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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Hostage Queen - Freda Lightfoot

Began reading: 6.6.2017
Completed reading: 10.6.2017
Overall rating: 3 stars

France 1565. Marguerite de Valois is the most beautiful woman in the French Court, and the subject of great scandal and intrigue. Her own brothers, the mad Charles IX and the bisexual Henri III, will stop at nothing to control her. Margot loves Henri of Guise but is married off to the Huguenot Henry of Navarre. By this means her mother Catherine de Medici hopes to bring peace to the realm.

But within days of the wedding the streets are awash with blood in the Massacre of Saint Bartholomew. Not only is her new husband's life in danger, but her own too as her mother and brother hold them hostage in the Louvre. Can they ever hope to escape and keep their heads? In a court rife with murder, political intrigue, debauchery, jealousy and the hunger of power, it will not be an easy task.

Hostage Queen by Freda Lightfoot is a historical fiction novel, which explores the life of Catherine de Medici and her children following the death of Francis II. I happened upon this book while I was wandering around the library, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it until I borrowed it. I really enjoyed it but there were some things that I found a little disappointing. I’ll discuss them as we go along.

Growing up, Margot had fallen in love with Henri, Duke of Guise. They spent so much time together that Margot believed her mother Catherine de Medici would allow them to marry. Of course, things don’t run as smoothly as Margot had hoped, especially when her brother Charles and her mother demand that she marry Henry of Navarre – a country bumpkin, who she shares no common interests with. After their wedding, a prominent Admiral is found murdered and ignites an all-out religious war between Catholics and Protestants. While the body count rises, Margot’s husband is in danger and it is up to her to plead her mother and brother to spare him. For their safety, Margot and Henry are imprisoned in the Louvre where they are forced to spend time in a perverse and dangerous court. As Margot spends more time at court, she becomes the centre of many rumours which threatens her life. Margot must learn to improve her skills in manipulation and deception in order to survive the constant threats at court.

The book was well-written, especially in terms of structure and character-building. I enjoyed the use of literary techniques to add depth to the plot and dialogue. The use of tone, dialogue, suspense and setting are just some examples of how Lightfoot enhanced her writing style in this novel. There were also some great quotes, including:

[…]who would dare beard the she-wolf in her den, let alone when she was holidaying with her cubs? (p. 40).

Little Fleurette, whom he’d so casually abandoned to bear her child alone, had been found drowned in the river, her heart broken by his rejection. Poor girl, it was indeed a tragedy to love a Prince (p. 63).

‘A peace made of snow this winter will not last the summer’s heat’ (p. 76).

‘Your grace and charm will win the heart of any king, and his courtiers.’

‘What need I of kings when I have the love of my chevalier?’ (p. 80).

‘Do not anyone say that marriages are made in heaven; the gods would not commit so great an injustice’ (p. 101).

‘Crowns sometimes come with more problems attached than you bargain for’ (p. 159).

What had she done to deserve such treatment? And from the one man she had trusted, the one man she could truly love for life, and whom she had believed loved her. But he had lied, and betrayed her like all the rest (p. 175).

‘A marriage may be political, at least for such as ourselves, but a love affair is a choice, a pledge of love and honour between two people’ (p. 176).

‘Remember that I will still be here, waiting, when you are in better temper.’

‘You can wait till hell freezes over,’ she shouted. ‘I’ll have no more of you’ (p. 177).

‘When one is successful and admired in court, everyone wishes to be your friend. Adversity is solitary, while prosperity dwells in a crowd’ (p. 241).

I really loved the range of characters that appeared throughout the book. I initially thought that the story would revolve around Margot’s views on her relationship with her husband and family. As I read, however, I found that the story did not focus on Margot, but pretty much every member of her family. I was able to learn more about how each character thought and interacted with others, so I had an insight into each character’s personalities. Unlike most books, this novel did not centre around one main character, which I thought was interesting. Of course, I would have preferred to read about all of the events from Margot’s point of view, but I don’t mind too much. I thought that it was a different way of seeing things and gaining entrance to other opinions, so I’m happy.

