Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

Series: Passenger #1

Publication: January 5th 2016 by Disney-Hyperion 

Goodreads description:

passage, n.

i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.

ii. A journey by water; a voyage.

iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.

In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them— whether she wants to or not.

Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are play­ing, treacherous forces threaten to sep­arate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home . . . forever.

My thoughts: (spoiler- free)

I had extremely high expectations going into Passenger. I have heard nothing but amazing things about it and I am also a huge fan of Alexandra Bracken's other books, The Darkest Minds. I think my expectations affected  my reading experiences which is a bit sad.  It took me a bit to get into Passenger because I was anticipating this amazing treasure hunt trough time from the first page. We do get the treasure hunt though time but it is not until later in the story. Overall though I did really enjoy the book when I put my expectations and all the hype aside.

Alexandra Bracken has definitely  stepped up her game in the writing department. The writing in Passenger is completely different to The Darkest Minds. It's so much more sophisticated which I loved. I really like seeing author grow and try different styles of writing. Passenger is written in the third person from both Etta and Nicholas' point of view. They each have their own voices. I felt like Etta's POV had lots of description and dialogue whereas Nicholas's POV was mostly his thoughts.

I loved Etta. I found her chapters much easier to read than Nicholas's. I really liked how her love for music really shined through in her descriptions of things. I liked how she brought her love for the violin with her through the passages and used it as a way to ground her. It made her seem like a ordinary girl in this fantasy world.

It took me a while to like Nicholas. He has lots of layers to him and can be a bit closed off. I did like how he softened up at points with Etta and eventually I did start to like him. Nicholas is a person of colour and I really appreciated how Alexandra Bracken tackled the issues of racism in all the different eras. I think she did a good job. There is a distinct lack of people of colour within YA books so I definitely approve! Yay for diversity!

Of course there had to be a romance, and unfortunately I wasn't the biggest fan of it. It felt a bit rushed. I wasn't invested in the characters  individually yet so how could be invested in their relationship. Personally I like the characters to be really fleshed out and build a friendship first before taking it a step forward into a romance. I just felt like the friendship was skipped over and they jumped right into being in love.

The plot takes about half of the book before it really gets rolling, but when it does the story gets amazing. As soon as we start time travelling to different periods in time I was captivated. I couldn't put the book down. And the ending! That ending was just... No words. I need the next book!

I loved how the setting got changed every now and then. There was lots of detail so obviously a lot of research went into it which I really appreciated. I would have liken to stay in some of the places for a little  longer to explore some more but I understand why the characters had to move on.

I haven't really read time travel before so I was worried I would be confused but Bracken explained the time travel in a way that was easily understood. There was a little bit of info dumping but I didn't mind for the most part because it was so interesting. The rules created were fascinating and made sense.

Passenger was a great first book in a duology. It held my attention for the most part and I only had a few problems with. I'm very excited to see where the story goes.

My rating: 4 out of 5!

Top 10 Books I'm Most Excited for in 2016!

This is a list of some of my highly anticipated books of 2016. So many great books are coming out this year but I was able to narrow it down to my top 10.

The list is in order of publication date :) 

(I've included the GoodReads link for each book incase you want to add them to your ever growing To-Be-Read pile!)

1. Passenger by Alexandra Bracken
Release date: 5th of January.
This is the first book in Alexandra Brackens new series about time travel!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20983362-passenger?from_search=true

2. Stars Above by Marissa Meyer
Release date: 2nd of February.
Companion to The Lunar Chronicles. It is a collection of novellas and I've also heard that there is an epilogue for the last book in the series, Winter!!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25689074-stars-above?from_search=true

3. Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare 
Release date:8th of March.
The first book in Cassie's new series The Dark Artifices. I'm a massive shadowhunter fan and have been waiting a few years for Lady Midnight to be released so I'm very excited to get my hands on this one!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25494343-lady-midnight?from_search=true

4. Flamecaster by Cinda Williams Chima
Release date: 5th of April. 
This is the first book in the Shattered Realms series. I read Seven Realms last summer and loved it; this series is set in the same world.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23253083-flamecaster?from_search=true

5. The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater
Release date: 26th of April.
The fourth and final installment in The Raven Cycle Series. The release date for this one has been pushed back a few times so I've been waiting a while; I really hope it's worth the wait!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17378527-the-raven-king?from_search=true

6. The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan
Release date: 3rd of May.
Book 1 in his new series The Trials or Apollo. I love all of Riordans books and the blurb for this one mentions Camp Half Blood so I'm definitely excited for this. 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26252859-the-hidden-oracle?from_search=true

7. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas
Release date: 3rd of May.
The second book in A Court of Thorns and Roses. I can't wait to see where this series goes.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17927395-a-court-of-mist-and-fury

8. Throne of Glass book 5 by Sarah J Maas
Release date: September 2016.
There's no title, cover or release date yet but Throne of Glass is one of my all time favourite series so I had to include it on my list!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28260587-untitled?from_search=true

