Mini-Reviews | YA Contemporary Edition

Look, it's the end of the summer and I *finally* read some contemporary novels! I'm so proud of myself, because it's a genre I don't reach for a lot... I've been very late on my reviews (I read the first two books of the post a month ago... Oops), so I choose to do a mini-review post, as it's been awhile, and you'll also have everything in one place. Yay! I've also been in a blogging slump, because I don't have a lot of alone time these days, but I'll try to fix this in September (but uni will start again so I don't know if I'll be able to *sobs*).

The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I have a complicated relationship with Jennifer L. Armentrout's books. I loved her Lux series and Don't Look Back but never got into her other paranormal series, because they felt so cliché and I couldn't bear with it. I haven't read her New Adult books either, because it's a genre I hardly ever reach for - except for Colleen Hoover's novels - but I wanted to give this one a go.

In my opinion, this book is important, by the topics it brought and the message behind that. At times it could be a bit hard to read (urm listen to as I had it as an audiobook) because it didn't sugar-coat anything and I loved it. It felt so realistic and wasn't about privileged teens. If you're interested in reading about children abuse, foster kids, gangs… It was a good coming-of-age story about a girl who barely talk and I could totally relate to that (even if I don't have her trauma) and how it's frustrating not to know what to say, but also how people can judge you for it.

However, this book was way too long and it's one the main reasons I couldn't love it until the last part of the book that was fast-paced and a total page-turner. Moreover, the romance was so cringe-worthy. Mallory kept going on, and on, and on, about how hot Rider was and it was so frustrating: I GET IT, UGH. While I could feel the characters connection through it all, the way it was written made my eyes rolled, especially when the author was ending a chapter right before they kissed for the first time and then described it in details. There is a difference between romantic and cheesy…

Overall, this book tackled down some important topics and sometimes, I didn't see it coming. Nevertheless, I felt like there were so much drama at times and once again it could have been avoided (even if I understand that the characters are teens and all of that). The romance was cheesy and made me rolled my eyes more than once…

You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour & David Levithan

I went into this book without having really read anything by these authors before - except Will Grayson, Will Grayson, which David Levithan co-authored, but I definitely want to read more of their books now that I finished You Know Me Well. I picked this up because I wanted a quick read and it's definitely what I got, because I read it in a couple of hours.

It was refreshing to read a dual perspectives book where you knew, from the beginning, that the main characters weren't going to end up together. I feel like the authors' writing styles clicked well together, even though Mark and Kate's voices were distinct from each other, and I could relate to them both in different ways. Almost every character (except the parents?) were part of the LGBTQIA+ community and it was just there, for you to assume it, when the contrary happens more often than not for straight characters.

While this book involved romance aspects, it was more of a coming-of-age story about how you can't always get what you want, but also how it's okay to be lost. Moreover, it focused a lot on friendship and how you can bond with someone when you expect it the least and how it can change your life forever. You Know Me Well wasn't set at the beginning of the school year, which happens 85% of the time in contemporary, but during the last few days, where you can feel independence and freedom on the tip of your tongue. Moreover, it showed that college isn't the only way after high school, that sometimes you can need a break and it isn't discussed enough, in my opinion. It involved a lot of art, which was so fascinating and discovering the world behind all of it was interesting.

Overall, I read this coming-of-age story pretty quickly, it was addictive and I had so many feels while reading. If you're looking for a LGBTQIA+ book, I would definitely recommend this one!

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

Kasie West is one of my go-to contemporary authors, because her novels are always so cute, even if predictable, but well… We're talking about YA romance novels, I've given up on being surprised! Of course, when P.S. I Like You was released, I wasn't able to wait and read it almost straight away, I devoured it and oh, how I loved it.

The concept of the story was unique, because it was about getting to know someone through notes, so it was about who he was and it didn't focus on the physical aspect. It was so much fun to imagine the characters writing entire letters during class, I would've been found out straight away, but it was so cute. Of course, I had figured out the pen pal's identity straight away, but I was curious to see how the author would make me fall for this character… And oh damn, she did it! I was shipping the characters together so hard and I loved their character development, because we learnt so much about them through the letters and it brought a new light to them.

I loved the family aspect of the story, because I'm from a big family and it's a personal pleasure to read about these dynamics. Kasie West definitely captured what it felt like to be part of such a family, how you don't feel like you exist for yourself sometimes, because you always need to help your parents out, or how your family must seem crazy to strangers and it can mess up some aspects of your social life. All of that felt so realistic and Lily's family will remain one of my favourite fictional ones (I need to make a post on the subject I think!).

