UKYA Review: Mary Hades by Sarah Dalton

Published by: Entangled Teen
Release date: 4th May 2014
Series:  Mary Hades #1
I got it from: Netgalley
Goodreads summary: 
Not many seventeen year old girls have a best friend who’s a ghost, but then Mary Hades isn’t your average teenager.

Scarred physically and mentally from a fire, her parents decide a holiday to an idyllic village in North Yorkshire will help her recover. Nestled in the middle of five moors, Mary expects to have a boring week stuck in a caravan with her parents. Little does she know, evil lurks in the campsite…

Seth Lockwood—a local fairground worker with a dark secret—might be the key to uncovering the murky history that has blighted Nettleby. But Mary is drawn to him in a way that has her questioning her judgement.

Helped by her dead best friend and a quirky gay Goth couple, Mary must stop the unusual deaths occurring in Nettleby. But can she prevent her heart from being broken?

The first in a series of dark YA novels, Mary Hades follows on from the bestselling Kindle Single 'My Daylight Monsters'. A spine-tingling tale with romance, readers will be shocked and entertained in equal measure.

My review:
It's a while since I've read a good ghost story, and I don't thing I've ever had the pleasure of reading a good YA Brit ghost story, so Mary Hades was a delight for me. Set on the windswept moors of North Yorkshire, it's full of atmosphere, spooky as you like and a real page turner. It's also refreshingly British - so good to have a really great addition to the UKYA family.

I don't like comparing books but I know some readers find it helpful, so I will say that this had a bit of a feel of Anna Dressed in Blood to it. Where there are ghosts there will always be comparisons to other books with ghosts, and I think Anna is a pretty good book to be compared to. Strong characters, whether they're corporeal or not; a twisty plot to keep those pages turning; and with healthy doses of both mystery and romance there's something to keep everyone happy. Mary Hades is deep, dark, eerie, mysterious and spine-tinglingly gorgeous - everything a great ghost story should be.

Mary is a wonderful heroine - she's been through a lot but has come out of the other side stronger for it. If you get a chance it's worth reading the novella My Daylight Monsters which is a prequel to Mary Hades, but it's not essential. Dalton does a fine job of explaining everything that's happened so far without any annoying info-dump. Mary is coming to terms with the fact that she can see not just ghosts, but freaky ghouls that seem to appear just before something terrible happens. They might be frightening and horrific but those monsters have saved Mary's life more than once, so she's learning to pay attention to them, despite the fact that they landed her in a mental ward not so long ago. So she's also learning to keep quiet about the things she sees. This includes her best friend Lacey, who happens to be a ghost. 

Mary might be the main character here, but for me it was Lacey who really made the book. She's a bit scary, a bit funny and very loyal - everything you should expect from a spectral best friend. She's not been dead long, and I really want to read the next book to see how she continues coping with her place in the afterlife. This looks to be the start of a very promising new series.  

Review: How (Not) to Fall in Love by Lisa Brown Roberts

Published by: Entangled Teen
Release date: 3rd February 2015
Series:  n/a
I got it from: Netgalley
Goodreads summary:   
Seventeen-year-old Darcy Covington never had to worry about money or where her next shopping spree was coming from. Even her dog ate gourmet. Then one day, Darcy’s car is repossessed from the parking lot of her elite private school. As her father’s business hit the skids, Dad didn’t just skip town, he bailed on his family.

Fortunately, Darcy’s uncle owns a thrift shop where she can hide out from the world. There’s also Lucas, the wickedly hot fix-it guy she can’t stop crushing on, even if she’s not sure they’ll ever get out of the friend zone.

But it’s here among the colorful characters of her uncle’s world that Darcy begins to see something more in herself...if she has the courage to follow it. 

My review:
This is one of those brilliant contemporary romances - one that deviates from the norm, just enough to make it interesting. It's a YA/NA cross-over I'd say - Darcy is only 17, but the events of the story force her to act a lot older and that gives it a bit of a NA feel. It's not full of steamy sex scenes though so it's perfectly suitable for a YA audience.

Right, classification out of the way, what about the writing? This is a debut, so there's no past books to go on, but judging by this one I'd say Lisa Brown Roberts is an author to watch out for. Her characters are brilliantly lifelike and eminently likeable. Her world is realistic and interesting, her pacing is excellent and her dialogue is just the right mix of heart-felt, snarky and irreverent.

