It's in the rain...and just one drop will kill you.
They don't believe it at first. Crowded in Zach's kitchen, Ruby and the rest of the partygoers laugh at Zach's parents' frenzied push to get them all inside as it starts to drizzle. But then the radio comes on with the warning, "It's in the rain! It's fatal, it's contagious, and there's no cure."
Two weeks later, Ruby is alone. Anyone who's been touched by rain or washed their hands with tap water is dead. The only drinkable water is quickly running out. Ruby's only chance for survival is a treacherous hike across the country to find her father-if he's even still alive.
H20 is a rather unique apocalyptic tale of what would happen if the rain - all of the rain - suddenly became deadly, told from the point of view of a slightly odd 15 year old. Ruby is a fairly typical teen, mostly interested in boys and make-up however some of her choices do come across as odd later on, but can be forgiven considering the circumstances.
I originally read this a couple of years ago as The Rain, the original English book. I purchased the US hardbacks to add to my collection but they don't quite work as well as the UK books, due to a few strange choices to make them 'fit' with a US audience - the most notable of which was Ruby calling 911 for the emergency services. It's no wonder she didn't get through - it's 999 in England.
There's plenty happening and enough plot twists that kept me reading right the way through and the concept of KILLER RAIN is simply genius. Plus I learnt a whole bunch about cloud formations. The deaths of the people around Ruby were suitable grisly too, you need some seriously gruesome deaths in books like these. I think anyone would wish that the point of view was from Darius instead. He was kind and intelligent, with enough qualities that would make a great main character, wheras Ruby only had her moments.
It'll be interesting to see where Ruby ends up next and what trouble (or shops) she finds herself in. It looks like the army features heavily in the next story which is an apocalyptic stereotype that does bore me - it's so, so overdone. So we'll see.
Tonight The Streets Are Our by Leila Sales Book Review
Recklessly loyal.
That’s how seventeen-year-old Arden Huntley has always thought of herself. Caring for her loved ones is what gives Arden purpose in her life and makes her feel like she matters. But lately she’s grown resentful of everyone—including her needy best friend and her absent mom - taking her loyalty for granted.
Then Arden stumbles upon a website called Tonight the Streets Are Ours, the musings of a young New York City writer named Peter, who gives voice to feelings that Arden has never known how to express. He seems to get her in a way that no one else does, and he hasn’t even met her.
Until Arden sets out on a road trip to find him.
During one crazy night out in New York City 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.
Arden always seems to find herself having to look after someone - first Lindsay, the free spirited girl she finds in her woods as a child, then her brother after her mom ups and leaves one day. Covering for Lindsay when pot is found stashed in Arden's locker, Arden starts questioning her role in other people's lives and just how happy she is, leading to a split second decision to drive to New York in pursuit of a blogger she feels needs her help too. One wild night later and nothing will ever be the same again.
Tonight The Streets Are Ours was yet another cover buy for me (and I'm a complete sucker for the two magical words ROAD TRIP). I enjoyed it but I can't deny that at the same time I felt that it could be better. The actual road trip didn't start until two thirds of the way in, and a lot of the story was told from the perspective of Arden, recalling past events - which is something I hardly even enjoy reading. Once the road trip itself got going it really picked up, with an ending that makes this a great, fluffy read for a long afternoon in the sun. Everything was wrapped up well and included one of my favourite things - a glimpse of the characters in the future.
I first read The Winner’s Curse back in 2014 and completely fell in love. Two years later, my favourite quote is still, “You don’t, Kestrel, even though the god of lies loves you.” It’s a really clever quote that has so much meaning when you read the book and subtle references to other parts or books is found throughout the series. The Winner’s Trilogy is a clever crafted, wonderful series that will stay with me for a long time.
The Winner’s Curse introduces us to Kestrel and Arin’s world and the strict stigma around relationships between Valorians and Herrani, who became slaves to the Valorians years ago when they destroyed the country and took the Herrani homes for themselves. Expected to fight for her country and marry, Kestrel struggles with what she really wants in this story, leading to a truly epic conclusion that will change the world forever.
