Review - The Boy Most Likely To by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Title: The Boy Most Likely To

Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick

Pages: 434

Publisher: Electric Monkey

Release date: 11th March 2016

Blurb from Goodreads: 

 

Tim Mason was The Boy Most Likely To:
- find the liquor cabinet blindfolded
- need a liver transplant
- drive his car into a house

Alice Garrett was The Girl Most Likely To:
- well, not date her little brother’s baggage-burdened best friend, for starters.

For Tim, it wouldn’t be smart to fall for Alice. For Alice, nothing could be scarier than falling for Tim. But Tim has never been known for making the smart choice, and Alice is starting to wonder if the “smart” choice is always the right one. When these two crash into each other, they crash hard.

Then the unexpected consequences of Tim’s wild days come back to shock him. He finds himself in a situation that isn’t all it appears to be, that he never could have predicted . . . but maybe should have.

And Alice is caught in the middle.

Told in Tim’s and Alice’s distinctive, disarming, entirely compelling voices, this return to the world of My Life Next Door is a story about failing first, trying again, and having to decide whether to risk it all once more.

Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US

 My Review:

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Egmont Publishing and NetGalley*

 

Tim Mason's life is a bit of a mess - he's a recovering alcoholic, ex-druggie and his dad has just given him an ultimatum.

Alice Garrett never thought she would date a friend of her younger brother, but she's drawn to Tim, despite being scared of letting him in.

Then Tim receives some shocking news, something that might push Tim and Alice apart.

Can Tim stay sober and clean?

Can Tim and Alice last?

As a fan of My Life Next Door, I was intrigued to read the companion novel, The Boy Most Likely To, especially seeing as both Tim and Alice were characters I liked.

I was glad to see that Tim was trying to turn his life around and I was rooting for him.

We got to see a different side to Alice which I enjoyed.

I liked how relatable and real both Tim and Alice felt.

It was nice to read the scenes with Sam and Jase who were characters I loved in My Life Next Door.

The plot was interesting and I enjoyed the writing style but I guessed what was going to happen and I wasn't gripped.

Overall this was an enjoyable read that I would recommend.  

Review - Flawed (Flawed, #1) by Cecelia Ahern

Title: Flawed (Flawed, #1)

Author: Cecelia Ahern

Pages: 334

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Release date: 5th April 2016

Blurb from Goodreads: 

Celestine North lives a perfect life. She's a model daughter and sister, she's well-liked by her classmates and teachers, and she's dating the impossibly charming Art Crevan.

But then Celestine encounters a situation in which she makes an instinctive decision. She breaks a rule and now faces life-changing repercussions. She could be imprisoned. She could be branded. She could be found FLAWED.

In her breathtaking young adult debut, bestselling author Cecelia Ahern depicts a society in which obedience is paramount and rebellion is punished. And where one young woman decides to take a stand that could cost her everything.

 Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US

My Review:

 

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group/Feiwel & Friends and NetGalley*

Celestine North is the epitome of the word 'perfect' - She is a perfect daughter, student and girlfriend.

But then Celestine's beliefs are brought into question and she breaks a rule. Having aided a Flawed, someone who has themselves broken a rule and been branded and made an outcast of society, Celestine now faces either prison or being declared Flawed.

If Celestine is found Flawed her life will be changed forever and her family will be never be the same.

Flawed was a mixed read for me.

I liked Celestine and felt really sorry for her at a certain thing that happened. However, at times she annoyed me.

There weren't any characters that really stood out for me.

The plot was okay and the idea of a system where people are marked as Flawed was rather scary and believable. Yet it didn't feel that unique but that's probably because I've read quite a few dystopian books now. Nothing that happened really shocked me - apart from the thing I mentioned above - and I wasn't gripped.

There was only a little bit of romance.

I've read some books by Cecelia Ahern and I like her writing style but I don't think I will be reading the sequel.

Overall this was an okay but slightly disappointing read.

Review - Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Title: Salt to the Sea

Author: Ruta Sepetys

Pages: 400

Publisher: Puffin

Release date: 4th February 2016

Blurb from Goodreads: 

 

In the cruel winter of 1945, four very different young people narrate their stories. Joana, Emilia and Florian are part of desperate group of refugees trekking across Germany, bound together only by their desperation to reach the ship that can take them away from the war-ravaged land. Alfred is a German soldier stationed on that ship.

This hugely touching, inspirational novel is based on a true story. When the German ship the Wilhelm Gustloff was sunk in port in early 1945 it had over 9000 civilian refugees, including children, on board. It is the biggest maritime disaster in history, killing more people than the Titanic. Ruta Sepetys, acclaimed author of Between Shades of Grey, has brilliantly brought this story to light and created a group of unforgettable characters with unmissable stories.

Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US

 

My Review:

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Penguin Random House UK Children's and NetGalley*

3/5 stars

It's 1945 and war is raging in Europe.

