This Is Where It Ends - Marieke Nijkamp

Began reading: 21.8.2017
Completed reading: 23.8.2017
Overall rating: 4 stars

10:00 a.m.

The principal of Opportunity High School finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.

10:02 a.m.

The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.

10:03 a.m.

The auditorium doors won’t open.

10:05 a.m.

Someone starts shooting.

Told from four different perspectives over the span of fifty-four harrowing minutes, terror reigns as one student’s calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.

Trigger warning: this book contains school shootings, alcoholism and sexual assault.

This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp is a contemporary young adult fiction novel. I purchased this book as soon as I laid my eyes on it. I noticed that there were so many negative reviews for this book, but I thought it was BRILLIANT!

It started as an ordinary day at school – a welcome back assembly kicks off the first day back at school. After the principal’s speech, the students begin to file out of the auditorium, only to find that all of the doors and emergency exits have been locked. Two minutes later, a boy enters the hall and begins shooting. Autumn and her secret girlfriend Sylvia are two of the students trapped with the gunman, doing their best to survive without bringing attention to themselves because their relationship has the potential to be catastrophic. Claire is another student at the high school, but hears the gunfire from track practice. It is up to her to seek emergency help for her disabled brother and fellow classmates. Tomás is also outside the auditorium at the time of the shooting, but he fears that his sister could be a target. He will have to work together with his best friend to enter the auditorium and help students escape, but will his bravery attract the attention of the gunman and cost him his life?

The book was well-written, and I loved the fast pacing of the narrative. The literary techniques that were used, including flashbacks, point of view and and tragedy, successfully portrayed the tense and upsetting events within the novel. There were also some great quotes, including:

The only things that give us purpose are the stories that tie us together (p. 50).

Fear and survival are two sides of the same coin (p. 57).

‘We’re more than our mistakes. We’re more than what people expect of us’ (p. 100).

We’re not just fighting for survival – we’re fighting for hope and a thousand tomorrows (p. 142).

If you’re afraid, think about tomorrow, because tomorrow will be a new day. Tomorrow, there’ll be new chances (p. 220).

More quotes from the novel can be found here.

This story is broken up and told in four perspectives: Autumn, Sylvia, Claire and Tomás. As well as these characters, we are also given others, which provides us with a variety of characters to like, dislike and relate to. I came to love this group of characters because each of them told the story from various perspectives, with two inside the auditorium and two outside of it. So, we were given a well-rounded story which made the narrative twice as interesting. As well as the different perspectives, each character had a unique back-story or relationship with the gunman, and this heightened the tension. The fact that the four main characters shared a past with the gunman was a clever way to provide insight on such a distressing situation.

When I pick up a book, I expect to feel a rollercoaster of emotions for the characters – isn’t that what separates a good book from a great book? I knew from this novel’s context that it was going to be turbulent, but damn the emotions! Just thinking about the storyline as I type this is making me tear up. The atmosphere in the auditorium felt palpable, and I felt like I was there with the students. I was terrified, but I almost cried when the shooting began. I cried over the deaths of some secondary characters, and those emotions continued as one of the students kept tweeting his friend. These feelings, as I’ve mentioned in past reviews, demonstrate that I was able to form connections to the characters. I don’t think I’ll be moving on from these character deaths any time soon.

                     

The blurb of the book was the primary reason why I decided to buy the book. It projected mystery, drama and tension and it didn’t let me down. The plot was incredibly dark, but I have to admit that it was morbidly intriguing. I wanted to know what was going to happen, how the students were going to react, and how the authorities were going to handle the situation. Of course, this topic is relevant in the present-day, but I have only ever seen these stories told in the media. Being able to read the book through a student’s eyes made it feel like I was experiencing it first-hand, which cannot be achieved through the media. I was able to read about the students’ thought processes, and experiencing the shock that they felt when they saw victims of the shooting.

One of the downsides to this book was the amount of unanswered questions. The novel itself was fairly short (282 pages) and covered a lot in the space of fifty-four minutes, so it was a quick read. However, I felt like there were some details that could have been added to answer questions and it wouldn’t have affected the overall book. Some of the questions that I’m left with include: who is Jay Eyck from Twitter? What drove Tyler to this point? I understand that he felt isolated from his family and the community, but that wouldn’t have driven him to do what he did. Also, how did Claire’s family react to their loss? After the tragedy, there is a time skip but there is no mention of how the families with lost loved ones were coping. It would have been nice to know if everyone was coping, or if they moved away.

