Category: Recommendations

Title: The Toll
Author: Neal Shusterman
Edition: Paperback
Rating: 3.5/5

I’ve been waiting for the third and final book in the Arc of a Scythe series for twelve months, so when I heard there were copies in Waterstones I threw on my coat and went out in the rain to buy one! Thunderhead, book two in the series, ended on a serious cliffhanger, so I wasn’t going to wait to find out what happened next.

The Toll is a larger book than its predecessors, and there are plenty of plot twists packed into its pages. The book continues the story of the Scythes, the only people licensed to kill in a society where no one dies. The Scythedom was set up to manage the population in a post-mortal world, but with the balance of power shifting and new-order Scythes taking a little too much pleasure in ending lives, The Toll explores the ethics of death, dying, and post-mortality.

Following on from book two, the god-like point-of-view character plays a major role in The Toll, interacting with one character in particular, and struggling to overcome its own programming. At the same time, the Scythedom is trying to come to terms with the new-order Scythes and their actions, and looking for other ways to achieve the same ends. The cliffhanger from the previous book is resolved, but the characters are almost immediately thrown back into danger. It feels as if everyone is trying to change the world – but no two groups are aiming for the same outcome.

The scene is set for games of cat-and-mouse, and power struggles on a truly global scale. There’s excitement and scandal, world-changing discoveries and crushing tragedies, and an ending that I didn’t see coming.

I’m still not sure what I think of this series. I didn’t like the characters at the start of Scythe. I didn’t like the setting or the scenario. But I have enjoyed the plot, and the way the author uses his post-mortal society to examine the corrupting influence of power, the ethical dilemmas of a god-like character, and the injustice of death and dying. It’s an interesting read, but be warned: the book two cliffhanger really is painful!

Have you read the Arc of a Scythe trilogy? How long did you have to wait to find out what happened after the end of Thunderhead? And what did you think of the ending? Click through to the full blog to access the comments section, and share your thoughts! No spoilers, though – you can post those on GoodReads!

Review cross-posted to GoodReads.

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Title: Meat Market
Author: Juno Dawson
Edition: Paperback
Rating: 4/5

When sixteen-year-old Jana Novak is scouted by a modelling agency, she thinks she’s going into her new career with her eyes open. She doesn’t think of herself as beautiful, and she accepts that her recruitment is based on her height (5’11”) and her on-trend androgynous looks. Her parents, friends, and committed boyfriend support her, while helping to keep her grounded, and her agency finds her work with top fashion brands. She seems well-placed to succeed.

But the pressure and loneliness of long-distance travel, and the demands of the people she works with, start to take a toll on Jana. As she discovers the truth about the industry that pays huge sums of money to use her face and body in their advertising campaigns, she is forced to choose between her career and her conscience.

This is compelling story. Jana is a believable girl-next-door character from a South London housing estate. She hasn’t dreamt of being a model, but she embraces the opportunities her agency provides, and learns as she goes what life as a living mannequin is really like. There are some touching moments, as she connects with the models she meets as she travels the world, and there are some shocking twists as she discovers the realities of surviving a punishing schedule and meeting the expectations of the people and companies who pay her wages.

The book doesn’t shy away from depicting the darker sides of the fashion industry, touching on dieting, eating disorders, drug use, and inappropriate sexual behaviour. But in spite of this, it is an optimistic story, narrated by a likeable, brave teenage girl. Her family and friends feel real and rounded, and her relationship with her boyfriend is lovely. At times, they feel like a much more mature couple, and he helps to keep her connected to her home and her life outside modelling.

Despite the twists and turns of the plot, Jana remains a sympathetic and relatable character, keeping the reader engaged with her story. The clever structure of the narrative – sections of interview alternated with sections of story – is explained at the end of the book, and finding out who was asking the questions made me want to back and read the book again, with this in mind. This is an important and accessible #MeToo novel, and definitely worth a read.

Have you read Meat Market? Did it make you think differently about the fashion industry? Did you think it was an optimistic story, or a depressing one? Click through to the full blog to access the comments section, and share your thoughts! No spoilers, though – you can post those on GoodReads!

Review cross-posted to GoodReads.