Overall, I think this book was amazing for a cute contemporary romance. I was rooting for the characters and fell in love along with Lily, so the author was definitely successful. I would 100% recommend Kasie West's books and you should start with this one, as it's my favourite!

Everything Leads To You by Nina LaCour

After reading You Know Me Well, I was excited to read something by Nina LaCour and I had heard so many great things about Everything Leads To You. The hype was so real but it was so well-deserved, in my opinion. I'm excited to read anything she'll write next.

It was my first F/F romance actually (if we don't count You Know Me Well) and I really enjoyed it, I will definitely read more of them in the future. While this book involved a romance, it wasn't the main focus of the book, even though the characters interacted a lot. Indeed, this book was also about a mystery surrounding a movie superstar and its legacy, it was interesting and I was as involved as Emi and Charlotte in this search.

Moreover, this novel was set in Los Angeles and it was basically a behind-the-scenes of Hollywood, which I loved, because it's so interesting to read about it. Emi was an aspiring set designer and it was compelling to read about her having new opportunities and how everything she put in place was important for a movie. I have to say the design is something I don't always focus on (even if sometimes I'm awe-struck by rooms and need my apartment to be like that, haha). In fact, I'm glad that we saw everything about the pre-production and the book ended while they were starting filming, because it means we didn't get the glamorous parts, but what ends the fantasy, as the characters say.

I enjoyed reading about these characters, most of the main ones were so lost in their life and I was rooting for them to find their way, which they definitely did. I was shipping the characters together and I'm glad they got together at the end and not while they were in the middle of their own personal drama. Nina LaCour did great with the representation part, because there were persons of colours and people from different type of sexualities and I felt so pleased with that.

Overall, I wasn't blown away by this book, because it was easy to follow but it wasn't breath-taking. Nevertheless, it was a nice romance with characters I was rooting for and it brought to light some aspects of Hollywood we don't always see in books. If you're looking for a LGBTQIA+ book, I would definitely recommend it!

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? What was the last contemporary novel you read and loved?

Accepting yourself is the hardest | How It Feels to Fly

How It Feels to Fly by Kathryn Holmes

Published: June 14th 2016 by HarperTeen

Genre: young adult, contemporary, coming of age

Goodreads summary: The movement is all that matters. 

For as long as Samantha can remember, she’s wanted to be a professional ballerina. She’s lived for perfect pirouettes, sky-high extensions, and soaring leaps across the stage. Then her body betrayed her.

The change was gradual. Stealthy.

Failed diets. Disapproving looks. Whispers behind her back. The result: crippling anxiety about her appearance, which threatens to crush her dancing dreams entirely. On her dance teacher’s recommendation, Sam is sent to a summer treatment camp for teen artists and athletes who are struggling with mental and emotional obstacles. If she can make progress, she’ll be allowed to attend a crucial ballet intensive. But when asked to open up about her deepest insecurities, secret behaviors, and paralyzing fears to complete strangers, Sam can’t cope. 

What I really need is a whole new body.

Sam forms an unlikely bond with Andrew, a former college football player who’s one of her camp counselors. As they grow closer, Andrew helps Sam see herself as he does—beautiful. But just as she starts to believe that there’s more between them than friendship, disappointing news from home sends her into a tailspin. With her future uncertain and her body against her, will Sam give in to the anxiety that imprisons her?

REVIEW

If you didn't know this about me yet: I love ballet. I practiced for ten years (I had to stop to study *sigh*), but I still love to watch. Weirdly enough, I don't read many books about that. So when I heard about How It Feels To Fly, I was determined to read it for the one and only reason that the main character was practicing ballet. It looks like my contemporary mood is here, everyone! *happy dance*

First off, let me tell you that ballet's representation was accurate. When I was reading the description, I could imagine Sam dancing, which might have been easier because I knew the terms, but WHATEVER. While I was never a professional, I also think the book showed how this world actually worked, but also the struggles any dancer had to get through. Yes, your appearance is important in ballet, I won't deny that. For example, in the Opéra de Paris, you have restrictions for weight, but also height (which is pretty stupid as you can't fight it… But aesthetics, you know?), so I could definitely see people giving Sam the hard look as she had gained some weight.

