Saturday Review - The Anarchist's Wife by Margo Laurie

 

Title: The Anarchist’s Wife
Author: Margo Laurie
Pages: 173
Release Date: October 24^th 2022
Format: eBook (ARC)
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: In 1920, anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were accused of a payroll robbery and double murder at a factory in Massachusetts. The case became one of the most notorious miscarriages of justice of the 20th century.
The Anarchist's Wife is a historical fiction novella which reimagines this American tragedy from the perspective of Rosa Sacco. Her husband was likely innocent of the crime he was accused of, but his possible involvement in anarchist violence was a murkier question. The story is framed as a memoir for her daughter Ines, in which she attempts to shape this difficult past into one which can be lived with.
 
My Review: I'm not a big fan of historical books and generally stay away from them but I was asked to read this story by the author and I enjoyed it.
 
The story is based around real people who I've never heard of before, it was interesting to learn about something I had no prior knowledge about and I looked up the 1920s Sacco & Vanzetti case afterwards just to read about what actually happened.
 
The story starts off in the present of that time period and then goes back in time to tell the story upto the point of it being written down. It is told by Rosa the wife of one of the men (Nick) who was accused of a crime. Rosa is writing a journal of sorts to her daughter Ina so Ina can get to know her father starting from when Nick and Rosa's first meet leading up to when Nick was arrested and sentence to death with some events that lead up to Nick being arrested in between.
 
Although historical fiction is not my thing I was intrigued enough to keep reading and enjoyed the characters and the storyline which is why this only got 3 stars from me and not 4.
 
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
 
Currently Reading: Fastening the Grave by L A McBride
Read in 2023: 5/40

Saturday Review - The Saddest Girl in the World by Cathy Glass

 

Title: The Saddest Girl in the World

Author: Cathy Glass

Pages: 326

Release Date: April 1^st 2009

Format: Paperback

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

 

Synopsis: The Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author of Damaged tells the true story of Donna, who came into foster care aged ten, having been abused, victimised and rejected by her family.

 

Donna had been in foster care with her two young brothers for three weeks when she is abruptly moved to Cathy’s. When Donna arrives she is silent, withdrawn and walks with her shoulders hunched forward and her head down. Donna is clearly a very haunted child and refuses to interact with Cathy’s children Adrian and Paula.

 

After patience and encouragement from Cathy, Donna slowly starts to talk and tells Cathy that she blames herself for her and her brothers being placed in care. The social services were aware that Donna and her brothers had been neglected by their alcoholic mother, but no one realised the extent of the abuse they were forced to suffer. The truth of the physical torment she was put through slowly emerges, and as Donna grows to trust Cathy she tells her how her mother used to make her wash herself with wire wool so that she could get rid of her skin colour as her mother was so ashamed that Donna was mixed race.

 

The psychological wounds caused by the bullying she received also start to resurface when Donna starts reenacting the ways she was treated at home by hitting and bullying Paula, so much so that Cathy can’t let Donna out of her sight.

 

As the pressure begins to mount on Cathy to help this child, things start to get worse and Donna begins behaving in erratic ways, trashing her bedroom and being regularly abusive towards Cathy’s children. Cathy begins to wonder if she can find a way to help this child or if Donna’s scars run too deep.

 

My Review: Donna is Cathy’s latest foster child, she is placed into Cathy’s care after being removed from another foster family where she went with her brothers when they were all taken into care.

 

Donna is quiet and withdrawn when she arrives with Cathy and does not want to get involved with Cathy’s children, but after a while Donna confides in Cathy blaming herself for being placed into care even though Donna’s mum was an alcoholic who neglected her children, however no one knows the full extent to her abuse.

 

Donna’s mum hates her because she is mixed race and she and her son’s abuse Donna, beating her and forcing her to do all the housework and even makes Donna scrub her skin to try and get rid of her darker skin. At contact Donna’s mum ignored her and spent the whole time talking and playing with Donna’s brothers.

 

This story was horrible and Donna’s mother was evil but I am glad that Donna was able to be given the chance to work through her issues.

