some confusion, it felt as if the reader could not understand whether the rage Carmen felt was out of character or not. If the reader knew Carmen's character better, we might be able to connect with her on a more personal level, and thus lead us to feel empathetic towards what is happening to her. I expect Gillespie will develop this in the sequel, and it will certainly be interesting to see how her writing style has evolved.

I absolutely loved the way the book ended though, Gillespie gives the readers an incentive to read the sequel. The twist at the end introduces us to more groups and the embodiment of another familiar human emotion. There was suddenly a great twist, and you know what, I found myself speeding through the last 15 pages because I just had to know how it was going to end! But I won't spoil it for you, in case you decide to read the book. 

This book wasn't really for me, but that doesn't mean that you won't like it. Contrary to the review I have given, it is a good book but it just didn't fit my preferences in novels. I rate this book 3 stars out of 5. I may read the sequel to learn more about the world that Gillespie has introduced to the literary universe. Hey, the book is free, you may as well check it out and see if you like it yourself! Follow the link to YouTube to claim your free copy! Click Here For Your Free Copy!

Angelfall by Susan Ee

Now, I'm sure everybody has already heard of Angelfall- the internet phenomenon that has taken the book world by storm- but just in case you haven't or have but don't know what the hell it's about, here is a quick run down: Picture this, you're living in a world where everything is in ruins. You don't know what's going on but you do know that the Angels are more vicious than even Supernatural made them out to be. Next thing you know, they've snatched your sister away from you and you're left to help a wounded but sassy angel named Raffe whilst trying to hunt down your baby sister.

As you now have the general jist of the story line I shall proceed to review it and hopefully persuade you to read this book.

I normally avoid stories about Angels at all cost as I find them tedious and quite frankly cheesy, however Angelfall was not that kind of story. The angels are not made out to be fluffy, loving yet slightly avenging types. Oh no. These Angels will rip your throat out without a second thought, they are not nice and they actually follow the bible's lore on them. Susan Ee very clearly did her research and for that I give her all of the awards. Raffe is sassy, he is handsome but he is also quite badass and has a more humane side than the other Angels which is pretty cool as well. I know I just contradicted myself there but he still follows the general Angelic lore of being vicious when need be.

Penryn Young. She is our protagonist and she is a little bit similar to Katniss Everdeen. You know- protective over her little sister, untrusting and when she has her sights set on something she will stop at nothing to get that something. It's quite inspiring. Penryn is also different to Katniss in that she hasn't grown up in this desolate, dystopian world so she has had to be able to adapt to a lifestyle that is completely different from a first world style life. She is one of the female protagonists that I find myself actually liking as she is intelligent and is quick to adapt and survive her surroundings.

Susan Ee also built up the world pretty well. Sometimes that is where dystopian novels falter as they don't spend enough time building up the setting, but Susan has apparently found the perfect ratio between character development and location development which thus allows the reader to connect more to the story.

If you're one to normally avoid Angel novels at all costs, try to push that aside and read this book as the story is fantastically structured. The narrative gives us just enough time to get used to one part of Penryn's journey before we are yanked away by our hair and thrown into a completely new part of the journey and it works so well. What continued to be one of my favourite moments in this book was Penryn's mother turning up all over the place, she is slightly insane and it's absolutely great.

I, like thousands of others, rate this book 5 stars out of 5 just because it is so amazingly, fantastically awesome and you should check it out for the sheer amount of stupid adjectives that I have used to describe this novel. Seriously, check it out: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Angelfall-Penryn-End-Days-Susan/dp/144477851X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1378072910&sr=8-1&keywords=Angelfall

Legend by Marie Lu

Taken from Wikipedia

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

After doing a quick search on Goodreads to see what other readers thought of Legend, it would seem that there are mixed reviews on how people found this. On one hand- I totally get where the people that don't like it are coming from. There are certainly some aspects of Legend that became a bit repetitive and the colloquialisms used by Day and June can become quite dreary (e.g goddy, what the hell does that mean?!) However, Marie Lu's writing style helps build a vivid depiction of the Republic in our minds and the characters are well put together. 

