Sophie Reads YA: August 2016

Kerri Maniscalco

Waiting on Wednesday: Stalking Jack the Ripper (Stalking Jack the Ripper #1) by Kerri Maniscalco

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August

August Summary

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What I've read this month:

My Lady Jane

Series: None
Author: Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
Published September 1st 2016 by Walker Books
Read: August 1 2016
My Rating: 5 Stars

The Long Game
Series: The Fixer #2
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Published June 7th 2016 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Read: August 6-7 2016
My Rating: 5 Stars
Challenge: #RockMyTBR

This Savage Song
Series: Monsters of Verity #1
Author: V.E. Schwab
Published June 7th 2016 by Titan Books Ltd
Read: June 2-August 9 2016
My Rating: 0 Stars/Did Not Finish

An Ember in the Ashes
Series: An Ember in the Ashes #1
Author: Sabaa Tahir
Published June 4th 2015 by Harper Voyager
Read: July 27-August 9 2016
My Rating: 4 Stars
Challenge: #RockMyTBR

Frost Like Night
Series: Snow Like Ashes #3
Author: Sara Raasch
Published September 20th 2016 by Balzer + Bray
Read: August 10-11 2016
My Rating: 5 Stars

The Shadow Hour
Series: The Girl at Midnight #2
Author: Melissa Grey
Published July 12th 2016 by Atom
Read: August 12-16 2016
My Rating: 4 Stars

The Dark Days Club
Series: Lady Helen #1
Author: Alison Goodman
Published January 21st 2016 by Walker Books
Read: August 16-17 2016
My Rating: 4 Stars
Challenge: #RockMyTBR

Super Awkward
Series: None
Author: Beth Garrod
Published September 1st 2016 by Scholastic
Read: August 18-20 2016
My Rating: 4 Stars
Challenge: 2016 Debut Authors

Lock & Mori
Series: Lock & Mori #1
Author: Heather W. Petty
Published September 15th 2015 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Read: August 21 2016
My Rating: 5 Stars
Challenge: #RockMyTBR

The Gilded Cage
Series: None
Author: Lucinda Gray
Published August 2nd 2016 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Read: August 22-23 2016
My Rating: 3 Stars
Challenge: #RockMyTBR, 2016 Debut Authors

And I Darken
Series: The Conquerors Saga #1
Author: Kiersten White
Published July 7th 2016 by Corgi Childrens
Read: August 3-23 2016
My Rating: 4 Stars

The Secret City
Series: The Alchemist Chronicles #2
Author: C.J. Daugherty & Carina Rozenfeld
Published September 1st 2016 by Atom
Read: August 25-26 2016
My Rating: 5 Stars

Three Dark Crowns
Series: Three Dark Crowns #1
Author: Kendare Blake
Published September 22nd 2016 by Macmillan Children's Books
Read: August 21-29 2016
My Rating: 4 Stars

Did I Mention I Need You?
Series: The DIMILY Trilogy #2
Author: Estelle Maskame
Published March 1st 2016 by Sourcebooks Fire
Read: August 31 2016
My Rating: 4 Stars

Challenges Update:

2016 Debut Authors: 2 (19 total)
#RockMyTBR: 5 (34 total)

Summary:

I participated in ARC August this book, and think I've done fairly well, reading 9 ARCs. Starting next week, I'll be doing teacher training, so I reckon I won't have much time to read for pleasure :( At least I've made quite a dent in my ARC and TBR piles this month.

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

4 Stars

ARC Review: The Shadow Hour (The Girl at Midnight #2) by Melissa Grey

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The Shadow Hour
Series: The Girl at Midnight #2
Author: Melissa Grey
Published July 12th 2016 by Atom

Goodreads Summary
Everything in Echo's life changed in a blinding flash when she learned the startling truth: she is the firebird, the creature of light that is said to bring peace.

The firebird has come into the world, but it has not come alone. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, and Echo can feel a great and terrible darkness rising in the distance. Cosmic forces threaten to tear the world apart.

Echo has already lost her home, her family, and her boyfriend. Now, as the firebird, her path is filled with even greater dangers than the ones she's already overcome.

She knows the Dragon Prince will not fall without a fight.

Echo must decide: can she wield the power of her true nature--or will it prove too strong for her, and burn what's left of her world to the ground?

Welcome to the shadow hour.
Goodreads

Review
See my review of book 1, The Girl at Midnight.