                  

I only mentioned it briefly earlier, but the suspense in this book was amazing! I love suspenseful books because they have the power to keep me turning the page. This book oozed suspense from start to finish, and I knew that I had to finish reading it. There were so many plot turns that made the characters’ situations risky, especially Margot’s. Everywhere she went, around every corner, there was a chance that she could be imprisoned or tortured by her family, so I was hooked to what would happen next.

Maybe it was because of the suspense, but I thought that the plot was intriguing and immersive. I watched the tv show Reign, so I had a fair idea of the Medici/Valois family but I never saw Margot. I knew this when I stumbled across the book, so I thought that it would be nice to get to know her character a little. The blurb promised drama and scandals, so my inner drama queen NEEDED this book. I love a book that can keep me interested from start to finish, so I think that Lightfoot did an awesome job with this one.

As I’ve said in past reviews, a good conclusion should provide closure and answer all questions that have been brought up throughout the book. In this case, I thought that the text provided decent closure for its readers but not enough of it. The narrative ended with a quick flashback before returning to Margot. It was sweet but didn’t outline what happened next. I know that I could just Google it, but it would have been a nice way to end the story. Because it didn’t end this way, the story won’t really be as memorable or provide enough closure as it could have. I’m not saying that the conclusion was bad, but I will admit that it was a tad bit disappointing.

                                                         

Another kind of let-down was the focus of the book. I mentioned previously that the novel did not focus solely on Margot’s outlook on what was happening, but rather every member of her family. This isn’t the issue, but it did play a role in what I thought irritated me the most about this text. The issue I had was that the book felt more like a Wikipedia page, as it wasn’t so much story-telling but detailing major historic events during this period. I would have preferred a little more focus on the characters because anyone could Google the Massacre of Saint Bartholomew if they needed information. I wanted more focus on something fictitious, or based on personal opinions and actions, as opposed to re-telling what Catherine, Charles and Henri did.

My favourite character was Margot because she was loyal (especially to her husband), rebellious, clever, courageous and relatable (I know all about the whole mother-and-son duo). I loved how cold she could be towards the haters, but completely sweet and charming to those who deserve it. I felt for her when she was betrayed, and I understand her need to be loved.

Although Margot’s family (with the exception of Claude and Francois-Hercule) had an element of dislike-ability, I hated Charlotte de Sauves despite the fact that she was only obeying orders. She was cruel and cold towards Margot, and was pretty much the root of her unhappiness. I only wished that Margot got revenge on her. I also hated du Guast for being so ambitious and cunning, but I’m beyond glad that he got what he deserved.

                     

My favourite part of the book was Margot’s confrontation with Charlotte de Sauves because it was feisty and dramatic. Margot flaunted her authority in a subtle way, which reflects her humble personality. She behaved in a calm way, so calm it was almost scary. If only she took that opportunity to wipe de Sauves’ smile off her face – a nice, deep gash across her pretty face would have taught that b*tch a lesson. I know I sound crazy, but I just feel very protective of Margot.  

Recommendation time! If you like The Queen of Diamonds by Jean Plaidy, His Last Duchess by Gabrielle Kimm, and The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by C.W. Gortner, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes the tv show Reign, the tv show The White Princess, Queen Margot, Henry of Navarre, and The Princess of Montpensier. 

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Isla and the Happily Ever After - Stephanie Perkins

Began reading: 5.8.2016
Completed reading: 4.9.2016
Overall rating: 3.9 stars

The cafe is boiling. The atmosphere is clouded with bittersweet coffee. Three years of desire rip through my body and burst from my lips: "Josh!" His head jolts up. For a long time, a very long time, he just stares at me. And then... he blinks. "Isla?"

Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on brooding artist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And, after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer break, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to face uncertainty about their future, and the very real possibility of being apart.

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins is a contemporary young adult novel that contains romance. It took me a month to complete, but it had nothing to do with the story itself – uni has been crazy! I actually liked this book more than Lola and the Boy Next Door. There was a lot to love, but also a lot to dislike. Let’s get straight into it!