Currently Reading: A Terrible Secret by Cathy Glass

Read in 2022: 22/40

 

Saturday Review - Addie Bell's Shortcut to Growing Up by Jessica Brody

Title: Addie Bell’s Shortcut to Growing Up
Author: Jessica Brody
Pages: 368
Release Date: February 13^th 2018
Format: Paperback
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
 
Synopsis: Seventh grader Addie Bell can’t wait to grow up. Her parents won’t let her have her own phone, she doesn’t have any curves, and her best friend Grace isn’t at all interested in make-up or boys. Then, on the night of her twelfth birthday, Addie makes a wish on a magic jewelry box to be sixteen…and wakes up to find her entire life has been fast-forwarded four years! Suddenly she has everything she’s always wanted (including a driver’s license and a closet full of cool clothes)! But Addie soon discovers that a lot more has changed than she expected—including her friendship with Grace. Can Addie turn back time and take back her wish…or has she lost the chance to experience what could have been the best years of her life?
 
My Review: I love Jessica Brody’s books so when this one came out I had to grab myself a copy and I wasn’t disappointed.
 
Eleven year old Addie wants to grow up so she can have a mobile phone and wear make-up so when on her twelfth birthday she is given a magical jewellery box by the elderly women down the road who she likes to visit she wishes before she goes to bed that she's sixteen.
 
When Addie wakes up she finds out that she is now sixteen and her entire life has changed, he best friend Grace is no longer her best friend and she can’t figure out why and she finally has a dog, a mobile phone and a draw full of make-up that she has no idea how to use.
 
At first Addie loves her new life but then she realises that she misses her old life and her best friend but in order to go back to being twelve Addie must find the key to the magic jewellery box and take back her wish.
 
Can Addie find the key or will she be stuck sixteen forever?
 
Currently Reading: Queen of Hearts by Alice La Roux
Read in 2022: 19/40

Saturday Review - Surviving Extinction by Tara Ellis and Mike Kraus

Title: Surviving Extinction
Author: Tara Ellis and Mike Kraus
Series: Extinction #6
Pages: 171
Release Date: August 6^th 2021
Format: Kindle
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
 
Synopsis: All roads lead to one end as the forces of good and evil come together in a mind-blowing conclusion in book 6 of the Extinction series.
Tired of the usual post-apocalyptic story? Welcome to your new addiction.
An underwater explosion devastates a chain of islands.
A mysterious illness begins to spring up across the world.
Earthquakes shatter the west coast, causing untold damage and loss of life.
To the ordinary observer, these events appear random and coincidental - but for some they're all pieces of a global puzzle that leads to one conclusion: the end of humanity.
In a desperate race against time, the survivors must not only survive but learn to adapt to an insidious set of foes, each more dangerous than the last.
From the #1 best-selling post-apocalyptic author Mike Kraus, writing with best-seller Tara Ellis, comes a terrifying post-apocalyptic survival thriller tale that's guaranteed to keep you up at night.
Point of Extinction is a 6-book post-apocalyptic survival thriller series from the authors of Flashpoint, Final Dawn, Surviving the Fall and Storm’s Fury. With a deep emphasis on characters and real-world science, this post-apoc tale will keep you reading well into the night.
 
My Review: In the final instalment of the Extinction series Peta’s group have made it to Suriname but now they face the wrath of not only the Amazon Jungle but Dr Davis and the Cured.
 
The groups of survivors path intersects with Jessica’s at the preserve and now Jessica must help the group connect with the Lokono and a possible cure for the destruction that is happening to mankind.
 
They now face adversaries both seen and unseen as well as demons they have all tried to bury but what they don’t know is that they were not the only ones making their way to Suriname, Mads who they thought was dead has joined Jessica’s dad and as she gets closer to the Libi Nati her morality starts to be exposed.
 
Currently Reading: Enslaved by Emily Vaughn
Read in 2022: 16/40

Saturday Review - In Conclusion, Don't Worry About It by Lauren Graham

Title: In Conclusion, Don’t Worry About It
Author: Lauren Graham
Pages: 64
Release Date: April 3^rd 2018
Format: Hardback
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
 
Synopsis: Advice for graduates and reflections on staying true to yourself from the beloved Gilmore Girls actress and New York Times bestselling author of the memoir Talking as Fast as I Can and the novel Someday, Someday, Maybe.
"If you're not where you want to be on this day - don't worry about it. Because the spotlight aspect of life? That's not the satisfying part."
In this expansion of her 2017 commencement speech at her hometown Langley High, Lauren Graham reflects in her hilarious, relatable voice, on growing up, pursuing your dreams, and living in the here-and-now. "Whatever path you choose, whatever career you decide to go after, the important thing," she writes, "is that you keep finding joy in what you're doing, especially when the joy isn't finding you." She reminds us to be curious and compassionate, no matter where life takes you. "Whether you hope to be an actor or a politician or a mathematician, I've learned that empathy and kindness are your most valuable tools." Grounded and inspiring, this is Graham's roadmap to a happy life: "Be a fan, not a theater critic."
 