People can be so stupid when they judge

I related so much to Sam as a main character. She had issues with her appearance, especially her weight, and even though it was never my case for the latter, I think that any teenager out there goes through this phase when you're doubting yourself (and even adults), hating how they look and all of that. Because of that, I could understand Sam's struggles and the mantra she had, in the end, made me so happy. We all need to believe in and accept ourselves. This book totally succeeded to pass through this message. Along those lines, Sam was also really insecure and had doubts about who she wanted to be. Because of that, How It Feels to Fly also managed to be a great coming-of-age story, grasping the feeling of doubt and fear for the future.

As this book was set in a camp, the characters had all the fun activities that go along those lines, but they always had a purpose, for they took a part in each camper's therapy. I was expecting so many more characters to be honest, but there was only six campers, two former campers helping around and a doctor. I appreciated the characters so much more because of that, since it allowed me to know all of them, I understood their issues and loved them all. It was also really interesting to see the dynamics between them evolve, as they were so distant in the beginning, because they were artists/athletes, and those are such individual paths, but then grew so close and helped each other out. Katie was by far my favourite of the campers, because she was like the little sister, so much cuteness there.

The little downside of the book was the romance. I admit that I could understand Sam's feelings, because she had a crush on Andrew, an older but not that much figure that helped her when she needed it the most. Sometimes these feelings get so confusing and it happened to me so many times, so I totally related to the romance and got why she was thinking about him so much. But it still took a big step on the story when I would have wanted to see more of the other stuffs. Nevertheless, I was satisfied with how the author concluded on the subject.

Reading about mental health was so interesting in How It Feels to Fly, because it was about how we need to face our fears to evolve. Of course, it's not easy. Of course, it takes all the time in the world. Of course, there is no complete cure and our issues can't leave us forever. This book still managed to depict so many different mental health issues and I felt like it was so important. I especially appreciated that the book was written in the first person, because we got to read Sam's inner voice, which was harsh, but rang true. My inner voice is also insufferable and I'm trying to shut it up every day. It's nice to see I'm not the only one.

Overall, I wasn't blown away by this book or anything, but I still think that it was a great contemporary novel about mental health that had a lighter tone to it, because of the summer camp setting. I definitely related to the main character, because of her struggles and her passion, and found that the author did a great job. I will definitely read Kathryn Holmes' next works.

Have you read this book yet? What did you think of it? Do you read books about ballet? If so, do you have some recs for me?

I want to be a witch in this world | The King Slayer

The King Slayer (The Wich Hunter #2) by Virginia Boecker

Published: June 2nd 2016 by Orchard Books

Genre: young adult, alternate history, fantasy

Goodreads summary: Magic, suspense, and political intrigue collide in this sequel to The Witch Hunter, perfect for fans of Graceling and the Grisha Trilogy.

Former witch hunter Elizabeth Grey is hiding within the magically protected village of Harrow, evading the price put on her head by Lord Blackwell, the usurper king of Anglia. Their last encounter left Blackwell ruined, but his thirst for power grows stronger every day. He's readying for a war against those who would resist his rule--namely Elizabeth and the witches, wizards, pirates, and healers she now calls her friends.

Having lost her stigma, a magical source of protection and healing, Elizabeth's strength is tested both physically and emotionally. War always means sacrifice, and as the lines between good and evil blur once more, Elizabeth must decide just how far she'll go to save those she loves.

In this sequel to The Witch Hunter, Virginia Boecker delivers a powerful story full of action, suspense, camaraderie, and romance.

REVIEW

I loved The Witch Hunter when I read it last year, so of course, I was really excited about its sequel and devoured it when I got my hands on it. I wasn’t disappointed and I would highly recommend you to read this duology.

Elizabeth evolved so much during this book, I was really impressed with her. In the first book, we discovered that there was a reason witch hunters were so badass, but in the second book, Elizabeth is more of a human again. Because of that, she had to work so much to be strong again, I liked to see how strong-willed she was. Moreover, she had to make tough decisions and clearly showed that she didn’t need other people to tell her what to do, or to protect her.

The secondary characters were still great in this one, I really need this novella about Schuyler, you know? There is so much mystery about this past, so I just need it now. I wasn’t expecting to see so much of Malcolm during the story, but it was quite interesting to see, because of the past he had with Elizabeth. Virginia Boecker also introduced new characters I enjoyed and helped picture a bigger part of this world.

The plot was more complex in The King Slayer than in The Witch Hunter, because it was more war-driven and I enjoyed it seeing everyone training, getting on missions and then fighting on the battlefield. However, I have to admit that I struggled a little at the beginning of the novel, because I had a hard time remembering who was who and what was going on. I would advise you to read the books back to back or reread the first one before diving into this one, because the author doesn’t talk that much about what happened before. The pacing of the story was a bit slow at first, but it picked up and I couldn’t stop reading 100 pages into it.

