The Fire Sermon by Francesca Haig [Review]

Written by: Francesca Haig.

Published by: HarperVoyager.

Format: Hardback.

Released: 26th February 2015.

Rating: 5/5.

Official synopsis: "When Zach and I were born our parents must have counted and recounted: limbs, fingers, toes. We were perfect. They would have been disbelieving: nobody dodged the split between Alpha and Omega. Nobody. They were born together and they will die together. One strong Alpha twin and one mutated Omega; the only thing they share is the moment of their death. The Omegas live in segregation, cast out by their families as soon as their mutation becomes clear. Forced to live apart, they are ruthlessly oppressed by their Alpha counterparts. The Alphas are the elite. Once their weaker twin has been cast aside, they're free to live in privilege and safety, their Omega twin far from their thoughts. Cass and Zach are both perfect on the outside: no missing limbs, no visible Omega mutation. But Cass has a secret: one that Zach will stop at nothing to expose. The potential to change the world lies in both their hands. One will have to defeat the other to see their vision of the future come to pass, but if they're not careful both will die in the struggle for power."

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It was late 2014 when word about a book called The Fire Sermon started to pop up on twitter, instagram and all around the blogosphere. Excited chatter about a debut novel from an author who had so far only written and published poetry and was causing such a raucous that the movie rights had already been sold in a major deal, and the book was still months from initial publication. Naturally  my interest was piqued and when I was offered the opportunity to receive a proof copy of the book I jumped at it and couldn't wait to get it. What arrived was a wonderfully designed book, based on the Alpha characters, dark, fiery, powerful. There are also Omega proof's out there too, light, burnt, weak. For in the book every Alpha has an Omega twin, the one with a disability, all the bad stuff cast off from hundreds of years of radiation poising after a great war that changed the world as it was known to the world we see inhabited by the Alpha's and Omega's in the book.

I saved the book because I didn't want to read it too far away from publication at the risk of forgetting elements when it came time to write my review. It was the first book I read of 2015 and what a stunner! I needn't of worried about forgetting anything because this book is still with me now, the story, the characters, the mood, the setting. It is all sown so deep inside that I only have to look at the cover and I want to weep that Book 2 is still another year or so away!

This book is fresh, original and so blooming exciting. It's pacey, dangerous and intoxicating as you race through the pages following Cass as she tries to find an island of Omega's so that they might finally bring the oppressive Alpha government down and make everyone equal. Because in the world, they are most definitely not equal. Everyone is born a twin. It is just the way it is. But no one wants an Omega. They are hated, sometimes so deeply and unquestionably and cast off as soon as they can be. But Cass has managed to avoid the split with her brother Zach. She know's she is an Omega. He know she is an Omega. And secretly her parents do too, but neither child had any physical deformities so they had to be careful to make sure the right child was sent away. They look for anything, a sign, a slip, that will reveal Cass's true nature and when it eventually comes, Cass is far older than any other Omega cast off by its former family and her Omega branding on her forehead is still raw.

The characters are incredible. I loved Cass and part of me even liked Zach despite the fact that he is a total ass and would do anything for the power he so desperately craves. There are twists and turns and things that won't see coming a mile off and then when they hit you, BAMN!! It's like a gut-wrenching punch that will leave you breathless and gasping for the next book! It's beautifully written, so lyrical and soothing and it just lulls you straight into the world - maybe a sign of the authors previous work in poetry? It just flows so well. The world itself is so vibrant and well thought out that it feels totally real. This trilogy is DEFINITELY going to be one to look out for and it is one I cannot wait to share the ride in! Bring it on Miss Haig. Bring it on!

This is a definite contender, already for my book of the year. And that cover?!?! YIKES! So beautiful! Harper actually went to a blacksmith and had that made so that is real - it isn't photoshop, that image is real and so bloody cool! Bravo Harper! I can't wait to see what you do with he rest of the trilogy cover-wise!

My thanks to Harper Voyager for my proof copy!

Half Bad by Sally Green [Review]

Written by: Sally Green.

Published by: Penguin.

Format: Paperback.

Released: 27th March 2014.

Rating: 5/5.

Official synopsis: "Wanted by no one. Hunted by everyone. Sixteen-year-old Nathan lives in a cage: beaten, shackled, trained to kill. In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world's most terrifying and violent witch, Marcus. Nathan's only hope for survival is to escape his captors, track down Marcus, and receive the three gifts that will bring him into his own magical powers—before it's too late. But how can Nathan find his father when there is no one safe to trust, not even family, not even the girl he loves?"