                   

Another issue with this novel was how unrealistic some of the sections were, and I believe that this was why there were so many negative reviews. I was hoping that the writing in this novel would accurately portray the various aspects of a school shooting. I understand that balancing realistic features with fictional plot lines can be difficult, but accurately presenting a character’s emotions isn’t too difficult in these circumstances. In the book, the characters who lost friends or family didn’t even really cry – I’m pretty sure that if I lost a sibling, I’d be bawling my eyes out. I felt like they didn’t even shed a tear. It was bordering on romanticising or sensationalising school shootings because there were a few inappropriate or irrelevant plot lines or character thoughts that would never have happened in real life.

My favourite character was Claire because she proved that she was stronger than she thought she was, protective of her friends and family, responsible, empathetic and caring.

The biggest disagreement that I had in the story was Claire and Chris’ relationship. Like I said, I felt that some things were inappropriate in such a dark narrative, and this was one of them. I think that it would have been better if they grew close, but kissing crossed the line. It just felt inappropriate, even as a sub-plot.

                   

My favourite part of the novel was Tyler’s entrance into the auditorium, as it was dramatic and oozing with suspense. It was a shock to learn about who Tyler was and how he was linked to the protagonists, so discovering these connections really made the scene dramatic and intense.

Recommendation time! If you like Hate List by Jennifer Brown, Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult, Give A Boy A Gun by Todd Strasser, and Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes We Need To Talk About Kevin, Home Room, Beautiful Boy, Zero Day, and Bowling For Columbine.

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Dear Amy - Helen Callaghan

Began reading: 16.8.2017
Completed reading: 21.8.2017
Overall rating: 2 stars

In her guise as ‘Dear Amy’, agony aunt for a local newspaper, Margot Lewis has dealt with all sorts of letters – but never one like this…

Dear Amy,

I’ve been kidnapped by a strange man.

I don’t know where I am.

Please help me,

Bethan Avery

This must be a cruel hoax. Because Bethan Avery has been missing for nearly two decades.

But as the present-day search intensifies for another missing schoolgirl, Margot is unnerved enough to take the letter to the police, hoping they will dismiss it as a sick joke.

Instead, they let Margot in on a little secret. One that confirms her darkest fears and tangles her up in the search for the sender, which could save one girl’s life and cost Margot her own…

Trigger warning: this book contains substance abuse and sexual assault/paedophilia.

Dear Amy by Helen Callaghan is a fictional novel that contains thriller and mystery themes. I was interested in reading this book since its release, but I didn’t want to purchase it. I’m glad that I didn’t because this book did not live up to my expectations AT ALL. I was so disappointed with this book, and I came close to giving it up several times.

School teacher and agony aunt for the local newspaper, Margot Lewis, has not had an easy upbringing. Being brought up by nuns, Margot had to learn independence from a young age. Her present-day life might appear to be perfect to her students, but Margot is experiencing anxiety and a divorce. When one of her students disappears, Margot receives letters from another abducted girl from twenty years ago, pleading for Margot’s help. When Margot gives the letters to the police, they inform her that it’s a joke but things quickly turn serious when the letters become increasingly detailed. While Margot struggles with her personal problems, she will also become involved with the case of the missing girls – and the closer Margot gets to solving the mystery, the higher the risk of her falling into danger herself.

The book was well-written, in terms of structure and lack of errors; however, the pace was extremely slow. Callaghan utilised a variety of literary techniques to add detail to the narrative, which helped with imagining the story in my mind. These techniques included setting, flashbacks and foreshadowing. There were some great quotes, including:

Sometimes I feel like a goldfish, with the glass walls of my bowl providing a continuous source of novel amusement each time I swim around them (p. 15).

[…]there’s plenty of evidence that reading aloud is good for kids. They have to engage with the text; even what appears to be the most colourless and stammering rendition implies choices in what to emphasise and what to play down – what to show and what to hide. It requires you to structure your language, to be fluent, to wrestle with what you are saying, to face the crowd (p. 41).

Appearances are of vital importance when you’re at that age – my personal conviction is that this is something we are all supposed to grow out of, and yet so few of us do (p. 92).

[…]telling people things about yourself is always, always a mistake – like a drug, in a way – the euphoria of communication and trust is always followed up by the regret of paranoia and suspicion (p. 180).

Things, once known, can never be unknown (p. 180).

More quotes from the novel can be found here.

The range of characters is important in a story, and I believe that they should be memorable – who wants to read a book, only to forget the characters as soon as you finish it? Callaghan successfully incorporated a small variety of characters to provide individual back-stories and personalities. The character ‘voices’ weren’t too unique, but their backgrounds were interesting and added depth to the plot. The characters provided a different side to the story, and I enjoyed reading how it unfolded as we learned more about the characters.