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

I really enjoyed The Girl at Midnight when I read it last year, and couldn't wait to get my hands on book 2, so when I was sent a review copy, I was overjoyed. In The Shadow Hour, Echo and her merry bunch - Caius, Jasper, Ivy, and Dorian - are hiding out in an abandoned warehouse after the battle in Germany, in which Echo became the Firebird they had all been looking for. The only one from her old life at the Nest she's still in contact with is the Ala, and when the Nest is attacked by an evil that was unleashed when Echo came into her Firebird powers, they must search for a cure to the poison that was spread, as well as a way to defeat the evil. However, all is not as it seems. Caius' twin sister, Tanith, the new Dragon Prince, is also searching for Echo, and for the darkness, for her own nefarious means.

One thing I do have to mention, I forgot so much of The Girl at Midnight, that I struggled with the first few chapters of this book, until I went and read some reviews. There's no sort of recap at the beginning, like you sometimes find in sequels, and I think that was a mistake in this case. However, once the proper action and plot kicked in, it was easy to keep up.

The characters were really fun to read. Echo was a bit difficult at times, but having the voices of all the previous Firebirds in her head, and the realisation that it may have been her fault that the evil, sort of Firebird twin was released, made it understandable. Caius and Echo's relationship had developed, and they were sort of on the precipice of a true relationship, until Echo's ex, Rowan, had to swoop in and ruin it all. I wasn't a fan of him in book 1, and he didn't do much to redeem himself this time around either. He tries to 'claim' Echo, calling her his girlfriend, especially when Caius is around, though they'd definitely broke up. I found the whole love triangle aspect annoying and frustrating, and seriously hope that doesn't continue in book 3. The other characters, especially Jasper and Dorian, were a breeze to read, and they made up for the annoyingness of Rowan.

The plot, though, made up for the issues mentioned above. I can see how this book is setting up the action for book 3, and be warned, there is another awful cliffhanger. Hopefully the wait for book 3 won't be too long, and I do hope there's a recap this time around, or else I'll probably have to resort to finding and reading reviews beforehand. A solid sequel, though not perfect. I'm still looking forward to the conclusion of the series though.

Dates Read:

August 12-16, 2016

Rating
4 Stars

ARC August

ARC August Update: 28th August 2016

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August

Stacking the Shelves: August 27th 2016

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#RockMyTBR 2016 Challenge

Review: I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios

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I'll Meet You There
Series: None
Author: Heather Demetrios
Published February 3rd 2015 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

Goodreads Synopsis
If seventeen-year-old Skylar Evans were a typical Creek View girl, her future would involve a double-wide trailer, a baby on her hip, and the graveyard shift at Taco Bell. But after graduation, the only thing standing between straightedge Skylar and art school are three minimum-wage months of summer. Skylar can taste the freedom—that is, until her mother loses her job and everything starts coming apart. Torn between her dreams and the people she loves, Skylar realizes everything she’s ever worked for is on the line.

Nineteen-year-old Josh Mitchell had a different ticket out of Creek View: the Marines. But after his leg is blown off in Afghanistan, he returns home, a shell of the cocksure boy he used to be. What brings Skylar and Josh together is working at the Paradise—a quirky motel off California’s dusty Highway 99. Despite their differences, their shared isolation turns into an unexpected friendship and soon, something deeper.
Goodreads

Review
I bought this book last year, the same time as I bought Demetrios' Something Real, and for some reason, it's been sitting on my shelves, gathering dust, until now. Wow, I wish I could go back to when I first bought it, and tell myself to read it ASAP, it was fantastic.

In I'll Meet You There, Skylar Evans is looking forward to finishing her last summer at home, before she moves out of the deadbeat town she lives in, to her new college in San Francisco. She's been working in the local motel all through high school, and is trying to save up all she can before her big move. Local boy Josh Mitchell, who'd been a bit of a hell-raiser before joining the Marines and deploying to Afghanistan, has returned home after being injured and losing a leg. He starts back at work at the motel, and him and Skylar grow closer, though both know they are facing their own issues.

Having previously read Demetrios' Something Real, I knew I was a fan of her writing style, and had been told that this book was nothing like the other. In I'll Meet You There, it's a lot more serious, and emotional. I felt a whole plethora a emotions reading this, and know that other people were the same. There are a ton of really serious, and relevant, issues covered in the book, such as PTSD, loss of limbs, problematic family dynamics, poverty, homelessness, etc. And none of these were trivialised. Having grown up during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and having family members in the military, I feel like I've grown up hearing about some of these issues. Though I haven't personally known anyone in a similar situation to Josh, he seems to be just like people I've heard about, and it's not a simple problem. It's serious, and Demetrios has faced this issue seriously, and extremely well.