The Winner’s Crime sees Kestel seperated from Arin and living in the Emperor’s Palace. Arin makes only a couple of apparancesand the romantic tensions hits an all time high. No filler in this middle book too, this book is even better than the first with it’s politic games and contant tension as Kestrel risks her life once again.
The Winner’s Kiss brings war to forefront, as Kestrel battles to recover her memory and Arin battles to bring down the Emperor and Kestrel’s father. Honestly, the battles dragged on a little for me but again it all worked beautifully and I raced through it in just a few days. It was an incredible ending to an incredible series.
I’ve been blogging since around 2012 but *sidles up to you and whispers* I’ve never done a bookshelf tour. Part of it was due to laziness but the biggest part was simply really bad lighting. No-one wants to see dark grainy photos of bookshelves where you can barely make out the titles.
To cut a long story short, I recently moved and I’m dealing with a much smaller bookshelf - and lots and lots of fresh air, gorgeous scenery and LIGHT. So much light! I don’t know what to do with it all. Dancing in the street naked was one consideration...
The Top Shelf
If you don’t have dangly glowing things (I got mine from Primark in the UK) or bunting, you’re missing out because it improves a bookshelf 1000% I swear. Adorable ornaments also help! As for the books, I’m sure most of you have already spotted my shiny new copy of The Unexpected Everything. The book you can’t quite see next to it is called The Incident On The Bridge and looks to be a very cool, creepy read. After seeing that there is going to be yet another addition to the Maze Runner series (The Fever Code), I decided to invest in some hardbacks. They came with a rather crumpled poster which is tacked to my wall.
The Middle Shelf
My set of recently finished Winner’s Curse books are being very closely guarded by my Hannibal Funko Pop. One of THE BEST series I’ve ever read. Behind him are four books I bought on a whim, The Dark Days Club, Wolf By Wolf and Rebel Of The Sands I saw on Instagram and fell in love. The Square Root Of Summer I spotted when I was creating a New Release post. In a bid to try and read the most popular series on the internet (tm), I’ve found City of Ashes and City Of Lost Souls. Still searching for the others cheap.
The Bottom Shelf
I recently got over-excited when I found two massive pinecones on the ground so naturally I took them home with me. Everything is bigger in the country, particularly seagulls. Terrifying. I recently purchased a whole set of Song Quest books in perfect condition for... £3! They were a charity shop find and I’m so happy. Cait from PaperFury posted overexcited things about Maggie Steifvater so much that I decided to buy The Raven Boys and there’s so much Percy Jackson around that I decided to try that too. I’m very easily pursuaded when it comes to books.
Love: I purchased Devil And The Bluebird immediately, the story of a girl who makes a deal with the devil to find her lost sister’s soul sounds amazingl! I nearly bought Some Kind Of Happiness too, as I grew up on The Magic Faraway Tree, it reminds me of that. I’m fascinated by the idea of a child growing up in a plastic hospital bubble and Bubble Boy has already earned plenty of 5 star reviews.
Like: Three unusual books on this list this week - a tale of a girl floating through space in The Loneliness Of Distant Beings, another girl floats through dreams in Places No One Knows and there’s some boys don’t need no parents in The Boys Of Fire And Ash.
Unsure: 100 Days Of Cake looks amazing but sounds angsty. Really angsty. Meanwhile The Crystal Run reminds me of a boy called Thomas. Chantress Fury is the third book in the Chantress series about... I have no idea. Sirens? It doesn’t particularly appeal to me.
100 Days Of Cake by Shari Goldhagen
There are only three things that can get seventeen-year-old Molly Byrne out of bed these days: her job at FishTopia, the promise of endless episodes of Golden Girls, and some delicious lo mien. You see, for the past two years, Molly’s been struggling with something more than your usual teenage angst. Her shrink, Dr. Brooks isn’t helping much, and neither is her mom who is convinced that baking the perfect cake will cure Molly of her depression—as if cake can magically make her rejoin the swim team, get along with her promiscuous sister, or care about the SATs.
Um, no. Never going to happen.