Darcy is a wonderful character and I fell for her in a big way. Brown Roberts has created such a realistic life for her that I could definitely see myself with this girl as my best friend (if I were 20 years younger and lived in the US!). She's not the only brilliant character though - all of the people we're introduced to in this book feel real. I'm reminded a little of Sarah Dessen's writing - the mix of family, friends and first love is where Brown Roberts really excels, topping it off with a hint of mystery and a life-changing situation. I really want to see what she brings out next.

Review: Stung by Joss Stirling

Published by: Oxford University Press
Release date: 5th February 2015
Series: Struck #2
I got it from: Netgalley
Goodreads summary:   
Stung by Joss Stirling is a breathtaking romantic thriller from the bestselling author of Finding Sky.

Sixteen-year-old Kate has a talent for disappearing. Framed for murder, and hunted by a violent gang, she's running for her life...

Nathan is the young recruit tasked with finding Kate before her enemies track her down. He's determined to stay detached no matter what.

But when Nathan and Kate's paths collide, neither is prepared for the electricity that sparks between them.

As the net tightens, can they trust each other long enough to stay alive? Or will their next kiss be their last?



My Review:










I somehow missed Storm and Stone/Struck, the first book in Stirling's new Struck series, but after reading Stung and adoring it I really need to go find it now. I was a huge fan of Stirling's Benedicts series, and when I got the chance to read Stung on Netgalley I was so excited (and mad that I missed the start of the series!). Happily, the book lived up to my high expectations. It has all the action and adventure you expect from a Stirling book, with just the right mix of danger, friendship and romance.

Stirling isn't afraid to introduce her characters to intense hardship or even death, and that makes her books that much more exciting. She treats her readers as intelligent adults, giving no quarter where complex plotlines and high-tech toys are involved. Yet she also has that great author knack of making it so that you can stumble across a series at any point. I wish I'd read Storm and Stone first, simply because I want to know Kieran and Raven's story, but I didn't have any trouble catching up with things. A steady trickle of pertinent information ensures that you can keep up, without any annoying info-dumps. I can't wait to see which of the YDA gets the next story. Damien's has got to be a good one. Just sayin'.

Review: A Girl Called Malice by Aurelia B Rowl

Published by: Carina UK
Release date: 3rd October 2014
Series: Popping the Cherry #2
I got it from: ARC from author
Goodreads summary:   
It’s not easy being the Queen Bee. Alice Taylor should know.

You know that girl. The one that the whole school’s social life seems to revolve around. Alice used to be that girl until she decided to quit sixth form college. Suddenly her ‘friends’ aren’t so interested in following her around and her attention-grabbing behaviour is about to get her kicked out of home. With nowhere to go and no one to turn to, her world starts spiralling seriously out of control.

Only new friend Zac Newton seems to believe in her. Lifeguard and poolside hottie, Zac is quite literally her lifesaver. But then, he’s never met ‘Malice’, her mean-girl alter ego, and Alice wants to keep it that way. She knows this is her last chance for a fresh start until her sordid past catches up with her at the worst possible moment.

As everything Alice has worked towards comes crashing down around her, she realises that the hardest thing of all is being yourself…

My review:
I was looking forward to this book for ages, having read and loved Popping the Cherry, and let's just say I was not disappointed. While Popping the Cherry was brilliant Young Adult fodder, A Girl Called Malice takes us more into the realms of New Adult. Alice, 17 when the book starts, is a little young for your typical NA heroine, but in many ways she's older than her years - definitely when it comes to sexual experience. Rowl is not afraid to let her characters get down and dirty, so Malice isn't a book for the younger YA generation. As an older reader though, I'm more than happy with that. I found Alice and Rowl's approach to sex refreshingly honest. But it's not all about lust...

When I first found out Rowl was writing Malice's story, I wasn't sure about it - if you've read PtC and you know about Malice, you'll understand my reticence. But it's true that people act in certain ways for reasons of their own, and Malice certainly has her reasons. It is testament to Rowl's writing that I loved this book even though I didn't identify with Alice at all. I have nothing in common with this girl, and a lesser writer could have had me running for the hills with references to Michael Buble and Hannah Montana, but Rowl told Alice's story so well that I was completely enthralled and had to keep reading. One thing that I think Rowl must have had a hard time with was the timeline - the book covers over a year, which is a long time, and it skips between taking it a day at a time, and weeks at a time. Rowl manages to make it work, but there were just a couple of bits that made me question how long things were taking. That's life though - everything doesn't happen all at once for the convenience of the plot.