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Title: Noughts and Crosses
Author: Malorie Blackman
Edition: Paperback
Rating: 5/5

Wow. I’m all for hard-hitting, challenging stories, but this takes the prize for leaving me breathless and traumatised – and it is brilliantly done. In her introduction, the author describes her ‘desire to tackle the subject of racism head on’ by putting her characters through humiliating situations that she had experienced herself as a black teenager. Personal experience and anger at ‘the artificial divides we always seem to put between ourselves and others’ gives this book a raw, realistic feel, and the clever flipping of the black/white power balance allows racist ideas to be challenged, free from readers’ preexisting assumptions.

The narrative is split between two main characters, with alternating Point of View chapters. Thirteen-year-old Sephy is a Cross – a member of the dark-skinned ruling class – and her fifteen-year-old best friend Callum is a Nought – a member of the pale-skinned underclass. Noughts were once kept as slaves by Crosses, and society is still stacked against its pale-skinned members. Schooling is segregated, and very few Noughts achieve a high level of education, or well-paid jobs. The growing relationship between Sephy and Callum provokes resentment from their families, and from the people around them. The plot makes some shocking twists, while staying true to the characters and the setting, and by the end I was angry, upset, and thoroughly invested in the outcome of the story. It took me a while to fully sympathise with both main characters, but when the plot grabbed me, I couldn’t put the book down.

It is very hard to say anything else without giving away spoilers – and trust me, this is a story you don’t want to spoil. It’s a book that makes the reader question their own invisible prejudices, while following the characters through some tough decisions, and eventually shouting at the words on the page. It is an important story, accessibly told, that will stay with me long after the book goes back on the shelf. Very highly recommended.

Have you read Noughts and Crosses? What did you think? Click through to the full blog to access the comments section, and share your thoughts! No spoilers, though – you can post those on GoodReads!

Review cross-posted to GoodReads.

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Title: Children of Blood and Bone
Author: Tomi Adeyemi
Edition: Paperback
Rating: 4/5

I’ve been looking forward to reading this. ‘Children of Blood and Bone’ is a West-African-inspired fantasy story about Orisha, a kingdom where magic has disappeared, and the Maji who used to practice magic have been wiped out to prevent its return. The story is told through three POV characters – a teenage girl who would have magical powers if the gods hadn’t taken them from the world; a teenage princess; and her brother, the heir to the throne.

The book follows the characters as their lives collide, and they discover a ritual that might bring magic back. It’s an adventure story and a fantasy road trip, with plenty of obstacles in the paths of the protagonists. At 525 pages, it’s a reasonably long YA novel, and it covers a lot of ground – literally and in terms of character development and plot.

The central character is Zélie, the potential Maji. She witnessed the execution of her Maji mother when the magic practitioners were killed, and she works hard to look after her father, and keep her family safe in their fishing village on edge of Orisha. When she meets Amari, the princess, on a visit to the capital, they set off a chain of events that leads them to the ritual, and to the journey across Orisha, pursued by the prince.

There is plenty of action and danger, and plenty of excitement. There are unexpected twists, and unplanned adventures as the characters travel to their goal. Even over 500+ pages, the plot rarely stands still, and there is always another obstacle, and another plot twist, just over the page. Zélie is a strong, determined protagonist, and Amari has to learn quickly how to defend herself and survive outside the palace.

The system of magic is unusual, with different clans of Maji specialising in different forms of magic, and the connection with the gods is explicit and central to the book. The setting is engaging – a Nigerian-inspired land with jungles, deserts, and mountains; villages, cities, and traveling caravans. Political intrigues at court provide the backdrop to Amari’s life, with her strict mother, and her father, the King who fears the return of magic.

All the ingredients for an exciting journey, and a quest with the potential to heal the kingdom – or to destroy it.

Have you read Children of Blood and Bone? What did you think of the story? And what about the relationships between the characters? Click through to the full blog to access the comments section, and share your thoughts! No spoilers, though – you can post those on GoodReads!

Review cross-posted to GoodReads.

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Title: Tradition
Author: Brendan Kiely
Edition: Paperback
Rating: 4/5

This is a story about sexual assault at a prestigious US boarding school, and the barriers to reporting and consequences when the abusers are protected by money and reputation. The author could have chosen to sensationalise the subject, or give us a dramatic, terrifying event to examine, but instead the abuse, and the unofficial traditions that enable the abuse, are shown quietly and in glimpses, with respect for the characters involved.

