The Darkest Minds (The Darkest Minds #1) by Alexandra Bracken

Published by: Disney Hyperion

Genre: Young Adult Dystopian, Paranormal/Sci-Fi
Rating: *****

The Darkest Minds follows the story of Ruby, a now sixteen-year-old girl who's life changed dramatically when she was ten. Unsure of what happened, her ten-year-old self is dragged away from her home and thrust into Thurmond, a place that is eerily similar to the concentration camps of World War Two. However, with the younger generation mysteriously succumbing to various illnesses, and in one case actually dying, the reader is immediately left with questions that can only be answered by reading the series.

I found the book compelling. It had been a long overdue read since fellow blogger and longtime friend, Louise of Reading the Riot Act, recommended the book to me almost two years ago. Yet, it was only after reading Bracken's newest novel, Passengers, that I felt as if I wanted to finally read more of her writing, and the book that had been raved about everywhere.

It's different. I found myself thinking of Yancey's Fifth Wave through how certain elements of the dystropian world were presented to the reader. However, don't confuse the two books as similar. They're completely different and just amazing in their own right.

I find that the more I try and tell you why you should read it, the more I have to stop myself due to the issue of spoilers. That being said, I believe you should all go to the library, or just buy the book and decide for yourself how beautiful this book truly is.

The Darkest Minds can be purchased from Amazon UK now.

Partials (The Partials Sequence #1) by Dan Wells

Partials (The Partials Sequence #1) by Dan Wells

Published by: Balzer + Bray

Genre: Young Adult dystopian, sci-fi

Tagline: The Only Hope for Humanity isn't Human

I only got through  18% of the book before I closed down the app and stared out the window for the remainder of my journey into Manchester from where I live.

The book follows the aftermath of some sort of virus that prevents babies from living after a set amount of days and so the youngest member of the area they reside in is 13 maybe 14 years old which is slightly worrying. However that's not the weirdest part, that comes when the reader discovers all females from the age of sixteen must try to become pregnant which rings the freaky alarm bell loud and clear. 

Therefore Kira who I assume to be the protagonist goes about her days as a medical intern and whatnot. I didn't get far enough to be bothered to learn more about her. She's kinda meh in all fairness. What happened to badass female characters in a dystopian world? But she's got a love interest *sigh*. I honestly could not care what happened to her, I was just annoyed that I had spent time wasted on the book I thought would be amazing. 

The book can be bought on Amazon UK here, Waterstones here and on Amazon US here

Perfect Ruin (The Internment Chronicles #1) by Lauren DeStefano

Perfect Ruin (The Internment Chronicles #1) by Lauren DeStefano

Published by: Simon and Schuster for Young Readers

Genre: YA dystopia, romance, sci-fi/fantasy

As a reader of the Chemical Garden trilogy I immediately thought this book would be alike in theme and style. Don't get me wrong it is but for some reason I didn't feel as if this as good. 

The book follows the life of Morgan Stockhour whose father is a policeman, her brother disabled and her mother who takes time to nap and take pills. However there's a twist. They don't live on the Earth as we know it. Instead they live on Interment which is like Jack and the Beanstalk (A castle in the sky except instead of a castle it's land). Noone goes up nor down. Therefore the few who do decide to go to the edge go a little mad (Morgan's brother was one of them) or get hurt. 

We all know curiousity can get the best of us and Morgan's guilty of doing just that. She constantly thinks about the edge and a life outside of Internment but there's so much at stake here. She's betrothed to fellow classmate Basil (who's a darling but I had a feeling something wasn't right about him) and best friends with artist and lover of Interment Pen. All in all it's a fantastic idea, I do love the concept but maybe I'm not the right audience for it now.

I'll probably reread this in a year or so.

Redeemed (book #12) by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Redeemed (book #12) by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Wow this book was such a fail. I was really annoyed with the weak and really unimaginative ending. Obviously Kalona gets Nyx back and his brother is a jerk we all hate but Zoey Redbird should have died! The prophercy stated she'd die but nope. She does this pitiful dramatic I'm going to die act and speech but never follows through. Such a shame.

The Unearthly series (up to date so far) by Laura Thalassa

The Unearthly series (up to date so far) by Laura Thalassa

Book one: The Unearthly

Okay first thing I have to ask is why in almost every paranormal series based and set around a boarding school for 'gifted' students all have that protagonist who is absolutely beautiful but has that Bella Swan complex? It gets old quick and to be frank it's tragic.

The book itself as a whole is really good. I enjoyed it a lot and last week which was when I read it, I didn't know I was searching for a book like this with a fairly decent plot. Her love interest, Andre is the King of the Vamps, he's not that attractive, he's just a really really annoying overprotective and comanding man who basically deserves a slap (or a million).

Book two: The Coveted

This was such a strong sequel! I actually felt like doing a quick dance when I finished this. Normally I get really annoyed because the sequel isn't that good or it's just terrible but this completely blew me away. I got more and more into the world Thalassa created and kept developing. My only complaint? The Devil, the crime fiction that crept in and finally the adoptive mother of Gabrielles. I'd think the fact she died in the first book and then was talking to her made no sense.

Book three: The Cursed

And she escapes the Devil. Gabrielle by now must be a highly unfortunate soul who's also very fortunate. The Devil keeps appearing in this book, obviously because if she dies once more then she's his forever (ew). It spurs on and on, the big sex scene between Andre and Gabrielle which doesn't happen. FYI. It's all a bit out of hand in this book but all I can say is applaud the author because I want that next book!

Queen of Hearts series by Colleen Oakes

Queen of Hearts (book 1 &2) by Colleen Oakes

Pardoning my quick post, I have foregone my usual splitting up of a series. However these books are part of a volume, an ebook series that's quite fascinating. I haven't got much to say without spilling the entirety of the series but yeah.

Book One is titled: The Crown

So the series is based around Wonderland and the wonderful characters alive in the famed book series. Dinah, the daughter of the King of Hearts is introduced as a spoilt, petulant and an overall bich who's in love with a servant. yes Knave I'm speaking about you. It's a very simple plot. You don't pity the bitch and she get a new half-sibling that is reminiscent of Anne Hathaway's character in the famed Tim Burton adaptation, all white and sweet but really annoying that you just want to yell Off with her head. But the book is different. I found it intriguing but parts of it don't make sense. Why does Dinah take interest in aspects of the book she shouldn't and why do we follow a mystery plot to have it wiped out immediately. The ending is good though. I like Morte.


Book Two is titled: The Wonder

One wonders whether the plot of this sequel will be better than the first or just flop dramatically. It doesn't flop too much. It just kinda withers a little. I liked more Wonderland characters were reintroduced and a "huge" plot twist revealed but either way I don't care.