Tuesday 27 May 2014

Vain by Fisher Amelie.

If you’re looking for a story about a good, humble girl, who’s been hurt by someone she thought she could trust, only to find out she’s not as vulnerable as she thought she was and discovers an empowering side of herself that falls in love with the guy who helps her find that self, blah, blah, blah...then you’re gonna’ hate my story.
Because mine is not the story you read every time you bend back the cover of the latest trend novel. It’s not the “I can do anything, now that I’ve found you/I’m misunderstood but one day you’ll find me irresistible because of it” tale. Why? Because, if I was being honest with you, I’m a complete witch. There’s nothing redeeming about me. I’m a friend using, drug abusing, sex addict from Los Angeles. I’m every girlfriend’s worst nightmare and every boy’s fantasy.
I’m Sophie Price...And this is the story about how I went from the world’s most envied girl to the girl no one wanted around and why I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world
.

First Impressions!
It wasn't quite what I was expecting but it was so engaging from the start!

What I loved:
Sophie- I actually adored Sophie, her character really grew and developed realistically throughout the book. Initially her actions did make her hard to like but she was clearly a product of her environment. Sophie was so self aware that you got a clear understanding of her rationale and her changing personality. I loved the way she got stuck in once she was in Uganda and how readily she adopted Karina and Charles. I loved her relationship with Ian, more on that below! Ultimately Sophie was 100% better than I expected, I found her a realistic flawed character who grew slowly into a more realised person with a great perspective on life.
Uganda- I loved the Uganda setting. It made the book so unique and brought up important messages and perceptions. I think the struggles and dangers of life in Uganda even for Sophie and Ian really made a difference to the usual personal or emotional issues of New Adult. I also loved that the book gave me a different perceptive and awareness of Uganda and the work of orphanages etc.
Ian- *sigh* I loved his selfless dedication to the orphanage and Karina and Charles especially as his background was revealed.
Relationship- I liked the slow tentative approach to the relationship between Ian and Sophie, it made it seem more realistic as they were initially so different to each other. I adored all the little things Ian had been doing for Sophie without her knowing like cleaning out the bugs from the shower- so sweet!
Side cast- I absolutely loved the children and staff at the orphanage, there were all so lovely. I especially enjoyed the individual personalities of the children. Karina and Charles were such selfless characters who had created such a beautiful and relatively safe home and environment for the children. I liked how non judgemental they were towards Sophie and really encouraged her to grow.  I loved Ian's brother and father, they were such good fun and very accepting and encouraging. From LA the only character I really liked was Spencer. I liked that he seemed to actually care about Sophie and treated her as a friend not an object. I look forward to reading his story. I also loved Penbrook, he was the father Sophie deserved, I liked how their relationship developed and Sophie recognised how good to her he was.

What I didn't love as much:
Parents- Sophie's parents were awful. Her mother was non existent I don't think she spoke one word to Sophie in the whole book. Her dad was just as bad using her as a commodity for his own gain. He did show interest in her life towards the end though so he was the 'better' parent... Ian's mother wasn't the most accepting either.
Blurb- I don't think the blurb did a great job selling the concept of the book very well. I've put the book off for ages bacuse of tha! no mention of the main setting! Even all the covers!

Rating!
Unexpectedly humbling, informative and entertaining. Great read!
 
Have you read this series?
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx

Monday 19 May 2014

What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang.

I should not exist. But I do.
Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t . . .
For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet . . . for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.

Why?
This book caught my eye ages ago but I put it off until I finally picked it up from my library and just dove in!

What I loved:
Concept and Plot~ Two souls in one body is such a mind blowing concept. It was so well explained and thought out. I enjoyed the background to Eva and Addie as well as getting to see other hybrids. It was so interesting to see how clearly Kat had differentiated between two souls. I liked that hybrids who did wish to be cured were included as they present another point of view and opinion. I did find the facility quite creepy with it's unknown injections and experiments but sadly realistic. The plot itself was full of engaging conflict, action and drama, which made it very hard to put down. I also appreciated that major details about hybrids etc. were repeated so you never got confused!
Addie/Eva~ I loved how different and well characterised each girl was. I didn't always feel that Addie was the more dominant as she was often slow to react to situations without Eva's urging. I loved how she had remained loyal and dedicated to Eva and was willing to risk her nice life for Eva to experience something new. I liked Eva, her point of view showed a lot of self reflection and determination. I loved reading her with Hally and Ryan and seeing how her personality came across outside of her mind. Both Addie and Eva have such a keen sense of right and wrong as well as courage to stand up for others that they make the book so easy to read.
Side Characters~ I loved the extra depth added to the series through the side characters, especially as the two minds tended to isolate Addy/Eva until Hally and Ryan.Looking forward to more on Kitty, Jackson and Ryan.
What I Didn't loved:
Adults~ I found the adult characters very disappointing! Addie and Eva's family especially, their Mum didn't seem too bothered about them once the government offered them a trade! The higher facility staff treated the teenage hybrids as if they were somehow to blame for remaining hybrid when they clearly had no control over it and treated them like animals!