The story is told from two points of view. Jules has had enough of the sexist attitudes of the Fullbrook Academy (in her words “a boys’ school, and they accept girls here too”). She has one year left before she can escape to college, and her focus is on getting good grades and leaving Fullbrook behind. Bax is an athlete, brought into Fullbrook on a full scholarship to change the fortunes of their ice hockey team. He feels out of place among the rich boys who dominate the school and the sports teams, and he finds a friend in Jules. When Jules is assaulted at the traditional start-of-year school party, Bax has to decide where his loyalties lie.

This is a sensitive and effective exploration of the effects of entitlement, power, and sexual assault – not only on the victim, but on the entire community. It is not immediately clear what has happened to Jules – even though the assault is described from her point of view, she doesn’t fully process the event until later in the book, and initially the reader doesn’t know exactly what happened. The only clues are her behaviour over the next few days – retreating from her friends, skipping meals and classes – and the confusion among her friends about what might be causing her unusual behaviour. In an echo of the 2015 Stanford rape trial, the reaction of the school authorities is heartbreaking, and when Jules turns to her friends for support, she discovers that she is not the only victim, and that the start-of-year party is not the only tradition that puts the female students at risk.

Jules, Bax, and their circle of friends are all engaging characters who bring their own expectations and ambitions to the Fullbrook Academy community. They encounter bullying and abuse of power in every part of their lives – in the sports teams, in their interactions with the school authorities, and in their relationships with other students – but as they spend more time together, they start to see a way to challenge the accepted traditions, and to make a stand against the entitlement of a rich and powerful elite.

Tradition tackles an important and relevant Young Adult issue with a sensitive and effective story. The setting, the events, and the reactions of the characters feel uncomfortably real, and the book is definitely a conversation-starter. Do you agree with the actions and reactions of the characters? Would you do what they do? What would you risk to protect your community? This would be a perfect book club text, with plenty to discuss and explore. And who knows? Maybe it will help to change attitudes to sexual assault and justice.

Have you read Tradition? Did you think Jules was treated fairly? And what about Bax? Click through to the full blog to access the comments section, and share your thoughts! No spoilers, though – you can post those on GoodReads!

Review cross-posted to GoodReads.

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Title: The Gilded King
Author: Josie Jaffrey
Edition: Paperback
Rating: 4/5

Post-apocalyptic vampires! Zombies! Myths and legends of the fall of civilisation, and the origins of the vampire-based society. Book one of Josie Jaffrey’s Sovereign series is an inventive, original, and exciting read.

The world (post-apocalyptic Europe) and the scenario (a virus turning people into zombies, and a class of vampires immune to the disease) are well developed, and the settings are vividly described. The story follows two points of view – Julia, a human servant, and Cameron, a vampire on a mission to find an old friend. I enjoyed following Julia’s story through plenty of twists and heart-pounding moments, and I liked the development of her relationship with her best friend. Cameron’s story was exciting, with just as many twists and surprises. When the politics and intrigues of the society start to affect both characters, the book becomes even more gripping.

If you’re after a new take on the vampire romance genre, with plenty of backstabbing, plotting, and adventure, this book should be next on your reading list.

Have you read The Gilded King? What did you think of the setting? And what about Julia’s story? Click through to the full blog to access the comments section, and share your thoughts! No spoilers, though – you can post those on GoodReads!

Review cross-posted to GoodReads.

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Title: The Kingdom
Author: Jess Rothenberg
Edition: Paperback
Rating: 3/5

The blurb on the back of this book sounded amazing – a YA Westworld-style thriller set in a futuristic theme park. The characters the visitors come to see are robotic ‘fantasists’, assumed by their creators to have no inner lives, thoughts, or feelings. Older models are retired as their programming becomes outdated, and new fantasists are brought in to replace them.

The story is told in an unconventional series of court documents, interviews, pieces of evidence, and the recollections of a fantasist on trial for murder. The premise – a robotic character breaking her programming to murder a human – is intriguing. In reading the fantasist’s first-person accounts of the events leading to the trial, the reader is let into the secret that the robots do have inner lives and feelings. The owners of the park and the participants in the trial do not believe this to be true, and the further into the book you read, the more frustrating this becomes. I certainly wanted to convince them that the protagonist could think and feel, and make moral decisions!

I really liked the way the story was presented, with first-person narration contrasted with third-party accounts, interviews, and reports. I’m giving The Kingdom three stars, because I felt that the author could have done more with the setting and the robotic characters. It’s a really hard task, to allow the reader to connect with a non-human narrator, and I didn’t feel as invested in the story as I wanted to. I would have liked to see more of the fantasists’ experiences and relationships with each other, and possibly see the theme park through the eyes of one of the visitors.

