A Mother's Confession - by Kelly Rimmer

Title:A Mother's Confession 

Author: Kelly Rimmer

Published: 28 Oct 2016

Series: -

Rating: 3 stars

Synopsis:

'He’s dead and I’m safe, but I’m still scared. Sometimes I actually miss him, but then in the very next breath I find that I hate him so much that I hope there is a hell, just so that he can be suffering like he left me here to suffer.' 
Olivia and David were the perfect couple with their whole lives in front of them. When beautiful baby daughter Zoe came along, their world seemed complete. 
But now David is dead and Olivia’s world is in pieces. While she is consumed with grief, her mother-in-law Ivy is also mourning the loss of her son. Both women are hiding secrets about the man they loved. Secrets that have put the family in danger. 
Something was very wrong in Olivia and David’s marriage. Can Olivia and Ivy break their silence and speak the truth? A mother should protect her child, whatever the cost…shouldn’t she?

Trigger Warning: domestic violence

I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

There is a good theme in this one - each new day is a new start. It also shows what domestic violence looks like from two points of view. Also the feeling of 'anyone can snap in a second' was interesting at the end.

Things I didn't really like? Sebastian seemed to be stereotypically mushy, plus the long conversation in Natasha's office felt like an information dump, I didn't like the slow build up either as it felt like it was a little bit too slow.

Things I did like? Natasha as a whole. The way that she cared and didn't rush Olivia in the way that she needed to heal. She was probably my favourite character for this reason. Also the twist at the end when we find out about Zoe was something I liked.

At one stage I did think that Ellen the childcare worker was going to kidnap Zoe, but I was gladly proven wrong.

Spoilers!

My guess is that David's mother was the entire reason for his behaviour.

Finding out that Zoe was possibly Sebastian's because Olivia cheated on her husband was interesting to find out because I wouldn't have pictured Olivia as a character cheating on anyone.

Even though I called it towards the end, finding out that Zoe was dead the entire book was a surprise and did make me shed a few tears. Especially because David was the one that performed the murder-suicide.

End Spoilers!

The Assassin's Blade - by Sarah J. Maas

Title: The Assassin's Blade

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Published: 4 March 2014

Series: Throne of Glass #0.1-0.5

Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis:

Celaena Sardothien is Adarlan's most feared assassin. As part of the Assassin's Guild, her allegiance is to her master, Arobynn Hamel, yet Celaena listens to no one and trusts only her fellow killer-for-hire, Sam. In these action-packed novellas - together in one edition for the first time - Celaena embarks on five daring missions. They take her from remote islands to hostile deserts, where she fights to liberate slaves and seeks to avenge the tyrannous. But she is acting against Arobynn's orders and could suffer an unimaginable punishment for such treachery. Will Celaena ever be truly free? Explore the dark underworld of this kick-ass heroine to find out.

I listened to this as an audiobook, however I do have this as a beautiful hardcover book too.

This book is a bind up of the Throne of Glass novellas: The Assassin and the Pirate Lord (#0.1), The Assassin and the Healer (#0.2), The Assassin and the Desert (#0.3), The Assassin and the Underworld (#0.4), and also The Assassin and the Empire (#0.5). It shows what Celaena gets up to before some of the books happen, however it's probably best to read the last book in this bind-up at the end otherwise you'll have spoilers.

I like that it's based in the medieval sort of era, but it's worded in a way that doesn't sound too old and it doesn't pul away from the story as you read. There's also only one narrator, but as she reads you can tell the difference between characters when they speak.

My favourite thing about Celaena would have to be her sass and sarcasm though. Along with the fact that she's the only female assassin in the guild, but can run circles around the men with what she can do! That, and she absolutely loves to read. Also, if Ansel had stayed, I would love to think that her and Celaena would have been friends - murderous friends, but still. The friends that slay together, stay together?

In this bind-up of books, we also get to find out a little history of the Throne of Glass universe. Such as learning of the three Iron Teeth Clans and what they can do.

Spoilers!