My Review: Lauren Graham’s dad nominated her to give the commencement speech at her old school and this short but funny book gives advice to the students who are graduating, it tells them to remember that no matter what they want to do in life sometimes you might get their right way sometime it may take longer than you first thought but to always be true to yourself.
 
Currently Reading: Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin and Sky's Story by Louise Allen
Read in 2022: 14/40

Saturday Review - The Good Girl by Alice La Rou

 

Title: The Good Girl
Author: Alice La Roux
Pages: 216
Release Date: April 5th 2021
Format: eBook
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Nothing can describe the town of Silvercrest better.

This seemingly charming, sleepy town is ruled by The Society. An elite organization swimming in Old money that originates back to the founding families. But money cannot hide the stench of death and deceit which lingers amongst the sweet smelling hydrangeas that surround white picket fences.

Tristan Radcliffe might be my fiancé, but not through choice. Nothing in my life is a choice.

I am always a good girl, obeying my family as expected because I am Elena Montgomery, a child of The Society.

And this was the life we lived.

My Review: I loved this story in The Society anthology and I was really glad that it got extended.

The Society will do anything to protect their way of life, even if that means forcing Elena to marry Tristan. Elena is a perfect student who loves to dance and tries way too hard to please her father even when he doesn’t have her best interests at heart. Tristan on the other hand would rather smoke weed and paint.

Elena doesn’t want to marry Tristan she wants to go to college but her father is having none of it he won’t have her ruin his look as Mayor, the only person who sees the real Elena is Tristan.

Tristan spend the whole book pushing Elena trying to remove the strings put in place by her father, he wants her to be free and be herself but all Elena wants to do is please her father and be a good girl.

During this extended version we got to see more of the background characters throughout Elena and Tristan’s chapters and I LOVED Tabitha and how she looks out for Elena and Elena’s mother who helps Elena to finally be herself even if Elena thinks the mother-daughter time is a test.

Can Tristan win Elena round or will her father push her too far?

Currently Reading: Brink of Extinction by Tara Ellis and Mike Kraus
Read in 2021: 11/40

Review - Addicted to Love by Alice La Roux

 

Title: Addicted to Love
Author: Alice La Roux
Series: 
Pages: 57
Release Date: 5th February 2021
Format: Kindle
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: Motherless and living with a father who would rather get high, than move off the couch and get a job, Tammy Reuben has always been trailer trash. And she's never been ashamed of that fact, until now.

Rich boy Luke Anderson is everything she hates. Privileged, arrogant and completely unaware of life on the other side of the tracks.

So when he strides into the record store she works in, why does he make her feel uncomfortable in her own skin?

And why does he make her feel like she has potential to be something more?

Put that Aqua Net away and slip into something a little more comfortable with one of twelve couples as they fall in love in Pine Grove.

My Review: I really enjoyed this story, I loved Luke as he took care of Tammy even though she was plenty capable to look after herself especially once she had gotten rid of the toxic people in her life and had gotten herself out from under her dads roof.

Tammy is really smart and is really good at turning something cheap into something cute and looking like it's not actually from a charity shop.

This book is really up there with my favourites by this author.

Currently Reading: Someday, Someday Maybe by Lauren Graham

Read in 2020: 5/40

Saturday Review - Mercy by Tara Ellis and Mike Kraus

Title: Mercy

Author:  Tara Ellis and Mike Kraus

Series: Flashpoint #6

Pages: 171

Release Date: February 21^st 2020

Format: Kindle

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: All roads lead to Mercy as survivors from all walks of life, with intentions ranging from good to evil, meet for the final showdown in Flashpoint Book 6.

Half of the earth's population has been wiped out. Impossible to predict or stop, the Gamma Ray Burst tore through the Earth like a bullet, its radiation wave killing hundreds of millions and the aftereffects ensuring the deaths of billions more.

Now, as the world crumbles around them, a ragtag group of survivors make for the only home they know - the small town of Mercy. Spared the worst of the GRB's effects, the town is isolated, safe and self-sufficient - for now. The flash hasn't just decimated the Earth's population, though. It's brought out the worst in many of those who are still alive.

Survival in this new world doesn't just depend on preparedness - it depends on strength.

*****

It's the one disaster no one can plan for. A rogue cosmic event called a Gamma Ray Burst, sending a spike of radiation through the earth like a .50 caliber bullet through a ripe watermelon. It's speculated that such an event hit the Earth at some point in the past, causing a mass extinction event. With two potential sources for a GRB pointed directly at our heads, the chances of another one happening in our lifetime is remote... but still possible.

In Flashpoint, we explore such an event and the havoc it would wreak across the entire planet. From destroying our atmosphere to millions dying from incredibly painful radiation exposure, a GRB would be unpredictable and unavoidable for everyone, rich and poor, prepared and unprepared alike.

Flashpoint is a six-book miniseries-like event, written by Tara Ellis and #1 best-selling post-apocalyptic author Mike Kraus. This thrilling post-apocalyptic survival series will have you second-guessing the very nature of post-apocalyptic disaster scenarios and leave you breathless with every turn of the page.

My Review: I think that Mercy was the best in the series as it brought all of the characters together.

Danny got to her dad and she decided to stay in Mercy to be with Tom and to help everyone instead of going on to Helena. 

Mayor Patty stood down and made Tom the new Mayor which at first I was wary about but he did seem to do a better job than Patty was as everyone seemed to respect him and listen to him. He was able to stop the takeover of Miller Ranch and keep his town safe.

I'm glad that Sam was able to find a place in Mercy even though he had no family there, he seems so determined to help everyone in Mercy so that they can farm indoors, and he seems to know a lot about everything. 

Ethan was a smart kid and really knew a lot about farm life and was happy to help around the farm without being told to. 

Chloe might have been a bright girl who had anger issues but she was able to keep it under control by running and once Ethan arrived at Mercy she seemed even happier at first I wasn't sure that they would get together with her thinking that every time she did something happy something went wrong but when I saw how much her and Ethan got along I was sure they'd get together. I thought that Chloe would be the one to figure out that Russell was involved in killing Father White especially since she was the one who saw him with a syringe. 

Patty seemed to be in way over her head and once she made Tom Mayor she seemed to be a lot happier but she was way to trusting, letting Russell in when she knew nothing about him. 

I knew Bishop was hiding something and figured he'd spent some time in the military especially after he tied up the people at the lake on Miller's Ranch but I didn't think he was a secret member of the government. 

I knew Russell would be trouble, I actually almost cried at one point. I'm glad that he didn't blow up the cave but I would have liked him to die after the town found out he killed Father White and Gary. 

I didn't like Montgomery from the start he was too strict with his military stuff. I know it was the end of the world but killing people for dumb reasons (wanting to be the new president for example) just makes him stupid. 

I never thought that Walsh would turn on Montgomery, I thought that they were too close. I'm also glad that he fired Dillinger.

I was glad that James turned out to see what Montgomery was really like. I wouldn't have guessed that Bishop was his dad not until he was at The Farm with Hicks. 

Overall, I enjoyed the series they were really good.

Currently Reading: Malus by Jason Hes

Read in 2020: 21/35

Saturday Review - Master by Alice La Roux

Title:  Master

Author: Alice La Roux

Series: Carnaval des Ténèbres #5

Pages: 125

Release Date: June 22^nd 2020

Format: Kindle

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: Ezra

I am the Ringmaster.
A monster.
Not a knight in shining armour. She would do well to remember that.
Delilah was running from something, and I refused to save her. The Carnaval was not a place to hide when life was hard, it was a last resort. The thin line between life and death, when there were no other options. It was all we had.

Delilah

I like to play with fire.
A Runaway.
For five years I have waited for him. For the Carnaval.
He thinks I need saving, but I can save myself. The Carnaval calls to me, I feel it in my soul. I need the darkness to make me feel alive, so I can set the world on fire.