The synopsis paints a picture of the Republic that looks awfully similar to The Hunger Games' Panem. Well, yes it does. They do share similarities- a large nation bounded together by a government that are awfully corrupt but really, that's a relatively common feature of YA dystopia novels. Or at least quite a few of the dystopia novels that I have read. The setting of Legend actually takes place in a city familiar to most people; Los Angeles. It isn't an undisclosed location that the readers have to take a stab at placing or picturing rather a place a hefty majority of the readers will have at least seen pictures of. Granted, it has changed quite a bit from the glamorous city we know it to be. The way Marie Lu has formed the LA of the Republic as both beautiful and so run down that the stark contrasts of how June and Day live helps you understand their characters and how they have been sculpted.

As for the characters themselves, they are everything you would expect from the stereotypical YA characters. An intelligent heroine with an intelligent, sassy hero at her side. But something about these two protagonists seem different. With many heroines, they have a special skill set but with June she is an all round intelligent character. She is quick to assess the situation around her and whilst some readers have criticised this because it is unrealistic, you have to remember that stupidity is being bred out of the humans in this novel. People need to be intelligent and athletic because it's the only way to survive and live a good life. Personally, I found June to be a strong independent character that held herself well in a way that would make her a strong asset to the Republic. And as for Day. He is what many love interests and heroes in YA novels are; sassy, attractive, stealthy, troubled and strong. Although that's not to say his character is a copy of many before him. Day is ridiculously intelligent (ignore the negative adjective, I mean it in a good way) and even though he consciously mentions this, it seems like he underestimates just how intelligent he is. He is the victim and the criminal. I could sit here and tell you that he is a misunderstood victim, which he is, but he is a criminal- albeit he is a criminal with good intentions but there is really no avoiding this. Some ridicule Day, much like they ridicule June and it is difficult to put across how different they are from what you may expect.

Now for the plot, if you have read this far then I assume you have a basic grasp of what happens in Legend. Sure, there are resemblances to other novels but this really is a page turner and honestly, it's difficult to put down. The one thing that I would've appreciated was June's time at school being extended so that we could understand her and the way she works more. But this fits in very well with the fast pace of the book, Marie Lu throws us into disequilibrium and almost as soon as the new equilibrium is established another disequilibrium is thrown at us and really, it works well considering the nature of Legend. The use of alternating perspectives is also a strong point for this novel as we get to experience the events through two sets of eyes and two completely different sets of views towards the Republic. 

I think Legend deserves a strong 4.5 stars for a good build up of suspense  and for setting up what looks to be a great series. I will definitely be reading the sequel Prodigy to find out how the pair will survive and evolve as characters. Check out the trailer for Legend below;

Immortal City by Scott Speer

Jackson Godspeed is the hottest Angel in a city obsessed with Immortals. Everyone loves him. Everyone except Maddy Montgomery, that is. She's not interested in shallow celebrities... Until Jackson takes refuge in the diner where Maddy works and an irresistible connection pulls them together. But as Maddy is drawn into Jackson's glamorous world, shes exposed to more than the paparazzi. A serial killer is murdering Angels. Maddy and Jackson could lose each other forever.

Immortal City is the first in a new YA series, they're written by Scott Speer who is both a film director and a music video director. The synopsis of this book makes the book sound quite generic and through the use of the adjective 'hottest' does little to give it a unique selling point. Yet, it still draws you in. Perhaps this has something to with the cover, sometimes it can be quite difficult to resist an tanned, brooding, muscular male and I know it certainly helped me want to buy it.

The plot of this book is everything you'd expect it to be from the synopsis, although that's not a necessarily a bad thing. The plot follows Jacks, the most loved angel in the City of Angels, and Maddy, an ordinary human who seems to be the only person immune to the charm of the Angels. It switches between their point of views so the readers get aspects from both of their lives which helps us connect more with the characters. I'm not going to lie, it is pretty predictable what is going to happen throughout the narrative which makes it a little difficult to be gripped in the claws of the plot. The action scenes in the book were well written, especially the end fight scene which had me shouting angry remarks at one point.

