Review: Fury by Elizabeth Miles

      

Title: Fury

Author: Elizabeth Miles
Series: The Fury Trilogy #1

Pages: 352

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Release Date: September 1st 2011 (UK)

Source: For review

Rating: 4 stars

It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems... 

Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend. 
On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed. 
In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay. 

Em and Chase have been chosen.

There is a huge Greek mythology trend in YA at the moment and I must say that I love it. I don't know too much about Greek mythology therefore I cannot tell how accurate it is in books. It could be completely wrong and I would love it anyway (but the more accurate he better, obviously).

The synopsis of Fury really captured my attention. The idea about Karma and punishing people for wrongdoings is a curious subject matter and throw in some love triangles and this mysterious boy and I am so in. The vague synopsis really allowed me to enjoy Fury as I went in without any expectations.

I found it to be a really good start to a series. It was full of sexy and forbidden actions and I just got sucked in. Whilst there was a lot of naughtiness going on I didn't feel like they were being condoned yet at the same time there was an underlying question about the severity of the actions that go on in the novel and what a suitable punishment would be for them.  

The book was written using dual narration from Em and Chase, the main characters. They weren't overly likeable characters, nor were they meant to be. It almost felt like their actions and who they were weren't the focus. Yes, what they did and how the furies chose to respond is a key feature the underlying tone was about any wrongdoing, not specifically Em and Chase's. The question Fury left me wondering about was who has the right to judge us? Our peers, our parents, the law, our friends?

Em, I felt, grew as a character more than Chase did. I could never condone cheating, especially not with your best friend's boyfriend but I think it was really interesting to see the situation from her perspective and how easily she was able to make the situation suit her.

The secondary characters took quite a prominent role. Gabby, despite not being present in most of the book really dominated. I loved her character and felt like I could really relate to her. Em's neighbour and friend JD was lovely. I just adored him. Instead of taking a back seat these characters were really involved and I loved that. Zac....let's not talk about him. You decide for yourself what you think of him.

Now, onto the furies. I think they were written well. As I said earlier, accuracy isn't something I can comment on but I thought they wee extremely powerful and dominating characters. They are so compelling and their power is quite horrifying at times. They added the darker side to the story.

At times the plot gets a little slow but the ending is just s full of action that I didn't really mind. There is the slight issue of the marketing perhaps as it is portrayed as very paranormal but for the most part it felt very contemporary though this didn't bother me.

Fury is a compelling, engaging read; full of mystery, sexiness and a whole lot of bad behaviour. The ending just leaves you wanting more and I can't stop thinking about how the next book is going to go! It is definitely recommended.

Waiting On Wednesday

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

by 

Jennifer E. Smith

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18B. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

I swear I would pretty much do anything to get my hands on a copy of this. It is everything I hope for in a novel and more! And that title? LOVE.

Review: Flawless by Lara Chapman

       

     

Title: Flawless

Author: Lara Chapman
Series: Standalone

Pages: 255
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release Date: May 10th 2011 (UK)
Source: For review
Rating: 3.5 stars

Sarah Burke is just about perfect. She's got killer blue eyes, gorgeous blond hair, and impeccable grades. There's just one tiny-all right, enormous-flaw: her nose. But even that's not so bad. Sarah's got the best best friend and big goals for print journalism fame. 

On the first day of senior year, Rock Conway walks into her journalism class and, well, rocks her world. Problem is, her best friend, Kristen, falls for him too. And when Rock and Kristen stand together, it's like Barbie and Ken come to life. So when Kristen begs Sarah to help her nab Rock, Sarah does the only thing a best friend can do-she agrees. For someone so smart, what was she thinking? This hip retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac is filled with hilariously misguided matchmaking, sweet romance, and a gentle reminder that we should all embrace our flaws.

Flawless is loosely based on the story of Cyrano de Bergerac. Sarah agrees to help her best friend Kristen to get Rockford (Rock). The only problem is Sarah is head over heels for Rock but believes because of her huge nose, she will never gain his attention.

There was a lot to like about this book. The beauty quotes at the start of each chapter were empowering and uplifting.  The message of the book is clear; love who you are, no matter what you look like. The moral of the book was a huge part of why I enjoyed it.

Sarah and Kristen’s friendship had an incredible dynamic. They are both incredible best friends. I had a lot of respect for both of them as friends. The plot could have gone in a different direction like a lot of novels do these days. The respect they have for each other and their friendship is admirable. Both girls are very likeable though not without their flaws.

Rock. Hm. Despite the dreadful name there was definite appeal there.  He is swoon worthy and reads literature.  I had an issue with him though. I wasn’t huge on his treatment of Kristen and Sarah. There are usually two ways a novel such as this can go. 1) Main female and male get together or 2) Main female character realises that the guy is a douche and not who she thought he was.  I felt like it could have gone either way. He acted like a jerk sometimes then super sweet the next. He wasn’t my perfect romantic interest.