Rating!
What's Left of Me is a unique and clever dystopia with brilliant characters and an engaging plot. I look forward to more!

What are you thoughts on What's Left of Me?
I've got Once We Were on my bedside table ready to pick up where this one left off!
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx

Wednesday 7 May 2014

Lettie Loves: Travel!


I spent the first weekend of May in Paris! It was a last minute trip with a good friend. We managed to see so much of Paris and experience so much that I can't wait to go back and just soak in the city.
 
 
 
 
 

 
 


Paris was everything bit as beautiful as people say and much more interesting than 10 year old me thought! The weather was lovely by European spring standards, the hotel was well located and the bread and pastries amazing.
The beauty of living in the UK? That the whole trip, flights, hotel, metro tickets etc. cost me £140!

I'd completely forgot how much I love city breaks so I will definitely try to go on more and post about them!

Have you been to Paris?
What was your favourite thing?
I think mine was the Eiffel Tower but I wish I'd had time to explore Champs-Élysées more thoroughly and luggage space to shop!
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx

Tuesday 6 May 2014

Fragile Line by Brooklyn Skye












It can happen in a flash. One minute she’s kissing her boyfriend, the next she’s lost in the woods. Sixteen-year-old Ellie Cox is losing time. It started out small…forgetting a drive home or a conversation with a friend. But her blackouts are getting worse, more difficult to disguise as forgetfulness. When Ellie goes missing for three days, waking up in the apartment of a mysterious guy—a guy who is definitely not her boyfriend, her life starts to spiral out of control. 
Perched on the edge of insanity, with horrific memories of her childhood leaking in, Ellie struggles to put together the pieces of what she’s lost—starting with the name haunting her, Gwen. Heartbreakingly beautiful, this poignant story follows one girl’s harrowing journey to finding out who she really is.


I loved Brooklyn's first book Stripped that I was intrigued by Fragile Lines' mysterious blurb.
Thoughts

Ellie's early narrative was so jagged and quick you could really identify with her confusion. I found Ellie to be endearing if rather passive to begin with but she definitely grew in strength and conviction as the book continued. Gwen's narrative provided a much more sturdy and linear grasp of time and actions. Although manipulative and selfish Gwen did seem to be quite vulnerable. It was interesting to see how her personality adjusted and altered as the book went on. Both narratives were compelling to read. Shane and Griffin presented another dimension to the narrative as their questions often prompted Ellie or Gwen to focus on a certain moment. I can't go into too much detail surrounding the plot or characters as this book is full of twists and turns that I don't want to give away! The supporting characters were all brilliantly characterised and had important individual roles in Ellie and Gwen's stories.

Rating!

I really enjoyed Fragile Line I found it to be realistic as well as compelling and the characters were beautifully written!
 
Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx

Friday 2 May 2014

Quarterly Check Up!

For some reason I've been skipping my monthly reviews! I thought I'd do one big 'check in' for the first quarter of 2014. 2014 has been a slow blogging year so far I keep getting into little slumps so I'm hoping with my blogiversary coming up and exciting posts all planned out I can get back to my usual schedule!
January-April in Numbers
Total posts= 39
Books read= 29
Reviews Posted= 15
 
Favourite Books!
January~ Rome by Jay Crownover.
February~ Best Kind of Broken by Raen Smith.
March~ What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang.
April~ The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski.

What I've Reviewed!
All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill.
Believe by Erin McCarthy.
Panic by Lauren Oliver.
How To Say Goodbye by Amber Lin.
These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
Saving Quinton by Jessica Sorensen.

What I Posted!
Stacking the Shelves: April
Challenge Update 1!
Currently.... Update.
Interview: Jay Crownover
Book Blogger Love-A-Thon Interview!
Top Ten Tuesday: Swoon Reads!
Stacking the Shelves: January 2013 Follow Up!
Anything to Have You by Paige Harbison: Sneak Peek...
Be With Me Release Day Launch!
Review Copy Cleanup!
Stacking the Shelves: January 2014!
 
Goals!
  • Monthly reviews~ I'm committing to bringing back my month reviews!
  • Consistency~ I want my consistency back! I'm aiming lower than usual for a target of 10 per month, hopefully it's achievable.
  • 2nd Blogiversary~ I want to celebrate my blogiversary at the beginning of June with a week of reviews, features and flashbacks!
 
All laid out I feel like I've had a better start than I thought. Not as great as I had hoped and less reviews but a good start! The only way is up now!

How has 2014 been for you so far?
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx