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Synopsis

Her mission is to get close to him for inside information.
 
His mission is to kidnap her for a supernatural militant group.
 
Recruited in her teens for a life of espionage, Julia Caldwell, now 19, is the youngest CIA agent on record. Her mission is simple: get close to Cole Thomas for intel on his father, a known and dangerous weapons dealer. As she grows closer to Cole, something is off. He might not be who she thinks he is. And worse, his mission will put an end to hers.
 
Always believing the government’s story that her purpose in life was to keep the world safe, Julia doesn’t know who to trust or who to believe. But now, THE SWAY has a different story—a different purpose for her—that goes well beyond all she ever imagined.

Details

✱ Pages: 186 (ebook)
✱ Publication date: 17 May 2016
✱ Series: Classified #1
✱ Provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
 
 

First Impressions

A 19 year-old CIA agent? Two teenagers whose missions practically force them into being each other's romantic interest? Okay, I'll bite!
 

My Review

Mixed opinions

I'm pretty torn over this one. I wanted to like the characters more, but the plot is supported by a pretty great insta-love. It's not always a huge problem for me, but it does make me feel like I don't quite know the characters - because the focus is so largely on the fast-growing relationship. To be fair, that does seem to be the way the story's set up, so much so that you can probably get that much from the blurb.
 
The Sway still ended up being a pretty enjoyable, quick-paced story.  There are some interesting (vaguely supernatural) ideas and abilities and a plot that ties in nicely with the usual questions about identity and growing up that are so important in YA.
 
Still, I had difficulty feeling the threat to the world that was present in the story, and I guess I wanted someone to really hate but they never popped up in the story. But again, this is a pretty short book (less than 200 pages!) so I can kind of understand why I feel like there's not quite enough... something, for me. The next book in the series might work for me a bit better!
 

Why you might just like it anyway, regardless of my ~It was Okay~ review:

  • The story is very fast-paced. If you enjoy a quick read, this is a safe bet.
  • There is romance. It does tend to make you invested in a story because we all want to see love blooming, taking hold, and then hopefully going strong and never ending.
  • The CIA. If you're prone to indulging conspiracy theories, you might want to read the Sway
 

Quick Recap and Rating

Really interesting ideas, some very likeable characters, plus supernatural abilities? Overall an interesting read. I guess I just wanted a little bit more.

How do you feel about books where the romance is there, almost instantly? Does it get in the way of plot or character development?



Synopsis

Julia has the unusual ability to be . . . unseen. Not invisible, exactly. Just beyond most people's senses. It's a dangerous trait in a city that has banned all forms of magic and drowns witches in public Cleansings. But it's a useful trait for a thief and a spy. And Julia has learned--crime pays. Her latest job is paying very well indeed. Julia is posing as a housemaid in the grand house of Mrs. Och, where an odd assortment of characters live and work: A disgraced professor who sends her to fetch parcels containing bullets, spiders, and poison. An aristocratic houseguest who is locked in the basement each night. And a mysterious young woman who is clearly in hiding--though from what or whom?

Worse, Julia suspects that there's a connection between these people and the killer leaving a trail of bodies across the frozen city. The more she learns, the more she wants to be done with this unnatural job. To go back to the safety of her friends and fellow thieves. But Julia is entangled in a struggle between forces more powerful than she'd ever imagined. Escape will come at a terrible price.

Details

✱ Pages: 384 (e-book)
✱ Series: Witch's Child #1
✱ Publication date: 7 June 2016
✱ Provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

First Impressions

There was an excerpt of Julia Vanishes in one of the Buzz Books editions (I'm kind of hooked on them...) and the few chapters I read really had my attention. I guess this one caught my imagination? There's a girl who has the strange ability to remain unseen and she uses it to thieve and spy. Doesn't that tempt you to read it too?

My Review

As you can probably tell based on the synopsis, there are a lot of different elements to Julia Vanishes. The danger of it is that it might make the story seem a bit cluttered. It all ties together enough by the end to make me happy as a reader, but I feel like it might definitely affect the reading experience for some.

I didn't connect with Julia as much as I usually do with protagonists but the distance might just be due to her making decisions I wouldn't. She still felt like a real person, and especially by the time I got to the end I felt really sympathetic towards her. The character growth that happens over this first book might have gotten to me, and made Julia more likeable, and I expect in the next book of the trilogy I'll feel a bit differently about Julia.