Sam Cortland! Need I say more? Read the book and you'll see what I mean. Plus, we're reminded of him every time Celaena says "I am Celaena Sardothien, and I will not be afraid."

After you've read the books once, you realise how much foreshadowing there is!

"This girl wasn't like wildfire. She was wildfire."

I would love to see what the white stag actually looks like too because it sounds absolutely beautiful.

End Spoilers!

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All books in this series:

0.1 | The Assassin's Blade (The Assassin and the Pirate)

0.2 | The Assassin's Blade (The Assassin and the Healer)

0.3 | The Assassin's Blade (The Assassin and the Desert)

0.4 | The Assassin's Blade (The Assassin and the Underworld)

0.5 | The Assassin's Blade (The Assassin and the Empire)

    1 | Throne of Glass

    2 | Crown of Midnight

    3 | Heir of Fire

    4 | Queen of Shadows

    5 | Empire of Storms

    6 | Tower of Dawn

    7 | Kingdom of Ash

Everything, Everything - by Nicola Yoon

Title: Everything, Everything

Author: Nicola Yoon

Published: 1 Sep 2015

Series: -

Rating: 5 stars

Synopsis:

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.
But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.
Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

Wanting just leads to more wanting. There's no end to desire.

I received this book as an ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

It was interesting reading about 'bubble baby disease' as I hadn't heard much about it before. The name of the disease is fairly self-explanatory, but it was still interesting to hear about the bits I hadn't known before.

Something I've noticed in many TV shows, movies and books I've watched and read seems to be that most people say "Welcome to our new home!" when they get to a new house. I still have no idea why people do that.

It's nice how Madeleine is half-Japanese and half-African American but it's not a big deal. But I think that my favourite character in the book was probably Olly, followed by Carla as they both cared for Madeleine and both had a sense of humour.

I'd like to know more about her dad and her brother - what her mum remembered them being like, the little things her brother would do for his younger sister, the jokes her dad would tell...

Spoilers!

Why is there usually a "breath/tension they didn't realise they'd been holding" variation in YA? Beginning to get sick of seeing that.

I did love that Olly was good to her and that he cared for her, but I also feel like there was a sort of insta-love too.

Zach being gay was great as Olly and Madeleine didn't make a big deal about it - it's just part of who Zach is as a person.

Why yes, I did indeed cry at the ending.

End Spoilers!

Tiny Pretty Things - by Sona Charaipotra & Dhonielle Clayton

Title: Tiny Pretty Things

Author: Sona Charaipotra & Dhonielle Clayton

Published: 26 May 2015

Series: Tiny Pretty Things #1

Rating: 3 stars

Synopsis:

Black Swan meets Pretty Little Liars in this soapy, drama-packed novel featuring diverse characters who will do anything to be the prima at their elite ballet school.
Gigi, Bette, and June, three top students at an exclusive Manhattan ballet school, have seen their fair share of drama. Free-spirited new girl Gigi just wants to dance—but the very act might kill her. Privileged New Yorker Bette's desire to escape the shadow of her ballet-star sister brings out a dangerous edge in her. And perfectionist June needs to land a lead role this year or her controlling mother will put an end to her dancing dreams forever.
When every dancer is both friend and foe, the girls will sacrifice, manipulate, and backstab to be the best of the best.

Trigger Warning: eating disorder, drugs

I listened to this as an audiobook.

The book alternates between three points of views - Gigi, Bette, and June's. Gigi is one of only two students at the school that are black with a medical condition, Bette is the younger sister of a school celebrity, and June is a half-Korean and half-white student. 

I wasn't sure that Cassie had a British accent until it was mentioned that she was from London so I'm not sure whether that's because of the narrator or because of my own brain. At the start it also sounded a bit like the characters sounded a bit blah and a little monotone, but as the book went on it got better.

Ballerinas have their secrets.

Sometimes felt like this book went on forever. It's a good book and I liked listening to this audiobook, but there are times when I thought that it was going to finish but it just never did. When the book finally did end it was on a cliff hanger anyway.