First of all, the book was very well-written. There were no spelling or grammatical errors, and it was well-structured. Best of all, the quotes were awesome:

Josh gestures towards my shelves. ‘You read a lot’.

‘Safer than going on a real adventure’ (p. 61).

‘You’ve crafted this bored veneer, but you’re always giving yourself away in moments like that. In the moments that really matter’ (p. 146).

I’ve always thought the best relationships are those that are as happy and content in silence as they are in action… (p. 172).

We hold hands, we don’t let go, but our grasp still feels like that. Like grasping. Like we’re trying to hold on to something that’s slipping away (p. 202).

‘I thought maybe I’d finally learn something if I could see myself through your eyes’ (p. 294).

Josh is a beautiful, messy, passionate work of art, and I’m… a blank canvas.

There’s nothing here to love (p. 299).

More quotes from the book can be found here.

The plot was interesting and adorable – I liked the idea of Isla meeting Josh in a coffee shop, and then watching their relationship progress (rather too quickly) during their time at school. There were plot twists added throughout the story, and a few of them were unpredictable which was great! I enjoyed reading about how Josh travelled to different places on the weekends, and later bringing Isla along with him. It sounds like every girl’s dream of a romance.

                   

In the previous book, I thought that Anna and Étienne’s presence was unnecessary. In this book, it was quite the opposite – every character seemed relevant to the plot, even though some could’ve made a bigger appearance. I was hoping Anna and Étienne should have made a greater presence, but I was glad that they were even included in the plot. Even Sanjita’s role seemed relevant in helping Isla build her relationship with Hattie. Because of this, I found myself liking the book even more!

Speaking of Anna and Étienne, THAT ENDING THO! Oh my gosh. I squealed! I always liked their relationship, but their insta-love kind of put me off. When I read this particular part in the book, I couldn’t help but feel happy for them! They are SO cute together! Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh!

Isla and Josh’s insta-love was unrealistic, which made me lose interest. It just happened too quickly, and the constant fights just made me feel frustrated. When Isla said that she was a placeholder, I felt that Perkins should have stuck with that, rather than putting them back together. It would have made the ending surprising and refreshing, but I’m not saying that I didn’t like the conclusion anyway. I thought the whole reunion in Paris was cute.

I didn’t like Isla as much as I had hoped I would. In the first book, I thought that he character had so much potential (I had no idea that she was obsessed with Josh!). Discovering that she was bordering on being a stalker creeped me out, and I lost hope in her. The creepiest part was:

‘Have you ever been in love?’

‘No.’ Yes. With you (p. 107).

I found her to relatable at times, which made her character tolerable. Some examples include:

‘I’ll call you back as soon as I can.’ And the line goes dead.

Like the sucker I am, I stay beside my phone all night hoping that soon means “soon” (pp. 255-256).

…the thought of another crowded train, another crowded town, all of those crowded hotels… ugh. No.

That’s how I’m feeling about everything these days: ugh. No (p. 317).

My favourite character was Josh Wasserstein, as he was talented, sweet, boyfriend material and patient. He put up with so much crap from Isla and her stupid insecurities, that he deserves an award. When they broke up after the Christmas party, I was secretly hoping that would be the end. I was disappointed when Josh pretty much had to beg to get Isla back.

As I mentioned before, I didn’t like Isla as much as I hoped I would. As well as the creepy factor, she was clingy, insecure, selfish and worst of all, HATES RABBITS.

                   

Enough said.

*WARNING: SPOILER* My favourite part of the book was when ÉTIENNE PROPOSED! I have no words, except oh my GOD!

                                

Recommendation time! If you like Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik, the Confessions of Georgia Nicholson series by Louise Rennison, and Looking For Alaska by John Green, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Wild Child, Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, LOL, and What A Girl Wants.

My reviews for Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door can be found by clicking on the titles.

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The Good Girls - Sara Shepard

Began reading: 22.6.2016

Completed reading: 28.6.2016

Overall rating: 3.9 stars

"This is our fault," she whispered. "We said those names. And now everyone's dying."