My Review: I beta read this one so I read it before I ready any of the other and I really enjoyed it and it would be enjoyable as a standalone with a tweaked ending. I do have to admit though that Maia was my favourite ‘freak’ but that’s just because I love fairies.

The story is great and very different from Alice’s normal, it was a lot darker and this one didn’t have as much violent’s in it.

Ezra runs the carnival for the freaks as well as trying to look after his sister who got damaged and cannot perform anymore and Delilah is a young girl who is trying to run away from her family but Ezra keeps trying to get her to go back home.

I would have loved more about Charlotte but I am more than happy with the ending.

Currently Reading: Malus by Jason Hes

Read in 2020: 21/35

Review - Fallout by Tara Ellis and Mike Kraus

Title: Fallout

Author: Tara Ellis and Mike Kraus

Series: Flashpoint #3

Release Date: November 22^nd 2019

Format: Kindle

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: As Mercy deals with the influx of survivors, hard choices must be made all while a sinister presence draws ever closer in Flashpoint Book 3....

Half of the earth's population has been wiped out. Impossible to predict or stop, the Gamma Ray Burst tore through the Earth like a bullet, its radiation wave killing hundreds of millions and the aftereffects ensuring the deaths of billions more.

Now, as the world crumbles around them, a ragtag group of survivors make for the only home they know - the small town of Mercy. Spared the worst of the GRB's effects, the town is isolated, safe and self-sufficient - for now. The flash hasn't just decimated the Earth's population, though. It's brought out the worst in many of those who are still alive.

Survival in this new world doesn't just depend on preparedness - it depends on strength.

*****

It's the one disaster no one can plan for. A rogue cosmic event called a Gamma Ray Burst, sending a spike of radiation through the earth like a .50 caliber bullet through a ripe watermelon. It's speculated that such an event hit the Earth at some point in the past, causing a mass extinction event. With two potential sources for a GRB pointed directly at our heads, the chances of another one happening in our lifetime is remote... but still possible.

In Flashpoint, we explore such an event and the havoc it would wreak across the entire planet. From destroying our atmosphere to millions dying from incredibly painful radiation exposure, a GRB would be unpredictable and unavoidable for everyone, rich and poor, prepared and unprepared alike.

Flashpoint is a six-book miniseries-like event, written by Tara Ellis and #1 best-selling post-apocalyptic author Mike Kraus. This thrilling post-apocalyptic survival series will have you second-guessing the very nature of post-apocalyptic disaster scenarios and leave you breathless with every turn of the page.

My Review: Book 3 in this series was good, not the best but I did enjoy reading everyone’s stories.

In this book now reunited with his son Ethan, Tom travels with Danny and Ethan to Mercy who is trying to rebuild after the GRM by working together.

The Military are starting to take over small towns and setting up shelters as FEMA camps unfortunately for Tom, Danny, Sam and Ethan they stumble upon a camp who puts them into quarantine on arrival. The military take away all their belongings including their horses and lock Tom up after an encounter gone wrong with the man in charge of the camp and Ethan manages to save them.

Currently Reading: Blue Moon by Alyson Noel and Girl on Pointe by Chloe Lukasiak

Read in 2020: 15/35

Review - Flashpoint by Tara Ellis and Mike Kraus

Title: Flashpoint

Author: Tara Ellis and Mike Kraus

Series: Flashpoint

Pages: 162

Release Date: October 9^th 2019

Format: Paperback

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: A heart-pounding new series from the #1 best-selling post-apocalyptic author

If your life dissolved in a flash, would you be strong enough to survive?

Half of the earth's population has been wiped out. Impossible to predict or stop, the Gamma Ray Burst tore through the Earth like a bullet, its radiation wave killing hundreds of millions and the aftereffects ensuring the deaths of billions more.

Now, as the world crumbles around them, a ragtag group of survivors make for the only home they know - the small town of Mercy. Spared the worst of the GRB's effects, the town is isolated, safe and self-sufficient - for now. The flash hasn't just decimated the Earth's population, though. It's brought out the worst in many of those who are still alive.

Survival in this new world doesn't just depend on preparedness - it depends on strength.

*****

It's the one disaster no one can plan for. A rogue cosmic event called a Gamma Ray Burst, sending a spike of radiation through the earth like a .50 caliber bullet through a ripe watermelon. It's speculated that such an event hit the Earth at some point in the past, causing a mass extinction event. With two potential sources for a GRB pointed directly at our heads, the chances of another one happening in our lifetime is remote... but still possible.

