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~Georgia & Morgan~ Find us on Goodreads, Instagram @pocketfull_ofpages, Twitter @pocket_pages and Wordpress Currently reading 'When Dimple Met Rishi' by Sandhya Menon

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‘The Call’ by Peadar O’Guilin

‘The Call’ by Peadar O’Guilin.

Publisher: David Fickling Books.

Published: September 2016.

Page Length: 335 Pages.

Genre: YA, Dystopian and Fantasy.

“Your people drove them out of their homes. Thousands of years later they turn up again – and they’re gonna wipe you out”.

Synopsis:

Three Minutes…

On her birthday, Nessa finds out the terrible truth about her homeland, Ireland – the truth that will change her forever.

Two Minutes…

That she and her friends must train for the most dangerous three minutes of their lives: THE CALL.

One Minute…

That any day now, without warning, they will each awaken in a terrifying land, alone and hunted, with a one in ten chance of returning alive.

And it is Nessa, more than anyone, who is going to need every ounce of the guts, wit and sheer spirit she was born with, if she – and the nation – are to survive.

Review:

The Call, by Peadar O’Guilin was intriguing and compelling right from the opening chapter. It grabbed at us from the start, tightening it’s grip as we turned each page. We just wanted to read more!

The entire speculation of a Dystopian Ireland against the Sidhe (fairies) wo were continuously bent on demanding revenge on the Irish population for banishing them into the Grey lands. It is also described as a colourless hell. The novel is original and greatly concealed in Irish folklore and mythology.

Peadar O’Guilin’s Ireland is one that is recognizable as well as one that has been ransacked by a 25-year-old threat. This threat is known as ‘The Call’. Children are taken at any time, only to reappear after a fight for their lives dead or agonisingly mutilated. One border is still known to remain – one that the Sidhe also known as fairies have placed around Ireland. No one can enter or leave!

In an attempt to save as many children as possible, training schools are set up to teach children how to survive. Based on personal experiences of those taken by ‘The Call’ who have fought to return alive. Peadar O’Guilin writes about the fears and insecurities of growing up; enhancing these fears through their daily threat of a torturous fate that may as well be worse than death.

The world building is exceedingly excellent. Teenagers are called to the grey land leaving nothing but their clothes behind to return to. According to the time in the grey land, you have 24 hours to try and escape. The mystery however, is that in the real world, you only have 3 minutes to return from ‘The Call’. If you come back any later, you are almost guaranteed to return dead!

This book has left us with a deep concern for the wellbeing of it’s characters. We found ourselves clinging to the pages of the book when our liked and disliked characters were taken. It was a tense nightmare of a read, leaving us with a huge adrenaline rush with it’s ending.

Nessa, as a character was one that we constantly stressed about when we started reading. She suffers with Polio. However, at no point did the author make us feel guilty or sorry for her. Nessa is portrayed as a strong and intelligent character who through Peadar O’Guilin’s writing techniques, you only hope she is one of the 1/10 children who make it out of ‘The Call’ alive!

If asked, we still wouldn’t be able to tell you exactly what the grey lands looks like as we were only able to see the image of the setting through each student’s experience. However, each in itself was different. We loved how Peadar O’Guilin portrayed this as there is this whole other world that we don’t fully explore. This allows our imaginations to take over!

We loved ‘The Call’ and it’s unique, thrilling horrors which allowed our adrenaline to run wild! It’s also a beautiful book in the issues it manages to portray in relation to love that never loses hope. You will not regret this action-packed intriguing read!

We highly recommend ‘The Call’ by Peadar O’Guilin to those YA readers who love dystopian and fantasy reads. If you can handle a little bit of horror, this is definitely a book for you!

Book Rating: 4/5

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‘Ray of Light’ by Elle Scott

‘Ray of Light’ by Elle Scott.

Publisher: Danielle Burrows.

Published: First edition – 2017.

Page Length: 384 pages.

Genre: YA, Sci-fi and Fantasy.

“Even after DARKNESS has crept throughout my body and threatened to leave me EMPTY, I don’t feel hollow. Instead, a small SPARKLE OF LIGHT glistens in the distance, and it’s called HOPE.

Firstly, a huge thank you to Elle Scott for sending us this gorgeous copy of ‘Ray of Light’ to review!!

Synopsis:

What if five minutes became five years?

What if your friends became foes?

What if every truth became a lie?