The Perfectionists are five senior high school girls who seemed to have it all. But then they were framed for murder.

They may have talked about getting revenge on their nemesis, Nolan, but they didn't mean to really hurt him. And just when they thought they'd figured out who did, the whole case has blown wide open again. Now it looks like someone's found their secret revenge list, and they're picking off the names on it one by one.

Who is really behind the killings? Can the girls trust anyone? And who will be the next to die?

The Good Girls by Sara Shepard is a contemporary young adult fiction novel that contains genres including mystery, thriller, romance and suspense. It is the second and final book from The Perfectionists series. As I mentioned in the previous review, I accidentally purchased this book first, then had to wait to find the previous book to be stocked. Anyway, after finishing this book, I have to admit that I didn’t enjoy it as much as its predecessor. It’s not to say that I disliked this book – it contained things that I didn’t really enjoy.

As I expected, the book was well-written, as it utilised literary techniques to better describe situations and characters. *WARNING: SPOILER* There weren’t that many notable quotes, but the ones that I enjoyed I’ll include here:

It was ironic – the girl she hated, the girl who hated her, might be the person who needed her the most right now (p. 137).

Julie was going to get rid of all the evidence – every drop, every fingerprint. Even the body.

That was what you did for best friends (p. 161).

Something else inside her, some deep dark part of her, had taken over when she’d done all those awful things.

How did she know that something wouldn’t take over again? (p. 201).

…they had all cried together, and it was like they had finally acknowledged that…thing… the shared pain that was there with them every moment of every day but was too great to even speak of. Just knowing that they were in it together made it hurt a tiny, microscopic bit less (p. 275).

More quotes from the book can be found here.

The book was well-structured, as it was clearly defined. There were some moments in the novel that didn’t really fit or seemed unnecessary; however, as I kept reading, everything fell into place. Because of this, I think that the plot flowed really well.  The only thing that didn’t really flow was the conclusion, but I’ll get to that later.

Similar to The Perfectionists, there were some intriguing plot twists. Some were predictable, while some weren’t. Unfortunately, I went on Goodreads and found some spoilers – I regret this, haha! The ultimate plot twist wasn’t one that I liked, and I’ll discuss this further later. But I’ll admit that all of these plot twists contributed to the overall mystery of the series, so whether or not I enjoyed it, I must commend Shepard on creating these unique twists.

As in the previous book, the protagonists and secondary characters all had diverse personalities, which was great. I especially loved the protagonists, as I was able to get an insight into how they think and feel in various situations. I was also glad to see that some of the secondary characters played a more central or key role in the plot. For example, Claire made more of an appearance and was significant in assisting the girls with identifying the murderer. I wished more authors did this with their characters – it would help with diversity and give readers an opportunity to like other characters besides the protagonists.

                        

I found the book to be juicy, but not as juicy as The Perfectionists. I felt that the plot was lacking some drama or suspense that the prior book had. I’m not too sure how to explain it, but it just felt like the novel was a little bland. The plot twists helped with keeping me interested, but I wasn’t as intrigued as I was in the first book. In the first book, the part where the girls raid Granger’s house was full of suspense and intensity, but there wasn’t really much of that in this novel.

I agree with many readers when they say that this book’s conclusion was anti-climactic. As I mentioned before, I foresaw the ultimate plot twist which affected my outlook on this book, but that wasn’t the only reason. *WARNING: SPOILER* I found the mental illness/split personality thing to be really confusing and disappointing. How could we go through just over one and a half books of interactions, situations, perceptions and relationships involving all five of these girls to find that one of them wasn’t even alive?! How does that work? How can we read about all five girls going into a house, working together to find evidence, only to find that only 4 girls existed?

                   

My favourite character remains as Ava Jalali – she’s still loyal, courageous, studious and intelligent. I’m so glad that all of her issues were resolved, especially with her dad and boyfriend. I just wished Alex played a bigger role in this novel.