The Kingdom told an interesting and inventive story, but in the end I wanted more from the book – which I guess is a compliment to the author for creating such an interesting world!

Have you read The Kingdom? What did you think of the story? Did the book grab you? Click through to the full blog to access the comments section, and share your thoughts! No spoilers, though – you can post those on GoodReads!

Review cross-posted to GoodReads.

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Title: A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers #1)
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Edition: Paperback
Rating: 3/5

I wasn’t sure that a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast would be my kind of book, but several people recommended it, so I grabbed a bargain copy and started reading. And to begin with, I still wasn’t sure. Nothing much happened in the first half of the book. The story seemed to be treading water – establishing the characters, but not going anywhere. I was tempted to give up, until I passed the middle of the story, and suddenly discovered that I couldn’t put it down.

Harper, a girl from modern-day Washington DC, finds herself in the fairy-tale land of Emberfall. She’s been kidnapped in an attempt to break a curse placed on Crown Prince Rhen. All she has to do is fall in love with him, and he won’t change into a monster at the end of the season – but she’s the three hundred and twenty-seventh girl he’s tried to win over, and the rest have all failed.

The first half of the book feels less like a story than a sequence of events. I’m glad I kept reading, because when the events and the context come together, the intrigue kicks off and the stakes are raised for all the characters. When Harper starts to engage with the politics and people of Emberfall, and to see that she could make a difference, the book changes course and the story becomes much more engaging.

Harper is an interesting character. She has a minor disability, but she doesn’t let it define her. She is strong-willed, brave, and determined to fnd her way back to DC. The Crown Prince and his guard constantly tell her that she’s not like the other girls, who played the game and waited to fall in love. She takes action where she sees the opportunity, and she does not accept her role in the breaking of the curse.

Rhen is also interesting, but frustratingly bad at communicating with Harper. While half the chapters are narrated from his point of view, none of the depth the reader can see is evident to Harper, in the earlier chapters she narrates. She can only see the arrogant prince, used to ordering people around and keeping himself hidden in the castle. It takes a painfully long time for her to to understand the challenges he is facing, and to see that he is trying to protect her, and his people.

By the end of the book, I cared about Harper, Rhen, and the guard, and I cared about what happened to the people of Emberfall. The final chapters bring everything together in a genuinely dangerous and exciting finale, and put in place a really interesting twist for the sequel. The first-person present-tense narration suits the story, making the adventure and danger more immediate and real, and the twists in the story ensure that the reader can never guess what the next chapter will bring. I ended up enjoying the book, so if you find it slow to begin with, stick with it – it gets better!

Have you read A Curse So Dark and Lonely? What did you think of the story? And what about the characters – Harper, Rhen, and Grey? Click through to the full blog to access the comments section, and share your thoughts! No spoilers, though – you can post those on GoodReads!

Review cross-posted to GoodReads.

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Title: Boy 87
Author: Ele Fountain
Edition: Paperback
Rating: 4/5

This is a short and deceptively simple book, following fourteen-year-old Shif as he makes the dangerous journey from his home in Africa to find safety in Europe. The plot is straightforward, and the first-person narration is pared-back, childlike, and sincere. At first glance, the storytelling feels simple, but there is just enough here to allow the reader to connect with Shif, and to experience the frightening events of the story with him. The elegant, spare language gives the reader clear insights into Shif’s character, his hopes and dreams for the future, and his ability to survive the trials of the journey. Nothing is over-dramatised, but the threats and the danger feel real.

With its simple storytelling and short length, Boy 87 feels like a book for younger children, but the events Shif describes require a YA level of maturity to understand and connect with. As an adult I found the story truly frightening, imagining what it would feel like to have to leave your home, escape to another country, and trust people smugglers to take you on the dangerous sea-crossing. This isn’t heroic YA. It isn’t a story of adventure or triumph. But it is an insight into the motivations of the migrants who try again and again to reach safety in Europe. Shif’s experiences are relatable, haunting, and undoubtedly realistic, and the book would make a great introduction to the subject of migration, majority/minority world politics, and the value of human life.

Boy 87 is an easy but thought-provoking read, and an effective introduction to an important contemporary subject. Definitely recommended.

Have you read Boy 87? What did you think of the story? Click through to the full blog to access the comments section, and share your thoughts! No spoilers, though – you can post those on GoodReads!

Review cross-posted to GoodReads.

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