Yesterday, Nora worked for Palladium Enterprises with her closest friends, collecting orbs that have the power to protect or destroy. Today, she’s caught in a war.

One choice can change everything.

Review:

Throughout this futuristic world, the stakes are high as it’s filled with characters that will grab and transform you from the start. Throughout the three-strong female leads self-discovery and personal capabilities are found.

This gorgeous cover is definitely eye catching and beautiful, motivating you to pick up and read this intriguing book that personally, looks at self-discovery, betrayal, friendships, love and grief.

The blurb helps get you intrigued about what’s hidden under the cover of this debuting novel! We absolutely loved reading this unique and daring story which has been written from the perspectives of multiple people. This helps to gather more depth and helped us gather a greater understanding of each character and their perspectives. It also helped to gain a greater knowledge behind the motives of the ‘uprising’ between the two organizations feuding over power and ownership of all orbs.

The way this book was set out with distinctive character perspectives raised important issues and created great plot twists. I felt the pull and release of each character’s emotions however, more in relation to the main character Nora. Throughout her pain, excitement, lust, love and grief, we devoured this book in such a short amount of time!

We just couldn’t put this book down and we felt that we were on this fantastic and unforgettable adventure along with the characters! The story was creative and fast paced. This is a perfect read for YA readers and Sci-Fi/Fantasy lovers. We really enjoyed the knowledge behind this book and the connection to the ‘Corridor’ and how 5 minutes’ turns into 5 years.

Throughout this fast-paced story line, this book was just so hard to put down. We had to keep telling ourselves, “no breaks just keep reading”. Through a couple of late nights, we finally finished this incredible and highly anticipated read. We loved the story line of ‘Ray of light’ as it was so unique to anything we’ve ever read before.

Through the use of imaginative imagery and well developed characters, this added to the plot which was fast paced, with twists and turns around each corner. We could never predict what was going to happen next! It was exactly what we wanted to read. It was right up our alley!

‘Ray of light’ by Elle Scott was an intriguing and engaging story that was interactive in the way that everyone can relate to her characters throughout this futuristic world. We could recommend ‘Ray of light’ to those who adore the genres of Sci-Fi and Fantasy and those who love YA novels and are always on the hunt for a new read!

Overall, we really enjoyed this book and will be waiting in anticipation for the sequel!!!

 Book Rating: 5/5

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‘Red Queen’ by Victoria Aveyard

‘Red Queen’ by Victoria Aveyard.

“Their blood is a threat, a warning, a promise. We are not the same and NEVER WILL BE”.

Publishers: HarperTeen and Orion.

Published: February 10th, 2015.

Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian YA.

Page length: 383.

Synopsis:

“This is a word divided by blood” – Red or Silver.

To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from the stilts, nothing will ever change. Reds will continue to be mistreated and treated as outcasts. Mare discovers herself working within the Silver palace, surrounded by those she hates the most. SILVERS! She quickly discovers that despite her Red blood. She possesses a deadly hidden power of her own one that threatens and endangers Silver control. But power it seems is a dangerous game. In this world driven by blood who will win? Will it be Red or Silver?

We finally went out and bought this book. The book that all YA bloggers have been talking about with the recent release of ‘Kings Cage’, the recent addition to the series!

Firstly, we absolutely loved this fantastic cover! Once you start to read the book, you will find that the colours shown on the cover will tie in with the plot. Throughout this world, the Silvers control everything. They are all ‘elite’ and they see themselves as important above the lives of the Reds due to their incredible skills. Skills like having the ability to control fire, metal and even minds. Whereas the Reds are portrayed as a waste of space, the dirt hidden underneath our noses. They are described as poor and insignificant, so they are given low paid jobs with the tasks of serving the Silvers.

Even though hearing some negative reviews of this book before we read it, all we can say is those people were wrong! We absolutely fell in love with the ‘Red Queen’. Even though the plot was quite similar to other dystopian novels that we have read like ‘The Selection’ and ‘The Hunger Games’, the novel had many unique aspects that we absolutely loved.

Mare Barrow the main character despises Silvers. However, she then unlocks a power that she never realized she possessed. She broadcasted herself to upper class Silvers during a pageant for girls of the highest houses in which showcase beauty, splendour and strength to compete in winning the hearts of the princes Cal and Maven; winning the rights to the title queen or princess. Mare is thrown into their world! Instead of instant death, Mare is betrothed to the prince Maven taking on her new title Lady Mareena Titanos. She joins a rebellion to overthrow the government to allow for change to stop the cruelness of how the Reds are treated.