I’m still really confused about Fielder – I mean, is he crazy? Did he know about Julie’s split personality? I’m just SO confused! Still, I’m glad that a lot of the girls’ issues were resolved and their tormentors learnt their lessons (can I really say that about those that died?).

                     

*WARNING: SPOILER* My favourite parts were anything that involved Ava – maybe her argument with Leslie in the café?, and the final party where Claire almost died. I enjoyed reading Leslie’s confrontation in the café because it was public and intense. I mean, why would someone do something like that? Would she get away with it? It also kick-started the suspicions on who the murderer was. I felt bad for Ava, but after reading this part, I hoped that she could tell her dad the truth about Leslie. I also enjoyed the final party because it was similar to the beginning of The Perfectionists – began with a party, ended with a party – and was full of mystery. It reached its climax, where all the girls realised who the murderer was and confronted them.

Recommendation time! If you like the Pretty Little Liars series by Sara Shepard, Pretty Girl by J. C. Burke, Fake by Beck Nichols, Follow Me Back by Nicci Cloke, Maestra by L. S. Hilton, They All Fall Down by Roxanne St. Claire, and Kiss of Broken Glass by Madeleine Kuderick, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Pretty Little Liars, Gossip Girl, Scream Queens and How to Get Away with Murder.

My review for The Perfectionists can be found by clicking on the title.

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The Perfectionists - Sara Shepard

Began reading: 18.6.2016
Completed reading: 21.6.2016
Overall rating: 4.5 stars

Perfect test scores, perfect friends, perfect lives... perfect murderers?

High school senior Nolan Hotchkiss is one of those lucky kids - handsome, rich, living a charmed life - despite the fact that he's a self-centred bully who treats everyone around him like dirt. Still, no one can touch Nolan, no one would try...

Until now.

There are five girls at school with Nolan who each have a very good reason to end his reign of terror, and now they're going to put words into actions and play this player at his own game.

But when you mess with fire you risk getting burnt. For these five fearless girls, revenge comes at a very high price and secrets have a habit of coming out... even when there is nothing to hide...

The Perfectionists by Sara Shepard is a contemporary young adult fiction novel that contains genres including mystery, thriller, romance and suspense. I accidentally purchased the second book first, so I had to search the bookstores for this one. Luckily, I found it at Dymocks not long after, and I’ve been waiting to get into this series! Overall, I thoroughly loved this book! It kept me intrigued throughout. I had to choose my classes for next semester at university, and this book influenced my choice to study crime in literature. I’M SO EXCITED! Anyway, I would definitely recommend this book to all readers who enjoy young adult novels!

The novel was well-written, with the use of literary techniques such as imagery and juxtaposition to enhance readers’ understanding of the plot. There were also some really good quotes in the book that I had to jot down, including:

With perfection comes pressure (p. 3).

Everyone was striving for something or clawing their way to the top… and for what? A better chance at the perfect scholarship? A better opportunity to score that perfect internship? Perfect, perfect, perfect, brag, brag, brag (pp. 15-16).

‘Secrets are meant to be shared. Especially dirty ones’ (p. 201).

Memory was a tricky thing, but reality was even trickier. Once you made up your mind about something, it was hard to comprehend that the truth could be something else (p. 267).

The plot was well-structured, which assisted with the flow of the novel. I could identify all of the structural aspects of the novel, which helped greatly. I really enjoyed the introduction, as it began with the party that set the whole plot into motion. I could easily imagine a lot of teenagers arriving at a massive house party, dancing and drinking. It was relatable! Towards the conclusion, I believed that there would be a resolution; however, I was surprised by a slightly expected plot twist. I can understand why some readers wouldn’t be too happy with this book’s conclusion, but I liked how it set up the plot for the next book.

Speaking of plots, there were some REALLY GOOD plot twists in this novel! Although I haven’t seen Pretty Little Liars, nor have I read the series, I found that I could sometimes see the plot twists coming. I did not see Granger’s attraction to young girls coming, nor did I expect some of the betrayals to happen. These twists improved the book’s quality, and kept me turning the page. Of course, it was the final plot twist that left me reeling.