9. The Bronze Key by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
Release date: Fall 2016.
Book 3 in the Magisterium series. I haven't read a good middle grade series in ages and this one is fantastic.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13612965-the-bronze-key?from_search=true

10. Heartless by Marissa Meyer
Release date: 8th of November.
An Alice in Wonderland retelling based on the Queen of Hearts.Sign me up!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18584855-heartless?from_search=true

The Book of Ivy and The Revolution of Ivy By Amy Engel

 

Series: The Book of Ivy Duology

Publication:

The Book of Ivy- November 4th 2014 by Entangled Teen

The Revolution of Ivy- November 3rd 2015 by Entangled Teen

Goodreads summary of The Book of Ivy:

After a brutal nuclear war, the United States was left decimated. A small group of survivors eventually banded together, but only after more conflict over which family would govern the new nation. The Westfalls lost. Fifty years later, peace and control are maintained by marrying the daughters of the losing side to the sons of the winning group in a yearly ritual. 

This year, it is my turn. 

My name is Ivy Westfall, and my mission is simple: to kill the president’s son—my soon-to-be husband—and restore the Westfall family to power. 

But Bishop Lattimer is either a very skilled actor or he’s not the cruel, heartless boy my family warned me to expect. He might even be the one person in this world who truly understands me. But there is no escape from my fate. I am the only one who can restore the Westfall legacy.

Because Bishop must die. And I must be the one to kill him…

My thoughts: ( spoiler free):

(Sorry this is so short but it's the holidays and I don't have much time but I wanted to review these books while they were fresh in my mind!)

I haven't hear much about these books which is crazy because they're really really good. Well I think so anyway!

I have not read a dystopian in ages and this is just what I needed to get me back into him the genre. If your sick of drawn out trilogy's than this duology is for you. It's such an easy read that captivated me from the first page. I read them each in a sitting! I think the two books could have been one they were so short. I preferred the first book but really enjoyed both.

My favourite character was definitely Bishop, the presidents son. I loved any scene with Bishop. He is such a kind, supportive, caring person. Bishop is literally the perfect guy. But I really wanted to see some flaws to make him seem more realistic. I also like him because he really helped Ivy to grow as a character.

Ivy's character development over the two books was perfectly paced. She isn't badass like some dystopian protagonists but she is still a very fun character to read about. My only problem with Ivy was I didn't agree with all of her decisions and at time she could be very outspoken and reckless.

Bishop and Ivy's relationship was great. I was so happy that there wasn't any intalove. And because there was no love triangle to make everything more complicated we could focus more time on developing their relationship.

The world building was good. The history of Westfall is explained very clearly in the first book. The world outside Westfall was explored more in the second book which I was very excited to learn about. The world building is simple but enough information was given to satisfy me.

There's nothing complicated or overly complex and that's what I loved about Ivy's story. Engel manages to engage readers without boring them with lengthy paragraphs of explanation that usually confuses readers. Her writing is simple and effective.

My ratings:

The Book Of Ivy- 4 stars

The Revolution of Ivy- 4 stars

Soundless by Richelle Mead

Publication: 10th November 2015 by Razorbill 

GoodReads Summary:

From Richelle Mead, the #1 internationally bestselling author of Vampire Academy and Bloodlines, comes a breathtaking new fantasy steeped in Chinese folklore. 

For as long as Fei can remember, there has been no sound in her village, where rocky terrain and frequent avalanches prevent residents from self-sustaining. Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom. 

When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink and many go hungry. Fei’s home, the people she loves, and her entire existence is plunged into crisis, under threat of darkness and starvation.

But soon Fei is awoken in the night by a searing noise, and sound becomes her weapon.

Richelle Mead takes readers on a triumphant journey from the peak of Fei’s jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiugo, where a startling truth and an unlikely romance will change her life forever...

My thoughts: (Spoiler free)

Soundless is my least favourite of Meads books to date. That being said I still liked  it. I have heard people say that Soundless is boring and I completely disagree. It was a quick read that I flew through. It held my attention the whole time. My rating isn't higher because it just didn't blow me away.

I had high expectations and unfortunately they weren't met. I thought there would be a lot more fantasy elements than there was. I was looking forward to learn loads about Chinese folklore but there was hardly anything. It was subtly there but not as much as I would have liked.

I was also excited to meet more of Meads characters because she always has fantastic complex characters. However I didn't connect with any of them in Soundless. I found this weird considering how much characters from Meads other books mean to me. Fei was likeable but nothing about her made her stand out in the ever growing sea of YA female protagonists. She felt very flat to me.

Fei's relationship with her sister seemed a bit strange to me. I might have read it wrong but I'm pretty sure  Fei is the younger of the two. But she seemed to take all responsibility for caring for Zhang Jing. Fei acts as if she is the older of the two.

I thought it was very interesting reading about a whole village that can't hear. It was interesting how they used different ways to communicate, like by signing and through painting.

The romance between Fei and Li Wei was a sweet love story but it wasn't anything memorable.