In Flashpoint, we explore such an event and the havoc it would wreak across the entire planet. From destroying our atmosphere to millions dying from incredibly painful radiation exposure, a GRB would be unpredictable and unavoidable for everyone, rich and poor, prepared and unprepared alike.

Flashpoint is a six-book miniseries-like event, written by Tara Ellis and #1 best-selling post-apocalyptic author Mike Kraus. This thrilling post-apocalyptic survival series will have you second-guessing the very nature of post-apocalyptic disaster scenarios and leave you breathless with every turn of the page.

My Review: For those of you who read my blog will know that I am a huge fan of Tara’s and I’ve read all her books. Tara and I have a really good friendship, so when she told me about Flashpoint I knew I had to read it as I had nothing left of hers to read.

Flashpoint is about a worldwide radiation exposure from a Gamma Ray Burst killing millions and knocking out all technology, electricity, clean water and communication.

The story of the GRB is told by several different people some on their own others with family or someone they just met all trying to get to the town of Mercy as the world around them turns into a free for all. The only problem is some of these people are good others are not so good.

Mercy has lost power and vehicles but the Mayor gets everyone to help out in one way or another wither it being getting water to put out fires or distributing food and essential supplies.

This was a great read and I cannot wait to start on book 2.

Currently Reading: Smolder by Tara Ellis and Mike Kraus

Read in 2020: 4/35

Review - In Some Other Life by Jessica Brody

Title: In Some Other Life

Author: Jessica Brody

Pages: 480

Release Date: August 28th 2018

Format: Paperback

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: A fresh and funny young adult contemporary romance about how one different choice could change everything

Three years ago, Kennedy Rhodes secretly made the most important decision of her life. She declined her acceptance to the prestigious Windsor Academy to attend the local public school with her longtime crush, who had finally asked her out. It seems it was the right choice—she and Austin are still together, and Kennedy is now the editor-in-chief of the school's award-winning newspaper. But then Kennedy's world is shattered one evening when she walks in on Austin kissing her best friend, and she wonders if maybe her life would have been better if she'd made the other choice. As fate would have it, she's about to find out . . .

The very next day, Kennedy falls and hits her head and mysteriously awakes as a student at the Windsor Academy. And not just any student: Kennedy is at the top of her class, she's popular, she has the coolest best friend around, and she's practically a shoo-in for Columbia University. But as she navigates her new world, she starts to wonder whether this alternate version of herself really is as happy as everyone seems to believe. Is it possible this Kennedy is harboring secrets and regrets of her own?

Jessica Brody's In Some Other Life will keep readers guessing and find them cheering for Kennedy until the final page.

My Review: I loved this book, it is the only book so far this year to receive 5*. I think it was because I could relate to Kennedy.

Kennedy made an important decision about her life three years prior to the story beginning that changed the course of her life. She decided to go to the local public school with her boyfriend instead of going to the school that she really wanted to go to.

Every day on her way to school she goes out of her way to pass Windsor Academy hoping to see the girls she stalks online or to get a sneak peak inside.

Kennedy believes she made the right decision, she has a great boyfriend, she’s editor and chief of the school newspaper, she has an amazing best friend and she has a meeting for a chance to go to Columbia University.

Kennedy goes to her meeting and bombs it even after all the preparation she has done, so after the terrible meeting she goes to her boyfriend’s house and finds him kissing her best friend.

The next day she sneaks into Windsor to see the head teacher to see if she can get her space that was originally offered to her, while waiting she meets a lad who tells her she doesn’t want to become one of the Windsor zombies. On her way out of the building she sees the girls she stalks online and falls down the stairs hitting her head.

When Kennedy comes to she is in a different universe where everything is different. Kennedy now attends Windsor and is top of her class, her dad sold out and joined a corporation and her mum now works at home in the evening so she can look after Kennedy’s brother, the only thing’s that haven’t changed are that she still applied for Columbia University and her brother is exactly the same.

Kennedy’s brother helps her to navigate through her new life but she has feelings that she isn’t as happy as everyone believes she is and she starts to question if she had originally made the right decision. While she is in her new life she hasn’t yet had her meeting with the Columbia alum so this time the meeting goes better.