Jacks and Maddy's dynamic was interesting. I really did like the way that Maddy stayed true to herself and didn't immediately fall for Jacks charm from the very beginning and the way Speer gradually built up their relationship. It was hard to not fall for Jacks, even though he has a very stereotypical teenage view on life; I'm misunderstood, nobody understands me. You get the picture. Jackson Godspeed is the most famous Angel and to be fair to him, a lot is demanded of him and he is also having to protect himself from an Angel serial killer so of course he is going to be feeling misunderstood. But don't get me wrong, he does have some redeeming qualities, he is handsome, interesting, charming and has a lot of heart.

The one thing that stood out the most about Immortal City was the social comment. Ignoring the romance and murder, if you were to change the names of the Angels to celebrities in our society then there would be little difference in the way the public in the book acts. Speer delivers a comment that forces us to think about how ignorant and ridiculous it is to act this way to a group of elite strangers, and really it's quite interesting. I have no idea whether he intended for the book to come across in this light, but I congratulate you sir because it was brilliant.

Overall, I would give this book 3.5 stars out of 5. It's a fun, easy read, at times it'll make you laugh and you'll be charmed by Jacks. I'm not sure whether I will read the sequel; Natural Born Angel but this book is worth a read if you have the chance.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer Review

Taken from Google images

When Mara Dyer wakes up in hospital with no memory of how she got there, or any explanation as to why the bizarre accident that caused the deaths of her boyfriend and two best friends left her mysteriously unharmed, her doctors suggest she start over in a new city, at a new school, and just hope her memories gradually come back.

First things first; whatever you expect of this book, I can guarantee you wont expect this. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer will draw you in, make you fall in love with Mara and then blow your mind. Sure, on some level it is a stereotypical YA novel; romance, angst and some mysterious occurrences. Yet, the relationship is not the main focus of the novel, it's more a sub plot that helps shape Mara's reality and actually moves the main plot move forward. The main plot is filled with twists and turns, and the switches between past and present help understand Mara on a more personal level.

Mara Dyer is beautiful and most definitely not as broken as she thinks, she has been through a traumatic event and due to this is dealing with the terrifying repercussions. She handles these repercussions quite well, and the way Michelle Hodkin has shaped her as a character forces the reader to be part of the journey she goes through. Mara is intelligent, witty and can stand her ground which makes her such a wonderful and heartbreaking character to follow.

I mean sure, she spends some of her time commenting on Noah Shaw's character and beauty, but who wouldn't? He is not the first fictional character that I have fallen in love with because of his cockiness, and he will not be the last but for reasons that I cannot express he is different. Some reviews have likened Noah to Edward Cullen in such a manner that they say they're one and the same. However, this is wrong, he combines traits from various fictional characters; Edward Cullen's mystery, Jace Lightwood's arrogance and Dean Winchesters' protective nature, but is still an original character that has his own issues and his own burdens to bear.

Although, there is no beating around the bush here, there are some issues with this book but they're nothing to do with the plot, more to do with the writing and even then I am just ardently searching for issues. There are a few spelling mistakes dotted here and there, some punctuation errors and once or twice the paragraphing seems to be wrong but this is nothing that couldn't be easily sorted out. There are no plot holes, or at least no major plot holes and Michelle Hodkin left this book open for a sequel through such a jaw dropping ending.

Additionally, the sub characters were not as well developed as Noah or Mara but they were well on their way to becoming more realistic than fictional, they don't brush aside Mara's issues as easily as they could have done and there is diversity in character profiles. As I said, they could have been refined more but I'm sure Michelle will further these characters in the sequel, and will no doubt throw in a few plot twists.

If you want to be kept guessing for the entirety of a novel then this is certainly the book for you.  I cannot stress enough how brilliant this book is, although I began reading with a lot of doubts in my mind these were soon erased. This book deserves a lot of praise, a lot more than the reviews I have seen give it, so please go and read this book as it will draw you into it's clutches and you'll never want it to let you go.

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

This book is everything the reviews on the inside cover say it is. That is absolutely terrifying. The story follows Theseus Cassio Lowood, a ghost hunter, whom after having lost his father to the profession decides to pursue the lifestyle himself in hopes of vengeance for his father. Armed with a knife passed down the generations of his family, his Wiccan mother and her angry cat, he travels the country and occasionally the world, hunting down and ending the terror filled afterlives of vengeful ghosts. Cas (As he is known by his family and peers) sets off on the trail of a legend known as ‘Anna Dressed in Blood’.

