With Malice by Eileen Cook

With Malice by Eileen Cook

Published: June 7th 2016 by HMH Books for Young Readers

It was the perfect trip…until it wasn’t.

Eighteen-year-old Jill Charron wakes up in a hospital room, leg in a cast, stitches in her face and a big blank canvas where the last six weeks should be. She discovers she was involved in a fatal car accident while on a school trip in Italy. A trip she doesn’t even remember taking. She was jetted home by her affluent father in order to receive quality care. Care that includes a lawyer. And a press team. Because maybe the accident…wasn’t an accident.

As the accident makes national headlines, Jill finds herself at the center of a murder investigation. It doesn’t help that the media is portraying her as a sociopath who killed her bubbly best friend, Simone, in a jealous rage. With the evidence mounting against her, there’s only one thing Jill knows for sure: She would never hurt Simone. But what really happened? Questioning who she can trust and what she’s capable of, Jill desperately tries to piece together the events of the past six weeks before she loses her thin hold on her once-perfect life.

Ok, so, I have had this book on my TBR for ages now. I was so stoked to finally get a copy because I was so excited to finally see what was going on with this premise. I had seen reviews about it being too much like Dangerous Girls, but I decided to give it a shot anyway. They were right. I should have listened! Whilst I did enjoy the book to some extent, there were a lot of things that were similar to Dangerous Girls, which was a major disappointment for me! I wanted unique! Anyway, here are some lists!

Likes:

• The beginning. Right from the very beginning, we are thrown into the events of what happened, with no actual knowledge of it. We know as much as the MC does and how much the MC family decides to disclose. The mystery of it all was what kept me hooked at the beginning.
• I liked the fact that the MC didn’t know anything that was happening because of the injuries she sustained. It was realistically done and this kind of thing does actually happen on a day to day basis.
• The use of Social media and the media in general was also pretty good. When something like this hits the news, people do tend to flock to social media to talk about what happened, whether it is good or bad. People also tend to be swayed pretty heavily by media itself, so whether they are spinning a good or bad light on the person involved, is generally the direction that comments on social media will take!
• The way in which it was written with interviews, news reports etc, interspersed between chapters was pretty interesting. We have the view from the MC and what she is hearing and getting on a day to day life basis and then we have it from the other side of people hitting social media, the media themselves and the police force and the people they are interviewing. It gave an extra insight into the characters from the opinions of the people who are supposed to know them because they taught them or they went to school with them etc. The extra insight helped to really get into the minds of the characters.

Dislikes:

• It was TOO much like Dangerous Girls. I don’t want to say too much… but the news reports, the way in which it happened in a country that is not the MC’s own, the doubt from people  around them, the way in which the case itself was built against the MC… even the ending was pretty similar! I was holding out hope that it would be something completely different, but it wasn’t… which was a shame! I don’t want a Dangerous Girls part two, I want something unique!
• The ending felt rushed. The explanation and the way in which it ended all happened way too fast. I think it could have may been stretched out from earlier on so that the build up was a little better. I felt like the build up toward to explanation was lacking and then I was info dumped by what had actually happened.
• Some of characters were really irritating! Like, the lawyer. Lawyers wouldn’t usually act like that (or so I would hope) so it felt a little unrealistic to me. HE was the kind of guy that constantly gets under your skin and you just want to punch him in the face. AS well as the father!
• It sometimes felt a little slow plot wise. I don’t know whether this was just me, but some parts were a little dry and I had to push myself through it!
• I wanted to see more from and about Nico! He was a majorly suspicious character for me and could have easily swinger around to him. I disliked him from the get go, but I still wanted more from him!

All in all, whilst I vaguely enjoyed this book, it was too much like Dangerous Girls for me to actually fully enjoy it. I was getting a watered down version of an amazing book where I wanted something unique and with its own story! I gave this book 2.5/5.

Have you read this book? What did you think?

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Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Published: December 11th 2012 by Razorbill

In the three kingdoms of Mytica, magic has long been forgotten. And while hard-won peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest now simmers below the surface.

As the rulers of each kingdom grapple for power, the lives of their subjects are brutally transformed… and four key players, royals and rebels alike, find their fates forever intertwined. Cleo, Jonas, Lucia, and Magnus are caught in a dizzying world of treacherous betrayals, shocking murders, secret alliances, and even unforeseen love.

The only outcome that’s certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

It’s the eve of war…. Choose your side.