The romance that was so sweet in Popping the Cherry is definitely present in Malice too, although it takes a while to make itself known. Just like with PtC, there are a few sappy moments, but what girl doesn't love a bit of stomach-clenching, heart-felt romance now and then? I've just realised that my review is a bit vague, which I apologise for. Once you read the book you'll understand - there's a lot of stuff going on that I don't want to give away. Just know that Rowl's writing is brilliant, her characters are very well-developed, there are moments that will make you sigh wistfully, lots of bits that will make you laugh, and twists to keep you on your toes. If you haven't read Popping the Cherry, go away and do it now. If you have, and you liked it, then order A Girl Called Malice immediately!

Review: Breathe for Me by Rhonda Helms

Published by: Spencer Hill Press
Release date: 5th August 2014
Series: n/a
I got it from: NetGalley
Goodreads summary:   
Isabel’s been cursed since the Middle Ages.

Desperate to escape an arranged marriage, she made a hasty bargain with a demon, asking for liberation from an oppressive husband-to-be and the excitement of travel. But the demon’s “gift” came at a steep cost. Each time he moves her to a new city, her memory’s wiped. No one can touch her bare skin without injury or even death. And she sees the lifespan of every living being (and is, in fact, immortal herself).

All a constant reminder that she’s different than other teen girls.

But New Orleans seems to accept her as she is. She has friends and a real life in this quirky, hot city. Then Isabel meets Dominic, whose deep soul and strong character draw her to him. Her growing love gives her the courage to confront the demon, insisting the curse be broken. But the demon’s price for freedom is much, much higher than she could possibly give.

My review:
Original and alluring, Breathe for Me is a welcome addition to the paranormal romance genre. We meet Isabel at a point when she is centuries old, yet still a teenager. She has lived many different lives, yet she remembers none of them. Such is her curse. Bound to a demon, unable to touch other humans, she has to stay removed from society. She gets to see the world, but what use is that when her memory is wiped each time she moves to a new place? But now she's in New Orleans, and the place speaks to her in a way no other has.

New Orleans makes Isabel want to be normal, to be a part of society instead of standing on the edge looking in. So she goes to school. She covers her skin, makes up an excuse of a rare illness to explain her inability to touch anyone, puts up with being labelled a freak, all so that she can fulfill her yearning to interact with other humans. She even manages to make friends. Then along comes Dominic.

Isabel's kiss is deadly, but that's never mattered before, as she's never wanted to kiss anyone before. But that was before she got to know Dominic. Dominic is an old soul. One of those dark, poetic types that certain girls are drawn to. He and Isabel bond over a love of history and English, and a sweet, innocent romance blossoms.

Helms weaves an addictive story, her characters full of realism and her New Orleans ripe with heat and magic. She is clever in her imagination, and the curse she has created, and its demon, are an intriguing basis for a very good story. Some younger readers might find the pace of Breathe for Me a little slow, as it's not all action and instant gratification like some YA books, but for me it works very well. The story builds with interesting twists, intertwined with a delightful romance. You have another fan, Ms Helms, and now I want to hear the demon's story, if you'd be so kind as to oblige!

Review: Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid

Published by: Harlequin Teen
Release date: 1st August 2014
Series: n/a
I got it from: NetGalley
Goodreads summary: 
Five strangers. Countless adventures.One epic way to get lost.

Four teens across the country have only one thing in common: a girl named LEILA. She crashes into their lives in her absurdly red car at the moment they need someone the most.

There's HUDSON, a small-town mechanic who is willing to throw away his dreams for true love. And BREE, a runaway who seizes every Tuesday—and a few stolen goods along the way. ELLIOT believes in happy endings…until his own life goes off-script. And SONIA worries that when she lost her boyfriend, she also lost the ability to love.

Hudson, Bree, Elliot and Sonia find a friend in Leila. And when Leila leaves them, their lives are forever changed. But it is during Leila's own 4,268-mile journey that she discovers the most important truth— sometimes, what you need most is right where you started. And maybe the only way to find what you're looking for is to get lost along the way.

My review:
I've decided I love road-trip books. I don't know what it is about them - whether it's down to my love of travelling, the shifting scenery and new places, the opportunities for mischief, or the way they enable new and interesting characters, but I love them.

Let's Get Lost is a great road-trip book. It wasn't quite what I expected, but somehow it was all the better for it. At first I thought it might just be a series of barely-connected stories, a set of experiences along the way, meeting different people and changing their lives in some small (or big) way. But as Leila went on her journey and gradually revealed little pieces of herself, it became something more than that.

