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The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

16/02/2018Amber Leave a comment

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton The Belles by Dhionelle Clayton
Series: The Belles #1
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: 6th February 2018
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Source: Publisher
Add it: Goodreads
Rating: two-stars

Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orléans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orléans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.

But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie—that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision.

With the future of Orléans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide—save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles—or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.

I am so, so disappointed by The Belles. It’s possibly one of the most hyped books of the season, and I was really excited to get my hands on it, but it turned out to be a massive disappointment.

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Unearthed by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

20/01/2018Amber 3 Comments

Unearthed by Amy Kaufman, Meagan Spooner
Series: Unearthed #1
Genre: Science Fiction
Release Date: 9th January 2018
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Source: Publisher
Add it: Goodreads
Rating: four-stars

When Earth intercepts a message from a long-extinct alien race, it seems like the solution the planet has been waiting for. The Undying's advanced technology has the potential to undo environmental damage and turn lives around, and Gaia, their former home planet, is a treasure trove waiting to be uncovered.

For Jules Addison and his fellow scholars, the discovery of an alien culture offers unprecedented opportunity for study... as long as scavengers like Amelia Radcliffe don't loot everything first. Mia and Jules' different reasons for smuggling themselves onto Gaia put them immediately at odds, but after escaping a dangerous confrontation with other scavvers, they form a fragile alliance.

In order to penetrate the Undying temple and reach the tech and information hidden within, the two must decode the ancient race's secrets and survive their traps. But the more they learn about the Undying, the more their presence in the temple seems to be part of a grand design that could spell the end of the human race...

Unearthed was sooooooo good! I went into it knowing next to nothing, only that I was in a sci-fi mood and I needed something action packed. This book delivered so hard. It’s set on another planet, and the two main characters basically have to go into an temple and try to find the secrets within. It sounds cliché, but it’s brilliant. The Uncharted/Tomb Raider vibes were real.

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Hello, Sunshine by Leila Howland

22/07/2017Amber Leave a comment

Hello, Sunshine by Leila Howland
Genre: Contemporary
Release Date: 11th July 2017
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Source: Publisher
Add it: Goodreads
Rating: three-half-stars

Becca Harrington is a reject. After being rebuffed by every college on her list, she needs a fresh start, so she packs up everything and moves to LA, giving herself one year to land an acting gig or kill herself trying.

Unfortunately, not everything turns out as planned, and after a few grueling months, LA is looking like the worst idea ever. As hard as she tries, Becca can’t land an agent, she's running out of cash, and her mom is hounding her to apply to more schools. In an act of desperation, Becca and her friend Marisol start posting short videos online—with the help of their adorable filmmaker neighbor, Raj—and the videos catch the attention of a TV producer. Could this be it? Her big break? Or will she have to move back home with nothing but some bad head shots and a monstrous credit-card bill?

Becca may not get the Hollywood ending she was hoping for, but perhaps she’ll learn there’s more than one way to achieve her dream.

Sometimes you’re just in the mood for a sunny, fun, fluffy YA contemporary, ya know? I was in one of those moods when I requested this book, even though recently I’ve been avoiding YA contemporary like the plague. I have my reasons. Don’t judge. I hoped to just lost myself in Hello, Sunshine and pretend I lived in Los Angeles for a bit because the English weather has been a bit crappy this week, and lose myself I did.

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Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein

01/01/2016Amber 2 Comments

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein
Series: Code Name Verity #2
Genre: Historical
Release Date: September 10, 2013
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Source: Bought
Add it: Goodreads
Rating: four-stars

While flying an Allied fighter plane from Paris to England, American ATA pilot and amateur poet, Rose Justice, is captured by the Nazis and sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious women's concentration camp. Trapped in horrific circumstances, Rose finds hope in the impossible through the loyalty, bravery and friendship of her fellow prisoners. But will that be enough to endure the fate that's in store for her?

Happy New Year everyone! I’m kicking 2016 off as I mean to go on – by flailing about incredibly upsetting books that I enjoyed. Story of my life. So anyway, I’m a massive fan of Code Name Verity. It wasn’t a perfect read for me, but it came pretty damn close and I am still broken over Julie and Maddie. OTP, guys, OTP. I had to wait a while before I could pick Rose Under Fire up because I was still pretty upset about the whole situation. But once I did, I was captivated, and I read this book in a matter of hours.

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Alienated by Melissa Landers

07/03/2014Amber 8 Comments

Alienated by Melissa Landers
Series: Alienated #1
Genre: Science Fiction
Release Date: February 4, 2014
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Add it: Goodreads
Rating: three-stars

Two years ago, the aliens made contact. Now Cara Sweeney is going to be sharing a bathroom with one of them.

Handpicked to host the first-ever L’eihr exchange student, Cara thinks her future is set. Not only does she get a free ride to her dream college, she’ll have inside information about the mysterious L’eihrs that every journalist would kill for. Cara’s blog following is about to skyrocket.

Still, Cara isn’t sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L’eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn’t seem more alien. She’s certain about one thing, though: no human boy is this good-looking.

But when Cara's classmates get swept up by anti-L'eihr paranoia, Midtown High School suddenly isn't safe anymore. Threatening notes appear in Cara's locker, and a police officer has to escort her and Aelyx to class.

Cara finds support in the last person she expected. She realizes that Aelyx isn’t just her only friend; she's fallen hard for him. But Aelyx has been hiding the truth about the purpose of his exchange, and its potentially deadly consequences. Soon Cara will be in for the fight of her life—not just for herself and the boy she loves, but for the future of her planet.

Alienated is slightly different to your normal alien invasion story, since the aliens arrive on Earth peacefully. Or so it would seem. It’s unclear exactly what Aelyx and co.’s motives are to begin with, but the clues and events slowly begin to build. I think Melissa Landers did a very good job of slowly revealing what was really going on. It was enough to keep me guessing and to keep me interested in the story.

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