Princess: Raised in pampered luxury, Cleo must now embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of magic long thought extinct.

Rebel: Jonas, enraged at injustice, lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country cruelly impoverished. To his shock, he finds himself the leader of a people’s revolution centuries in the making.

Sorceress: Lucia, adopted at birth into the royal family, discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Heir: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, firstborn son Magnus begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword….

I have had this book on my TBR for ages now. I kept seeing amazing reviews for this book, but it always slipped my mind when I was buying new books from Amazon – however, I remembered one day and decided to buy it. It took me a while to read because I was ill, but I enjoyed it, mostly, when I got around to reading it. It was, however, slow in some places.

The beginning of this book had me gripped. I was not expecting it to start the way it did and for things to escalate as quickly as they did. I thought that, based on the beginning of the book, it was going to be epic. However, it began to lose its momentum, and then it regained it, and then it lost it again, so it was a bit of a mixed bundle.

Magnus was my favourite character. I mean, who doesn’t love a broody prince? I actually felt really sorry for him, even if there were moments where I wanted to slap him myself. I have high hopes that he will redeem himself… and hopefully fall in love with someone other than who is currently in love with! I mean… no!

Cleo was amazing. She was strong willed and always went after what she wanted. She didn’t let anyone stop her, not even the king, and she grows and changes along the way. I loved watching her change throughout the book and she started doing things for others and not just herself. I think her strong will and tenacity will get her pretty far within the series.

I enjoyed reading about the other characters, but they didn’t really make all that much of a lasting impression on me as a reader. I think the book was used to set things up and introduce everyone and everything rather than being plot or character based. I am interested to see what the rest of the series has on store for us!

I gave this book 4/5 stars. I look forward to reading the rest of the series!

Have you read this book? Did you enjoy it? Feel free to leave links and comments.

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the Broke and Bookish

Hey guys! It is time for another TTT! Before I begin, I just want to say that this post may look a little funny because I am doing it on my phone!! My links appear to be working on the phone, but not on the computer… Which is weird! Anyway, this weeks topic is top ten book set in x place. I decided to do high school setting because I think that there is a lot of fantasy settings out there etc.

10.

 Because I Love You by Tori Rigby – I really enjoyed this book. It dealt with issues that haven’t really been written about a lot with the Young Adult world, so it was definitely unique for me!

9.

 Unnatural Deeds by Cyn Balog – so technically this book hasn’t been released yet, but this book left me reeling! Even thinking about it now, I just… I have no words!!

8.

 This is Where it Ends by Marieke Niejkamp – I read this book on the day it came out in one sitting. It was amazing!!

7.

 What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler – this was a very powerful read and based on true events!! Definitely recommend this to everyone!

6.

 The Merciless by Danielle Vega – ok, this book did not turn out to be what I expected… It isn’t all set in secondary school, only some of it … But still!!

5.

 To all the boys I’ve loved before by Jenny Han – if you need a feel good pick me up, this one is definitely for you!!

4.

 Biggest Flirts by Jennifer Echols – I absolutely adored this book and I connected to the characters really quickly! It’s definitely a cute summer read and it is a series that I need to finish!

3.

 The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu – I think this book is a very true look at rumours created during your time in school and the people who create them!!

2.

 Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill – so, technically this is set on a school trip, but for me that still counts as secondary school!! This book was a really cute, fast read and definitely one to re read if I need a pick me up!

1.

 Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas – again, not technically set in school, but it is set during spring break of senior year, so I’m using it! I think anyone who has read this book will agree that this is a must read!! For everybody!!

That’s it!! Have you guys read any of these books? Did you enjoy them?

What settings did you guys pick? Feel free to leave links and comments and I will check them all out! 

Shiny Broken Pieces by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton

Shiny Broken Pieces by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton

Published: July 12th 2016 by HarperTeen

June, Bette, and Gigi have given their all to dance at Manhattan’s most elite ballet school. Now they are competing one final time for a spot at the prestigious American Ballet Company. With the stakes higher than ever, these girls have everything to lose…and no one is playing nice.

June is starting to finally see herself as a prima ballerina. However, getting what she wants might cost her everything—including the only boy she’s ever loved. Legacy dancer Bette is determined to clear her name after she was suspended and accused of hurting her rival, Gigi. Even if she returns, though, will she ever regain the spotlight she craves? And Gigi is not going to let Bette—or the other dancers who bullied her—go unpunished. But as revenge consumes her, Gigi may be the one who pays the price.