So much drama. Everywhere. Both relationship drama and drama between the girls in general.

I did wonder if the practice room that Gigi keeps going to was Cassie's.

But there are also some good lessons to be learned from this book too:

1. Not being ready for sex is okay
2. Be your own person, not what someone else wants you to be
3. Everything isn't always what it looks like from the outside
4. Sometimes we ignore things that are important because we don't like what it makes us think about
5. Not every person is the same - some are nice, some are mean, some care about us, some don't...

Perfection comes at a price.

My main question was who kept threatening Gigi? Bette and Will both seem like possible options, but I don't think either option would have done everything though. I'm not entirely sure on that point...

Spoilers!

Lots of family and relationship triangles and circles in this one. Will likes Henri who dated Cassie, who is cousins with Alec, who is now dating Gigi, who is roommates with June, who likes Jai-He, who is dating Seijing, who seems to hate June, who gives ballet tips to Bette, who is roommates with Eleanor who adores Adelle who is sisters with Bette who was friends with Liz...

I also guessed that Will was probably gay, and I was right. However I did also guess that Cassie committed suicide after all Bette's pranks and I was wrong about that one, so it sort of evened it out. I'm also wondering if June is lesbian or bisexual or whether that was just a one time thing...

The more you read, the more you realise how many problems the girls do (or probably do) have. My guesses/knowledge? Bette's mother is an alcoholic, Bette's addicted to Adderall, June and Liz seem anorexic, Gigi sounds depressed and has a hole in her heart.

End Spoilers!

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All books in this series:

    1 | Tiny Pretty Things
    2 | Shiny Broken Pieces

On the Other Side - by Carrie Hope Fletcher

Title: On the Other Side

Author: Carrie Hope Fletcher

Published: 14 July 2016

Series: -

Rating: 5 stars

Synopsis:
A love story like no other, this is the debut novel from Carrie Hope Fletcher, author of the Sunday Times No. 1 bestseller All I Know Now.
Evie Snow is eighty-two when she quietly passes away in her sleep, surrounded by her children and grandchildren. It's the way most people wish to leave the world but when Evie reaches the door of her own private heaven, she finds that she's become her twenty-seven-year-old self and the door won't open.
Evie's soul must be light enough to pass through so she needs to get rid of whatever is making her soul heavy. For Evie, this means unburdening herself of the three secrets that have weighed her down for over fifty years, so she must find a way to reveal them before it's too late. As Evie begins the journey of a lifetime, she learns more about life and love than she ever thought possible, and somehow , some way, she may also find her way back to her long lost love . . .
On the Other Side will transport you to a world that is impossible to forget. Powerful, magical and utterly romantic, this is a love story like no other from everyone's favourite 'big sister', Carrie Hope Fletcher.

Your soul is too heavy to pass through this door
Leave the weight of the world in the world from before.
Once it is lighter, your key shall then turn
And you will be able to have what you yearn.

I listened to this as an audiobook and finished it in one sitting.

This book is a magical realism sort of book - a reality/magic cross over sort of genre. I think this is the first book (that I can think of) that I've read in that genre.

I love that Evie isn't a small, thin person - that she has big hips and thighs from bread and cheese. 

There are a few parts of this book that are my favourite. Mainly, that getting a husband isn't at the top of Evie's priority list! She shows that you can be independent and do what you want to in life without needing a man. Another is that Vincent isn't perfect but Evie still loves Vincent for exactly how he is. 

I may not normally be able to pick up on themes in books, but I definitely think I've figured this one out - the stop and smell the roses theme vibe, seeing people/things rather than just looking, and that happiness has nothing to do with money.

The bridge wrestling was also quite cute and amusing. It kinda sucked that it was insta-love, but I adored the pair other than that.

Carrie singing the song in the audiobook that Evie does to her son, August, was lovely to hear. But I may be biased on that as I love Carrie's voice in general.