                    

Speaking of back-stories, I thought that incorporating the different perspectives was a good choice. This might make me sound like a psychopath, but I enjoy reading about what is happening to the abducted characters in a story such as this one. I thought that reading from Katie’s perspective was insightful and intriguing because we could gain an image of how they were being treated and what they were thinking. I also felt that going inside the kidnapper’s mind was interesting. Reading about how he began to develop an interest in specific girls, the reasons behind the abductions, and how he met Bethan Avery was extremely chilling and grimly fascinating. The only I had with it was not knowing whose perspective I was reading – I think the different perspectives should be labelled so I wouldn’t have to go all the way back to the beginning of the section to realise who was speaking.

There is a fine line between good and bad plot twists – I usually don’t mind if some twists are predictable, as long as they are appropriate and can be justified. I prefer plot twists to be unpredictable, but I can roll with the punches so to speak. I found that this novel had a few predictable plot twists that seemed too obvious, which removed the suspense. This was one of the reasons why I was so close to not finishing this book – if it’s meant to be a thriller, it needs to be full of suspense; without the suspense, it’s not a thriller. Having the suspense removed from the plot through predictable plot twists killed the narrative for me.

                    

One of the major issues that I had with this book was the last section, heading towards the conclusion. A narrative should/must flow coherently, but in this case, I think it didn’t; instead, it felt choppy. I could see what Callaghan was trying to do: answer the questions by going back – similar to how a film or tv show would give closure. This novel failed in doing so, and it came across as abrupt and resembled a checklist (like: this happened here, oh but I forgot to mention that this happened before… let’s jump forward because this was important but don’t forget this important titbit that happened before the last important point). See what I mean? It was all over the place.

The protagonist is the most important aspect of a good novel, particularly thrillers because their thought process helps solves the mystery. I would have been happy to have been given more narration from Katie because she had depth – her family situation was interesting and raised so many questions. In contrast, Margot’s story felt dull and boring because there was no drama and her dialogue felt like “woe is me” the whole time. Because of this, I lost interest quickly – why should I read 344 pages with a whiny protagonist?

                                                

My favourite character was Martin because he was friendly, direct and honest.  He made Margot confront her hidden past and was there for her when she was trying to find herself.

When I read a book, I do my best to like the protagonist, so I tried to like her. Unfortunately, her constant self-pity and self-doubt really put me off her. She was a confusing character, so I wasn’t interested in discovering her secrets.

My favourite part of the novel was Bethan Avery’s abduction which was told from the kidnapper’s perspective. It demonstrated how easily trust can be broken, and how detailed a psychopath’s plan can reach. It was intense but interesting at the same time.

Recommendation time! If you like Follow Me Back by Nicci Cloke, Risk by Fleur Ferris, Stolen: A Letter to My Captor by Lucy Christopher, and The Cellar series by Natasha Preston, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes The Call, the Taken series, Gone, and Kidnap.

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Caraval - Stephanie Garber

Began reading: 9.8.2017
Completed reading: 15.8.2017
Overall rating: 5 stars

Welcome to Caraval, where nothing is quite what it seems.

Scarlett has never left the tiny isle of Trisda, pining from afar for the wonder of Caraval, a once-a-year week-long performance where the audience participates in the show.

Caraval is Magic. Mystery. Adventure.

When the sisters' long-awaited invitations to Caraval finally arrive, it seems their dreams have come true. But no sooner have they arrived than Tella vanishes, kidnapped by the show's mastermind organiser, Legend.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But nonetheless she quickly becomes enmeshed in a dangerous game of love, magic and heartbreak.

And real or not, she must find Tella before the game is over, and her sister disappears forever.

Trigger warning: this book contains suicide.

Caraval by Stephanie Garber is a fictional young adult novel that contains fantasy and romance. I have been wanting to get a hold of this book since its release but (call me a cheapskate) I didn’t want to pay $16 for it. Imagine my excitement when I saw it at the library! I fell in love with this book from the very beginning, so the hype wasn’t exaggerated! I highly recommend this book for fantasy-lovers!

Since they were little girls, Scarlett and her sister Tella have been fascinated with the stories of Legend and his game Caraval – an annual game where the exclusive guests compete to win a magical prize. One day, Scarlett receives a letter from the mysterious Legend with three tickets to join Caraval. With the help of a sailor, Scarlett and Tella arrive on Legend’s magical island, but Tella soon gets swept away and disappears – later captured by Legend and held as the final answer to the clues before finishing the game. Scarlett will have to rush to save Tella, but as she progresses through the game, the line between fantasy and reality will blur – putting Scarlett’s sanity at risk. Will Scarlett manage to rescue Tella before the game is over, or will Scarlett return home empty-handed?

The book was well-written, and I was surprised that it is Garber’s debut novel. The pacing was fast, the atmosphere was immersive, and the characters were relatable. The use of literary techniques was notable, including personification, similes and allegory. These writing tools helped with adding detail in a way that words ordinarily can’t achieve. There were also some great quotes throughout the text, including:

Wishes were things of wonder that took a certain amount of faith[…] (p. 84).