After years of grueling auditions, torn ribbons, and broken hearts, it all comes down to this last dance. Who will make the cut? And who will lose her dream forever?

I have had this book on my TBR since I found out they were making a sequel to Tiny Pretty Things. I absolutely adored the first book and the cutthroat world we were introduced to that is Ballet. I’m still wondering whether ballet is really that competitive and whether dancers are actually that bad – because it is kind of scary! I loved this book and I loved the difference we could see in all the characters! We also got to know Cassie – who probably deserved what she got from the people around her before her return and before her accident.

The book starts off at a new school year for all the dancers and follows the characters as they each deal with the consequences of what happened the year before. The characters are all suffering in one form or another based on the actions from the previous year and it is interesting to watch how they all deal differently with the things that happened.

I think Gigi changed the most – and is also the person who went through the most within this series. In the first book, her redeeming factor, and the thing that made me like her, was the fact that she stayed above all of the bullying. She kept her chin up and didn’t let it get to her like it did in this book. I think what happened to her in the past book at the end, snapped something within her because she becomes obsessed with hurting those who hurt her in some way, rather than putting everything into her dancing and becoming better than she was before, despite her accident. She actually scared me in this book – I also don’t think it helped that she befriended Cassie – who seemed to have gone completely off the rails!

What I also loved about this book was the various problems it dealt with. Anorexia, bulimia, inappropriate relationships, crime, the lengths some people will go to to be better than others (cutthroat competition) etc. The book dealt with a lot of issues that plague society, but it did it in a way that flows and it all fit together within the story itself.

I liked to follow June’s story the most, I think. She struggled the most with her ballet and she suffered from eating disorders, which didn’t help anything! I found myself really rooting for her to get better and make herself a better ballerina through that – so that by the end of the book, she hadn’t lost everything! I loved the way she powered through everything and really tried to get better! She was definitely an inspiration!

I think Bette also changed a lot within this book. I think the accident with Gigi and her being blamed, made her see that what she did to the other dancers within the first book was completely wrong. I also think that she truly feels sorry for everything that she did to the others around her and I think she wants to make it right, but doesn’t quite know how? I also think that she definitely understands what she did when Cassie starts bullying her to the extent that she does. She makes a complete 180 turn around in this book and I am definitely glad that she did!!

I really enjoyed this book and this series as a whole and I am kinda sad that we won’t get to revisit this cutthroat world in a new book that follows Gigi and Bette in their apprenticeships!! The ending definitely had me feeling like I was leaving school all over again and I was really depressed! I gave this book 4/5 stars.

Have you read this book? Did you enjoy it?

July Wrap Up

Hey guys! I was so busy over the weekend that I didn’t manage to get a chance to write and post my July Wrap Up post! I have had a pretty good month both reading wise and book buying wise (although I can’t say the same for my bank account!). Without further ado:

Read:

Air Awakens by Elise Kova, Kindle bought – 4 stars

The Assassin Game by Kirsty McKay (review copy from Netgalley), Kindle – 3 stars

And I Darken by Kierstin White, Physical copy bought – 4 stars

Never Never: Part Two by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher, Physical copy bought – 5 stars

Never Never: Part Three by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher, physical copy bought – 3.5 stars

Because I Love You by Tori Rigby, (Review copy from Netgalley) Kindle – 4 stars

This Savage Song by V. E. Schwab, Physical copy bought – 4 stars

The Merciless by Danielle Vega, Physical copy bought – 4 stars

Fire Falling by Elise Kova, Kindle bought – 5 stars

Earth’s End by Elise Kova, Kindle bought – 5 stars

The Leaving by Tara Altenbrando, Physical copy bought – 3 stars

Somniare by D. T. Dyllin, Review copy from Xpresso Tours – 4 stars

Started Reading:

Vault of Dreams by Luke Taylor, Signed ARC provided by the author

Book haul:

Physical:

This Savage Song by V. E. Schwab

Shiny Broken Pieces by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton

The Merciless by Danielle Vega

Vault of Dreams by Luke Taylor

The Leaving by Tara Altenbrando

Never Never: Part One by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher

Never Never: Part Two by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher

Never Never: Part Three by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

And I Darken by Kierstin White

Kindle:

Somniare by D. T. Dyllin – Review copy

The Book of Kindly Deaths by Eldritch Black

Earth’s End by Elise Kova

Saven: Deception by Siobhan Davis – Review copy

Water’s Wrath by Elise Kova

Fire Falling by Elise Kova

Because I Love You by Tori Rigby – Review Copy

The Assassin Game by Kirsty McKay – Review copy

Against Her Will by Serita Stevens and Jo Schaffer

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

The Disappearing Girl by Heather Topham Wood

Special Posts:

A Bond of Venom and Magic by Karen Tomlinson – Cover Reveal

Vault of Dreams Release Day

So that was my month!! I would say I should take a break from buying books… but we all know that won’t happen!