    

I loved all five of the girls, as well as all of the secondary characters. Each of the girls had to deal with their personal problems, as well as the mystery surrounding Nolan’s death. They each had someone bothering/bullying them, which made their stories increasingly interesting. I also liked that each girl had a chapter for their perspective. There were a couple of times where two girls’ perspectives would be in one chapter, which bothered me, but I read past it.

The plot was was so dramatic and suspenseful, and this kept me glued to the book. There were times when my parents or siblings would try to interact with me and I had to give them a “do you mind?” look, haha! Sorry guys! But seriously, it was so intense that I was pulled into the plot almost instantly. This is just one of the reasons why I’m super excited to begin the next book!

The only negative thing I have to say about this book is the Caitlin-Jeremy relationship. I’m so confused – did she really fall for her dead brother’s friend? I thought it was weird, and the last part with him and her together left me puzzled. How will both families react? What will Josh do? I’m interested in seeing how this is resolved.

                                     

My favourite character is Ava Jalali, even though I liked all five of the girls. I guess she’s relatable, as she used to slack off in class, then pulled herself together and applied herself. This is definitely something I experienced – slacking off in high school, only to reapply myself at university. Aside from that, Ava is loyal, courageous, and intelligent. Although she didn’t have a close bond with the other girls, she decided to put herself in danger for their safety. I also adored her relationship with Alex – they were SO CUTE!

*WARNING: SPOILER* I didn’t understand Elliot’s character. He was a counsellor, but he was super creepy towards the end. I thought that he was misunderstood, but I guess I was mistaken. I wonder if he’ll be in the next book… I also have mixed feelings about Alex – is he misunderstanding Ava? I hope he’s not the type of guy that Shepard hinted at in the conclusion. He was so sweet to Ava! I completely felt for Mackenzie towards the conclusion too! Poor thing! Claire doesn’t deserve to go to Julliard! Similarly, I believe that Julie didn’t deserve Carson – the fact that he betrayed her emphasises this. Don’t get me started on Ashley! She is so weird – copying Julie. What. The. Hell.

                   

It was difficult to choose a specific part of the book to call my favourite. I loved the entire novel! But if I had to choose, I’d pick the party in the prologue and when the girls worked together. I liked the party scene because it was a great introduction to the rest of the novel, and demonstrated how well these girls collaborated. The way they carried out their plan showed competence, which interested me. I liked the other parts when the girls interacted and worked together, especially at Lucas’ house. They weren’t close, but the fact that they would sacrifice themselves for the safety of the others was sweet.

Recommendation time! If you like the Pretty Little Liars series by Sara Shepard, Pretty Girl by J. C. Burke, Fake by Beck Nichols, They All Fall Down by Roxanne St. Claire, and Kiss of Broken Glass by Madeleine Kuderick, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Pretty Little Liars, Gossip Girl, Scream Queens and How to Get Away with Murder.

I will also be reviewing the second book of The Perfectionists series: The Good Girls. Keep an eye out for that!

Happy reading!

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Ruined - Amy Tintera

Began reading: 8.6.2016
Completed reading: 13.6.2016
Overall rating: 4.6 stars

Emelina Flores has nothing. Her home in Ruina has been ravaged by war, her parents killed and her sister kidnapped. Even though Em is only a useless Ruined - completely lacking any magic - she is determined to get revenge.

Her plan is simple. She will infiltrate the enemy's kingdom, posing as the crown prince's betrothed. She will lead an ambush. She will kill the king and everyone he holds dear, including his son.

The closer Em gets to the prince, though, the more she questions her mission. Her rage-filled heart begins to soften. But with her life - and her family - on the line, love could be Em's deadliest mistake.

Ruined by Amy Tintera is a fictional young adult novel that contains fantasy and romance. I’ve been looking forward to reading this book ever since it was introduced on Epic Reads, and I purchased it as soon as it appeared on the shelves of bookshops here. I just have one word: YES!

