Sophie Reads YA: October 2015

monthly summary

October Summary

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October

Stacking the Shelves: October 31st 2015

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5 Stars

Review: The Fixer (The Fixer #1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

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The Fixer
Series: The Fixer #1
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Published July 7th 2015 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Goodreads Synopsis
This thriller YA is Scandal meets Veronica Mars.
Sixteen-year-old Tess Kendrick has spent her entire life on her grandfather's ranch. But when her estranged sister Ivy uproots her to D.C., Tess is thrown into a world that revolves around politics and power. She also starts at Hardwicke Academy, the D.C. school for the children of the rich and powerful, where she unwittingly becomes a fixer for the high school set, fixing teens’ problems the way her sister fixes their parents’ problems.
And when a conspiracy surfaces that involves the family member of one of Tess's classmates, love triangles and unbelievable family secrets come to light and life gets even more interesting—and complicated—for Tess.
Perfect for fans of Pretty Little Liars and Heist Society, readers will be clamoring for this compelling teen drama with a political twist.
Goodreads

Review
In The Fixer, we follow Tess, as she rediscovers her older sister, Ivy, after a family tragedy. Since the deaths of their parents over a decade ago, Tess has been living with her grandfather on a farm in rural Montana. Unfortunately, her grandfather falls ill with Alzheimer's, and Tess can no longer look after herself. Ivy comes to the rescue, and flies Tess off to Washington D.C., and sets her up at the prestigious Hardwicke Academy. As she discovers that Ivy is involved in high politics, and is known as a 'Fixer' around the city, Tess falls upon a conspiracy, one that she can only deal with herself.

I was completely blown away by this book, so much so, that I devoured it only three hours. I've heard it described as a YA crossover of the TV shows Scandal and Veronica Mars - shows that I love - and that's a perfect way to describe it. If you have ever watched Scandal, Ivy Kendrick is just like Olivia Pope, in the most perfect way ever! Also, Tess is wonderfully similar to Veronica Mars. This was honestly the best crossover I could have wished for.

The characters, albeit very similar to the aforementioned TV characters, were wonderful in their own ways. Tess was a character I associated with this author, and though her situation was unreal - I mean, who meets the President and First Lady on a regular basis? - she seemed like a real person. She wasn't shiny, and perfect, nor was she wholly a basket case. Simply, she was someone who put on a brave face in the face of adversity, and was still vulnerable and a bit damaged inside. She faced so many difficult situations throughout the book, and honestly, I would have been wary if it didn't affect her in some way.

Tess wasn't the only great character. Her sister, Ivy, though elusive and not around much, definitely cared for Tess, and proved time and time again that she was amazing at her job, if not at keeping up familial relationships. Tess's school friends, Asher, Vivvie, and Henry, each had their own redeeming qualities, and I honestly hope that Tess and Henry have a relationship in subsequent books - their chemistry was off the charts, and you can just tell there is something brewing below the surface.

The revelations discovered at the end of the novel knocked me off balance, and for that reason, I regret that I read/devoured this nearly 400 page book in under three hours. The wait til June just may kill me, until I can get my hands of The Long Game. If you have loved Barnes' The Naturals series, you will definitely enjoy this! If you have loved Scandal and/or Veronica Mars, you will love this! Honestly, I think the majority of people would definitely enjoy The Fixer, if they give it a chance!

Dates Read:
October 6th, 2015

Rating
5 Stars

Marissa Meyer

Waiting on Wednesday: Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4) by Marissa Meyer

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4 Stars

ARC Review: The Sister Pact by Stacie Ramey (+US/CAN giveaway)

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The Sister Pact
Series: None
Author: Stacie Ramey
Published November 3rd 2015 by Sourcebooks Fire

Goodreads Synopsis
A suicide pact was supposed to keep them together, but a broken promise tore them apart.
Allie is devastated when her older sister commits suicide--and not just because she misses her. Allie feels betrayed. The two made a pact that they'd always be together, in life, and in death, but Leah broke her promise and Allie needs to know why.
Her parents hover. Her friends try to support her. And Nick, sweet Nick, keeps calling and flirting. Their sympathy only intensifies her grief.
But the more she clings to Leah, the more secretes surface. Allie's not sure which is more distressing: discovering the truth behind her sister's death or facing her new reality without her.
Goodreads

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

I've been in quite a book slump at the moment - probably due to being back at university, and thrown into my final year - and was in need of a book to get me out of it. The Sister Pact, though not what I expected to help, has done the job perfectly. I had a few issues with this book - which I'll mention below - but at the same time, loved every moment of it.