Scarlett had been kissed. At the time she’d told herself it was nice, and she had been content with that, but now nice seemed like a word people used when they had nothing better to say (p. 143).

He’d never stared at her like this before. Sometimes he gazed at her as if he wanted to be her undoing, but just then it was as if he wanted her to undo him (p. 173).

‘Do you always focus on what you’re giving up, rather than what you’ll be gaining? Some things are worth pursuit regardless of the cost’ (p. 191).

Hope is a powerful thing. Some say it’s a different breed of magic altogether. Elusive, difficult to hold on to. But not much is needed (p. 318).

More quotes from the novel can be found here.

World-building is usually something that I don’t really notice – I could take it or leave it. But if I’m honest with myself, I’d say that world-building hasn’t been a significant aspect I look for in the books I’ve read. This novel made the world the story took place in seem really well-developed. I could tell that a lot of thought and creativity was put into its formation. Because of this, I noticed that it was immersive and I found myself wanting to explore more of the setting. Thanks to this book, I’ll now be paying more attention to the worlds in the books I read.

Another aspect of books that I like to comment on is the range (or lack thereof) of characters. I think that having a diverse group of characters in a story mimics reality, as individuals have unique personalities, and gives readers an opportunity to relate to at least one of the individuals in the narrative. Garber incorporated a variety of interesting characters, both primary and secondary, to reflect a realistic community and an elaborate performance. I didn’t feel overwhelmed by the group of characters, primarily because there weren’t too many to keep track of. Each character had distinctive characteristics and contributed to the plot in some way. Again, I’m amazed by Garber’s writing proficiency given that this is her debut novel.

                                 

Plot twists are something that many writers fail to successfully portray, but Garber managed to structure that the twists so that they were unpredictable and emotional at times. I have said in past reviews that, depending on how they are structured, can make or break a novel. The twists in this book were unpredictable, which made me want to know what happened next. There were also some emotional surprises that made me want to cry. I wasn’t aware that I had formed a connection with the characters, so I was shocked to discover that I was overcome with feels when something happened to them. Because of this, I’m eager to see the plot twists in the upcoming sequel.

In some of the books I have read, I noticed that I prefer a main plot and disregard sub-plots. I believe that this is because some sub-plots have felt insignificant or lacked interest. In this case, the main plot and sub-plots were just as interesting as each other. All of the plot lines flowed smoothly alongside each other and seemed relevant to the overall story. It allowed me to enjoy the book in its entirety, as opposed  to racing through a section of the book that I disliked.

             

The conclusion of the book was extremely enjoyable because it provided closure and laid the foundation for the sequel. I always look for this in epilogues or when the novel is coming to a close because I don’t want to be left with unanswered questions or feeling confused. It is important for a book to answer questions but create a decent set-up for a sequel (if there is one), which I understand can be difficult sometimes. The way in which Garber structured the conclusion of the book was well-done, and I’m excited to see how the narrative continues in the sequel!

My favourite character was Scarlett because she is relatable, protective, loyal and courageous. I could definitely see myself in Scarlett because being the eldest sibling, I know how frustrating it can be to always be held responsible for your wild little sister, then to have said little sister call you boring because of it (if my little sister is reading this, sorry, not sorry). Aiko was a notable character.

When I began reading this book, I disliked Tella because I thought she was getting Scarlett into trouble. That was until I realised that she was just as protective of Scarlett as Scarlett is to her. Obviously, I didn’t like the governor, so I’m eager to read about how the sisters get revenge.

                   

My favourite part of the novel was Scarlett’s ‘death’ because it was intimate, insightful, dramatic and full of plot twists. We were given a first-hand look at the stories that Scarlett and Tella were told.

Recommendation time! If you like The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, Freeks by Amanda Hocking, the Wintersong duology by S. Jae-Jones, and the Hibiscus Daughter series by Lana Popović, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes The Greatest Showman, Water for Elephants, Carnival Story, and Cirque du Soleil: The Magic Circus.

I will also be reviewing the Caraval sequel when it becomes available. Keep an eye out for that!

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Follow Me Back - Nicci Cloke

Began reading: 6.8.2017
Completed reading: 9.8.2017
Overall rating: 3 stars

There was no sign of a struggle.

She took her phone but left her laptop behind.

Apparently, she’d met someone online.

Did she leave?

Or was she taken?

The first time Aiden Kendrick hears about Lizzie Summersall’s disappearance is when the police appear at his front door. Aiden doesn’t know it yet, but with Lizzie’s disappearance his life is about to take a twisted and desperate turn.

