Sophie Reads YA: September 2015

September Summary

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What I've read this month:

Queen of Shadows
Series: Throne of Glass #4
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Published September 1st 2015 by Bloomsbury UK (ARC)
Read: September 1-2 2015
My Rating: 5 Stars

Fans of the Impossible Life
Series: None
Author: Kate Scelsa
Published September 10th 2015 by Macmillan Children's Books (eARC)
Read: September 4-7 2015
My Rating: 2 Stars

The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson
Series: Jessie Jefferson #1
Author: Paige Toon
Published August 27th 2015 by Simon & Schuster Childrens Books
Read: September 8-9 2015
My Rating: 4 Stars

I Knew You Were Trouble
Series: Jessie Jefferson #2
Author: Paige Toon
Published July 30th 2015 by Simon and Schuster
Read: September 9-11 2015
My Rating: 4 Stars

Ten Thousand Skies Above You
Series: Firebird #2
Author: Claudia Gray
Published November 3rd 2015 by Harperteen (ARC)
Read: September 12-15 2015
My Rating: 5 Stars

Tonight the Streets Are Ours
Series: None
Author: Leila Sales
Published September 15th 2015 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)/September 24th 2015 by Macmillan Children's Books (eARC)
Read: September 16-19 2015
My Rating: 2 Stars

My Life Next Door
Series: My Life Next Door #1
Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick
Published January 7th 2016 by Electric Monkey (eARC)
Read: September 21-22 2015
My Rating: 5 Stars

Firsts
Series: None
Author: Laurie Elizabeth Flynn
Published January 5th 2016 by St. Martin's Griffin (eARC)
Read: September 22 2015
My Rating: 5 Stars

Truthwitch
Series: The Witchlands #1
Author: Susan Dennard
Published January 14th 2016 by Tor (ARC)
Read: September 23-27 2015
My Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
September has been a decent month, reading wise. I have some failures *Fans of the Impossible Life/Tonight the Streets are Ours*, but also I've been able to read some truly amazing books, even those from January 2016. I may be behind on some Sept ARCs, but at least I'll be ready for January :). Next month is likely to be a slow reading month, what with me going back to uni, but I'm hoping to enjoy my upcoming TBR.

How have you done this month? Let me know below.

Leigh Bardugo

Waiting on Wednesday: Six of Crows (Six of Crows #1) by Leigh Bardugo

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5 Stars

ARC Review: Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

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Illuminae
Series: The Illuminae Files #1
Author: Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Published October 1st 2015 by Oneworld Publications

Goodreads Synopsis
This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.
This afternoon, her planet was invaded.
The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.
But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.
Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

Wow, just wow! I knew this book would be enjoyable, considering the mass of 4 and 5 star ratings it already has on goodreads, but I was still blown away by its sheer epicness! Going into the book I had next to no clue what it was about. I knew that the two main characters broke up just before the planet was invaded, and it's set in the future in space, but that's it. And the book was so much more than that. Yes, that was all true, but was such a simplification of the actual events.

Illuminae is set in 2575, and begins on a planet called Kerenza. Seventeen year olds Kady and Ezra broke up before school began, and within a few hours the planet had been invaded, thousands of people were dead, and they were aboard spaceships fleeing the invaders, BeiTech. Unbeknownst to them, BeiTech had released a deadly bio-weapon, which sent a mass-spreading and mutating plague to the refugees about the Copernicus. Thinking it was helping the remaining ships, the Alexander and the Hypatia, the AI, AIDEN, blew up the Copernicus, killing all but a few. AIDEN had turned against the fleet, and set off a chain reaction which led to the deaths of thousands more of the refugees and military.

The format of this book was something I've never seen before. Rather than being written simply in prose, or even in verse, it's an amalgamation of documents - emails, IMs, interviews, reports, transcripts, etc., that the Illuminae group have pieced together of the events of 2575. I've always wondered how dual authored books are written, and I wonder this even more now, because Kaufman and Kristoff must have had some job in formatting their story in this way. I actually think that being written in this way helped to speed the pace of the story. Considering Illuminae is over 600 pages, I read it in just under two days - and I was expecting it to take ages to get through. The story was exciting, well paced, and I honestly could not put it down. I even lugged the book around with me all day yesterday and read it whenever I had time free.