Joana, Emilia and Florian are travelling through Germany, each hoping to escape for their own reason.

Fate brings them together and to the Wilhelm Gustloff where they meet Alfred who is stationed on the ship.

Will they make it home and find their families?

Salt to the Sea was an intriguing read about a tough subject.

Joana, Emilia and Florian were all interesting characters. Alfred, however, I didn't like at all. Joana was my favourite as I felt that I connected to her the most. 

The plot was good but not much happened. I liked the writing style and found it easy to follow. I wanted to read on but I wasn't gripped. The chapters were short so it was hard to get to really get to know the characters.

I had never heard about what happened to the Wilhelm Gustloff and it's terrible that the disaster isn't better known. I also never learned much about what happened to the Polish, so that aspect was interesting.

Overall this was an enjoyable read.

 

 

Review - Spelled by Betsy Schow

Title: Spelled

Author: Betsy Schow

Pages: 352

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Release date: 2nd June 2015

Blurb from Goodreads:

Fairy Tale Survival Rule #32: If you find yourself at the mercy of a wicked witch, sing a romantic ballad and wait for your Prince Charming to save the day.

Yeah, no thanks. Dorthea is completely princed out. Sure being the crown princess of Emerald has its perks—like Glenda Original ball gowns and Hans Christian Louboutin heels. But a forced marriage to the brooding prince Kato is so not what Dorthea had in mind for her enchanted future.

Talk about unhappily ever after.

Trying to fix her prince problem by wishing on a (cursed) star royally backfires, leaving the kingdom in chaos and her parents stuck in some place called "Kansas." Now it's up to Dorthea and her pixed off prince to find the mysterious Wizard of Oz and undo the curse...before it releases the wickedest witch of all and spells The End for the world of Story.

Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US

My Review:

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley*

2.5/5 stars

Dorthea is the Princess of Emerald. The only things she cares about are shoes and dresses.

That's until her mother informs her that she is going to marry Prince Kato whether she wants to or not.

Angry and upset, Dorthea makes a wish which backfires. With her parents gone and a witch named Griz after her, Dorthea must find a way to reverse her wish with the help of Prince Kato, who has turned into some sort of strange creature, and a servant who likes to steal things.

Spelled was a mixed read.

It took a while for me to warm to Dorthea. She was vain and selfish to start with but I enjoyed reading as she grew into a better person. None of the other characters really stood out.

The plot was alright. I liked the mix of fairy tales but I lost attention several times.

I didn't feel the romance but I was glad that it wasn't over the top.

I was expecting to enjoy the book more so I'm slightly disappointed.

Overall this was an okay read.

 

Review - The Edge of Forever by Melissa E. Hurst

Title: The Edge of Forever

Author: Melissa E. Hurst

Pages: 256

Publisher: Sky Pony Press

Release date: 2nd June 2015

Blurb from Goodreads:

In 2013: Sixteen-year-old Alora is having blackouts. Each time she wakes up in a different place with no idea of how she got there. The one thing she is certain of? Someone is following her.

In 2146: Seventeen-year-old Bridger is one of a small number of people born with the ability to travel to the past. While on a routine school time trip, he sees the last person he expected—his dead father. The strangest part is that, according to the Department of Temporal Affairs, his father was never assigned to be in that time. Bridger’s even more stunned when he learns that his by-the-book father was there to break the most important rule of time travel—to prevent someone’s murder.

And that someone is named Alora.

Determined to discover why his father wanted to help a “ghost,” Bridger illegally shifts to 2013 and, along with Alora, races to solve the mystery surrounding her past and her connection to his father before the DTA finds him. If he can stop Alora’s death without altering the timeline, maybe he can save his father too.

Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US

My Review:

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Sky Pony Press and Edelweiss*

3/5 stars

Bridger Creed lives in 2146 a future where genetic modification is common and people can time travel. While on a school trip to an assasination that happened in the past, Bridger sees his dead father who tells him to 'save Alora'. Why does Bridger's father want him to save a ghost from being murdered?

Back in 2013, Alora is suffering from blackouts. As if things weren't bad enough she starts receiving unwanted attention from a boy at school.

What will happen when Bridger illegally goes back in time to save Alora?

Who would want to kill Alora?

Will Bridger be able to save his father?

The Edge of Forever was an intriguing read. I liked the premise of a person going into the past to save someone.

Alora and Bridger were likeable characters who were both dealing with their own problems - Alora who was having blackouts and couldn't remember anything about her parents, and Bridger who was grieving for his father.

The plot was good and held my attention. There were twists that I didn't see coming and I liked that the romance wasn't a main feature or over the top.

While I enjoyed the book it didn't grip me and I would have liked to have found out more about the future that Bridger came from.

 

Overall this was an enjoyable read that I would recommend.