We loved the way Mare grows over the course of the novel. She is intelligent and instinctive. Her sass and energetic wit is exhilarating throughout the novel. Mare works hard to achieve her goals, she perceivers throughout challenges and the threats that she might lose the people she loves. We can’t wait for her story to unfold throughout the next books in the series.

We were impressed by Victoria Aveyard’s writing throughout the novel. We would come across a passage and the words would be electrifying. They would be rebellious as they made our blood boil and our hearts squirm!

In the beginning of the book, we were dubious. In the middle, we were astonished, and by the end we couldn’t put the book down! After reading this book we were left in awe.

The biggest plot twist through betrayal, death and corruption will amaze you, you will not see it coming. The love triangle will have you on the edge of your seats.

Who will Mare choose, Cal or Maven and what could Maven have done to leave such an epic betrayal?!

Mind blowing and amazing, this book is highly recommended to YA and fantasy readers. It’s an extremely quick read and an intriguing story.

Book Rating: 5/5.

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‘Replica’ by Lauren Oliver

                                        ‘Replica’ by Lauren Oliver.

Publishers: Harper Collins and Hodder and Stoughton.

                                     Published: October 11th, 2016.

“She wanted to understand. And this single fact made her feel more human than she ever had before” - Lyra.

A Masterful novel that explores the issues of individuality, identity, and humanity.

                                                     Synopsis:

                                                    Lyra’s Story:

The Haven is a building tucked away on a private island off the coast of Florida that from a distance, looks serene and even beautiful. But up close, the locked doors, military guards, and biohazard suits tell a different story. In truth, Haven is a clandestine research facility where thousands of replicas, or human models, are born, raised, and observed. When a surprise attack is launched on Haven, two of its young experimental subjects: Lyra, aka number 24, and the boy only known as 72, manage to escape.

Encountering a world they never knew existed outside their secluded upbringing, they met Gemma. As they try to understand Haven’s purpose, together they uncover some earth-shattering secrets that will change the lives of both girls forever.

                                               Gemma’s Story:

Gemma has been in and out of hospitals for as long as she can remember. As a lonely teen, her life to date has resolved around home, school, and her best friend, April. But after she is nearly abducted by a stranger claiming to know her, Gemma starts to investigate her family’s past and discovers her father’s mysterious connection to the secretive Haven Institute.

Hungry for answers, she decides to leave the sanctuary of her home to travel to Florida; only to stumble upon two replicas amidst the frenzy outside Havens walls. Gemma suddenly has a completely new set of questions…

While the stories of Gemma and Lyra mirror each other, each contains breathtaking revelations critically important to the other story.

Review:

From New York Times bestselling author of Before I Fall and the Delirium trilogy, comes an epic and  masterful novel that investigates issues of individuality, identity and humanity. Replica, by Lauren Oliver, is an intriguing YA dystopian/Sci- Fi novel set in the present-day about human cloning that offers readers an unforgettable experience. Replica is a unique ‘flip book’ that contains two stories in one. Turn the book one way and read Lyra’s story. Flip the book over the other way and read Gemma’s story. The unmistakable parts of this astounding novel combine to produce an unforgettable journey whilst forming a larger interlocking story. “The novel will question what it means to be human whether we can or should pursue the ability to manufacture the things we can” – Lauren Oliver.

“One girl will see the world for the first time and another girl will never see the same world again”                     - Lyra.

After weighing our options, we decided to read Replica separately. We did this by starting with Lyra’s story. In our personal opinion, we would have rather started reading the side labelled ‘Gemma’ rather than starting on the ‘Lyra’ side first. This would help you to develop a greater insight on the Haven Institute before the story line developed into Lyra’s experience at the Haven Institute.

Replica has a unique variety of amazing characters; starting with the two main characters Lyra and Gemma. Personally, we wouldn’t be able to say which character we loved the most as they are both very remarkable in their own ways. They are both strong, independent and rare individuals; regardless what they choose to identify themselves as. We also experienced three exceptional male characters: Jake, 72, and Peter. They are portrayed as brave, headstrong and supportive to the main character’s roles including, the swooning romance uncovered throughout both stories!