The characters of Kady and Ezra were lovely. The book is written in the third person, so we never got to really hear their thoughts, but through their communications, with others and each other, their personalties came out. Kady was by far my favourite, but that may sinly be due to the story following her a lot more. She was cheeky, sarcastic, but still kind and loving. When Ezra was in danger, she did everything she could to help him. The rebuilding of their broken relationship was so cute, and it's something I need a lot more of in book 2, especially considering the last document we read in Illuminae.

There were times I was quite honestly freaked out reading Illuminae. The plague scared the life out of me, and the fact that it could mutate and re-infect those already cured seemed like everyone's worst nightmare. Having a crazy AI whose idea of helping the fleet was blowing up one of the ships, and turning on the others when they tried to leave, didn't exactly help either. I think most Sci-Fi lovers have seen this scenario played out multiple times - think Terminator, I-Robot, etc., and they know just how bad the consequences can be. Again, the ending of Illuminae left me needing to know what happened next in this regard. Frankly, I don't know how I can wait until next year for more.

Illuminae is one of the best books I have read in a long time. It was so unique that I don't think anything can compare to it, and I'm left reeling by its story. I'm dying for the sequel, and think just about everyone else who has read it is feeling the same. This is definitely one to read, by basically anyone - I'm not a great Sci-Fi lover, but this was simply perfection!

Dates Read:
August 5-7, 2015

Rating
5 Stars

September

Stacking the Shelves: September 26th 2015

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4 Stars

Review: Red Queen (Red Queen #1) by Victoria Aveyard

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Red Queen
Series: Red Queen #1
Author: Victoria Aveyard
Published July 2nd 2015 by Orion

Goodreads Synopsis
This is a world divided by blood - red or silver.

The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.

That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

Fearful of Mare's potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.

But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance - Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart . . .
Goodreads

Review
I'm quite conflicted with my thoughts on this book. All throughout my reading process I just kept thinking "this isn't what I expected". Now, that was either a good nor bad difference, it was just different. I think this is a case of hype clouding a person's judgement.

Red Queen tells the story of a world, whose map doesn't seem dissimilar to that of America, in which the population is split by their blood: into Reds and Silvers. Those with Red blood are basically the slaves of the Silver's, who rule over them using their special abilities. Think of a reversed X-Men here - those with abilities are king, whilst those without are nothing, lower than low. The Reds are basically being used as cannon fodder for the Silvers war: when they turn 18, if they're not it a job/apprenticeship, they are shipped off to the front, with little to no chance of survival.

We meet Mare, the MC, worrying about her 18th birthday, as she has no job, no nothing - all she is good at is stealing and pick pocketing. When her best friend, Kilorn, loses his apprenticeship and is about to be sent off to the army, she orchestrates a plan to steal enough money in order to hide the two of them. However, everything goes wrong when the hidden Red militant group, the Scarlet Guard, become public. She barely manages to escape, and meets a handsome stranger, who later gets her a job at the palace. However, this stranger is none other than the crown prince, Cal. Whilst working her first day at the palace, Mare, and the Silvers, discover that she has abilities too, abilities no Red should ever have. She is taken by the royal family, made out to be the long lost daughter of some late general, and engaged to the second prince, Maven. Now the stakes are even higher.

My main difficulty throughout this book was my thoughts on the characters, especially the two princes. With Cal, I'd guessed he be the love interest. I sort of liked him at first, but then when his bloodthirsty nature was revealed, I went off him, until I liked him again. It was all really confusing. The same can be said for Maven. He was my favourite from the get go, and seemed to really connect with Mare. Basically he was everything she needed. And then, his true nature was revealed, and I absolutely hated the SoB. I honestly think the only character who I liked throughout the whole book was Mare, she seriously was the best thing in Red Queen.

Another thing that brought the rating down was that there seemed to be a love square, if such a thing exists. Having three love interests for the main character is totally unrealistic, and honestly brought the down of the book down to bordering on childish. If this isn't properly resolved in Glass Sword I think I'll rip my hair out.