But Molly plays along, stomaching her mother’s failed culinary experiments, because, whatever—as long as it makes someone happy, right? Besides, as far as Molly’s concerned, hanging out with Alex at the rundown exotic fish store makes life tolerable enough. Even if he does ask her out every…single…day. But—sarcastic drum roll, please—nothing can stay the same forever. When Molly finds out FishTopia is turning into a bleak country diner, her whole life seems to fall apart at once. Soon she has to figure out what—if anything—is worth fighting for.
The Boys Of Fire And Ash by Meaghan McIsaac
Abandoned at birth, the Brothers of the Ikkuma Pit know no mothers. They fend for themselves, each training their Little Brother to survive until they turn sixteen, when it’s their Leaving Day. No boy knows what’s beyond the forest. But when Urgle’s Little Brother, Cubby, is carried off by troll-like predators, Urgle and two of his Brothers embark on a quest to rescue him from a place from which no one has ever returned.
The Bubble Boy by Stewart Foster
They call it a crash when the blood goes from my head to my feet, pours out into the room and drains through a hole in the middle of the floor. They call it a crash when the walls start spinning and the pictures blur. Then the ceiling turns black and the floor turns black and I don't know which way I'm facing any more.
Eleven-year-old Joe can't remember a life outside of his hospital room, with its beeping machines and view of London's rooftops. His condition means he's not allowed outside, not even for a moment, and his few visitors risk bringing life-threatening germs inside his 'bubble'. But then someone new enters his world and changes it for ever.
Chantress Fury by Amy Butler Greenfield (Book #3)
The sea is coming. We are coming. And we will drown you all.
With a song, Lucy can control the wind and the water; she can bring castles and kingdoms to their feet. Since Lucy mastered her powers, King Henry has kept her close as he’s rebuilt England. She’s his best ally—and his workhorse. And now he’s called her to investigate attempted murder: His men claim they were almost killed on the Thames…by a mermaid. All Lucy can glean from the creature they’ve captured is a warning: The sea is coming. We are coming. And we will drown you all.
And then the floods begin. Swaths of London are submerged as the people scramble to defend themselves against the water—and the monsters—that are flooding their streets. As mistrust of Lucy's magic grows, the king relies on Nat, Lucy's great love, to guide them through the storm. But Nat is cold and distant to Lucy. He swore his love only a year before, and now he calls her “stranger.”
Lucy is determined to defeat this powerful new magic alone if she must. But then she hears an eerie song within the water…can it mean that she’s not the last Chantress after all?
The Crystal Run by Sheila O’Flanagan
On a typical afternoon, teenage Joe is being chased by bullies from school when he accidentally runs through a portal to another world. He finds himself in a training camp for a group of teenage boys and girls who will become Runners.
Each cycle, three Runners are sent to place the power sources that will secure the shield that protects their land, Carcassia, and keeps the enemy Kabanians at bay. Once they've achieved their objective, a toxin is released into their bodies and they die. No one is permitted to return through the shield. And nobody can remain in the enemy territory.
Joe is sent on the next Run, accompanying the Runner, Kaia. He is hoping that he will find a way back to earth - much to Kaia's annoyance, as she is focused only on her goal. Gradually, a delicate friendship develops between the two, and Joe wonders if he can save Kaia as well as himself. But as they pursue their Run, Kaia and Joe come to question the histories they've been given, and the ambition of their enemy. The Run suddenly become more dangerous than anyone could have envisaged.
Devil And The Bluebird by Jennifer Mason-Black
Blue Riley has wrestled with her own demons ever since the loss of her mother to cancer. But when she encounters a beautiful devil at her town crossroads, it’s her runaway sister’s soul she fights to save. The devil steals Blue’s voice—inherited from her musically gifted mother—in exchange for a single shot at finding Cass.
Armed with her mother’s guitar, a knapsack of cherished mementos, and a pair of magical boots, Blue journeys west in search of her sister. When the devil changes the terms of their deal, Blue must reevaluate her understanding of good and evil and open herself to finding family in unexpected places.
The Loneliness Of Distant Beings by Kate Ling
Even though she knows it's impossible, Seren longs to have the sunshine on her skin. It's something she feels she needs to stay sane. But when you're floating through space at thousands of kilometres an hour, sometimes you have to accept there are things you cannot change.