When Kennedy get her letter to see if she got into Columbia University she falls again and she goes back to her original life.

Currently Reading: New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

Read in 2019: 26/30

Review - Art Geeks and Prom Queens by Alyson Noel

 

Title: Art Geeks and Prom Queens

Author: Alyson Noel
Series:
Pages: 240
Release Date: September 1st 2005
Format: Paperback

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: Being the new girl is tough, just ask sixteen-year-old Rio Jones. A New York transplant, Rio has no clue how she's going to fit in at her fancy new private school in Southern California. Plus, being late, overdressed, and named after a Duran Duran song doesn't make the first day any easier for her.

Then Rio meets Kristi. Beautiful, rich, and a cheerleader, Kristi is the queen bee of Newport Beach. And Kristi isn't friends with just anyone, so Rio is thrilled when she's invited to be part of the most exclusive, popular clique. Of course, like any club, Kristi and her friends have rules: Always smile (even if you don't mean it), always dress cute (and never repeat outfits), and always flirt (but only with jocks, preps, and rich college guys).

At first Rio is having a great time, but as she becomes more immersed in this jet-set crowd, she figures out there is one last rule that her new friends forgot to mention: Don't cross Kristi . . 

My Review: Rio is starting a new school mid term, she is a geek and proud but her mum - an almost super model - thinks that Rio could be less geeky and more girly and popular and she goes as far as choosing what Rio should wear on her first day at school so that she will get noticed and become popular.

On her first day she is late and the girl sat next to her in her first class spends the whole time staring at her but during her second class Rio makes friends with Mason and Jas, they are in her art class and they invite her to Jas' house for lunch, while there Rio find out that they smoke weed and because she doesn't want to seem like a loser she joins in and when the three go back to school they end up being late getting caught and getting a weeks detention.

This incident makes her mum tell Rio that she shouldn't hang with Mason and Jas as they are bad for her but Rio doesn't really care what her mum says and the next day she continues to hang out with Mason and Jas.

After a few days Rio becomes friends with Kristi, Kristi is the popular girl but becoming her friend comes at a price, she MUST stop hanging out with her fellow art geeks and spend her time shopping and doing whatever else Kristi says. When Rio invites her new friends home her mum is finally happy to see that she is now friends with the popular group. The problem is deep down Rio is really unhappy being Kristi's friend as there are rules she must follow, but she doesn't want to go back to being the kid no one notices.

Kristi helps Rio to get with JC who just wants to sleep with Rio but she keeps putting it off, Rio's mum and Kristi even plan a party for her that she doesn't want. While being Krisit's friend Rio starts to take drugs, partying and drinking.

Rio eventually starts to date Tyler a senior and becoming more popular than Kristi and she doesn't like this, Rio even has a date to the Moondance and all the seniors like having Rio hanging with them and Drew the guy who Kristi is hooking up with all the time doesn't ask her to go to the dance with him.

Rio, Tyler, Kristi and the others attend a party where they play spin the bottle, at first Rio doesn't want to join in as she doesn't think its right to hook up with someone else while Tyler is with his friends drinking but when he asks her to join in she does. This is where everything starts to change, Drew spins the bottle and ends up kissing Rio and Kristi doesn't like it and when Kristi spins the bottle it lands on Tyler, Rio hopes that Kristi and Tyler won't do anything but instead they leave to go upstairs to hook up. Rio takes herself off upstairs and cries but after re applying her make-up she goes downstairs and have a few drinks and ends up making out with Drew who starts to make a move on Rio who has to kick him to get him off her.

While trying to leave the party Rio and Kristi get into an argument and Rio's whole world starts to fall down around her. Kristi starts to spread rumours about Rio and everyone at school starts to ignore her even Tyler and the rest of the seniors. Kids in the hall start pointing and laughing at her and calling her names, someone also defaces her locker and puts dog poo in the locker and when she tries to tell the Head Teacher what had happened to her locker and who she thinks did it he doesn't believe her.

Now she has no friends Rio pretends to her mum that everything is wonderful until one day her mum tells her that she needs to pick out a dress for the Moondance, Rio snaps she can't take it anymore, she goes into the bathroom and cuts all her hair off and then goes down for her dinner and her mum freaks out and Rio finally tells her everything.