I still wasn’t the biggest fan of the romance at the beginning of the book, even if the characters were cute together, but I liked that the author never made it evolve in a love triangle. Indeed, the main couple had big problems, which prevented them to be together toward the middle of the book, but it actually made sense. It wasn’t a problem of communication for once, which was quite refreshing. I actually warmed up to them during the book, because they went through so much and deserved to be together at the end.

The magic aspect of this duology was explained in depth during The King Slayer, because we ignored so much of it after The Witch Hunter, and it was so interesting. You could definitely see there was so much foreshadowing that led to understand the magic system. Boecker also explored more of the magical world politics and a betrayal quite surprised me. I was deeply in love with the alternate history aspect of the novel, just like in the first one, I liked how similar it was to England but yet, it wasn’t? Moreover, the ending of The King Slayer was pretty epic, heart-breaking at times, and I had enough closure to be satisfied.

Overall, I was satisfied with this conclusion and you should read this duology if you haven’t yet. Those books are some of the best witches/wizards books I’ve read in a while, so if you want to get back to them, do yourself a favour. I’m so excited to read what Virginia Boecker has in store next, because I need more alternate history in my life (I love, love, love it!).

Other:

• Review of The Witch Hunter

Have you read this book yet? Or The Witch Hunter? What did you think of them? What's your favourite historical period?

Where I have a new favourite contemporary author | Reviews of Emery Lord's novels

As you all know, it's supposed to be summer now, but the weather is so bad in France, it feels like November most days… *sigh* But because the weather is supposed to be warmer, I found myself to be in a contemporary mood lately, which I'm really happy about, as it's been a while. I discovered a new author, Emery Lord, whom I was following on Twitter (if you're not, you should, she's hilarious) and it was time to catch up on the three novels she already wrote. She's now one of my favourite contemporary authors and I will read anything she writes. So now, I shall try to convince you to read all of her books.

Open Road Summer by Emery Lord

Published: April 15th 2014 by Walker Children

Genre: young adult, contemporary, romance

Goodreads summary: After breaking up with her bad-news boyfriend, Reagan O’Neill is ready to leave her rebellious ways behind. . . and her best friend, country superstar Lilah Montgomery, is nursing a broken heart of her own.

Fortunately, Lilah’s 24-city tour is about to kick off, offering a perfect opportunity for a girls-only summer of break-up ballads and healing hearts. But when Matt Finch joins the tour as its opening act, his boy-next-door charm proves difficult for Reagan to resist, despite her vow to live a drama-free existence.

This summer, Reagan and Lilah will navigate the ups and downs of fame and friendship as they come to see that giving your heart to the right person is always a risk worth taking.

A fresh new voice in contemporary romance, Emery Lord’s gorgeous writing hits all the right notes.

REVIEW

This first novel felt like Taylor Swift's story through the eyes of her best friend, if I had to sum it up in one sentence. I'm pretty sure it was the author's goal, because Dee was from Tennessee and sang country music. Lord depicted accurately the music business world and she even included Dee's songs, which was a welcome bonus. For example, the title of the book is actually one of Dee's songs and it made so much sense, I loved it. Reagan also was passionate about photography and I loved hearing about it, since I'm not the best in this area (far from it, ha!).

Lord's characters felt pretty real, because they were flawed, especially Reagan, since she had family issues, had gone to jail, had problems with boys and used to drink/smoke. I know some readers didn't connect with her, but I found her to be truly human and I could believe she was real. Moreover, she went through a lot of character development during the book and her trust issues weren't as strong in the end, she started to open up to her stepmother for example. To balance Reagan, the author introduced Dee, the famous singer, who seemed to be the light to Reagan's darkness, but her life was so much more complicated than that. It was interesting seeing what happened between the stage and how it could affect someone's life, when we almost had the same age.

Yes, this book is a romance novel, but in my opinion, it focused so much more on the friendship between Reagan and Dee. At some point, Reagan even said that she didn't want to be the girl who ditches her best friend for a boy and it's pretty rare (I mean I've been this girl but I've understood my mistakes) in YA contemporary fiction. However, I feltthat the attraction between Matt and Reagan was pretty instantaneous, but I still liked the way Lord built their relationship. Moreover, we actually got to see them together a little, when most of the time, it ends on the main characters getting together, but I need the cuteness! I totally got it so my heart was so happy. Nevertheless, I didn't like all the drama at some point, it made me so frustrated because with some communication it could have been solved way sooner, but anyway. At least the ending made me hope for the characters.