In the audiobook, Sunny to me sounded a bit like Ron Weasley. I can also imagine Carrie as Evie because of how happy and bubbly etc we normally see her in her YouTube videos.

Great adventures can start small. Even as small as a sweet. Help yourself to an adventure.

Spoilers!

Foreshadowing was included in the book as by the time you reach the third secret, you remember that the tree was mentioned early on in the book with Evie's son, August.

I cried at a few places in the book. When we heard the ambulance and found out Vincent left at the same time, Jim's speech, Evie's speech to sleeping Vincent, and especially Vincent dying.

Evie, you were my single greatest adventure.

There seemed to be quite a bit of  representation of different people/things in general which was great too. Vincent being bisexual, Isla the staff member being pansexual, Eddie being gay. Curvy girls were represented by Evie, and marriage problems were even represented by August and Daphne.

I did notice that all the main surnames were to do with weather and seasons - not sure if that was on purpose or not though. Summer, Winters, Snow, Frost, and Sunny Shine.

I'm also curious about a couple of things: Who's CB and PF in the initials on the lift doors when Evie's daughter, Isla, goes to fetch the shoebox? Plus Leafy said there's ways without the wall if someone passes and you need to tell them things - what are the ways?

End Spoilers!

Ruby Red - by Kerstin Gier

Title: Ruby Red

Author: Kerstin Gier

Published: 10 May 2011

Series: Precious Stone Trilogy #1

Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis:

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!
Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

I listened to this as an audiobook. It is also translated by Anthea Bell, but it's done well so you can't really tell it's been translated.

My favourite parts about this book are the cover, and that romance is involved in the story but action is the main focus.

I loved that  Gwynn grew up around all the time travel aspects in her family, but didn't really know a single thing about it. How does she solve this issue? The internet! Having a main character simply Google something when they didn't know the answer was quite nice.

The time travel machine using a drop of the traveler's blood is an interesting idea to help control when and where they travel to too. Plus Madam Risini sounded quite lovely, and little Rob sounded pretty cute.

One "Omg!" moment was who I guessed the people Gwynn saw when she time travelled at the high school were. I may be right, or I may be wrong, but if I'm right then I'm quite excited to find out about that story.

I do have a couple of questions though. Why does Gwynn see herself each time she time travels? And what is the note/quote after each chapter about?

Overall, this was a good story to read and I didn't really want to stop.

Spoilers!

From the start, my guess was that Charlotte probably couldn't time travel but Gwynn could, so it wasn't much of a surprise when we find that out.

I'm curious to see if Gideon is a double crosser or not. Can't remember what specifically made me think that, but it would be interesting to find out.

One confusing point for me was that I'd guessed that Paul and Lucy were the ones at the start holding the baby, but how were they holding Gwynn and calling her their daughter if they aren't her parents?

End Spoilers!

__________________________________________________

All books in this series:

    1 | Ruby Red
    2 | Sapphire Blue
    3 | Emerald Green

Down Among the Sticks and Bones - by Seanan McGuire

Title: Down Among the Sticks and Bones
Author: Seanan McGuire
Series: Wayward Children #2
Published: 13 June 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Synopsis:
Twin sisters Jack and Jill were seventeen when they found their way home and were packed off to Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children.
This is the story of what happened first…
Jacqueline was her mother’s perfect daughter—polite and quiet, always dressed as a princess. If her mother was sometimes a little strict, it’s because crafting the perfect daughter takes discipline.
Jillian was her father’s perfect daughter—adventurous, thrill-seeking, and a bit of a tom-boy. He really would have preferred a son, but you work with what you've got.
They were five when they learned that grown-ups can’t be trusted.
They were twelve when they walked down the impossible staircase and discovered that the pretense of love can never be enough to prepare you a life filled with magic in a land filled with mad scientists and death and choices.

I listened to this as an audiobook. It was read by the author which I found a nice little touch. I'm loving these covers though!

This book is a prequel and follows Jack and Jill from the previous book, showing that their home life wasn't all rainbows and daisies. Their parents essentially wanted the "perfect family".