The following Monday Rio goes to school and confronts Kristi and calls her out on all her rubbish and she starts to become friends with Mason and Jas again.

The ending was great as Rio finally gets to be who she wants to be and her mum is happy for her she is even happy with Rio being friends with Mason and Jas again. This story tells it like it is for most young people who go to High School, especially if your new. It basically tells you to be who YOU want to be and NOT what everyone else wants.

Currently Reading: Drusilla: Story of an Ugly Stepsister by Melissa Frost
Read in 2019: 6/30

Review - Heritage by Tara Ellis

Title: Heritage

Author: Tara Ellis
Series:The Forgotten Origins: Bloodline
Pages: 336
Release Date: June 2016

Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: 
Source: Amazon
Format: Kindle

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: "Alex has managed to stop a viral outbreak but must now fight her way out of the resulting chaos to prevent an even more disastrous threat. After escaping capture by a plotting regime, she calls upon her friends and own unique abilities to discover earths true past and fate. Amid a collapsing society, they battle unseen forces, unlocking ancient secrets in an attempt to change the course of the human race.

Be sure to read Book One of the Forgotten Origins Trilogy: Bloodline"

My Review: Heritage is book 2 in this great series. It is set right after Alex and Chris release the anti-virus to the virus that caused death and disaster all over the world. It is action packed and keeps you turning pages.

Alex visits the Professor that she meets in book one and he tells her that he believes that its not over and that the Munameere are looking at releasing a new version of the virus and he has been working on an anti-virus which he wants Alex to take to the Senator in Montana but before they all leave Alex gets taken by the Munameere.

While she is in the Munameere's lab they give her an injection that contains the new virus and Alex has to take the anti-virus tablet that the Professor gave her so that she doesn't become a Shiner. However the tablet isn't able to take away all of the Shiner side affects.

Alex manages to escape the lap after several days of pretending to be a Shiner and once she gets back home she, Chris and their friends and family all leave to get to the Senator.

There was never a dull moment in the book and I had to keep reading to find out what happens next and I never expected what happened.

I am excited to start book 3 to see if they manage to stop the Munameere from releasing the virus and creating chaos.


Currently Reading: Art Geeks and Prom Queens by Alyson Noel
Read in 2019: 4/30

Review - TAG by Alice La Roux

Title: TAG

Author: Alice La Roux
Series:
Pages: 242
Release Date: February 22nd

Genre: 
Publisher: 
Source: Author
Format: Kindle

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: They did this.

The government.

But it wasn’t just our government, no, it was every governing body, in every country, around the globe. In an attempt to reduce overpopulation they unleashed a virus unlike any other, but they couldn’t predict what happened next. The infected became cannibalistic monsters, every trace of humanity gone.

They hunt us down wherever we go.

We are the survivors, the ones who made it to the first anniversary of the outbreak. Our numbers are dwindling, but we have one last shot at fighting back. We just have to survive long enough to save the human race.

The fate of the country lies with a lonely school girl and a city boy with a shady past.

The rules are simple: don’t get caught. 

My Review: As usual Alice brought the goods. I enjoyed the story. I've read plenty of Vampire and Witch type book's, but this is the first Zombie book I have read and I have to say I enjoyed it.

I loved the chemistry between Alex and Mia, I think that they worked well together which is shown in the story when they are planning to see what Mia's father is up to. I liked Donovan he was cool and his involvement in places helped the story. I hated Karen, she was horrible for no reason. It's not like it was Mia's fault that their friend got shot in the leg with one of Mia's arrow's, they turned up at her place not the other way round. I thought that Leo was a lunatic, who did he think he was? and Sammy and Mia's father are stupid, did Sammy really think that Alex was going to break into a secure safe for a lunatic. Also did Mia's father really think he cold keep his little experiments on the Z's a secret forever? I don't think so.

I was going to give this 5 stars as I really did enjoy it but I was disappointed in the ending, to me it felt like it ended on a cliffhanger with some unanswered questions.
- Did they ALL get back to Rosehill and the Army Base Camp?
- Did the cure work?
- Did Anna manage to escape and meet up with the others?

Despite these questions I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a quick read and anyone who likes to read about Zombies.

Currently Reading: Art Geeks and Prom Queens by Alyson Noel
Read in 2019: 4/30