                        

First of all, there were ZERO errors, such as spelling and grammatical, in the book. I can’t stress how happy that made me feel! The novel was well-written, with the use of literary techniques. Every character and situation was described in great detail, which made me enjoy the plot a lot more. There were some really good quotes, including:

Her mother had always said that the only way to find peace was to kill everyone who threatened it (p. 7).

Make people fear you, Emelina. Her mother’s words echoed in her head. Stop worrying about what you don’t have and start focusing on what you do. Make people tremble when they hear your name. Fear is your power (p. 10).

He looked down at her to find her lips slowly curving up. It was the first genuine smile he’d seen from her, and by far his favorite. That smile held secrets he desperately wanted to know (p. 54).

‘Sympathy doesn’t mean much if you don’t take action’ (p. 71).

‘Always assume everyone is lying. Don’t trust anyone, except those closest to you. You have tendency to see the good in people, and I admire that, but it will destroy you. I promise you it will’ (p. 124).

His skin sparked and sizzled beneath her fingers. He was fire she could touch (p. 145).

More quotes from the book can be found here.

Usually, I prefer a plot that is not fast-paced, but moves at a reasonable speed. However, this plot was fast-paced, but it worked really well. It kept the novel interesting, and I felt thoroughly immersed. There were a few times when I was so intrigued by the book that I forgot I was even reading – before I knew it, I had read 100+ pages. This was one of the main reasons why I liked this book so much!

I found the plot to be really interesting, which links to the previous paragraph. It was similar to other novels, such as Sarah J. Maas’ Throne of Glass series, but I much rather this single novel over the other series’. It contained a lot of elements that interested me more than the other books, which was why I adore this novel.

It was emotional at times, which were successful in making me teary and hitting me right in the feels. The death of a particular character was pretty damn close in bringing me to tears, so I must commend Tintera. I like a book that can tug at the readers’ heartstrings. I was just so attached to all of the characters that I ended up catching all the feels!

                       

From the book’s blurb, I assumed that there would be quite a bit of romance, but I was pleasantly surprised. There was a good amount of romance, which is always a great thing. I’m not a fan of all that mushy, fluffy stuff but this book had none of it. There were moments that made me say ‘awww’, but none of the romantic moments were over the top. I really, really, really liked that!

There were some really good plot twists scattered throughout the novel that kept me on my toes. For example, the very first chapter was full of dramatic twists and turns that started the plot with a bang. After that, the twists just got better and better! Even towards the end of the book, the plot twists kept coming and I had to hold my breath so many times! It was incredible!

My favourite character was Emelina Flores, as she was a badass, sassy, talented and deadly. I just couldn’t get enough of her character! It helped that she played a vengeful assassin – I just really like female protagonists that are sassy and dangerous. Cas is a notable character, as he turns out to be the perfect prince (and possible boyfriend…?). I don’t blame Em for falling for him – in my mind, he’s gorgeous!

                                 

I really loved the way Fabiana and Olivia were portrayed, which was interesting to see. I loved how Fabiana was outspoken and was protective of her son. *WARNING: SPOILER* It was a shame that she abandoned him towards the end, but it made the plot a lot juicier. As for Olivia, I expected her to be a quiet girl, especially since she had been tortured by the king. When she escaped, she turned out to be an outraged, hard-hearted, bloodthirsty queen who was very protective of Em. It made the characters a lot more fascinating. I LOVED IT!

To be honest, I loved the entire book: from start to finish, but if I had to pick a particular part as the standout, I’d choose Em’s time in the palace. It was where she was able to undertake espionage, and get close to the royal family. I loved how she could play Princess Mary and deceive the entire royal family. It was also where she developed feelings for Cas, and it was great to see how she fulfilled her role while trying to ignore these feelings.

Recommendation time! if you like the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas, the Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard, and The Sin Eater’s Daughter by Melinda Salisbury, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Kill Bill, Kill Bill 2, The Assassin and Hanna.

I will be reviewing the rest of the series when the books become available. Keep an eye out for that!

Happy reading!

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