Source: www.kendareblake.com

For quite a while it seems as if this book will merely be a one off, but halfway-3/4 of the way through something in the plot changes making it impossible to simply end without fully resolving all the issues, and even the reader doesn’t want it to end in hopes of reconciliation in a sequel. The book is immensely better than it may initially seem, as a couple of the characters who aren’t the protagonist, particularly Anna, Carmel and Michael, are more than you’d ever expect them to be and you slowly feel yourself growing attached to the characters.

Kendare Blake uses imagery to her advantage to strike fear into the minds of the reader when describing Anna and both her inner torment and the torment she causes those who dare enter her house.  Not only does she terrify the reader, she also draws them in with the curiosity to discover the heart wrenching back story behind Anna’s death and the overall plot of the novel. With her tremendous skill for capturing the reader’s hearts, she also manages to have us appreciating the cat on a whole new level.

When reading this book I found myself mentally cheering every time there was a success on behalf of Cas and his friends, and getting ready to grab my pitchfork to start an angry mob when something went wrong. I also can’t leave this review without commenting on how beautiful the cover of the book is, it’s absolutely gorgeous. I thoroughly recommend this book to readers who are particularly interested in YA or even the horror genre because it is a fantastic read and I cannot wait for the release of the sequel.  5/5 stars for this novel for fantastic character arcs, brilliant story telling and a Kendare's wonderful literary talent. 

You can check out Kendare Blake's website here: http://kendareblake.com/

I'm going on an adventure!

I was quite apprehensive about whether or not I was going to enjoy Peter Jackson’s adaptation of J.R.R Tolkien’s ‘The Hobbit’ due to overwhelming concerns regarding the way it was filmed, after the trailer alone received bad reviews at the San Diego Comic-Con for being shot in a relatively new way it made the movie look too much like a movie set and less like Middle Earth. On top of that I also bought tickets to the 3D showing (An accident) which made me even more wary of what I was walking into. However I was very pleasantly surprised.

Source: MovieStore/ Rex Features

Martin Freeman (Sherlock, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy) compellingly plays Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit who enjoys a quiet lifestyle like the majority of Hobbits. Whilst much of his own generally awkward personality reflects onto his portrayal of Bilbo, it doesn’t put the viewer off, nor does it ruin the feel of the film. On one quiet day, Bilbo gets a visit from Gandalf the Grey, who is played by the wonderful Ian Mckellen (X-men, The Da vinci Code) the aftermath that follows this is 13 Dwarves turning up in Bilbo’s Hobbit hole demanding food and hospitality.

There is one main scene that really captured my attention and will stick in my mind for a long time, and this is not a spoiler for the film because it gives none of the plot away. The scene is in Bilbo’s home, all of the dwarves have quietened down, they are gathered around the fire and the entire group starts singing such a melancholic song. The atmosphere felt in the film is passed onto the audience, so much so the viewer gets caught up in the emotions that are occurring on the screen.

Source: Newline Cinema

There are many cameos from characters in that we grew to love, or in some cases hate in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Elijah Wood returns as Frodo which was truly wonderful to witness again, and also Ian Holm returns to the franchise as the older version of Bilbo. Amongst the tremendous cameos are Hugo Weaving and Cate Blanchett who in the Lord of the Rings trilogy played the elves, Elrond and Galadriel. And of course how could one forget Andy Serkis and Christopher Lee who return as Gollum and Saruman (I may have become a little enraged when Saruman made his entrance)

There are a lot of things I could comment on that make this movie truly fantastic, but unfortunately I only have one page and I have to keep it short and spoiler free! Although occasionally you can feel your attention slipping from the film, it will almost immediately return to you. Even if you haven’t seen the Lord of the Rings trilogy this film is meant to be the prequel, so it’s still worth seeing it. Yet again the score is absolutely wonderful and contributes so much to the atmosphere felt in the film. Please go and see this film, or buy it on DVD when it is released because you will really not regret it. I give this 5 out of 5 stars because it is truly fantastic, and as one of the most anticipated movies of the year, Jackson certainly has not disappointed.