Except that the arrival of Dom in her life changes everything in ways she can barely comprehend. For a while he becomes the Sun for her; and she can't help but stay in his orbit. Being with him flaunts every rule designed to keep their home in order, but to lose him would be like losing herself.
In the end they must decide what is most important: loyalty to the only home they've ever known, or to each other?
Places No-One Knows by Brenna Yovanoff
Waverly Camdenmar spends her nights running until she can’t even think. Then the sun comes up, life goes on, and Waverly goes back to her perfectly hateful best friend, her perfectly dull classes, and the tiny, nagging suspicion that there’s more to life than student council and GPAs.
Marshall Holt is a loser. He drinks on school nights and gets stoned in the park. He is at risk of not graduating, he does not care, he is no one. He is not even close to being in Waverly’s world.
But then one night Waverly falls asleep and dreams herself into Marshall’s bedroom—and when the sun comes up, nothing in her life can ever be the same. In Waverly’s dreams, the rules have changed. But in her days, she’ll have to decide if it’s worth losing everything for a boy who barely exists.
Some Kind Of Happiness by Claire Legrand
THINGS FINLEY HART DOESN’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT
• Her parents, who are having problems. (But they pretend like they’re not.)
• Being sent to her grandparents’ house for the summer.
• Never having met said grandparents.
• Her blue days—when life feels overwhelming, and it’s hard to keep her head up. (This happens a lot.)
Finley’s only retreat is the Everwood, a forest kingdom that exists in the pages of her notebook. Until she discovers the endless woods behind her grandparents’ house and realizes the Everwood is real--and holds more mysteries than she'd ever imagined, including a family of pirates that she isn’t allowed to talk to, trees covered in ash, and a strange old wizard living in a house made of bones.
With the help of her cousins, Finley sets out on a mission to save the dying Everwood and uncover its secrets. But as the mysteries pile up and the frightening sadness inside her grows, Finley realizes that if she wants to save the Everwood, she’ll first have to save herself.
The Dark Missions Of Edgar Brim by Shane Peacock Book Review
Edgar Brim is a sensitive orphan who, exposed to horror stories from his father as a young child, is afraid of almost everything and suffers from nightly terrors. His stern new guardian, Mr. Thorne, sends the boy to a gloomy school in Scotland where his dark demons only seem to worsen and he is bullied and ridiculed for his fears. But years later, when sixteen-year-old Edgar finds a journal belonging to his novelist father, he becomes determined to confront his nightmares and the bullies who taunt him. After the horrific death of a schoolmate, Edgar becomes involved with an eccentric society at the urging of a mysterious professor who believes that monsters from famous works of literature are real and whose mandate is to find and destroy these creatures. With the aid of a rag-tag crew of friends, the fear-addled teen sets about on his dark mission, one that begins in the cemetery on the bleak Scottish moors and ends in a spine-chilling climax on the stage of the Royal Lyceum Theatre in London with Henry Irving, the infamous and magnetic actor, and his manager, Bram Stoker, the author of the most frightening and sensational novel of the day, Dracula. Can Edgar Brim truly face his terror and conquer his fears?
Told from the perspective of Edgar Brim, a boy who is relentlessly pursued by a hag who likes to sit on his chest and slowly sufforcate him, this is a gothic tale of his time at school after his father passes away, where he discovers all things that go bump in the night. Edgar think he’s just ordinary until he meets Professor Lear, who shows him the darker side of the school.
The Dark Missions Of Edgar Brim is a good book but it’s not a great book. I think what really let it down was the use of present tense which doesn’t work well for any book, for me. That combined with the cardboard characters Lucy and Jonathan and some weird sexism, by the time I got to the half way point in this book I was too invested to stop reading, but really wanted to.
The first half was really, really good. I was invested in Edgar’s story and I wanted to find out if the hag was real, or if it was just a figment of his imagination. However the second half was just confusing. The introduction of Lear’s relatives added nothing to the story because they had zero personality besides the female being scared and the male being macho. Tiger faded so far into the background that I forgot she was there and I still have no idea what was going on with the hag situation.