In The Sister Pact we meet Allie, just days after her elder sister, Leah, has killed herself. Allie is spiralling into a meltdown, as she and Leah had had some sort of 'pact' that they would deal with their problems together, and pay the ultimate price is necessary. Allie feels abandoned, and guilty. When she wants to be left alone, to deal with her grief in her own way, everyone hovers. She doesn't have many moments alone, and when she does, she self medicates to get through the day. By doing this, she sees Leah everywhere, and doesn't actually process her emotions in a healthy way.

Allie was a character I really liked, which was a good thing considering I hated just about every other character in the book. I felt like Allie was a real person - the author never shied away from showing the spiralling, the bargaining a depressed might go through. Though she felt like she needed to take the drugs, take the cough medicine etc., she knew it was wrong, and knew it wouldn't help her cope with the loss of her sister. Allie's search for herself was truly wonderful to read, and I am unbelievably happy with what position she was in at the end of the book.

To get onto the other characters, I felt like slapping the majority of them at least once in the book; and that's including Leah, the dead sister. All of them walked all over Allie, and treated her like she was some sort of burden. I mean, Leah would regularly call her 'sloppy seconds' - supposedly as a sign of affection - and forced Allie to do anything Leah wanted her too. The father has got to be the most hateful character I have met in a very, very long time. He was the cause of a lot of the family's issues, and acted as if he was above everyone else, as if he was inconveniencing himself to deal with his only surviving child, after his eldest has just committed suicide. Nothing about him redeemed himself throughout the entire story.

Allie's best friends were problematic, and I felt like every time they were close to Allie, she got a little worse. They needed to simply leave her alone, or else they'd harm her.

The only characters I sort of liked were John Strickland, and Allie's mam. Allie's mam was a problematic parent, but she did redeem herself. We saw that she was as much a victim as Allie or Leah were, and was simply struggling trying to help herself, while at the same time helping everyone else around her. John was a very surprising character. I'm glad he wasn't a love interest for Allie, but was the perfect friend she needed to get her through this trying time. John knew Leah, and they could both tell each other their 'Leah' stories, in order to grieve, properly.

This book deals with a very controversial subject, and I feel as if it did that very, very well. Ramey should be so proud of her debut, and I honestly can say I am looking forward to more of her work. I knew I was reading a book as I was reading this, but it felt like a real, non-fictional book - as if it was a biography or something. I was a part of the story, and was invested in Allie's well-being. Allie was the best thing about this book, and I think a lot of people would love her as much as me. I definitely recommend this book, especially for lovers of angsty, real contemporary books.

Dates Read:
October 24 to 26, 2015

Rating
4 Stars

Giveaway
Runs 10/1-11/30 US and Canada only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

October

Stacking the Shelves: October 24th 2015

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5 Stars

Review: The Wrath and the Dawn (The Wrath and the Dawn #1) by Renee Ahdieh

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The Wrath and the Dawn
Series: The Wrath and the Dawn #1
Author: Renee Ahdieh
Published May 12th 2015 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Synopsis
One Life to One Dawn.
In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad's dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph's reign of terror once and for all.
Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she'd imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It's an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid's life as retribution for the many lives he's stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?
Inspired by A Thousand and One Nights, The Wrath and the Dawn is a sumptuous and enthralling read from beginning to end.
Goodreads

Review
Now this was some book! I've heard truly amazing things about The Wrath and the Dawn since ARC reviews popped up in the blogging world, and they were by no means overstating things. I am so pleased I caved and bought this book, as I think it might be one of my favourite 2015 books!