Follow Me Back by Nicci Cloke is a contemporary young adult fiction novel that contains thriller and mystery elements. I have wanted to read this book for a while, but when I saw it at the library I hesitated. I’m glad that I finally read it, but it didn’t really stand-out from similar novels so I was a little disappointed.

Aiden Kendrick didn’t know that his classmate Lizzie Summersall had disappeared until the police showed up at his house. Through the police, Aiden learned that Lizzie had met various strangers online, and they suspected that she had been abducted. At school, the news of Lizzie’s disappearance spread like wildfire, and everyone suspects Aiden. In the year leading up to her abduction, Aiden spent much of his time with Lizzie – in person and online. Nobody knows that he and Lizzie were more than friends, except Autumn Thomas – a girl Aiden recently befriended online. As the police delve deeper into the investigation, Aiden’s interactions with Autumn continue, but is Autumn really who she says she is? Searching for who is responsible for Lizzie’s disappearance will make Aiden – and his fellow classmates – realise that not everyone you meet online are who they say they are.

This novel was well-written, especially in relation to pace. I found the book very easy to read, and I wasn’t surprised that I managed to read so much in such a short amount of time. Cloke utilised a range of literary techniques to add detail to the narrative, including suspense, metaphors and flashbacks. There were also some great quotes throughout the book, including:

[…] when you get divorced from someone there are so many little things you have to leave behind, not just that person (p. 28).

It’s all so weird, how someone can become famous just by letting a camera follow them around. How people want to watch other people just do ordinary things, how they can idolise or hate someone just for their wardrobe, their relationship, their friendships. Like somehow it sets these people apart, just putting that stuff out there. Maybe it does, I don’t know. Maybe it’s brave, opening yourself up like that (p. 77).

I push myself hard over this stretch, running at my absolute limit, and it feels good, my heart hammering against my chest even as my breathing regulates itself. I love this part of training; my body adapting, my muscles remembering this feeling, this pain. Maybe it’s a bit sadistic, but it’s a pain that’s not really a pain. It’s like proof that you’ve worked, proof that you’ve done something, that you’re getting better (p. 78).

I have noticed that in some of the books I’ve read include numerous protagonists and many have failed to create unique voices for each. Cloke managed to make each character possess an individual voice, which was great. The narrative is told primarily through Aiden’s perspective, but the sections with other characters were clearly defined by their distinct voices. In my opinion, accomplishing this aspect in a story demonstrates an author’s proficient writing skills. This directly applies to Cloke and this book because I was surprised how distinctive each voice was.

                   

I have mentioned in previous reviews that a protagonist can make or break a story. A good protagonist can assist with conveying emotion and empathy to readers. It is important that there are likeable characters in a book. In contrast, a badly-presented protagonist can be irritating for readers, as they are stuck with them for the remainder of the novel or series. Unfortunately, I didn’t like Aiden as much as I expected to. I had high hopes for him, but I found him to be confusing, judgemental, paranoid and dim-witted. I still don’t understand the plot line that explained why the police suspected Aiden – I understand that he wanted to feel closer to Lizzie, but why did it take so long for us to discover his secret? I just didn’t agree with his character, and it should have been better developed.

At the beginning of this review, I stated that I was hesitant to pick this book up. The reason for this was because I have read other novels with similar plots and I have been left a little disappointed. With that being said, I didn’t find this book’s plot to be unique or innovative. In fact, I found it was somewhat dull. There wasn’t a significant turning point in the story, nor was there a climax. The resolution provided closure, but the build up of suspense fizzled out by the time the narrative concluded. Like I said, it was similar to other thrillers associated with social media, so I found it to be monotonous and unsurprising.

Speaking of unsurprising, I found the main plot twist (who abducted Lizzie) to be predictable. When I began reading, I instantly began suspecting everyone for Lizzie’s disappearance. I had a premonition that a particular character was behind it, AND I WAS RIGHT, but that’s beside the point. The point is that predictable plot twists have the potential to ruin a book. In this case, it didn’t ruin the book but it did kill the suspense. I was confused by their motive, and that further irritated me. I was expecting the discovery to be darker, so I was disappointed.

                      

Similarly, I found the identity of ‘Autumn Thomas’ was anti-climactic. I was surprised to find out who was behind the online girl, and I believed that this twist had potential to add intrigue to the narrative. However, after we found out who ‘Autumn’ really was, nothing really happened between Aiden and this character, so I lost interest. I liked the person’s motive for creating this identity, but they should have played a bigger role in Lizzie’s disappearance. Looking back, I wonder what the point of that plot twist really was. I know why they did it, but it didn’t really contribute to the book’s novel so that was a let-down.

My favourite character was Scobie because he was the most relatable, kind, caring, talented and genuine. I thought that I would like Lizzie or Aiden, but Scobie stood out. He genuinely cared for Lizzie, which demonstrated that he was a loyal friend. While I didn’t agree with everything he did, he had good intentions which is why he’s my favourite.