However, it wasn't only Josh who had his own issues. Skylar's family life is not good - he dad died due to a drink driving incident, and her mam hasn't coped with it well. She's the main breadwinner, and needs her job to keep the family afloat. When her and her mam butt heads one too many times, she leaves, and ends up living in the motel she works at. Both of the characters have burdens, and they combat them as best they can.

The romance was extremely swoony, and developed perfectly. Neither try to 'fix' the other, as they both understand that they're the only person able to do so. It wasn't a case, like in a lot of YA books, where falling in love can be the solution to all your problems - having another person there to talk to was perfect for each character, but each still had their issues, and dealt with them personally.

The character growth from start to finish was amazing. We really saw each character grow, and heal, and it was something they did themselves, with some help from one another. All of the story lines were beautiful in their own right, but once they were brought together, and concluded, the story was epic. This book is one I'd definitely recommend, and I can't wait to read more of Demetrios' work in the future.

Dates Read:
July 2-5, 2016

Rating
4 Stars

Brodi Ashton

Waiting on Wednesday: Diplomatic Immunity by Brodi Ashton

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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:

Diplomatic Immunity
Series: None
Author: Brodi Ashton
Published September 6th 2016 by Balzer + Bray

Goodreads Summary
Aspiring reporter Piper Baird decides to write a scathing exposé on the overprivileged students at an elite Washington, DC, school, only for her life to change when she begins to fall for the story's main subject, in this new realistic contemporary romance from Brodi Ashton, the author of the Everneath trilogy.

Raucous parties, privileged attitudes, underage drinking, and diplomatic immunity...it’s all part of student life on Embassy Row.

Piper Baird has always dreamed of becoming a journalist. So when she scores a scholarship to exclusive Chiswick Academy in Washington, DC, she knows it’s her big opportunity. Chiswick offers the country’s most competitive prize for teen journalists—the Bennington scholarship—and winning will ensure her acceptance to one of the best schools in the country.

Piper isn’t at Chiswick for two days before she witnesses the intense competition in the journalism program—and the extreme privilege of the young and wealthy elite who attend her school. And Piper knows access to these untouchable students just might give her the edge she’ll need to blow the lid off life at the school in a scathing and unforgettable exposé worthy of the Bennington.

The key to the whole story lies with Rafael Amador, the son of the Spanish ambassador—and the boy at the center of the most explosive secrets and scandals on Embassy Row. Rafael is big trouble—and when he drops into her bedroom window one night, asking for help, it’s Piper’s chance to get the full scoop. But as they spend time together, Piper discovers that despite his dark streak, Rafael is smart, kind, funny, and gorgeous—and she might have real feelings for him. How can she break the story of a lifetime if it could destroy the boy she just might love?

Goodreads

Why I'm waiting:

I haven't read any of Brodi's books yet, but I've always heard good things about them. This book sounds perfect for me, and seems to be the perfect mix up of Ally Carter and Jennifer Lynn Barnes - two of my favourite authors. I think I'll be adding this to my wishlist.

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

5 Stars

ARC Review: My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

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My Lady Jane
Series: None
Author: Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
Published September 1st 2016 by Walker Books

Goodreads Synopsis
A comical, fantastical and witty re-imagining of the Tudor world, perfect for fans of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Lady Jane Grey, sixteen, is about to be married to a total stranger - and caught up in an insidious plot to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But that's the least of Jane's problems. She's about to become Queen of England. Like that could go wrong.
Goodreads

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

I'd heard so much about this book back in April/May time. The US ARC reviews were starting to come in, and every single one loved the book. When I heard that Walker would be publishing the UK edition, I immediately requested a copy, and was overjoyed when I heard I was approved. Literally, as soon as the book dropped through my letter box, I had it open, and didn't put it down until it was finished.

My Lady Jane follows the tumultuous time in which Lady Jane Grey became the nine day Queen of England. However, it's quite a fictionalised account. In reality, Edward VI died, and his chief minister, the Duke of Northumberland, organised for his daughter-in-law, Jane, to become queen, over Edward's sister Mary. Mary, not pleased with this development, organised an army, and took back the throne and Jane was executed in nine days. The true history is quite bleak; not the case in this book. While a lot of the dating, etc., is true, the main change is that there are the presence of a group of people, the Eðians, whom can shape shift into various animals. These Eðians have been persecuted in the past, but when Henry VIII reveals himself to be one, whom becomes a Lion, he breaks with the Verity Church at Rome, and England becomes a land for Eðians. Basically, the protestants of the time are now Eðians, and Catholics are Verities - that's how I looked at it. Lord Dudley, the Duke of Northumberland, orchestrated for the marriage between Jane and his youngest son, Gifford - also known as G - and then began poisoning the king to pave the way for a Dudley succession. The main issues, G was an Eðian, and spent all his time from dawn til dusk as a horse - not the best way to begin a marriage. G and Jane soon become close, even though they began their marriage hating each other, and everything seemed to be going great, until the announcement that Jane was now Queen.

