For my monster from his slab, began to rise, and suddenly to my surprise..

 

This Monstrous Thing
Author: Mackenzi Lee
Publication Date: October 22nd 2015
Publisher: HarperCollins
~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review~

In 1818 Geneva, men built with clockwork parts live hidden away from society, cared for only by illegal mechanics called Shadow Boys. Two years ago, Shadow Boy Alasdair Finch’s life shattered to bits.

His brother, Oliver—dead.

His sweetheart, Mary—gone.

His chance to break free of Geneva—lost.

Heart-broken and desperate, Alasdair does the unthinkable: He brings Oliver back from the dead.

But putting back together a broken life is more difficult than mending bones and adding clockwork pieces. Oliver returns more monster than man, and Alasdair’s horror further damages the already troubled relationship.

Then comes the publication of Frankenstein and the city intensifies its search for Shadow Boys, aiming to discover the real life doctor and his monster. Alasdair finds refuge with his idol, the brilliant Dr. Geisler, who may offer him a way to escape the dangerous present and his guilt-ridden past, but at a horrible price only Oliver can pay…

This Monstrous Thing is a hard one to review, mainly because it's down to it not being what I thought it was going to be. In some ways, it was great, especially in the way that attracts me to certain books and keeps me reading, which I'll get to in a minute. But, in other ways I felt it let me down because it just...lacked something for me. So I'll get that bit out of the way.

Red Eye Halloween Blog Tour: Let's play dress up.

 

It's the last week of October, and with it Halloween, or as my neighbours think, time to put up the Christmas decorations. I wish I were kidding. 

So, in the spirit of Halloween and all things horror, I have the current Red Eye authors talking about their Halloween costumes growing up/what/who they would dress up as this year.

No Mourners. No Funerals. Except for My Poor Heart.

Six of Crows
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Publication Date: September 29th 2015
Publisher: Indigo
~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Grisha Trilogy introduced readers to the irresistible fantasy world of the Grisha - and now Leigh Bardugo brings us a new sweeping epic.

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price - and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy, Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone.

A convict with a thirst for revenge.
A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.
A runaway with a privileged past.
A spy known as the Wraith.
A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction - if they don't kill each other first.

Leigh Bardugo's writing has captivated readers since SHADOW AND BONE was published in 2012. SIX OF CROWS will take Leigh's fans back into the world they know and love. As gripping, sweeping and memorable as The Grisha Trilogy, this is perfect for fans of Laini Taylor, Kristin Cashore and Game of Thrones.

Let it be noted that, I read Six of Crows straight after Queen of Shadows, and it was not the wisest decision I have ever made. All. The. Feels. For. Days. And days. And days.

So I have a confession to make…I only read the Grisha trilogy for the first time a book before Six of Crows, and feel free to shot at me for waiting so long (and if you’re yet to read it, READ IT. NOW. GO. GO. GO.) because holy damn, I fell in love. But, you know the problem that enlists with that now, don’t you? How is a companion or a spin off series in the same world, going to beat the original? 

Shhhh...Or Else.

The Unquiet
Author: Mikaela Everett
Publication Date: September 22nd 2015
Publisher: Greenwillow Books 
~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review~

 For most of her life, Lirael has been training to kill—and replace—a duplicate version of herself on a parallel Earth. She is the perfect sleeper-soldier. But she’s beginning to suspect she is not a good person.

The two Earths are identical in almost every way. Two copies of every city, every building, even every person. But the people from the second Earth know something their duplicates do not—two versions of the same thing cannot exist. They—and their whole planet—are slowly disappearing. Lira has been trained mercilessly since childhood to learn everything she can about her duplicate, to be a ruthless sleeper-assassin who kills that other Lirael and steps seamlessly into her life.

An intricate, literary stand-alone from an astonishing new voice, The Unquiet takes us deep inside the psyche of a strong teenage heroine struggling with what she has been raised to be and who she really is. Fans of eerily futuristic and beautifully crafted stories such as Never Let Me Go, Orphan Black, and Fringe will find themselves haunted by this unsettling debut.

IS IT BAD I’M ONLY NOW NOTICING THE COTTAGE ON THE COVER? Probably. The comparison to Never Let Me Go-which I haven’t read-so guess who’s out of her depth? Yes, Me-but now I do want to read it because The Unquiet was bloody brilliant. 

From Russia, With Love

The Wolf Wilder
Author:  Katherine Rundell
Publication Date: September 9th 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's
~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review~ 

Feodora and her mother live in the snowbound woods of Russia, in a house full of food and fireplaces. Ten minutes away, in a ruined chapel, lives a pack of wolves. Feodora's mother is a wolf wilder, and Feo is a wolf wilder in training. A wolf wilder is the opposite of an animal tamer: it is a person who teaches tamed animals to fend for themselves, and to fight and to run, and to be wary of humans.

When the murderous hostility of the Russian Army threatens her very existence, Feo is left with no option but to go on the run. What follows is a story of revolution and adventure, about standing up for the things you love and fighting back. And, of course, wolves.

I’m torn about The Wolf Wilder, because there was just something about it that felt missing to me, I enjoyed it, but at the same time I was expecting something more. I don’t have a lot to say about The Wolf Wilder, it’s pretty short, and not a lot is going on, so I’m doing a little more What I Liked vs What I Had a Problem With.

Edge all the way to the Water. (I don't know, I couldn't come up with something catchy.)

Edgewater
Author: Courtney Sheinmel
Publication Date:  September 8th 2015
Publisher:  Amulet Books
~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review~ 

Lorrie Hollander used to be a rich girl, but now she’s lost everything because of the secrets and lies of the people around her. It’s been 12 years since Lorrie’s mother skipped town and left Lorrie in the care of her unstable aunt Gigi. Together they live in a neglected, decrepit mansion called Edgewater, the eyesore in a town of extraordinary wealth and privilege.

When Charlie, the son of an esteemed senator, takes an interest in Lorrie, her shame for her family and lifestyle runs deep. But what she doesn’t know is that Charlie’s family is hiding something, too, and that their secrets are inextricably tied. Now Lorrie must confront the truth about her family—and everything she ever thought she knew about herself.

I have mixed feelings about Edgewater, mainly because for the most part, I wasn’t really into it, but once I got passed the first half, it started to get better, and the ending really did save it for me, mainly because while I saw one twist coming, I hadn’t even thought of the second one, so that surprised me.

That said…I was bored for most of it, don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t, ugh – I – need- to -  put- this- down- boring, just not a lot was happening, and my main issue is with Lorrie. Firstly, I have to say she isn’t a terrible character, but she isn’t exactly nice either, and I do get it, and I get her frustration, but she was burning her bridges with people along with it, and she was so full of anger and self-pity and had no empathy whatsoever with her family that she went into the bitch zone. And for most of her characterisation has something important to do with the plot, so I can’t say what, but I will say she does grow, she isn’t entirely likable by the end, but she’s getting there.