The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

Published: March 31st 2015 by Bloomsbury

Genre: young adult, contemporary

Goodreads summary: It’s been a year since it happened—when Paige Hancock’s first boyfriend died in an accident. After shutting out the world for two years, Paige is finally ready for a second chance at high school . . . and she has a plan. First: Get her old crush, Ryan Chase, to date her—the perfect way to convince everyone she’s back to normal. Next: Join a club—simple, it’s high school after all. But when Ryan’s sweet, nerdy cousin, Max, moves to town and recruits Paige for the Quiz Bowl team (of all things!) her perfect plan is thrown for a serious loop. Will Paige be able to face her fears and finally open herself up to the life she was meant to live?

REVIEW

When I finished this novel, I strongly felt like this is a contemporary book I would have liked to read when I was younger and I would recommend it to everyone, as it became one of my favourites. Even though this novel felt more typical in contemporary, with its high school setting, I felt like it stood out and I will think about it for a very long time. Also, can we talk about the Open Road Summer reference??? Someone mentioned Dee since she's a famous singer and I almost cried of happiness. It totally gets bonus points for that.

This novel followed Paige, who was still trying to get over the death of her first boyfriend, which was heart-wrenching. I liked that even though she was trying to live a 'normal' life again, she didn't want to be fixed, because she didn't have to, when it's sometimes the message. Her high school experience was realistic and she had parents who wanted to shield her and prevent her to go out all the time (gasp, those exist? #sarcasm). She had to deal with so many family troubles and I especially liked her relationship with her grandmother (who just one the first place on my 'favourite fictional  grandparents' non-existent list). It had many family moments and showed that even when you're a teenager, family comes first.

Just like in Open Road Summer, Emery Lord excelled at writing friendships. Here, it was between four girls and then they formed new bonds and broaden their group, which I really liked seeing. It was just a squad goal case here, I loved it so much. These girls all had their storylines and I grew fond of all of them. I would also like to mention that one of them is in an abusive relationship and it was addressed wonderfully, which I was thankful for. Even if we want to be loved, we can't stay with someone who clearly doesn't deserve us, even if we don't want to be alone. It's a message a lot of teenagers should hear, truly.

Finally, I loved the romance, because it was a friendship before evolving to something else. It just made perfect sense for the characters to fall for each other, because they knew so much about each other and helped each other. It was just beautiful and an example of what a good friendship was, even though it evolved in a romance. They only got together at the end of the novel (like the title suggested) so I would love to see what happens next, because I grew fond of everyone and I just need more.

When We Collided by Emery Lord

Published: April 7th 2016 by Bloomsbury Children's

Genre: young adult, contemporary, mental health, romance

Goodreads summary: Meet Vivi and Jonah: A girl and a boy whose love has the power save or destroy them.

Vivi and Jonah couldn't be more different. Vivi craves anything joyful or beautiful that life can offer. Jonah has been burdened by responsibility for his family ever since his father died. As summer begins, Jonah resigns himself to another season of getting by. Then Vivi arrives, and suddenly life seems brighter and better. Jonah is the perfect project for Vivi, and things finally feel right for Jonah. Their love is the answer to everything. But soon Vivi's zest for life falters, as her adventurousness becomes true danger-seeking. Jonah tries to keep her safe, but there's something important Vivi hasn't told him.

Perfect for fans of E. Lockhart and Jandy Nelson, When We Collided is a powerful story of two teens whose love is put to the test by forces beyond their control.

REVIEW

I was a little apprehensive when I started this one, because it dealt with mental illnesses and I had no idea how the author would handle it. I found it to be pretty realistic - even if I have no experience around bipolar disorder - and it wasn't about curing it. Yes, the characters were trying to find solutions, but to deal with it. Because of that aspect, When We Collided was pretty intense and I was totally invested into the story (I read it in one afternoon, so yessss).

The setting was perfect for a summer read. The book took place in Verona Cove, a small town in California where everyone knew each other. It made the book a little lighter, when most topics were so serious. I was definitely on a rollercoaster of emotions with this one, as I laughed, cried and fell in love with the Daniels family (but more on that in a second). I loved the ending of the book, even if it was more of an open-ending, which I don't really like most of the time. It wasn't about the characters getting their happy endings, but working to get their lives together and it felt so realistic, as it's a contemporary novel, so it was set in our world. I wouldn't say no to a sequel actually, because I would love to read about these characters again.