What books did you read/get last month? Feel free to let me know and leave links in the comments below.

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the Broke and Bookish

Hey guys! This weeks TTT is top ten books set outside of the U.S. So, I don’t know about you, but this was hard! It was like every book that I had ever read that was set outside of America just flew away from me! However, I managed to remember ten, so without further ado and in no particular order:

10.  Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley. Set in a military academy in Denmark. Normally I would have glossed over this book based on the front cover – it isn’t something that screams read me. I read a glowing review, however, and decided to pick it up myself! I am so glad I did because I absolutely loved it!

9.  And I Darken by Kierstin White. Set in the Ottoman Empire. I think everyone has pretty much been waiting for this book! I loved the fact that it was set in the Ottoman empire – definitely unique and definitely something I could learn about!

8.  The Assassin Game by Kirsty McKay. Set on an island just off the coast of Ireland. I definitely loved the idea of not being able to get back to the main land whenever you wanted and only when the tide was right! It was a fitting setting for a thriller!

7.  Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas. Set in Aruba. Can you imagine being arrested for murder, in a country that is not your own and then going through the entire trial in said country? No, me neither! But I absolutely adored this book as well as its counterpart, Dangerous Boys, and I definitely recommend them!!

6.  The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich. Set in Britain. This book Creeped. Me. Out! Like, seriously! I had to wait until my husband got back just to go to bed! Whilst waiting for him, I had all the lights on in the house! Yup, read this book!

5.  Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling. This is classical British… I don’t think I need to say anymore on the matter…

4.  Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman. Set in Germany. I loved the history in this book! 1930s Germany pre WWII is not something you often see in YA books and I loved the uniqueness of this book! Definitely need to read the second one soon!

3.  Queen of Someday by Sherry D. Ficklin. Set in Russia. Have you noticed how a lot of these books are YA Historical Fiction??

2.  Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. Set in France. I loved this cutesy read!

1.  Say Her Name by James Dawson. Set in a British Boarding school. I think the legend of Bloody Mary pretty much makes its rounds of schools all around Britain. I mean, did you really go to a British school if you didn’t chant Bloody Mary?

So that’s it! I enjoyed all of these book, even if their settings eluded me for a while!

What books have you read that are set outside of the U.S? Feel free to drop me comments and links and I will check them all out!

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga’s Reviews

Hey guys! Apparently I still have no self control because I went a little crazy this week! However, I am excited for all of these books!

Bought Physical:

 Never Never by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher. So, I already owned a cop of this book on my Kindle, by I clearly needed a physical copy too!

 Never Never Part Two by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher.

 Never Never Part Three by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher

 This Savage Song by V. E. Schwab. This is going to be me first Schwab book and I am so excited!!

 And I Darken by Kierstin White. I saw this at the bookshop and obviously had to have it!

 The Merciless by Danielle Vega. I have been wanting to read this book for a while now!

Bought Kindle:

 Fire Falling by Elise Kova I loved Air Awakens and I cannot wait to read this book!

 Against Her will by Jo Schaffer and Serita Stevens. I managed to get this as a bargain on Amazon. It was a whim buy, so I am hoping I like it!

Netgalley:

 Because I Love You by Tori Rigby. I saw this on Netgalley and I decided to give it a go! This book looks like it deals with some pretty relevant issues and I am looking forward to seeing how the author tackles them!

So that’s it! What have you guys added to your shelves this week? Feel free to leave links and comments and I will check them all out!

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the Broke and Bookish

Hey guys! This weeks TTT is top ten underrated books (books with under 2000 ratings). 2 of these books are going to have over 2000 ratings, because I don#t have enough not to do it like that!

10.  Dirt Daughter by Michele Shaw. This book only has 21(?!?) ratings! I actually got an ARC copy of this book from Netgalley – but this book really needs to be read more!