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I have to make a massive, MASSIVE, admission here. I put off reading this book time and time and time again. I have actually lost count of how many times I picked the book up, seriously thought about it and opened up the first page, only to change my mind and read something else instead. It wasn't that the premise of the book didn't hook me in. It was my own apprehension, my own fear, that stopped me from reading Half Bad. I have talked many a time about hype and how it is something that can either be a good thing or a bad thing, and that at times it can even put people off of something for fear that it just ins't going to live up to the hype that it's getting. That was me with Half Bad. I wanted to read it, Lord knows I did, but every time I picked it up something stopped me and I don't know why. And now I hate that even more because as soon as I actually started to read the book I was sold. I was hooked so deep into the story that I read massive chunks in one sitting, despite the fact I had work and life. I just couldn't put it down.

Some would be turned off by the writing style, which flips between first and second person with such fluidity that it doesn't take any time at all to readjust it just flows so well. I personally loved this, especially once I really got into it. Sometimes I wouldn't even notice a change, I just kept racing on through which is something I loved about the book. It is just such a page turner!

It is brutal, incredibly, spine-tinglingly brutal. So much blood. So much violence. And permanent damage - I'm not even going to go into it too deeply because it was something that took me totally and completely unawares and I think it should do that to all readers for it to have its true shock value. Just trust me when I say you will squirm and fidget uncomfortably. I had to put the book down, physically I had to stop reading just for a few moments to compose myself before diving back into it, it was that effective!

I also love the dynamics between the characters. Sally has created a wonderful, lovable and sometimes love-to-hate cast. From Nathan himself, to the dastardly Marcus. From Annalise to, my personal favourite, Gabriel - who can I just say, hope finds love before the series is over! I adore him! Gah. Sally knows this. There have been tweets. Just... GAH! GABRIEL!!! <3 span="">

I also really enjoyed the dynamics between the different witches. The white witches, the black witches and the singular half code, Nathan. White witches are good. Black witches are bad. Half codes are dangerous and need to be tested, watched, analysed. 

There have been a lot of comparisons to Harry Potter and I get that. Both books are so totally different but I think it's the characters that makes the comparison for me. Both the characters in Half Bad and Harry Potter feel so fully fleshed out, both are epic tales of coming of age despite the looming darkness overhead, even if that darkness comes from within too. I remember hearing Andrew from The Pewter Wolf describe Half Bad as being Harry Potter on acid, and I have to say he isn't far from the truth at all! This book is incredible. Insane. Mind boggling. Powerful. But totally incredible. I don't know what I was ever afraid of! I have to say thank you to Andy, Rhys, George and Ben (the editor of the book...) for encouraging me to FINALLY pick it up! I cannot thank you guys enough and I apologise now for all my "I'll read it later" tweets. Do I feel like an idiot? Err, yeah I do! Luckily I have Half Wild on my kindle so it won't be long before I read the sequel either! Wahoo!

My thanks, also, to Puffin for actually sending me the proof copy... a year ago! Damn! What a missed opportunity! I missed out on this big time and cannot believe how bad I feel!

The Rest of Us Just Live Here cover revealed!

I fell in love with Patrick Ness when I read The Crane Wife last year, and feel even deeper in love when I read More Than This which was a stunning read! Bear with me, I haven't mentioned the Choas Walking books, because I haven't read them. Please don't shoot me, I'm well aware that I am missing out and I am hoping to rectify that this year and read the trilogy. However we have new Patrick to look forward to this year with the release of The Rest of Us Just Live Here in August! And now it has a beautiful cover for us to oggle and I am in LOVE!!!

OH MAN JUST GIVE IT TO ME NOW!!!

"What if you weren’t the Chosen One? What if you’re not the one who’s so often the hero in YA fiction; who’s supposed to fight the zombies, or the soul-eating ghosts, or whatever this new thing is, with the blue lights and the death? What if you were like Mikey? Who just wants to graduate and go to prom and maybe finally work up the courage to ask Henna out before someone goes and blows up the high school. Again. Because sometimes there are problems bigger than this week’s end of the world and sometimes you just have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life. Even if your best friend might just be the God of mountain lions..."

Roll on 27th August!

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven [Review]

Written by: Jennifer Niven.

Published by: Puffin.

Format: Paperback.

Released: 6th January 2015.

Rating: 5/5.

Official synopsis: "Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him. Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death. When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink."

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From the first moment that I heard about this book, in an email from Carolyn at Puffin, that I knew I had to read it and I also had an inkling that it would either be a book I would totally adore or one that I hated. It sounds amazing, don't get me wrong... But a kid who is fascinated with his own mortality and wanting to kill himself... I just didn't know how I would feel reading a whole book like that or even if I would be able to make it all the way through. Yeah, the packaging is pretty but what about the contents?

I have to say that my concerns were ill-conceived and the book itself is, in fact, an absolute masterpiece. A stroke of genius. It's wonderfully, beautifully, written. It's evocative and thought-provoking and had me questioning so many things, aspects, of my own life and the people around me.