However, the world building was brilliant, and that is one aspect I can't wait to read more about. Like I said, I think the map looks similar to the geography of the USA, though the different countries and principalities make it all together unique. Having some areas of the landscape inaccessible due to radiation was something new, and I hope this topic of radiation is developed. Perhaps that has something to do with why Mare, a Red, has Silver abilities?

All in all, Red Queen was really enjoyable, and I'm so glad I've finally had the chance to read it. Though it wasn't what I was expecting, though I'm not sure what that is, I am desperate for Glass Sword, as the ending left so many questions that need answering. The revelations came from out of nowhere, and I can't wait to see how these are explored further.

Dates Read:
July 16-18, 2015

Rating
4 Stars

Rick Riordan

Waiting on Wednesday: The Sword of Summer (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard #1) by Rick Riordan

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Blitz

Release Day Blitz: Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson (+US giveaway)

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I am so excited that WALK ON EARTH A STRANGER by Rae Carson releases today and that I get to share the news, along with an awesome giveaway!

If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful new series by Rae Carson, be sure to check out all the details below.

This blitz also includes a giveaway for a set of the GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS series (in paperback format). US only. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

About The Book:

Title: WALK ON EARTH A STRANGER

Author: Rae Carson

Pub. Date: September 22, 2015

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Pages: 448

Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Goodreads

The first book in a new trilogy from acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Rae Carson. A young woman with the magical ability to sense the presence of gold must flee her home, taking her on a sweeping and dangerous journey across Gold Rush–era America.

Lee Westfall has a secret. She can sense the presence of gold in the world around her. Veins deep beneath the earth, pebbles in the river, nuggets dug up from the forest floor. The buzz of gold means warmth and life and home—until everything is ripped away by a man who wants to control her. Left with nothing, Lee disguises herself as a boy and takes to the trail across the country. Gold was discovered in California, and where else could such a magical girl find herself, find safety? Rae Carson, author of the acclaimed Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy, dazzles with this new fantasy that subverts both our own history and familiar fantasy tropes.

Walk on Earth a Stranger, the first book in this new trilogy, introduces—as only Rae Carson can—a strong heroine, a perilous road, a fantastical twist, and a slow-burning romance. Includes a map and author’s note on historical research.

Read chapter 1 of WALK ON EARTH A STRANGER annotated by Rae Carson HERE!

Rae Carson is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the acclaimed Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy. Her next book, Walk On Earth A Stranger, will be available September 22, 2015. She lives in Arizona with her husband.

Connect with the Author:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a set of the 3 GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS series (in paperback format). US Only.

Ends on September 30th at Midnight EST!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks so much, Rockstar Book Tours for including me in this blitz!

2 Stars

ARC Review: Tonight the Streets Are Ours by Leila Sales

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Tonight the Streets Are Ours
Series: None
Author: Leila Sales
Published September 15th 2015 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)/September 24th 2015 by Macmillan Children's Books

Goodreads Synopsis
From the author of This Song Will Save Your Life comes a funny and relatable book about the hazards of falling for a person you haven't met yet.

Seventeen-year-old Arden Huntley is recklessly loyal. Taking care of her loved ones is what gives Arden purpose in her life and makes her feel like she matters. But she's tired of being loyal to people who don't appreciate her—including her needy best friend and her absent mom.

Arden finds comfort in a blog she stumbles upon called "Tonight the Streets Are Ours," the musings of a young New York City writer named Peter. When Peter is dumped by the girlfriend he blogs about, Arden decides to take a road trip to see him.

During one crazy night out in NYC filled with parties, dancing, and music—the type of night when anything can happen, and nearly everything does—Arden discovers that Peter isn't exactly who she thought he was. And maybe she isn't exactly who she thought she was, either.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publishers via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

To be right to the point, this book was boring. I was seriously disappointed in it all, and an unlikely to read any more of Sales books in the future. Now down to the nitty-gritty.

In Tonight the Streets are Ours, we follow Arden, a seventeen year old from a tiny town on the borders of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia. Her life is pretty uninteresting until, suddenly, her mam ups and leaves one day. After that, everything basically implodes. Her father is incapable of looking after his children, and Arden and Roman, her 11 year old brother, and left to their own devices. Arden's boyfriend, Chris, seems to only care about himself, and was majorly annoying.