Alsaid's writing reminds me of Maggie Stiefvater's, which is a glorious thing. He has a similar way of painting a scene so that you really feel it, using very particular details and wording to create a mood as well as a picture. When He describes his characters, he doesn't give a run down of hair/eye/skin colour + height/weight + clothing. We all have eyes, is it really necessary to know the colour of everyone's? Not unless they are particularly startling or remarkable. Instead he gives bits and pieces that matter, that are pertinent to the person. I think I know more about the way Leila's car looks than the way she looks, but that's more than okay, as that car is in fact an extension of her, a piece of her personality.

Leila's road-trip is full of wacky adventures, heart-felt stories and incredible people. It's a perfect example of why it's sometimes okay to run away to find yourself. People scoff at the whole 'finding yourself' thing, but sometimes it's easy to drift through day to day life and lose track of who you really are. Sometimes you need to put yourself into out-of-the-way places and talk to strangers to either get back the person you were, or find the new person you need to be. Let's Get Lost is a book that can make you think, or a book to simply enjoy, or both. It's a special thing, and I can't wait to see what Alsaid comes up with next. No pressure!

Review: Take Me On by Katie McGarry

Published by: Harlequin Teen
Release date: 6th June 2014
Series: Pushing the Limits #4
I got it from: NetGalley
Goodreads summary:
Acclaimed author Katie McGarry returns with the knockout new story of two high school seniors who are about to learn what winning really means.

Champion kickboxer Haley swore she'd never set foot in the ring again after one tragic night. But then the guy she can't stop thinking about accepts a mixed martial arts fight in her honor. Suddenly, Haley has to train West Young. All attitude, West is everything Haley promised herself she'd stay away from. Yet he won't last five seconds in the ring without her help.

West is keeping a big secret from Haley. About who he really is. But helping her-fighting for her-is a shot at redemption. Especially since it's his fault his family is falling apart. He can't change the past, but maybe he can change Haley's future.

Hayley and West have agreed to keep their relationship strictly in the ring. But as an unexpected bond forms between them and attraction mocks their best intentions, they'll face their darkest fears and discover love is worth fighting for.

My review:
Just when you think she must have reached her peak, Ms McGarry goes and does it again, showing us that she still has much more up her sleeve to offer. 

Pushing the Limits is the very best type of series. Each book could, theoretically, be read as a standalone - each is a self-contained tale of two people. In a way. But with McGarry it's all about the peripheral characters, and that's where you need to get intimate with the series as a whole. Sure, you could just read about West Young, the poor rich boy with attitude, but unless you've read Crash Into You, you really won't appreciate all the references to West's sister Rachel. And you can't get the most out of Crash Into You without having first read Dare You To. And so on. With each book in the series, McGarry adds a little more to her world, creating a complex ensemble cast that make the series as a whole worth much more than the sum of its parts. 

It's not just about the different couples either. With each book, McGarry gifts us with a little insight into a different kind of life. Crash Into You was a crash course in drag racing, and Take Me On is a slice of the world of cage fighters. Now I'm not into fighting, either inside or outside the arena. Violence does not appeal. However. McGarry is very good at her job, very good indeed, and so I found myself completely sucked in by her little band of fighters. The intense loyalty these guys (and girl!) feel for their family, their strength and tenacity, the way they deal with their harsh life and still come out as deep-down good people, it's hard not to love them. 

Hayley is an interesting character, hard to get close to as she lives inside her own head a lot of the time and won't let anyone else in, but McGarry draws her out bit by bit, and is rewarded with an amazing MC. This kick-boxing girl, who's been through hell and is still finding her way out of it, she's a strong one, but she doesn't realise just how strong. She doesn't get at first that accepting help isn't necessarily a sign of weakness. She's made mistakes, and she thinks she needs to fix everything all by herself. But then West Young crashes into her life. 

I was surprised but very happy to discover that Rachel's troublesome brother was going to be the focus of this book. Suspended from school for fighting and being caught with girls too many times to count, West is your typical off-the-rails rich boy lashing out at the world. He parties too hard, doesn't study enough, picks fights and gets away with it because of who his family is. But when he takes it a step too far he has to face up to some harsh realities. A chance encounter with a kick-ass beauty and a thrashing later, he's in way deep. Hayley tries to keep him away from the mess that is her life, but the boy has pride, and he won't step away. 

Hayley plus West equals hot. West is more than willing to get as close as possible, but Hayley has been burned before and tries her best to keep him at arms length. Sweet gestures and constant but gentle wooing is a hard combination to fight though, especially when packaged in such an attractive form. So get ready for a steamy, addictive adventure with a lot of fight.