I actually liked Vivi, even if in real life, she would have been too much for my introvert self, but Jonah is definitely the character who won my heart. He was taking care of his brothers and sisters and worked at a restaurant. Big families is something I love to read about, and it was so funny to see that these six kids divided themselves between "the bigs" and "the littles", because that's how it is in my family. So basically, I related so much to Jonah and I loved it. He's just a precious cinnamon roll and I want everyone to love him. The romance started as instalove, so I wasn't a big fan of that, but I could understand why, you know? Both characters were at tough parts of their lives and they needed someone. Their relationship was so poisonous however… Also, this book wasn't about "love can win everything" and I enjoyed that aspect immensely, as it's way more complicated than that.

Have you read any of Emery Lord's books? Which one is your favourite? What's your favourite contemporary novel?

An alternate Victorian society full of magic and amazing characters | Illusions of Fate

Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White

Published: September 9th 2014 by HarperTeen
Genre: young adult, alternate history, fantasy

Goodreads summary: Downton Abbey meets Cassandra Clare in this lush, romantic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White. 

“I did my best to keep you from crossing paths with this world. And I shall do my best to protect you now that you have.”

Jessamin has been an outcast since she moved from her island home of Melei to the dreary country of Albion. Everything changes when she meets Finn, a gorgeous, enigmatic young lord who introduces her to the secret world of Albion’s nobility, a world that has everything Jessamin doesn’t—power, money, status…and magic. But Finn has secrets of his own, dangerous secrets that the vicious Lord Downpike will do anything to possess. Unless Jessamin, armed only with her wits and her determination, can stop him.

Kiersten White captured readers’ hearts with her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy and its effortless mix of magic and real-world teenage humor. She returns to that winning combination of wit, charm, and enchantment in Illusions of Fate, a sparkling and romantic new novel perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, The Madman’s Daughter, and Libba Bray.

REVIEW

I decided to pick this book up because I'm really excited about Kiersten White's upcoming book, And I Darken. I wasn't disappointed and it actually made me eager to read more of her books!

Illusions of Fate is set in a world that seems to be an alternate history, since it had so many similarities to Victorian England (even the queen is eighty years old!). At first, we didn't get a lot of setting so I was a little confused and it made the book harder to read, but the more I progressed into the story, the more the gaps were filled by this author. 

I really enjoyed the main character, Jessamin. She comes from the colony so people despise her because of her skin color. She also suffered a lot of prejudices because she was a girl, of course. But despite all of it, she is strong and always stands for herself. At the beginning of the book, she was a student and no matter how unaccepted she was, she did her best at her studies. Because yes, that's how you prove your point. Moreover, when she met Finn, a handsome and arrogant lord, she still fought with him. He was trying to be overprotective and you can't really blame him since its his fault she was thrown into danger, and he was a product of his society. But Jessamin didn't want to hear him out and did what she wanted to. I really enjoyed that about her. Moreover, magic is involved in this society, but Jessamin? She would be one of those "mundane" girls. But still, it's because of her everything is resolved. She was an amazing main character, really.

Finn, the lord she met and turned everything upside-down, was also a very interesting character. I can't tell much about him, because it would be spoiler-y, but he was such a fun character to read about! I loved the dynamics he had with Jessamin, even there was some insta-love. I'm not really happy about it...

Eleanor, a secondary character, was also a strong woman, even if everyone thought the contrary. She knows everything about everyone, she's so good at gossiping! But at the same time, she's trying to be underestimated by everyone, and it totally worked! No one believed she was powerful, and that's exactly what made her powerful. Even Finn said he was scared of her, and he was the most powerful character of this world.

The villain was so scary. Torture is actually involved, it was awful. It was crazy since he was in the government and everything. Which I actually really enjoyed about him was... The ending, ha-ha. No but seriously, I did not see it coming, I was shocked. Moreover, he had familiars and one of them, Sir Bird, was actually a bird who could turn into a book, it was SO COOL!

I liked the magic system, it was really realistic. In fact, only some nobles had magic, the social hierarchy depended on magic, it was interesting. But it was still hidden from common folks.

In case you were wondering, yes, I loved these characters so much! This book was also gifted with a plot which didn't bore me, so many things happened! It was a great standalone overall, it was enough. I would have liked an epilogue (it would have been soooo cheesy but amazing) but it's okay. Overall, this book is a must-read!