In The Wrath and the Dawn, a retelling of the tale of A Thousand and One Nights, we follow Shahrzad as she marries the hated Caliph Khalid, who has been killing his brides on a nightly basis, for unknown reasons. Shahrzad's sole reason for the marriage is revenge - her best friend, Shiva, fell victim to the caliph, and Shazi can't let this go unpunished. As she survives night after night, she starts to slowly fall for Khalid, and lets go of her revenge, filled instead with an amalgamation of conflicting emotions. Running parallel to this, her fiancee, Tariq, is doing everything within his power to save Shazi, and take down Khalid once and for all.

First things first, I was conflicted on buying, and starting this book. I recently read another adaptation of the tale of A Thousand and One Nights, A Thousand Nights, which let me down so much. Because of that, I was wary that I would also dislike The Wrath and the Dawn, but, as I said earlier, I loved this! The characters were so unique, and left me with some conflicting feelings. Shazi was truly the best protagonist this book could've had - she was feisty, strong, and a little bit vulnerable. She knew what she wanted, and fought with herself over her feelings toward Khalid - just how I'd imagine anyone would be. When faced with difficult situations, she stood her ground, and everyone loved her more for it, especially Khalid.

Now, Khalid, he was wonderful. I know I should really hate him for killing so many wives, but I honestly loved him from the get go. As we saw him through Shazi's eyes, we discovered more about him, and why he was how he was. I found him swoony, and somewhat sweet, and I fangirled at every interaction between him and Shazi - which I'll get to later. Tariq, Shazi's 'other' love interest, was a bust. I found myself bored during his chapters, and the more I read about him, the more I disliked him. I couldn't see him as a viable suitor for Shazi, and found him underestimating her too much. I really hope there is less of him in the sequel, The Rose and the Dagger, but don't think there will be.

The romance of this book was as swoonworthy as I expected. Like I said, whenever Shazi and Khalid shared a scene, I was ready to fangirl. I truly loved them, and they are yet another couple to add to my growing list of OTPs. I am extremely invested in their relationship, and need more of them in The Rose and the Dagger. I feel as though my heart was ripped out of my body at some parts of this book, and was ready to cry at times - and I'm not normally a emotional reader.

All in all, this was a perfect book. If you, like me, were a bit wary about reading The Wrath and the Dawn, let go of all your wariness, and get your hands on a copy as soon as you can. I am in awe of Ahdieh's writing style, and can't wait to read more in the future. I think I'm going to have some book hangover after this book, and don't know how I can over come this - if you have any advice, please let me know!

Dates Read:
October 3-5, 2015

Rating
5 Stars

All In

Waiting on Wednesday: All In (The Naturals #3) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

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2 Stars

ARC Review: A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston

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A Thousand Nights
Series: None
Author: E.K. Johnston
Published October 22nd 2015 by Macmillan Children's Books

Goodreads Synopsis
LO-MELKHIIN KILLED THREE HUNDRED GIRLS before he came to her village, looking for a wife. When she sees the dust cloud on the horizon, she knows he has arrived. She knows he will want the loveliest girl: her sister. She vows she will not let her be next.

And so she is taken in her sister’s place, and she believes death will soon follow. Lo-Melkhiin’s court is a dangerous palace filled with pretty things: intricate statues with wretched eyes, exquisite threads to weave the most beautiful garments. She sees everything as if for the last time. But the first sun rises and sets, and she is not dead. Night after night, Lo-Melkhiin comes to her and listens to the stories she tells, and day after day she is awoken by the sunrise. Exploring the palace, she begins to unlock years of fear that have tormented and silenced a kingdom. Lo-Melkhiin was not always a cruel ruler. Something went wrong.

Far away, in their village, her sister is mourning. Through her pain, she calls upon the desert winds, conjuring a subtle unseen magic, and something besides death stirs the air.

Back at the palace, the words she speaks to Lo-Melkhiin every night are given a strange life of their own. Little things, at first: a dress from home, a vision of her sister. With each tale she spins, her power grows. Soon she dreams of bigger, more terrible magic: power enough to save a king, if she can put an end to the rule of a monster.
Goodreads

Review

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

As soon as I heard about this book, I was immediately intrigued. The synopsis was one that blew me away in a matter of a few sentences. I don't think I've ever requested a book via NetGalley as quick as I did this time.