These two sisters manage to stick together throughout their childhood and their slight sibling rivalry. The book also shows why children should be able to choose who they are for themselves and what they do and don't like. This book shows you that there's a million ways to be a girl, but none of them are wrong.

Some adventures require nothing more than a willing heart and the ability to trip over the cracks in the world.

Having to earn a vampire's name is an idea I hadn't thought about before too.

I like that Dr Bleak lets Jack try and work out the bath for herself. She's never had to do that before but she wants to learn new things. He gives her all the tools to do what's needed, but lets her work out how - better than her real parents were.

Finding out about Mary was definitely a bit of a shock.

Time keeps moving through the door too which is interesting. I would have thought that if you go through the door at twelve years old, then you'd go back to your original world still being twelve. But that's not how it works. Jack and Jill managed to go from twelve to seventeen - having to go through periods, hormones, friendships or lack of them, and relationships, all while in The Moors.

A single revelation does not change a life. It is a start.

Spoilers!

I don't think Jack's sexuality is stated for sure, but Jack having a relationship with another girl didn't feel like it was forced on the character or like it was an afterthought to the story as it flowed well.

End Spoilers!

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All books in this series:

    1 | Every Heart a Doorway
    2 | Down Among the Sticks and Bones
    3 | Beneath the Sugar Sky
    4 | In an Absent Dream

4.5 | Juice Like Wounds
    5 | Come Tumbling Down

    6 | Across the Green Grass Fields

    7 | Where the Drowned Girls Go

What If It's Us - by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera

Title: What If It's Us

Author: Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera

Published: 9 Oct 2018

Series: -

Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis:

Arthur is only in New York for the summer, but if Broadway has taught him anything, it’s that the universe can deliver a showstopping romance when you least expect it.
Ben thinks the universe needs to mind its business. If the universe had his back, he wouldn’t be on his way to the post office carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s things.
But when Arthur and Ben meet-cute at the post office, what exactly does the universe have in store for them?
Maybe nothing. After all, they get separated.
Maybe everything. After all, they get reunited.
But what if they can’t quite nail a first date . . . or a second first date . . . or a third?
What if Arthur tries too hard to make it work . . . and Ben doesn’t try hard enough?
What if life really isn’t like a Broadway play?
But what if it is?

What if we haven’t seen the best us yet?

I received this book as an ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Arthur James Seuss: a 5’6” Jewish kid with ADHD and the rage of a tornado. Ben Hugo Alejo: a freckle faced Catholic Puerto Rican. The book centres around both of these boys but you manage to love the secondary characters just as much as the main ones.

Dylan: On the sad scale, how are you feeling today? Opening-montage-of-Up sad? Or Nemo’s-om-dying-sad?
Ben: …last-five-minutes-of-Toy-Story-3 sad.

There are also many references in the book too. Harry Potter, Star Wars, Lyft, Avenue Q, Titanic, The Fault in Our Stars and a few more.

Dylan acts how most best friends would (and how mine definitely does) – asking about how their friend’s date went. “Who is he? Name. Address. Social security number. Twitter and Instagram handles.”

I loved this book and there were so many themes that should be shared around so that the entire human race finally hears them and hopefully finally absorbs them!

1. Not everything is love at first sight
2. You can still be friends after you break up
3. Not being ready for sex is okay
4. Asking about things to do with sex is okay
5. LGBT+ should be able to come out when they’re ready and not be pressured into it
6. Everyone doubts themselves about something
7. Take people as they are! Not everyone from a certain race etc can speak the language or follows the religion etc.
8. Not kissing someone before you’re ready to is okay
9. Some people are able to jump into love and others have to take their time
10. Sometimes you just need time to love yourself before you can love someone else

I also love that Juliet is biromantic ace.

Plus I think the treasure hunt was probably my favourite part of the book. I’m a sucker for cute things like that.

Maybe it’s all about people coming into your life for a little while and you take what they give you and use it in your next friendship or relationship. And if you’re lucky, maybe some people pop back in after you thought they were gone for good.