There was something about almost every character that made me dislike them. Aiden was irritating, Lizzie was gullible, Kevin was weird, and so on. If I had to pick one character that I hated the most, it would be Cheska for obvious reasons. She was shallow and cold-hearted.

                                    

My favourite part of the book was Lizzie’s flashbacks because they provided an insight into her and Aiden’s past. While Aiden didn’t seem to want to admit that he had such an intimate relationship with Lizzie, she wasn’t so adamant to share. Her sections in the book provided interesting insight into her relationship with Aiden and her thoughts on the mystery guy she’d met online.

Recommendation time! If you like Fake by Beck Nichols, Destroying Avalon by Kate McCaffrey, Pretty Girl by J.C. Burke, and Risk by Fleur Ferris, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes The Call, Taken series, Gone, Kidnap, Gone Girl, and Catfish. 

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Unforgiven - Lauren Kate

Began reading: 1.8.2017
Completed reading: 6.8.2017
Overall rating: 3 stars

Cam made a bet with Lucifer: he has fifteen days to make Lilith fall in love with him again. Three millennia ago he broke her heart and she's been serving a punishment for his crimes ever since. Now she can't stand the sight of him.

With the deadline looming and Lilith's high school prom just round the corner, Cam has everything to play for. If he succeeds, Lilith will finally be free and they can be reunited in their love for one another. If he fails, there's a special place in Hell just for him.

Heaven is being with the one you love.

Hell is being kept apart.

Where will Cam fall?

Trigger warning: this book contains suicide.

Unforgiven by Lauren Kate is a fictional young adult novel that contains fantasy, paranormal and romance themes. This novel was bittersweet for me: it was great to see someone else find romance, but it is the last book in the series. Overall, I really enjoyed the book but there were some things that I didn’t like. We’ll discuss those things a little later.

If an angel can find love, why can’t a demon do the same? During a time when Daniel and Luce were still fighting their curse, Cam was surprised to discover that he was drawn to Lilith – a girl with a passion for music. Arranging their marriage, Cam withheld his past from Lilith and refused to marry her in a church, leaving Lilith heartbroken and full of hatred for him. Back to the present, seeing Daniel and Luce choose love over immortality made Cam think that he could win Lilith back. Shocked to realise that Lilith  lives in Hell, Cam makes a deal with Lucifer – get Lilith to fall in love with Cam within fifteen days, or become Lucifer’s personal slave for eternity. Cam’s task is difficult enough with Lilith’s trust issues, but becomes close to impossible when Lucifer decides to interfere and sow doubt into Lilith’s mind. Cam learns that the best way to win Lilith over is through music, but will Cam earn Lilith’s love and trust before the fifteen days are up?

I noticed a few spelling and grammatical errors as I progressed through the novel, but I could also see how Kate’s writing style has improved since Fallen. I could tell that she focused more on what was important to the plot, rather than going on about something that seemed insubstantial. It was also interesting to see how plot lines have changed since 2009/2010 – Twilight-style romance had given way to independent and feisty female characters. As seen in the previous books, the use of literary techniques to add detail and emotion to the storyline. There were also some great quotes, including:

‘Existence is never so miserable as when you have a taste of something beautiful,’ Lucifer said. ‘It serves to remind you of everything you can never have’ (pp. 32-33).

The only thing Lilith had ever known was disappointment. Nothing in her life ever worked out. Which, for the most part, was okay, because she never let herself expect anything, so she never really cared (p. 93).

More quotes from the book can be found here.

Like I said earlier, I liked the way in which Kate linked Luce and Daniel’s story to Cam’s. It felt like a smooth transition, as it picked up a little before Luce and Daniel’s story ended and it felt relevant to the series. I have had mixed feelings about some of the plots from the previous books, but there have been some stand-out storylines that I enjoyed. I found this novel’s plot to be interesting because it added suspense and unpredictability to something that could have turned out horrible if not done right. The mention of Cam and Lilith’s almost-wedding intrigued me, so I thought that it was great to read it again with Kate’s expansion and Cam’s perspective. A good plot means that I’ll enjoy the story, so I wasn’t surprised to find that I liked this novel.

                    

When we think of a narrative, we usually imagine its structure to be beginning, middle and end. In my experience, it’s uncommon to find a book that has a different discourse (the way a story is told). In this particular book, the discourse features numerous interludes or flashbacks to provide the reader with an insight into Cam and Lilith’s past. I thought that this structure provided a bit of a refresher or a break from the primary plot line. It was clever and well-done, as it was smooth and appropriate for the overall story.