First things first, can we just acknowledge the dedication:

I think I speak on behalf of England, that you are forgiven. If our history was really like this, so many more people would enjoy it. The Tudor period is my favourite era, and I loved this new look into it. BTW, history skims far too much over Jane, when really, more should be done to research her story.

Every single character we met in the book, some I know from history, and others new characters, were exactly like I'd imagine them to be.

Edward was a bit sexist, and couldn't really do much for himself, but considering he'd been king since he was 9, and raised like a god simply because he had a XY chromosome, instead of XX.
Mary was stuck up, and totally against the Eðians - just like the real life Mary I, known as Bloody Mary, who relished in the executions and burning of so-called Protestant heretics.
Bess was carefree and kind, who loved her siblings, even if they didn't like her back. She was snarky, and had her own free will - exactly like she was when she was the Virgin Queen. I've just finished a module all about Elizabeth, and she's my favourite monarch we've ever had, so I'll always have a bit of a soft spot for her, but the authors did her justice, I think.
Jane and G, I didn't know much about, but they worked, perfectly. Jane was bookish, and well learnt - she knew she would have to marry eventually, being the great granddaughter of Henry VII, and all. Her previous engagements had all fallen apart, and she expected this one to be no different. However, they still married, without ever seeing each other before. She only discovered G was a horse Eðian the day after the wedding, when he suddenly change in front of her. G never thought he'd marry, due to the whole horse thing, but his and Jane's marriage began rough, but grew better as the time past. Their romance was a gradual one, but very swoony, and even when it seemed like everything was against them, they overcame all the odds, and won.

Really, I didn't know much about this book going in, but now, I wish I had it earlier. I finished it in just a few hours, and I already want to re-read it again. Of the three authors, I've only read books by one of them, but I'll be rectifying this soon enough. The Lady Janies have such a way with words, and the amount of references - Game of Thrones, Princess Bride, Monty Python, etc. - and 4th wall made the reading experience even better - if that's possible. They've announced they'll be writing more 'Jane' stories in the future, this time about Jane Eyre and Calamity Jane, and I can't wait to read them.

Tl;dr, it was amazing, buy it!

Dates Read:
August 1, 2016

Rating
5 Stars

ARC August

ARC August Update: 21st August 2016

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August

Stacking the Shelves: August 20th 2016

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3 Stars

Review: Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik

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Epic Fail
Series: None
Author: Claire LaZebnik
Published August 2nd 2011 by HarperTeen

Goodreads Summary
At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you. Case in point:

- As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school--not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects.
- As the daughter of the new principal, Elise Benton isn't exactly on everyone's must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list.

When Elise's beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince's best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl on campus. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant. But in this hilarious tale of fitting in and flirting, not all snubs are undeserved, not all celebrity brats are bratty, and pride and prejudice can get in the way of true love for only so long.
Goodreads

Review
You'll probably be sick of hearing me say this, but any book that has any sort of connection to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is bound to get on my radar. So when I heard about this, I downloaded the book, and immediately got onto it.

In Epic Fail, Elise Benton and her sisters start at the prestigious Coral Tree Prep School when their mam is given the headteacher position. Elise and Juliana are flung into the snobby and snarky lifestyle of the LA Elite, and they're at a disadvantage that their parents are teachers, and not celebrities. They meet Derek Edwards, son of two of the most famous Hollywood actors, who is aloof and shy around new people. Immediately Elise and Derek butt heads, and she finds herself growing close to Webster Grant, who seems to have a history with Derek.

This book did stay fairly true to the original story. Based in the star flung LA scene, the characters are understandably quite full of themselves, especially those with famous family. I wasn't too keen on Elise, though, she didn't have the strong and endearing personality that we all know and love from Elizabeth Bennet. Derek, on the other hand, was a perfect Darcy figure, and he made the book worth reading.

Really, the book, though enjoyable, fell a bit flat, and was really short. I feel like a lot of the original story, like Mr Collins and Colonel Fitzwilliam, were missing, and they could have been added in somewhere. It did appease my Pride and Prejudice fix, but I wouldn't be in a hurry to read it again.

Dates Read:

June 16-17, 2016

Rating
3 Stars