A Thousand Nights is based on the tale of A Thousand and One Nights, though I don't know much about this. In this book, the king, Lo-Melkhiin, has been marrying hundreds of girls, all of whom have died shortly after the marriage. The protagonist of the story, who has no name (and issue I'll get to later), offers herself up as his newest bride, to ensure her sister's safety. Somehow, she survives night after night, and discovers a magic that is linking her and Lo-Melkhiin. She is becoming a sort of demigod in her own right, and may just be the only one who can bring down the king.

Right, well to get to the first issue I had: there are no names. Honestly, I think maybe three names have been mentioned in a 300+ page book, and the only memorable one was Lo-Melkhiin's. The main character has no name, her sister is referred to as her sister, same with her parent's, her brothers, etc. Lo-Melkhiin's mother is, unimaginatively named, 'Lo-Melkhiin's mother'. At first, I thought I was just being a bit unobservant, but soon realised it wasn't my fault. Because of this, the characters aren't really that memorable. In weeks, months, years, to come, I won't be able to remember much about them.

Secondly, though this may be my fault, the story seemed to lack something. Perhaps the original story doesn't have much happening, and it couldn't really be added to. I would have liked to learn more about the world the characters were living in, and more of their traditions. The main plot line was the protagonist caring about her sister. She never really tried to learn more about the city/qasr she moved to, or about the girls who came before her. Yes, she was sorry they died, but that was about it. Her sister took up all of her thoughts, and the magic she had helped her do this.

Thirdly, there's next to no romance, even though it's implied. The protagonist's actions at the end of the book are supposed to come from love with her captor, but it's not really there. It's all rushed, and forced. As is the ending. Nothing really happens for 80-90% of the book, and then, in the climax, every happens. I couldn't exactly keep up with what was happening here. I am glad with the very last chapter, though, and that definitely helped to tie up the story. The magic between these two wasn't really explained either, though that also helped to keep the story entertaining.

A Thousand Nights definitely had an interesting premise, though it fell short of this. I'm really disappointed in it, and wish I hadn't hyped it up as much. Some people will love this book; other's will not. It's one I don't regret reading, but just wish it was more.

Dates Read:
August 13-14, 2015

Rating
2 Stars

Blitz

Release Day Blitz: Wolf By Wolf by Ryan Graudin (+US giveaway)

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I am so excited that WOLF BY WOLF by Ryan Graudin releases today and that I get to share the news, along with an awesome giveaway!

If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by Ryan, be sure to check out all the details below.

This blitz also includes a giveaway for a signed finished copy of the book with a special WOLF BY WOLF pin! US only. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

Special intro from the author:

"Once upon a different time, there was a girl who lived in a kingdom of death. Wolves howled up her arm. A whole pack of them--made of tattoo ink and pain, memory and loss. It was the only thing about her that ever stayed the same.

Her story begins on a train."

And so begins the story of Yael, a girl who can change her appearance to mimic any other female. A girl who must win a 20,000 kilometer cross-continental motorcycle race from Germania to Tokyo so that she can have an audience with Adolf Hitler. A girl who has every intention of killing him.

Whenever I describe the premise of WOLF BY WOLF to people, the reactions I get are quite similar. It's the "are-you-insane-or-are-you-onto-something" face: dropped jaw, squiggly eyebrows. I must admit, I felt many of those same feelings when I first started penning Yael's story. Alternate history + sci-fi + epic motorcycle journey felt like a strange recipe for a novel. But I pushed through my fears and kept writing, and I couldn't be happier with the result. I, for one, don't think I'm insane, but I'll let you, dear reader, come up with your own conclusion.

Happy reading!

Ryan Graudin

About the Book:

Title: WOLF BY WOLF

Author: Ryan Graudin

Release Date: October 20, 2015

Pages: 400

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

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

Code Name Verity meets Inglourious Basterds in this fast-paced novel from the author of The Walled City.