Now, we move on to things that irritated me or I thought could have been improved. It was only a short novel, and I liked that it didn’t drag on. At the same time, the novel felt rushed. It contained insta-love – call me a skeptic or whatever, but who falls in love within fifteen days? It seemed unrealistic, despite Cam and Lilith’s history. Aside from the romance, there were also some unanswered questions that I felt should have been resolved. It annoyed me, but it’s important to remember that this series is similar to Twilight, so I suppose that I shouldn’t have expected a change.

Another issue that I’ve come across while reading this series is the combination of predictable and unpredictable plot twists. Ordinarily, I liked my plot twists as both predictable and unpredictable, but in this case all of the twists were predictable. This made the narrative tedious because I would be reading and it was easy to assume what was going to happen next. I love a good shock, but this never happened in the book, which was disappointing.

                      

When I’m reading, I hope that I’ll feel a connection with at least one character, particularly the protagonist. There’s nothing that I can think of that’s worse than being stuck with characters that you can’t tolerate. Unfortunately, I didn’t connect with Cam nor Lilith. I felt that both of these characters were shallow and dull, and I couldn’t relate to either of them. I felt the same with Luce and Daniel, but I’m not sure what other readers’ thoughts are. I wanted to like Cam and Lilith, but they weren’t interesting.

My favourite character was Arianne because she was friendly, sweet, compassionate, funny and talented. I’ve loved seeing her character throughout this series, and I’m glad she played a bigger role in this book.

Like I said, I didn’t enjoy Lilith or Cam’s characters because I didn’t click with them. They were predictable, and didn’t have any real depth. I didn’t understand why there were ‘nice’ characters in Hell, but I suppose that it’s an unanswered question that I will always wonder about. I didn’t like Lilith’s mum, but I thought that Chloe’s relationship with Lilith was surprising.

My favourite parts of this novel were the moments between Arianne and Roland, especially towards the end of the book. Throughout the series, I have been shipping them (that kinda decreased after reading Fallen In Love) and Kate had me hoping that they would end up together! Here are my favourite excerpts of these two characters in this book:

‘No one’s ever given me a corsage,’ Arianne said longingly.

Then something landed at her feet with a thump. Arianne jumped back in alarm, then looked down and saw a small white box identical to the one Cam had given Lilith. She smiled.

‘You’re welcome,’ Roland called from the driver’s seat (p. 312).

Arianne strung an arm around Roland. ‘Ro, will you marry me?’ Then blinked and shook her head quickly. ‘Don’t answer that. It was the thrill of victory talking. Forget I said anything’ (p. 355).

           

Recommendation time! If you like the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer, The Hollow series by Jessica Verday, and the Hush, Hush series by Becca Fitzpatrick, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Fallen, the Twilight series, Lucifer tv series, The Vampire Diaries tv series, and Tuck Everlasting.

My reviews for Fallen, Torment, Passion, Fallen In Love and Rapture can be found by clicking on the titles.

Happy reading!

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Rapture - Lauren Kate

Began reading: 23.7.2017
Completed reading: 31.7.2017
Overall rating: 3 stars

The sky is dark with wings...

And time is running out for Luce and Daniel.

In order to stop Lucifer from erasing the past, they must find the place where the Fall began. Only Luce can break the curse, and it is her choice alone that will decide all of their fates.

But as Dark Forces gather, great sacrifices will have to be made in this final, epic struggle...

In the fight for Luce, and for love, who will win?

Rapture by Lauren Kate is a fictional young adult novel that contains fantasy, paranormal and romance themes. I have been so busy this week, so it took me a little longer than expected to finish. It was a little slow in the beginning, but I ended up enjoying it.

After exploring numerous Announcers, Luce realised that Lucifer plans to erase the world and its history to begin again. With the help of Daniel and the other fallen angels, Luce will have to travel across countries within nine days to locate three relics that will show them where the angels fell at the beginning of time. The race against time becomes more of a struggle when Luce crosses paths with the wrathful Miss Sophia, who has captured three angels. Death will teach Luce about herself and those close to her – but when Luce realises her true self and her conflicted past, she will be forced to admit that the boy she thought she’d always loved had not always been the one who possessed her heart. As the angels come together to end Lucifer’s plans once and for all, Luce will have to choose between a paradise she once knew and knowing a love like no other.

As expected, this book was well-written, if a little slow-paced in the first half of the narrative. I wanted to get through this book as quickly as possible because: 1) it’s a library book and I have heaps of other books to get through, and 2) I want to get through this series because Luce is getting on my nerves. Unfortunately, the pace really dragged me down. Anyway, the use of literary techniques was consistent with the previous novels in the series and one of the reasons why I enjoyed Kate’s writing style. There were also some great quotes in this book, including:

‘The past is important for all the information and wisdom it holds. But you can get lost in it. You’ve got to learn to keep the knowledge of the past with you as you pursue the present’ (p. 120).