The ending was fine. It was sweet yet also empowering. A lot of good messages came out of the novel and I felt they were well put across. There were a few things that bothered me but for the most part I enjoyed it and it was a quick, easy read!

Weekly Recap

Hello readers. It has been a long while since I have been on and I apologise for that. Summer has been crazy with work experience, holiday, exam results and school work. I am officially back now and I thought doing a weekly two month recap would be a good place to start.


Finished in July:

• There Is No Dog by Meg Rosoff
• Fury by Elizabeth Miles
• Torment by Lauren Kate
• Rockaholic by CJ Skuse
• Tell Me A Secret by Holly Cupala (audiobook)
• Brother/Sister by Sean Olin
  
  
  

Finished in August:

• Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
• Fat Cat by Robin Brande
• Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S King
• Split by Swati Avasthi
• Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
• The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
• Flawless by Lara Chapman
  
  
  

Currently Reading:

• Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts
• Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood (for school)
• Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty

Did Not Finish:

On The Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta fell flat for me. I went into it with such high expectations but what I got merely confused me rather than blowing me away. I got to page 108 and it took a huge effort to get that far. There were flashbacks that seemed to have no relevance, I didn't understand the plot line and I felt no connection to the protagonist. I have heard it takes a while for things to make sense but unfortunately I didn't have the stamina to continue. I may pick this up at a later date but there will be no rush.

So that is what I have been reading for the past two months. Definitely not as much as I hoped but nevermind. Have you read anything great this past month? Please share in the comments :)

Forgive My Fins Winner

I apologise for being a little MIA at the moment. I am on holiday in New Zealand and I just haven't had the chance to blog. Unfortunately I don't think I'll be around for a little while longer. It will be around mid August but it could be September! I am so sorry but I am making it up to you by choosing a winner for the Forgive My Fins giveaway! The winner is.....

Loussin from The Dusty Bookshelves

Congratulations :)

In My Mailbox (10/07/2011)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren.

For Review

What Happened To Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Hereafter by Tara Hudson

Airhead by Meg Cabot

Being Nikki by Meg Cabot

Runaway by Meg Cabot

Bumped by Megan McCafferty

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

What did you get in your mailbox?

Forgive My Fins Blog Tour & Giveaway

Hi guys :) Today I am presenting to you Forgive My Fins, a fabulous book about mermaids. Now this was my first mermaid novel but I am just addicted. Tera Lynn Childs did an interview with me and she is just the loveliest thing.

  1.       What compelled you to write a novel about mermaids?

I’ve been obsessed with mermaids ever since I was a little girl and first saw the movie Splash. I was a water baby and a competitive swimmer and I loved the idea of spending even more time under water. I got the idea when I was spending a lot of time on the beach one summer and starting wishing that a merman could walk out of the sea and turn me into a mermaid with a kiss.

   2.       How long did it take you to write “Forgive My Fins”?

Well, I first got the idea in the summer of 2006, but I sold Oh. My. Gods. shortly after that and had to put it away for a while. When I picked it back up and start writing again in 2008, I probably finished the first draft in about four months. From first idea to published book it took four years.

   3.       There don’t seem to be many mermaid books around. Have you read any good books containing mermaids?

Hopefully there will be more and more! One of my favorites lately is Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs. Her mermaids are extraordinarily different from mine, and their world is very dark and dangerous, but it’s a truly magical book.

   4.       Can you tell us a little about “Forgive My Fins”?

Forgive My Fins is the story of a half-mermaid princess who goes to high school on the mainland. She’s been crushing on the school swim god for three years and when she is about to confess her feelings… well, things go awry and she bestows her magical first kiss on the wrong boy.

   5.       Is there anything you must have when you’re writing eg. A food or a drink?

I have to be out of the house. I usually write in cafes and coffee shops, in a comfy chair with a tasty beverage at my side. I’m almost always listening to music. I scribble thoughts and ideas on sticky notes or in brightly colored markers. But mostly, I just need to be out of the house.

   6.       Where did you write most of ‘Forgive My Fins’?

At the Starbucks coffee shop around the corner from my old apartment in Houston, Texas. I was there so often that the baristas knew my favorite drinks and expected me to be there for a few hours every day.

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The book is just fabulous and I must get my hands on the next book immediately. My review for the book will be up next week but as a little teaser I gave it 5 stars.

And now on to the giveaway. You can win a beautiful shiny paperback copy of Forgive My Fins. All you need to do is leave a comment below in regards to the interview or the book along with your email and you will be entered. You must be a resident of the UK though (sorry!).

The next tour stop is at Book Passion For Life so make sure you check that out tomorrow!