9. Little White Lies by Lesley Lokko. 202 ratings. I bought this book on a whim at the airport whilst waiting for a flight back to Germany! I actually really enjoyed it.

8.  The Awakening by Melissa A. Craven. 237 ratings. Again, this is a book that I requested from Netgalley and I absolutely loved it! I cannot wait for the next instalment!

7.  Unspeakable by Michelle K. Pickett. 490 ratings.  This book tackled some really tough issues and I am surprised that more people haven’t read this!

6.  Reclaimed by Sarah Guillory. 731 ratings. This book surprised me in so many ways! I absolutely loved it and I really need to check out some more of this authors work!

5. Every Ugly word by Aimee L. Salter. 1249 ratings. This book sent me on a rollercoaster ride full of emotions! Definitely worth the read!

4.  Say Her Name by James Dawson. 1747 ratings. This is a great take on the Bloody Mary story! I had to know what was going to happen all the way throughout this book!

3.  Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charapoitra and Dhonielle Clayton. 1953 ratings. I am actually so surprised that this book doesn’t have more ratings! I loved it and I cannot wait until the next instalment comes out!

2.  Spelled by Betsy Schow . 2100 ratings. Despite having over 2000 ratings, I still think this book is underrated! everyone should be reading this book! It is hilarious!

1.  Endure by Sara B. Larson. 2174 ratings. This book wrapped up the Defy trilogy pretty nicely!

So, that is my list!  Do you have any of these books on your list? Feel free to leave comments and links and I will check them all out!

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the Broke and Bookish

Hey guys! Firstly, I just want to say happy blogoversary to the Broke and Bookish! 6 years is a long time! This weeks TTT is top ten favourite releases of 2016 so far. A couple of these books haven’t been released this year yet and some of the books were released last year because I haven’t read 10 books that have been released this year so far! I’m a rebel, what can I say? In no particular order:

10.  The Crown by Kiera Cass. Published May 3rd by HarperTeen. I loved the entirety of The Selection series! So, you can imagine my relief when my wait for this book was finally over!

9.  A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas Published May 3rd by Bloomsbury USA Children’s. This was the book of the year for me! I bought this book the day it came out on my kindle, I read it, and then went and bought a physical copy of the book – I am that much in love!

8.  Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard. Published February 9th by HarperTeen. Again, another book I bought myself a physical copy of for myself, because it is another series that I love! Plus, the title for the third book is being released tomorrow by Epic Reads – if anyone is interested!

7.  Wink Poppy Midnight by April Genevieve Tucholke. Published March 22nd by Dial Books. If your looking for a book that isn’t all that it seems that is full of a bunch of whacked out teenagers… then this book is perfect for you!

6.  This is Where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp. Published January 5th by Sourcebooks Fire. I hyped this book up to myself long before its release date and it didn’t disappoint! i had been looking for a book that took place during the shooting for quite some time and this book delivered in every way!

5.  Wrecked by Maria Padian. Publish date October 4th 2016 by Algonquin Young Readers. ok, so technically, this book doesn’t belong on this list because it has yet to be released. However, I am a rebel. I read an ARC copy of this book and I loved it! Such a unique take on sexual assault!

4.  One Was Lost by Natalie D. Richards. Publish Date October 4th 2016 by Sourcebooks Fire. Another book that technically shouldn’t make this list. However, I read an ARC over the weekend and it was an amazing read!

3.  Endure by Sara B. Larson. Published December 29th 2015 by Scholastic Press. This was the third and final instalment in the Defy series and I was sorry to see it end!

2.  Spelled by Betsy Schow. Published June 2nd 2015 by Sourcebooks Fire. This book had me laughing out loud – in a pretty unladylike manner – and I had stitches in places I didn’t even know existed! Definitely worth the read!

1.  What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler. Published September 22nd 2015 by HarperTeen. This book was based on a true story (The Steubenville High School Rape Case) and I think it represented the controversy of the case well. It deals with some really tough issues and highlights important ones too!

That’s me! I loved all of these books! What books have been your favourites so far this year? Feel free to leave links and comments and I will check them all out!

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga’s Reviews.

Hey guys! I don’t have a lot to share with you this week, but the book I am sharing with you I actually added last week, but completely forgot to add it to my list!

 Numb by Laura Clark.

I also bought the third series of Once Upon a Time – which I have been shamelessly binge watching since last week! I also bought the first series of GOT – which I have already watched a thousand times – but I need to watch it again 🙂

What about you guys? Feel free to leave links and answers below