The only saving grace to the beginning portion of the book, was the actual 'Tonight the Streets are Ours' blog posts that took over Arden's life. Peter's life seemed so interesting, especially in comparison to Arden's, and I found myself wishing for more and more of those chapters. Everything came to a head when Chris let Arden down on the night of their anniversary, and she, and best friend Lindsey, decide to go on a trip to New York City to find Peter. Though I'd been looking forward to meeting Peter, that, again, was a serious letdown.

Basically, the characters in this book all had their own problems, and I'm not entirely sure that I like any of them. Lindsay seemed to use Arden, and Arden was just too weak, and got walked all over. I've already mentioned Chris - he cared about no one other than himself. Peter, the person, not the character from the blog, was a basket case. Be fictionalised his whole life to make people care more about him, and blamed everyone else - even though the majority of the issues were his own fault.

The plot line was uninteresting. I was never hooked by the book, and quite frankly, don't know why I didn't dnf it ages ago. I'm sort of glad I push through with the book, as I feel like I've accomplished something. Other than that, I'll likely forget the whole book as soon as I pick something else up.

In sort, nothing about this book was good. I can't say I'd recommend this, because that would be a lie. Perhaps if you've enjoyed Sales other books, you might like this one.

Dates Read:
September 16-19, 2015

Rating
2 Stars

September

Stacking the Shelves: September 19th 2015

10:00

2 Stars

Review: Solitaire by Alice Oseman

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Solitaire
Series: None
Author: Alice Oseman
Published July 31st 2014 by Harper Collins Children's Books

Goodreads Synopsis

In case you’re wondering, this is not a love story.

My name is Tori Spring. I like to sleep and I like to blog. Last year – before all that stuff with Charlie and before I had to face the harsh realities of A-Levels and university applications and the fact that one day I really will have to start talking to people – I had friends. Things were very different, I guess, but that’s all over now.

Now there’s Solitaire. And Michael Holden.

I don’t know what Solitaire are trying to do, and I don’t care about Michael Holden.

I really don’t.

This incredible debut novel by outstanding young author Alice Oseman is perfect for fans of John Green, Rainbow Rowell and all unflinchingly honest writers.

Goodreads

Review
My relationship with this book was so much like my relationship with Perks of Being a Wallflower.: I severely disliked (borderline hated) it, whereas everyone else loved it. This book wasn't as painful as Perks (I mean I managed to read it within a couple of days, as compared to the few weeks Perks took), but every page I read just felt like a waste of time, and that I could have spent that time much better either reading other books or working on my university assignment.

I couldn't relate to Tori at all, and found her quite annoying to be honest. Michael was the only saving grace to this book, and I think it was because of him that I actually read the whole thing and didn't DNF it.

From about the half way point I'd guessed who the ringleader of Solitaire was, and even though the 'big reveal' was still somewhat enjoyable to read, it didn't come as a shock at all. I think the ending probably dragged my rating up from 1 star, but I still couldn't give it anything above a 2.

Considering how much I was looking forward to read this, I'm severely disappointed, and honestly, could not in good conscience recommend this to anyone :/

Dates Read:
April 3-7, 2015

Rating
2 Stars

Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Waiting on Wednesday: Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

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Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pick is:

Illuminae
Series: The Illuminae Files #1
Author: Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Published October 1st 2015 by Oneworld Publications

Goodreads Summary
This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.
This afternoon, her planet was invaded.
The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.
But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.
Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

Goodreads

Why I'm waiting:

This is a book that I think just about everyone has heard of; or they've been living under a rock. It has a got to be the most hyped book of the year, and rightly deserves all the hype.
I was lucky enough to be sent a review copy of this book, and it lived up to my every expectation, and more. Hands down, one of the best books I've read this year!