The year is 1956, and the Axis powers of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan rule the world. To commemorate their Great Victory over Britain and Russia, Hitler and Emperor Hirohito host the Axis Tour: an annual motorcycle race across their conjoined continents. The victor is awarded an audience with the highly reclusive Adolf Hitler at the Victor's ball.

Yael, who escaped from a death camp, has one goal: Win the race and kill Hitler. A survivor of painful human experimentation, Yael has the power to skinshift and must complete her mission by impersonating last year's only female victor, Adele Wolfe. This deception becomes more difficult when Felix, Adele twin's brother, and Luka, her former love interest, enter the race and watch Yael's every move. But as Yael begins to get closer to the other competitors, can she bring herself to be as ruthless as she needs to be to avoid discovery and complete her mission?

About Ryan:

Ryan Graudin grew up in Charleston and graduated from the College of Charleston with a degree in Creative Writing in 2009. She is the author of All That Glows and The Walled City. She resides near Charleston with her husband and wolf-dog. You can find her online at www.ryangraudin.com.

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a signed finished copy of the book with a special WOLF BY WOLF pin. US Only.

Ends on October 26th at Midnight EST!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

October

Stacking the Shelves: October 17th 2015

10:00

4 Stars

Review: I Knew You Were Trouble (Jessie Jefferson #2) by Paige Toon

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I Knew You Were Trouble
Series: Jessie Jefferson #2
Author: Paige Toon
Published July 30th 2015 by Simon and Schuster

Goodreads Synopsis
Life as the undercover daughter of a rock god isn't going to be easy. How will Jessie adjust to her old boring life again after spending her summer living it up with her dad in LA? With tough decisions ahead (and not just choosing between two hot boys), can she cope juggling her two very different lives?
Summer may be over, but Jessie's story is just beginning…
Goodreads

Review
See my review of The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson.

As soon as I finished book 1, The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson, I immediately dived into this one. Now that Jessie knows just who her father is, and has bonded with him, returning to her old, ordinary life is a difficulty. Though the media and public are aware that Johnny Jefferson has a secret, teenage daughter, they don't know it's Jessie. Soon, however, that information is leaked to the press, and Jessie finds herself back on a plane to LA. Now that she understands the implications of being the daughter of a famous rock star, Jessie has a lot of thinking to do: does she move to LA permanently, or deal with the public scrutiny back at home.

I think I liked both books in the series equally, and am so happy to see that the Jefferson family unit is getting stronger and stronger every second. Meg could've been the stereotypical 'evil-stepmother', but she isn't, and her love for Jessie keeps growing. She honestly treats her the same as she does her biological children, though isn't trying to replace Jessie's late mother, Candy. Barney and Phoenix are just as cute as they were in book 1. What made everything so much better was how Johnny has really matured, and is trying as hard as he can to help Jessie, without being pushy about it. He knows she has an amazing voice, and is helping her train herself through her stage-fright.

On that note, Jessie really comes into her own in this book. I was pleasantly surprised with the majority of the decisions she made in I Knew You Were Trouble, though a few rubbed me the wrong way. Not to go into too much detail, I am really looking forward to seeing how these decisions pan out in book 3, which Toon mentions in her acknowledgements.

Though I've only discovered this series, I have become a quick fan of Toon's writing, and may try her adult books in the future. The Jessie Jefferson series is a wonderful UKYA contemporary series, and one I would recommend to lovers of that genre.

Dates Read:
September 9-11, 2015

Rating
4 Stars

October Summary

Stacking the Shelves: October 31st 2015

Review: The Fixer (The Fixer #1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Waiting on Wednesday: Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4) by Marissa Meyer

ARC Review: The Sister Pact by Stacie Ramey (+US/CAN giveaway)

Stacking the Shelves: October 24th 2015

Review: The Wrath and the Dawn (The Wrath and the Dawn #1) by Renee Ahdieh

Waiting on Wednesday: All In (The Naturals #3) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

ARC Review: A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston

Release Day Blitz: Wolf By Wolf by Ryan Graudin (+US giveaway)

Stacking the Shelves: October 17th 2015

Review: I Knew You Were Trouble (Jessie Jefferson #2) by Paige Toon

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