One of our favourite features of Replica would be how Lauren Oliver approaches the subject of how far humanity is willing to go with the advancements of modern science. Scientific discoveries are astonishing when they cure illnesses however, this does not excuse people to treat living organisms inhumanly for their own purposes. Lyra and Gemma’s lives are discovered to be intertwined with the Haven Institute research facility located on a private island. Gemma’s and Lyra have a relatable link to the institute in which Lyra having grown up and “made” in and, Gemma being the daughter of someone responsible for its existence! The clones also known as ‘replicas’ are awfully treated as objects without feelings and objects that have a limited brain capacity by the nursed and doctors operating the facility. Does this make you consider who is actually inhuman here?

Replica, by Lauren Oliver does an amazing job demonstrating the difference between the inner struggle with outer appearance. For example, Lyra constantly perceives Gemma as a confident girl who clearly knows what she is doing. Meanwhile in Gemma’s mind, that illusion vanishes and its evident how Gemma is constantly nervous/scared and only acts on instinct hoping that something will succeed in her plans. Perspective is everything!

Naturally, we expected for both stories to not feel unbalanced at the end like they did as Gemma’s story continued on a couple more chapters whereas Lyra’s did not.

It’s unusual to find a book that gives you a choice regarding reading experience, and Replica does this remarkably! Lyra and Gemma’s stories will have you on the at edge of your seats; no matter what side you read first. The reading format where you were able to bounce back and forth between both stories was so ambitious and we were so overwhelmed in its deliverance creating a complete story without spoiling each girl’s unique perspectives.

Have you read and enjoyed Replica by Lauren Oliver?

What books have you read and enjoyed that you would recommend for us to read? We are constantly on the lookout for new books to love!

Replica by Lauren Oliver is a must read for those who enjoy dystopian/Sci-Fi YA reads!

Book Rating: 4/5 stars.

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‘WE ARE OKAY’ by Nina LaCour

‘WE ARE OKAY’ by Nina LaCour

“You go through life thinking there’s so much you need … until you leave with only your phone, your wallet and a picture of you mother”.

Synopsis:

Marin hasn’t spoken to anyone from her old life since the day she left everything behind. No one knows the truth about those final weeks. Not even her best friend Mabel. But even thousands of miles away from the California coast, at college in New York, Marin still feels the pull of the life and tragedy she’s tried to outrun. Now, months later, alone in an emptied dorm for winter break, Marin waits. Mabel is coming to visit, and Marin will be forced to face everything that’s been left unsaid and finally confront the loneliness that has made a home in her heart.

‘WE ARE OKAY’ by Nina LaCour is a realistic, young adult contemporary book that describes an honest simplicity towards grief, despair and betrayal. Nina LaCour’s unique perspective transformed her debuting novel into a sculptured and beautiful piece of artwork.

From her New York college dorm, Marin quietly upholds a new life whilst struggling to leave herself and her memories that she ran from behind. Her lonely thanksgiving break is delayed by a visit from her best friend (ex-girlfriend) Mabel; whom she has ignored in the months since her life came crashing down in a tidal wave. The underlying truth about the event that caused Marin to run from San Francisco with her only belongings being what she guarded in here hands was dragged out slowly throughout the novel. Nina LaCour’s blossoming ideas captured lonely and raw grief, eating itself away in the achingly bright main character, Marin. This is until Marin discovers the truth; allowing her to finally breath. Through the overwhelming feeling of support and concern from her best friend Mabel, Marin finally accepts the loss of her lovely, quiet and secretive grandfather.

Spoiler alert!!! LaCour portrays a new light on the perfect yellow bowls that Marin bought at a pottery shop. Her potted plant that has grown and in need of a larger pot. If her existence is now scattered, it’s not without colour, or life guiding her to blossom into a new young woman that has learnt from these life experiences. Through our constant flow of tears, we absolutely loved Nina LaCour’s literacy reference used when the waitress at the diner flipped an open sign to closed; leaving the open side face Marin and Mabel. Marin stated if it was a short story, that would mean something. We found this reference to be humorous and self-aware! I’m also a fan of the diversity depicted of how Nina does not let you ignore Marin or her developing identity. Through the technique and movement from Marin’s present to past memories, this allowed us to understand her grandfather and discover secrets through her relationships. An improvement that could be made would be that the author could have focused on the development of the plot more. However, we fell in love with Nina LaCour’s focus on a variety of powerful emotions that ushered a never-ending fountain of tears.