Are you waiting for this book? Have you already read it? Let me know :)

2 Stars

ARC Review: Fans of the Impossible Life by Kate Scelsa

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Fans of the Impossible Life
Series: None
Author: Kate Scelsa
Published September 10th 2015 by Macmillan Children's Books

Goodreads Synopsis
This is the story of a girl, her gay best friend, and the boy in love with both of them.
Ten months after her recurring depression landed her in the hospital, Mira is starting over as a new student at Saint Francis Prep. She promised her parents she would at least try to act like a normal, functioning human this time around, not a girl who sometimes can’t get out of bed for days on end, who only feels awake when she’s with Sebby.
Jeremy is the painfully shy art nerd at Saint Francis who’s been in self-imposed isolation after an incident that ruined his last year of school. When he sees Sebby for the first time across the school lawn it’s as if he’s been expecting this blond, lanky boy with a mischievous glint in his eye.
Sebby, Mira’s gay best friend, is a boy who seems to carry sunlight around with him like a backlit halo. Even as life in his foster home starts to take its toll, Sebby and Mira together craft a world of magic rituals and secret road trips, designed to fix the broken parts of their lives.
As Jeremy finds himself drawn into Sebby and Mira’s world, he begins to understand the secrets that they hide in order to protect themselves, to keep each other safe from those who don’t understand their quest to live for the impossible.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Well, that was disappointing. Like most people, I was originally drawn in by the first line of the synopsis: 'This is the story of a girl, her gay best friend, and the boy in love with both of them.' However, the romance was not between the three characters, and was barely existence. What was there, between Sebby and Jeremy, was destructive, and not enjoyable at all - I wouldn't even say you could exactly call it a relationship.

I only finished reading this book last night, and already can't remember a lot of it. That is not what you want from a book. It was a book I forced myself to finish, and don't really understand why I didn't DNF it earlier. I wasn't bad in the sense that it was a chore to finish, rather, it was simply boring. Nothing kept my attention. Out of the various characters we met, Mira was one of the only ones I liked, and I felt she was brought down by Sebby, and was better on her own. Sebby was a character, who, for me, ruined the whole book. I never liked him from the get go, and everything he did made me sort of hate him a little more. If the book was just Mira and Jeremy, with their other friends, I might have enjoyed it a lot more.

I also had a majot problem with the format of the book. It was split between three PoV's (Mira, Sebby, and Jeremy), which normally wouldn't bother me. However, each one was in a different tense. The split between 1st, 2nd, and 3rd tense was so choppy, and it ruined the reading experience. Like I've already said, if Mira and Jeremy were the only PoV's, it might not have been too bad. If this is Scelsa's writing style, then I'm sorry to say I won't be reading any more of her books.

Another thing that annoyed me, when I finished the book, was how many things weren't tied up, or answered? What's happening with Rose and Ali? Is Talia going to be punished? How does Peter fare? Do Mira and Julie get along now? etc., etc. I know you tend to get a lot of open-ended contemporary YAs these days, but this was just taking it too far. It seems a bit lazy, as if some of the plot points were just added for shock value, and nothing else.

Yeah, so this book was not for me. I understand that a lot of people enjoyed it, but I wasn't lucky enough. If you think you can cope with the issues I had, then be my guest, and I wish you luck.

Dates Read:
September 4-7, 2015

Rating
2 Stars

September Summary

Waiting on Wednesday: Six of Crows (Six of Crows #1) by Leigh Bardugo

ARC Review: Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Stacking the Shelves: September 26th 2015

Review: Red Queen (Red Queen #1) by Victoria Aveyard

Waiting on Wednesday: The Sword of Summer (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard #1) by Rick Riordan

Release Day Blitz: Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson (+US giveaway)

ARC Review: Tonight the Streets Are Ours by Leila Sales

Stacking the Shelves: September 19th 2015

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, which showcases the books we've purchased, won, borrowed and received in the mail.

This week (September 13th-19th) I received:

Nothing this week.

What did you receive? Let me know.

Review: Solitaire by Alice Oseman

Waiting on Wednesday: Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

ARC Review: Fans of the Impossible Life by Kate Scelsa

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Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, which showcases the books we've purchased, won, borrowed and received in the mail. This week (September 13th-19th) I received: Nothing this week. What did you receive? Let me know.

Contact Form

About Me

Search

Twitter

Bloglovin'

Reading Challenge

Review Scale

Blog Archive

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, which showcases the books we've purchased, won, borrowed and received in the mail.

This week (September 13th-19th) I received:

Nothing this week.

What did you receive? Let me know.