Spoilers!

I did guess that Arthur was going to meet the actual Hudson, but the meeting was more amusing than I thought it was going to be.

Also, I very much wanted to scream at the man on the train that was being super rude and anti-gay. You can have your own opinions about sexuality etc, but there’s definitely no need to shout it at someone and make them feel terrible just because you have your own opinion of something. We are called individuals for a reason!

End Spoilers!

Every Heart A Doorway - by Seanan McGuire

Title: Every Heart A Doorway
Author: Seanan McGuire
Published: 5 April 2016
Series: Wayward Children #1
Rating: 4 stars
Synopsis: 
Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children
No Solicitations
No Visitors
No Quests
Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere... else.
But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children.
Nancy tumbled once, but now she’s back. The things she’s experienced... they change a person. The children under Miss West’s care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back to their own fantasy world.
But Nancy’s arrival marks a change at the Home. There’s a darkness just around each corner, and when tragedy strikes, it’s up to Nancy and her new-found schoolmates to get to the heart of the matter.
No matter the cost. 

This world is unforgiving and cruel tho those it judges as even the slightest bit outside the norm.

I listened to this as an audiobook.

My favourite character in Every Heart A Doorway is definitely Sumi. I love how bubbly her personality and the alliteration is an interesting quality for her to have. Kade would probably be my second favourite character.

I absolutely love that asexuality and being transgender are present in the book - both with main characters. Another good thing is that the main character explains that being asexual and aromantic are two different things - which I think that some people in the real world should be told about.

I was a little confused at the start of the book as we don't see Nancy come back to her original world from her door, only that she turns up at Eleanor's home and the story is told from there.

Hope means you keep holding on to things that won't ever be so again, and so you bleed an inch at a time until there's nothing left.

No spoilers, but the characters that were killed did surprise me. One of the three did sort of  deserve it though - until it was explained where their door was. Then I felt bad for thinking that way.

Plus I loved that Jack and Jill were twin girls - their full names being Jacqueline and Jillian. Normally when we hear or think about the nursery rhyme, we think that it's one boy and one girl so it was nice to see that twist put in there.

I figured out who the killer was before it was revealed and I'm a little proud of that.

I'm a genius of infinite potential and highly limited patience. People shouldn't try me so.

Christopher's talent was quite cool, kind of like the pied piper from fairy tales. I also thought that Nancy and Christopher would be a cute couple together.

In the end, Nancy eventually goes back through her door, so we get to see pretty much her entire story.

Magic doorways to other worlds, murder, a little mystery, and belonging. I would definitely recommend this fun but dark little novella to everyone.

You're nobody's rainbow. You're nobody's princess. You're nobody's doorway but your own and the only one who gets to tell you how your story ends is you.

__________________________________________________

All books in this series:

    1 | Every Heart a Doorway
    2 | Down Among the Sticks and Bones
    3 | Beneath the Sugar Sky
    4 | In an Absent Dream

4.5 | Juice Like Wounds
    5 | Come Tumbling Down

    6 | Across the Green Grass Fields

    7 | Where the Drowned Girls Go

Twice Dead - by Caitlin Seal

Title: Twice Dead

Author: Caitlin Seal

Published: 18 Sep 2018

Series: The Necromancer's Song #1

Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis:

Naya, the daughter of a sea merchant captain, nervously undertakes her first solo trading mission in the necromancer-friendly country bordering her homeland of Talmir. Unfortunately, she never even makes it to the meeting. She's struck down in the streets of Ceramor. Murdered.

But death is not the end for Naya. She awakens to realize she's become an abomination--a wraith, a ghostly creature bound by runes to the bones of her former corpse. She's been resurrected in order to become a spy for her country. Reluctantly, she assumes the face and persona of a servant girl named Blue. 
She never intended to become embroiled in political plots, kidnapping, and murder. Or to fall in love with the young man and former necromancer she is destined to betray.