After falling in love with this absolutely beautiful cover, we couldn’t wait to start flipping through pages. This was an extremely fast read which focused on forgiveness, hope and coming to terms with the past. ‘WE ARE OKAY’ by Nina LaCour will make you feel grief within it’s pages! We can all connect and identify ourselves with these inspiring characters as we all have or will experience loss in many aspects of our lives.

Be prepared to bawl your eyes out and be internally grateful as ‘WE ARE OKAY’ is an extraordinary piece of work by an author who continues to redefine and uplift her reading genre! This is a must read for those who enjoy realistic contemporary YA books!

Book Rating: 4/5.

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April TBR!

Happy April!

 Can you believe that it's April already?? we can't!

We have our very first TBR for April this month.  We are super excited to dive into it! We plan to continue our Marissa Meyer Readathon in April. We also plan to re-read ‘Red Queen’ by Victoria Aveyard in anticipation of the recent release of ‘Kings Cage’ also by Victoria Aveyard!

Here's what else we are reading... Our April TBR: Reads: We ARE OKAY by Nina LaCour  Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard Stars Above by Marissa Meyer The Call by Peadar O’Guilin Replica by Lauren Oliver

Re-Reads:                                                                                                           Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Review Copies: From the Ashes by Shelby K. Morrison

We also have these pre-orders that weare excited for also!  THE HATE U GIVE by Angie Thomas Hmmmm, that's a lot more books than we expected!                                     

Guess we better start reading!

Tell us what you plan to read this April??

Have you read any of these before? Let us know in the comments!

 “The more you read the more things you know. The more that you learn the more places that you’ll go”.

                                                                                         -Dr. Seuss

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Do you read classics? Do you collect different editions because they’re simply too gorgeous to pass up? (Or is that just me… 🤷🏻‍♀️) . ✨Gorgeous tote bag by @literarylifeco! (Use code ‘LISALOSTINLIT10’ to save 10% off your purchase!) . #literarylifeco #knickerbocker #classics

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~ Perfect weekend reads ~ ‘Spark’ Series by Rachael Craw!

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‘Everything, Everything’                            By Nicola Yoon.

                            ‘Everything, Everything’ by Nicola Yoon.

                      “Spoiler alert: Love is worth everything. Everything”.

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon is a young adult contemporary book about a young woman’s self- discovery of herself and adapting to her world around her. Nicola Yoon has done an amazing job in portraying the likeness of her characters making them more imaginable and relatable to everyday teenagers. Nicola Yoon has portrayed her main character ‘Madeline’ as a strong, inspiring and independent character who suffers from the well-known disease SCID know as Severe combined immune deficiency disease. Throughout this inspiring novel, Madeline describes her rare illness as a ‘bubble baby disease’. As she lives in a metaphorical bubble, she’s unable to leave her house due to ‘outside elements’ having a negative effect on her body resulting in becoming severely sick or leading to death. The only people she socializes with are her mother and her nurse, Carla. This is until she meets her talk, dark and mysterious next door neighbour, ‘Olly’. All of a sudden, she finds herself communicating with him through IM, emails and quirky secret messages written on their windows. They both find themselves opening up to each other about concerns and feelings that they have never been able to talk about. Olly encourages her to feel something she’s never sensed before; love.

‘Everything, Everything’ has quickly become one of our favourite books in YA literature! Madeline’s story is amazing as we can all find a piece of ourselves within her. Madeline is relatable to all readers as she represents our feelings, relationships and our ideals as teenagers and adults. Nicola Yoon centres her debuting novel by actively encouraging diversity and embracing our own unique quirks. Beautiful, eccentric illustrations were also shown throughout the novel individualising the entirety of the book. Madeline’s spoiler book reviews throughout each chapter also added that something extra sending the novel souring to success.

Personally, it could have done with a better resolution towards the end as it felt rushed, and we would have loved it to have lingered for a few more pages. However, it could never go wrong with the biggest and the most unexpected plot twist that transformed this debuting YA novel.

What’s most exciting though, is that our newest added addition ‘Everything, everything’ will be released as a movie this coming May 2017! This new novel with grab everyone’s attention with its romantic and inspirational story line as well as it’s strong, empowering characters. Overall, this was a fantastic debut novel! Funny, sad, romantic and quirky all in one! Furthermore, this quick and easy read is an absolute must- read for everyone interested in YA literature and/or those that are new to the world of YA fiction!

Book Rating: 4.5/5

“The greatest risk is not taking one”.

                                                                                      ~ Georgia & Morgan