Have you read this book or others by this author? What did you think of them/this one? Are you excited for And I Darken, her new novel published in June (I AM!)?

Is the Apocalypse coming? | Riders

Riders (Riders #1) by Veronica Rossi

Published: February 16th 2016 by Tor Teen

Genre: young adult, fantasy

Goodreads summary: Riders. A new fantasy adventure from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Veronica Rossi.

For eighteen-year-old Gideon Blake, nothing but death can keep him from achieving his goal of becoming a U.S. Army Ranger. As it turns out, it does.

Recovering from the accident that most definitely killed him, Gideon finds himself with strange new powers and a bizarre cuff he can't remove. His death has brought to life his real destiny. He has become War, one of the legendary four horsemen of the apocalypse.

Over the coming weeks, he and the other horsemen--Conquest, Famine, and Death--are brought together by a beautiful but frustratingly secretive girl to help save humanity from an ancient evil on the emergence.

They fail.

Now--bound, bloodied, and drugged--Gideon is interrogated by the authorities about his role in a battle that has become an international incident. If he stands any chance of saving his friends and the girl he's fallen for--not to mention all of humankind--he needs to convince the skeptical government officials the world is in imminent danger.

But will anyone believe him?

REVIEW

Going into Riders, I was a bit anxious, because I had seen mixed reviews about it. If you’ve read Under the Never Sky (if you didn’t, you should!), don’t expect a similar book, because it definitely wasn’t. In my opinion, Riders was pretty unique and I loved that the author choose to include the lore around the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

For 75% of the book, Gideon, the main character, was describing what had happened to him, because he found himself in a tricky situation in the first page of the book. I think that it was really interesting that Rossi chose to tell the story this way, because it almost felt like it was a report. Riders felt like a standalone, because overall, almost everything was resolved in the span of this one book, the sequel will be more Daryn’s point of view. Indeed, the beginning of the book was more about finding the others Horsemen and then get through with their quest. It was a lot to process at times, but at the same time it was a bit slow and repetitive during some part of the book.

This book was set in different locations all around the world, it wasn’t just about the U.S. – which I’m kind of sick of, these days – but also set in Italy and Norway. You could find this same diversity in the cast of characters, which I wasn’t expecting. Out of the four horsemen, two were typical Caucasian males, when the two others weren’t (but no spoilers!). I really enjoyed that aspect, because as an incarnation of the four horsemen, the boys were chosen and it showed that they were equals. The ending was definitely crazy, with a plot twist I wasn’t expecting (I was pretty naïve on that one, apparently). The author wasn’t scared to hurt her characters, which I totally respected, because they were fighting demons/fallen angels, after all.

I was thrown off a little in the beginning, because I’m not used to read books with only a male’s point of view, but I got used to it quickly. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Gideon’s character in the beginning, because he was macho (ugh), but he went through many character development during the book, which felt realistic. Nevertheless, I loved that his character was so realistic, trying to find ways to cope with what happened to him a year before, which still made him likeable. Moreover, I learnt a lot about the army reading this book, because Gideon had been training to become a Ranger before the accident happened, which was a bit outside of my comfort zone, as I avoid books about the military most of the time.

Out of the rest of the boys, Bas was definitely my favourite. Rossi managed to give us fleshed-out characters, even when she had five main characters. Daryn’s character wasn’t as developed as the others though, but I think it’s because the sequel will focus on her. She was still a pretty tough character and I loved how she was still the leader of the team, despite being the only girl there. I’m intrigued to learn more about the seekers in the next book, because it felt mysterious, as we weren’t in her head.

The team spirit definitely wasn’t there between everyone in the beginning, but the characters worked a lot towards that, so it was a success in this. The last chapter showed it, for there was a real bond between Marcus and Gideon, when they almost were trying to kill each other in the beginning. About the romance, the connection between two of the characters happened pretty quickly, but I enjoyed how it built up and how it ended up in the first book. I’m looking forward to see what happens between them next.

Overall, I found Riders to be a unique book that I quite enjoyed, even if it wasn’t perfect. I would recommend it to you if you’re looking for a badass and original adventure, even though it could be slow at times. Don’t expect this one to be similar to Under the Never Sky, though, but it showed how Rossi evolved as a writer since her debut novel.

Have you read this book? What did you think of it? Did you like Veronica Rossi's first series, Under the Never Sky?