I received this book as an ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I'll be the first to admit that yes, I did want to read this mainly because of the awesome name of the author (I may be biased on that point though) and the lovely cover. Then when I read the synopsis, I was definitely ready to read this one.

There were many sailing references to be found in this book, and you didn't have to be a sailor to understand them which was good.

I also liked that there were runes to bind a person's spirit to their body once they were dead. It's probably the first time that I've read where that needs to happen for a spirit to stay bound. Plus the carvings in wraith's bones was an interesting thing to read about.

One thing I didn't like was only a small thing, but for some reason in the things I see or read recently there seems to be a mad king for one reason or another so I felt kind of meh about that when I saw that come up.

Corten seemed pretty nice though and I think I probably liked him more than I liked Naya. Plus I loved that Lucia and Alejandra were together and made me like Lucia a little more than I already did - I don't know why that's the reasoning, but I know it helped.

The reason behind Naya being able to do things that other wraiths can't was an interesting twist and I liked that point quite a bit.

By the time the glass bird that Corten had made was brought up towards the end, I had pretty much forgotten about it - whoops!

Overall, I definitely loved the story though and I was very into it. There were time that I didn't want to put it down because I wanted to find out what happened next. That cliffhanger has me stuck though and now I seriously want to find out what happens next!

Spoilers! 

My first thought when we find out that Lucia literally sings Naya back to not-quite-life, was that Naya was probably one of the undead - turns out she's actually a wraith.

The almost insta-love between Corten and Naya did annoy me a little though.

It would have been nice if I was interested in Corten just a little more as it probably would have made his death sad for me to read if it was.

End Spoilers!

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All books in this series:

    1 | Twice Dead
    2 | Trinity of Bones

The Siren - by Kiera Cass

Title: The Siren
Author: Kiera Cass
Published: 28 Jan 2016
Series: -
Rating: 3 stars
Synopsis: 
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Selection series comes this sweeping standalone fantasy romance. A girl with a secret. The boy of her dreams. An ocean between them.
Throughout the ages, the Ocean has occasionally rescued young women from drowning. To repay their debt, these young women must serve for 100 years as Sirens, remaining young and beautiful and using their deadly voices to lure strangers into watery graves. To keep their true nature secret, Sirens must never speak to humans, and must be careful never to stay in the same place for too long. But once her century of service is over, each Siren gets a chance to start over – a chance to live the mortal life that was almost stolen from her.
Kahlen became a Siren after her family died in a terrible shipwreck, decades ago. And though a single word from her can kill, she can’t resist spending her days on land, watching ordinary people and longing for the day when she will be able to speak and laugh and live freely among them again.
Kahlen is resigned to finishing her sentence in solitude…until she meets Akinli. Handsome, caring, and kind, Akinli is everything Kahlen ever dreamed of. And though she can’t talk to him, they soon forge a connection neither of them can deny… and Kahlen doesn’t want to.
Falling in love with a human breaks all of the Ocean’s rules, and if the Ocean discovers Kahlen’s feelings, she’ll be forced to leave Akinli for good. But for the first time in a lifetime of following the rules, Kahlen is determined to follow her heart.

Kahlen: You provide the oven and utensils, and I'll bring all the ingredients?
Akinli: I will also bring my stomach, because cake > actual food

I liked the beginning section as we got to see her back story and how she meets the other girls in what is now going to be her new family.

Akinli was probably my favourite character as he was so sweet and caring. My second favourite was Aisling because she was somehow able to keep a secret from The Ocean for all her 100 years of service, plus she sounded like she would be a good friend.

The date that Kahlen and Akinli have together where they bake a cake in his dorm was quite cute and it sort of makes me want to have one too. But it's probably cuter in theory than in practice.

The dresses described in the book that The Ocean makes the girls sound beautiful. I definitely want one of those.

I liked the twist where both Akinli and Kahlen get sick and the reasons behind it though as I hadn't thought about that before.

It would have been nice to hear more about the siren world, but I did still like the book.

There's always room for love, even if it's as small as a crack in a door