‘You said a curse is only a curse if I allowed myself to be cursed by it. You said… I had it in my power to free myself of any curse – that curses were preludes to blessings…’ (p. 233).

Why did something dear have to die so other dear things could live? Didn’t whoever made these rules think they deserved an explanation? It was like Abraham’s being asked to sacrifice Isaac. Had God created love to make pain feel even worse? (p. 331).

‘Mortality is the most romantic story ever told. Just one chance to do everything you should. Then, magically, you move on’ (p. 421).

More quotes from the book can be found here.

I love an interesting plot, but it’s been a bit of a hit-and-miss situation with this series. Some of the books have had a fascinating plot that kept me hooked, whereas others have come across as cliché and predictable. Looking back on this novel, it definitely had me wanting to know how Luce and Daniel’s relationship would end. I was invested in this plot, so I’d say that I enjoyed it, especially the second half of the book. I liked the idea of having to travel and find the relics, while also struggling to rescue the fallen angels from enemies. It added suspense to the storyline, which is why I thought that it was interesting.

                     

I had noticed that plot twists in this series have been predictable and unsurprising. I suppose that it’s probably because this tale resembled Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight, but I saw so many plot twists coming. However, the plot twists in this book were unforeseen and unpredictable. I was shocked by the deaths of some special characters, as well as Luce’s secret past. It made things emotional and dramatic, suspenseful and exciting. I believe that, by now, Kate has developed and improved her writing style, particularly how to structure a plot twist. Without this improvement, the book would have most likely been dull and forgettable.

An epilogue is a perfect way to provide readers with closure, so it’s important for authors to design one that answers questions and leaves readers feeling satisfied. Fortunately, Kate managed to do this successfully, and I thought that this epilogue was the perfect way to conclude the series officially (no, I haven’t forgotten that there’s still one more novella). It paid homage to most of the characters in the series, and it was bitter-sweet for Luce and Daniel. I was satisfied with this ending, but I still have some unanswered questions about other characters which I’ll talk about in the next paragraph. I must applaud Kate on how she concluded this series because it could have been a train-wreck.

Now, let’s look at the characters – or, more specifically, the secondary characters. I have been looking forward to getting into this book since I finished Torment because Francesca and Steven are my faves! I was glad to see old characters making a final return in this novel, but there were some that weren’t even mentioned. Jasmine and Dawn, Luce’s friends from Shoreline, weren’t brought up which I thought was odd. While at Shoreline, Dawn was kidnapped by Outcasts and almost killed. The last we heard from her, she was leaving to spend Thanksgiving with Jasmine. What happened to these two? Also, Luce recovered pretty quickly after murdering someone, which is even weirder! She had a moment of grief for this lost character, but moved on almost immediately. This character was essentially forgotten, along with Jasmine and Dawn, which made things seem unrealistic. Note to writers: don’t forget about your secondary characters – even a brief sentence can provide readers with closure.

Another issue that I had with this book was the lack of a significant climax. A peak in a story is extremely important in a book’s structure, so an anti-climactic ending ruins the narrative. A story builds up to a major event or climax, so leaving it out of a novel can disappoint readers. In this book, the peak of the plot wasn’t as exciting as it should have been. In my opinion, it felt insignificant in comparison to other events in the series, so I was left feeling a little dejected. I’m hoping that Kate has worked on this since this book because it was an issue in a previous novel too.

                    

My favourite character was Dee because she was friendly, wise, courageous and honest. Maybe it was because of her relation to another character, but I didn’t fully trust her until she revealed her fate. She was an interesting character, which was why I grew to like her so quickly.

Like I mentioned earlier, I had a few unanswered questions. One of them was: what happened to Luce’s parents and Callie when Luce didn’t return? I have tried to process it but it doesn’t make sense. Also, I know that character deaths are important for a good book, but why did the three characters have to die? I was shocked that Kate would kill them off, but this character had a special place in my heart! They were too beautiful to be killed! They deserved better! Excuse me while I go and sob in the corner.

                                               

My favourite part of the novel was when Luce discovered her past because it was unexpected and interesting. I didn’t suspect that Luce had any lives prior to those that were explored in Passion, so this twist took me by surprise. It added extra drama to the already suspenseful plot, so I was getting my fill of excitement.

Recommendation time! If you like the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer, The Hollow series by Jessica Verday, and the Hush, Hush series by Becca Fitzpatrick, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Fallen, the Twilight series, Lucifer tv series, The Vampire Diaries tv series, and Tuck Everlasting.

I will also be reviewing the rest of the Fallen series, including Unforgiven. Keep an eye out for that!

My reviews for Fallen, Torment, Passion and Fallen In Love can be found by clicking on the titles.

Happy reading!

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