Greek gods, have you abandonned us? | Legacy of Kings

Legacy of Kings (Blood of Gods and Royals #1) by Eleanor Herman

Published: August 18th 2015 by Harlequin Teen

Genre: young adult, historical fiction, fantasy

Goodreads summary: 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 a newcomer…

Katerina must navigate the dark secrets of court life while hiding her own mission: kill the Queen. But she doesn’t account for her first love…

Jacob will go to unthinkable lengths to win Katerina, even if it means having to compete for her heart with Hephaestion, a murderer sheltered by the prince.

And far across the sea, Zofia, a Persian princess and Alexander’s unmet betrothed, wants to alter her destiny by seeking the famed and deadly Spirit Eaters.

Weaving fantasy with the shocking details of real history, New York Times bestselling author of Sex with Kings 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.

REVIEW

When I first heard about this book, I was definitely intrigued, because of the time period it was set in. In YA historical fiction, we mostly have novels set in the 19^th century, sometimes 18^th century, but let’s be real: that’s pretty much it. So of course, being this huge history nerd, every time I see a book set before those time periods, I add it to my TBR (even though they’re not always great, like Into the Dim *sobs*).

Because Legacy of Kings was written by a historian, the world was totally accurate, and I actually could grasp how people had lived during this time period. There were also so many myths the author mentioned, that intertwined with the story perfectly. Moreover, the fantasy aspect of the novel also depended upon the historical setting, because it was about the gods, the mythological creatures and so on. However, be warned that in this first book, we don’t see that much of the fantasy aspect, but it’s definitely introduced and we’ll get more of it in Empire of Dust.

This book had seven points of view, which was definitely too much. It actually took me quite some time to get through the first seventy pages or so, because each chapter introduced a point of view. I quickly adapt though, but at times some points of view felt a bit unnecessary. It didn’t help me to connect with some characters, as they were more secondary than anything. I particularly struggled with Zo, because she was so far from the action (but I’m sure it’ll be better in the next book!) and Jacob, because he was so self-centred, and the author kind of forgot his point of view at the end of the book, haha. Nevertheless, all of these points of view helped to understand the bigger picture and I liked that.

Legacy of Kings definitely felt like the first book in a series, because it was introducing so many aspects, the world, the characters, but also multiple subplots. It definitely set up to be an amazing series and it showed that so many things will happen in the latter books, but as a standalone, I didn’t feel like I had enough closure, because it was an introduction. I still liked it though, because I was invested in most of the storylines and it got me totally intrigued. But I’ve seen it bothered many readers and I can understand why.

I was really engrossed into the story during almost the whole book and am excited for the next one. However, I was a little disappointed because I had guessed the final plot twist early on… I think that plot-wise, it was heavy, because there was so much going on, for seven characters. I don’t think I would advise you to start fantasy with this one, even though I loved it. This novel was also quite dark, which I liked, because it wasn’t sugar-coating anything.

Eleanor Herman chose to have so many strong female characters, which I was so excited about, because it’s the Antiquity! I don’t mean I like all of them, but they were all so interesting. Indeed, the author wrote realistic characters, who all had their own agendas, even if it made them flawed, like Olympias, who was more on the villainous side, or Cynane, a morally grey princess. Moreover, can we talk about how Olympias has snakes everywhere and I’m scared to death of snakes?? I will never go near this woman, seriously. I would have liked to have more of Alexander’s point of view, because the book was supposed to be about him, but it was more about Kat, even though I liked her.

I wasn’t a huge fan of the dynamics between the characters, sadly. In the first chapter, the author hinted something was going on between Kat and Jacob, but I didn’t like how he treated her during the whole novel… At some point, something was also going on with Heph and I had no idea where it was coming from. So yeah, sometimes it felt a little bit forced. However, I liked the friendship between Heph and Alex, they were so loyal to each other and Cynane was definitely jealous.

The action definitely picked up during the last chapters of the novel and I was addicted. The characters will have to face so many enemies but I can’t wait to see it. Moreover, I’m curious of the paths some of them are going to take, because they will be farther away from the palace, as the war is starting.

Overall, this book was a very good introduction to a new epic series and I loved reading it. It definitely had flaws though, like the number of points of view or some dynamics between the characters, but my enjoyment of the novel was so high. It was also quite dark, which is so fitting in fantasy. If you haven’t yet, you should read this one, especially because Empire of Dust, the second book, is coming out at the end of June! 

Have you read this book? What did you think of it? Are you excited for Empire of Dust? Have you read other YA novels set in Ancient Greece?