You might like this book if you like This Dark Endeavor, or Cirque Du Freak. I did get the feeling that it was a little too young for me, even though I haven’t had this problem with middle grade books. It does have a great, gothic feel to it that kept me reading and Edgar is easily the best character in the story too.
Received free from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
What is magic? What is illusion? What is real? Step into the extraordinary world of Sam Khaan, who has just discovered a witch doctor's notebook in her attic. Convinced that it belongs to her long-lost father - the son of a witch doctor - she sets out on a journey to discover the answers to these questions. In her encounters with diviners and healers, conjurers and mystics, Sam learns the truth about magic the hard way. Here is your chance to take a far easier route.
This is a really cleverly written, slightly bizarre adventure story about a girl who goes in search of her long-missing father, with an Orangutan and a crazy cat lady for company. The very first and last chapter address you, the reader, it quickly grabbed my attention and sucked me into Sam's story. I have the UK edition, which is a beautiful paperback edition with a dust jacket that reveals a list of names on a battered notebook once removed, it's one of my favourite books on my shelf.
Set in 1985, this really could be set in any era as there's really nothing to link it to that year, which almost adds to the mystery of it. Sam lives with her contortionist aunt Candy, who tells her story after story about how her father ran away because he didn't want her, each story becoming increasingly ridiculous. The final straw comes when Candy sends Lola, the pet Orangutan, away to an animal testing lab and Sam escapes her childhood home to rescue her. Having no family left to turn to she follows her father's footsteps in the hope to find him.
Three questions - What is magic? What is illusion? What is real? - are what started Sam's father on his quest and follow us throughout the book. Sam's father came from a line of Witch Doctors, while Sam grew up learning magic tricks and sleight of hand, which are a common appearance during her journey. There's a vivid cast of characters and random occurances as well as a great ending (this is a standalone) and it will be staying on my shelves for a long time, between re-reads.
There’s so many amazing books being released this week that I had a hard time choosing just 9 - but here’s the books that made me want to hit the “checkout” button the most. Blurbs after the jump!
Trust no one. Every camera is an eye. Every microphone an ear. Find me and we can stop him together.
The Game: Get ready for Zero Hour as 200 geniuses from around the world go head to head in a competition hand-devised by India's youngest CEO and visionary.
The Players:
Rex - One of the best programmers/hackers in the world, this 16-year-old Mexican-American is determined to find his missing brother.
Tunde -This 14-year-old self-taught engineering genius has drawn the attention of a ruthless military warlord by single-handedly bringing electricity and internet to his small Nigerian village.
Painted Wolf - One of China's most respected activist bloggers, this mysterious 16-year-old is being pulled into the spotlight by her father's new deal with a corrupt Chinese official.
The Stakes: Are higher than you can imagine. Like life and death. Welcome to the revolution. And get ready to run.
If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo
A big-hearted novel about being seen for who you really are.
Amanda Hardy is the new girl in school. Like anyone else, all she wants is to make friends and fit in. But Amanda is keeping a secret. She's determined not to get too close to anyone.
But when she meets sweet, easygoing Grant, Amanda can't help but start to let him in. As they spend more time together, she realizes just how much she is losing by guarding her heart. She finds herself yearning to share with Grant everything about herself--including her past. But Amanda's terrified that once she tells him the truth, he won't be able to see past it.
Because the secret that Amanda's been keeping? It's that she used to be Andrew.
Will the truth cost Amanda her new life--and her new love?
Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch
Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany, but she isn’t in the mood for Italy’s famous sunshine and fairy-tale landscape. She’s only there because it was her mother’s dying wish that she get to know her father. But what kind of father isn’t around for sixteen years? All Lina wants to do is get back home.
But then Lina is given a journal that her mom had kept when she lived in Italy. Suddenly Lina’s uncovering a magical world of secret romances, art, and hidden bakeries. A world that inspires Lina, along with the ever-so-charming Ren, to follow in her mother’s footsteps and unearth a secret that has been kept from Lina for far too long. It’s a secret that will change everything she knew about her mother, her father—and even herself.
People come to Italy for love and gelato, someone tells her, but sometimes they discover much more.