From the second I started reading I was so engrossed in Finch and Violet, in their blossoming relationship and the way they are perceived by those around them. This is the sort of life-consuming read that completely takes over your life. I could not stop reading and at one point crying! It's emotional and so charged that I still, a few weeks after reading it, feel deeply affected. As someone who has had to deal with issues on a similar (although not as drastic, I might add) scale, the book felt incredibly real and raw to me. I felt like it was talking directly to me, that Finch was talking to me, that Violet was sharing herself with me. The book deals so well with mental health issues, suicide and the grief that follows the death of a loved one. It covers a whole range of emotions and at times left me breathless as I recalled thoughts and feelings I had had - thoughts and feelings that had made me feel so alone but I now know are shared the world over, and this book was the key to that. 

I am not normally a fan of a two-narrative driven story. I don't think they work that well most of the time, but when it is right, it's right. And fortunately with All The Bright Places, it most certainly is right. Finch and Violet both have such distinct voices that there is no confusing one for the other. They both feel so fleshed out. I really liked how they came to know each other so well because they both had the same intention before Finch talks Violet out of doing what she was intending. But because Finch is the school clown, mocked and laughed at, of course the story is given a completely different spin and as far as their fellow pupils are concerned, Violet has just saved his life, not the other way round like it really was. It is this chance encounter that brings them closer, starting a relationship based on exploration, one that is about finding the happier moments in life.

Ultimately, the ending was very unexpected for me. I didn't think it would end the way it would, but it left me in absolute pieces. Really, I was ruined when I finished the book, I turned over the page and almost yelled, demanding more. I needed more. It couldn't end there, there had to be another part somewhere and my copy had been misprinted? It had to be. That to me is the sign of a good book, when you're gasping for more, even when all the plot lines have been tied together into a neat ending, and you still want more. Even if it's mundane, so far removed from the book, you just want more.

This book would be perfect for people that liked The Fault in Our Stars, or just for anyone who needs a little enlightenment in their life. Honestly, please just pick this book up. It is a life-changing experience that you should not miss out on.

My thanks to Carolyn at Puffin for my copy - I will cherish it for years to come! Thank you!

5th Blogiversary! GIVEAWAY!

I can't believe it. I genuinely can't. When I set up my blog all those years ago I never dreamt it would still be a thing I did and thought about. I started it just for a bit of fun after discovering that book blogs existed. I don't even know how I came to realise this but I know the first one I ever found was Jenny's incredible Wondrous Reads site. Since then I've gotten to speak to so many amazing people, and even got to go to a film premiere because of it, which is something I never imagined would happen (although I haven't met anyone yet... which is s0 FRUSTRATING!!!!). The past few years have been pretty hectic and I always completely forget about my blogiversary and will just happen to realise that is has already passed so I cannot do anything to celebrate... Well not this year!

As a massive thank you to each and every one of you out there that has supported me, read the blog, follows me on twitter and instagram, and to all the amazing publishers and publicists and their amazing authors, I am running this give away! Wahoo! I've always wanted to do one but I wanted a good reason and my blog turning 5 seems like a good idea to me. And what is better is that it is an INTERNATIONAL giveaway! As long as the Book Depository ship to your country then you can enter! Fantastic stuff! Yo can find a list here of all the countries they ship to!

All you have to do to win is fill out the form below. It's as simple as that! No tricky questions, nothing major. Just fill out the form and sit back and wait! What I have decided to do is pick five of my favourite books I have reviewed. One from each year I have been blogging... So, here are the choices!

2010: When I Was Joe by Keren David.
2011: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness.
2012: Gods and Warriors/The Outsiders by Michelle Paver.
2013: Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan.
2014: This Book Is Gay by James Dawson.

Now I am going to have 3 winners who each get to pick one book and then I will also pick out a wildcard entry who will win all 5! Now, the competition is open until 11:59pm on 6th March and winners will be picked some time that week and contacted for their addresses so I can send their prizes out! Good luck to everyone, and thank you for an amazing five years! Here's to another 5!

(Please note, winners will be picked using Random.org and will be emailed for confirmation of address!)

Department 19: Darkest Night cover revealed

If you have been around the past few years there you will have definitely heard me and several other bloggers babble on about how amazing Will Hill and his Department 19 series is. Well, 2015 sees this  epic saga come to a conclusion with the publication of the fifth and final book, Darkest Night. 

I for one am incredibly excited but also excuciatingly scared. I have even put off reading book 4, Zero Hour because I don't want the series to end and I want to make the wait between the two books as short as possible as I have heard that the ending of Zero Hour leaves readers gasping for more and knowing Will and his cliffhangers I am not sure I could cope with it all.

That said I am so excited to see how everything wraps up. It has been building up so well and Will is a masterful storyteller! 

Well, now, the cover for the final book has been unveiled and it is an absolute stunner.

ARGHHHHH!!!!! The colours! The bones!!!! Everything!!!! Oh god!!!! It's incredible and I love it. It matches so well with the rest of the series! It's out in June I believe and I can't wait to see what happens!!!