There were a few parts that I liked such as when they begin their journey down the cliffs and the last few chapters.

All in all I didn't feel like I was reading a Richelle Mead book. It lacked the complex characters, the humour and fun her other YA novels have.

My rating: 3 out of 5.

Secrets in Phoenix by Grabriella Lepore

Publication: October 13th 2015 by Oftomes Publishing

Goodreads summary:

When Sophie Ballester and her twin brothers Sam and Todd are uprooted from their home and sent to a remote boarding school run by their Great Aunt Ness, they stumble upon a hidden room that holds a secret—a secret that will change everything. 

The people of Phoenix Holt are not what they seem. 

In fact, nothing is.

My thoughts: (spoiler free)

Secrets in Phoenix is a very short quick read that is immensely enjoyable. It was very interesting and held my attention the whole time I was reading. Captivating and intriguing with a mix of magic, this book was such a fun read.

I'm not one to really pick up fantasy paranormal standalones but after reading this one I'd like to read some more. I've always thought you can't develop a fantasy world properly in one book so I was pleasantly surprised to find Gabriella Lepore did an excellent job of it in Secrets in Phoenix.

I loved the setting. I felt like the writing was very descriptive and I had a good sense of where the story was taking place and had strong pictures in my head of how the setting looked.

Sophie is likeable character. Usually 15 year old protagonists can be annoying and make stupid decisions that make readers want to tear their hair out; but Sophie is not one of those protagonists. She is smart, caring and selfless.

One of my favourite aspects of the story was how Lepore explores the sibling relationship between Sophie, Sam and Todd. I think she portrayed the relationship very realistically  and strong sibling relationships isn't something I see a lot of in YA.

I do think some things were a bit predictable but there was definitely some twists and turns here and that surprised me.

Secrets in Phoenix has a satisfying ending but I felt it was a bit rushed and I would have liken a bit more explanation at the end. 

I enjoyed my time reading Secrets in Phoenix and will definitely be picking up more by Lepore!

My rating:4 stars out of 5!

* I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher Oftomes Publishing. All opinions are my own.*

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Series: Six of Crows, #1.

Publication: September 29th 2015 by Henry Holt and Company

Goodreads summary:

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums. 

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes. 

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first. 

My thoughts: (spoiler free)

*You do not need to read the Grisha Trilogy to read Six of Crows.

I wasn't the biggest fan of the Grisha Trilogy, I loved Bardugo's  writing but I felt like the series was lacking a strong plot, so I didn't have extremely high expectation going into six of crows but I decided to give her books another go and I'm so glad I did.

Bardugo did an excellent job extending her world and introducing some amazing character that I know will steal the hearts of readers everywhere. Six of Crows is the Strongest first book in a series I've read in a long time. It blew me away. Six of Crows is a new fantasy favourite of mine.

Six of Crows has a fast paced twisty plot that I loved. There was loads of action with a hint of magic and a heist that top all fictional heists.

There is multiple points of view, usually this results in a number of underdeveloped characters but Bardugo managed to create a full cast of well rounded individuals. I grew to care for each and every one of them. All the characters have distinct personalities and interesting back stories.  And of course it wouldn't be a fantasy book if didn't have a name or two that were impossible to pronounce! Also I should note they are all bad-ass and Kaz's crew is seriously squad goals.

I am so excited for book 2: Crooked Kingdom!

My rating:5 out of 5.

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Publication: October 6th 2015 by St. Martin's Griffin

Goodreads summary:

Simon Snow is the worst chosen one who’s ever been chosen.

That’s what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he’s probably right.

Half the time, Simon can’t even make his wand work, and the other half, he sets something on fire. His mentor’s avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there’s a magic-eating monster running around wearing Simon’s face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here—it’s their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon’s infuriating nemesis didn’t even bother to show up.

Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story—but far, far more monsters. 

My thoughts:

You do not have to had read Fangirl to read Carry On.

I am kind of obsessed with this book. I thought I related to Cath when I read Fangirl but now I totally understand her. Simon and Baz are some Rainbow's of the best characters and I am obsessed with them just like Cath.

After reading the snippets of Simons story we got in Fangirl I was worried that Carry On was going to be too similar to Harry Potter but Carry On can stand on its own as something unique. It does have some of the common fantasy tropes but Rowell somehow makes this fantasy story feel like a contemporary. It has the magic and action of a fantasy and the cute and funny of a contemporary.I hope she writes more fantasy in the future. She's a fantastic writer.

Simon and Penny's friendship was a big highlight. Strong friendships like theirs isn't something I see a lot of in YA. They are usually overshadowed by the romance storyline but this one was so strong. I loved how much they were there for each other.

My favourite character has to be Baz. He has some of the funniest lines, especially when he is interacting with Penny. I was not expecting to like him as much as I do. Reading his POV was my favourite.

Carry On has a satisfying ending but, like with all of Rainbow Rowell's books, I wouldn't complain if she wrote more books about any of the characters!

My rating: 5 out of 5.