The Outliers by Kimberly McCreight
It all starts with a text: Please, Wylie, I need your help. Wylie hasn’t heard from Cassie in over a week, not since their last fight. But that doesn’t matter. Cassie’s in trouble, so Wylie decides to do what she has done so many times before: save her best friend from herself.
This time it’s different, though. Instead of telling Wylie where she is, Cassie sends cryptic clues. And instead of having Wylie come by herself, Jasper shows up saying Cassie sent him to help. Trusting the guy who sent Cassie off the rails doesn’t feel right, but Wylie has no choice but to ignore her gut instinct and go with him.
But figuring out where Cassie is goes from difficult to dangerous, fast. As Wylie and Jasper head farther and farther north into the dense woods of Maine, Wylie struggles to control her growing sense that something is really wrong. What isn’t Cassie telling them? And could finding her be only the beginning?
Resurgence by Kerry Wilkinson (Book #3)
An entire country has been lied to.
Silver Blackthorn was supposed to be one of the privileged few, chosen to serve and help rebuild a shattered nation.
Instead she is a rebel.
Tales of her defiance have spread across the land. King Victor and the Minister Prime want her dead, the resistance groups are desperate for her help.
But Silver’s friends and family are in dire jeopardy, hiding no longer an option.
As her travels take her into the far reaches of an unknown land, she is forced to make new friends and hunt for new allegiances.
Final battle lines are being drawn. The time has come.
Then there’s the hardest choice of all: Opie or Imrin.
Road Trip Summer by Lauren Barnholdt
Everyone knows the road to love is filled with twists and turns. Lauren Barnholdt’s summer road trip novels, Two-Way Street and Right of Way, are now available together in one paperback edition!
In Two-Way Street Jordan and Courtney are totally in love…that is until Jordan dumps Courtney out of the blue right before they’re set to drive to college together. But it’s too late to change plans, so the trip must go on as planned. Courtney’s heartbroken, while Jordan’s got a secret or two that he’s not telling her. And the secret has everything to do with why they broke up, why they can’t get back together—and why they’re actually totally destined for each other.
In Right of Way Peyton and Jace meet on vacation and fall head over heels in love. But things don’t go as planned and after a tumultuous break-up, they’re thrown together on a road trip. One of them is lying about the destination. One of them is pretending not to be leaving something behind. And neither of them is prepared for what’s coming on the road ahead…
The Square Root Of Summer by Harriet R. Hapgood
This is what it means to love someone. This is what it means to grieve someone. It's a little bit like a black hole. It's a little bit like infinity.
Gottie H. Oppenheimer is losing time. Literally. When the fabric of the universe around her seaside town begins to fray, she's hurtled through wormholes to her past:
To last summer, when her grandfather Grey died. To the afternoon she fell in love with Jason, who wouldn't even hold her hand at the funeral. To the day her best friend Thomas moved away and left her behind with a scar on her hand and a black hole in her memory.
Although Grey is still gone, Jason and Thomas are back, and Gottie's past, present, and future are about to collide—and someone's heart is about to be broken.
Everything Unexpected by Morgan Matson
Andie had it all planned out.
When you are a politician’s daughter who’s pretty much raised yourself, you learn everything can be planned or spun, or both. Especially your future.
Important internship? Check.
Amazing friends? Check.
Guys? Check (as long as we’re talking no more than three weeks)
But that was before the scandal. Before having to be in the same house with her dad. Before walking an insane number of dogs. That was before Clark and those few months that might change her whole life.
Because here’s the thing - if everything's planned out, you can never find the unexpected.
And where’s the fun in that?
Whisper To Me by Nick Lake
Cassie is writing a letter to the boy whose heart she broke. She’s trying to explain why. Why she pushed him away. Why her father got so angry when he saw them together. Why she disappears some nights. Why she won’t let herself remember what happened that long-ago night on the boardwalk. Why she fell apart so completely.
Desperate for his forgiveness, she’s telling the whole story of the summer she nearly lost herself. She’s hoping he’ll understand as well as she now does how love—love for your family, love for that person who makes your heart beat faster, and love for yourself—can save you after all.
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