Regardless of all that, I found Julia Vanishes really enjoyable. The world-building is interesting and the story is full of surprises. It's one of those where you think you have an idea of where things are headed but then everything changes.

My favourite thing is that this world (that I kept seeing as a sort of alternate London in my mind because my mind makes no sense maybe because there is a sort of magic/technology thing going on that reminds me of other novels?) has a history and a strong character to it. It's intriguing to me when a world is really brought to life, when I can imagine walking down these unfamiliar streets myself. The magical system further works extremely well in the confines of this world, and the way people wield magic is inventive. Since witches are drowned in public Cleansings, the magic actually adds a lot to the story right from the beginning.

Quick Recap and Rating

If you like a bit of mystery in your fantasy novel this one might be perfect for you! The world-building is lovely and there are some very interesting characters (and magic!) in this one.
Have you read Catherine Egan before? Do you have the same weird fascination for books that portray witches as I do?


For some people, silence is a weapon. For Mallory “Mouse” Dodge, it’s a shield. Growing up, she learned that the best way to survive was to say nothing. And even though it’s been four years since her nightmare ended, she’s beginning to worry that the fear that holds her back will last a lifetime.

 Now, after years of homeschooling with loving adoptive parents, Mallory must face a new milestone—spending her senior year at public high school. But of all the terrifying and exhilarating scenarios she’s imagined, there’s one she never dreamed of—that she’d run into Rider Stark, the friend and protector she hasn’t seen since childhood, on her very first day.

 It doesn’t take long for Mallory to realize that the connection she shared with Rider never really faded. Yet the deeper their bond grows, the more it becomes apparent that she’s not the only one grappling with the lingering scars from the past. And as she watches Rider’s life spiral out of control, Mallory faces a choice between staying silent and speaking out—for the people she loves, the life she wants, and the truths that need to be heard.
✱ Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout 
✱ Pages: 480 (hardcover)
✱ Publication date: 17 May 2016
✱ Provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review


The story is based on two people - Mallory and Rider - who both faced abuse as children. I was kind of prepared for the waterworks.

Dealing with Old Wounds

Rider and Mallory both felt real to me - I understood their reactions, I understood their decisions, and how their past had affected them in different ways. These two high school students have tried to put behind them these horrible things in their past - but they are very clearly still dealing with them. It's emotional, and it naturally affects the story and drives it forward. It's a good premise - if a bit heart-breaking and tear-inducing.

High School is Hard for Everyone

Something Mallory starts to see is that maybe she's not as different from everyone around her as she thought. It has an impact on her journey as she tries to be like the others, to prove to herself and her foster parents that she's doing better and is able to go to school.

The Problem with Forever is an emotional, evocative and inspirational story about love, family, and how our experiences make us who we are. 

My favourite thing: Mallory's struggle felt so real to me, and it was easy to identify with her. I think we all have our struggles in high school, and even though her situation is worse than most, it still hits me hard.

Props to the Author

The Problem with Forever is absolutely lovely, moving, and overall just very, very emotional. It's clear that the author has done her research, and she paints a realistic picture of young foster children who sometimes slip between the cracks in the system.
Romantic YA (maybe even NA because of some tough topics?) that treats love in a very realistic way. I cry at the drop of a hat, really - but I have this rule that if a book makes me cry, it's probably easily worth five stars. I CRIED OKAY.


Do you read books that you know will make you cry?



Kate and Mark have sat next to each other in calculus all year, but the first time they actually talk is when they run into each other during a night out in the city. 

Mark is in love with his best friend Ryan, and Kate has just escaped her friends, afraid to meet the girl she is in love with even though they have never spoken or met before. This chance meeting between Mark and Kate brings them closer than they would ever have thought.
✱ Pages: 256 (hardcover)
✱ Publication date: 7 June 2016
✱ Provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review


I've heard David Levithan's name so many times but never read his work before, so when I came across You Know Me Well (co-authored with Nina Lacour!), I was really interested. The title is lovely, and the premise made me think. How well do we know ourselves? How well do our friends and our family know us? What about complete strangers?


The story starts during Pride, and the events unfold over a week, from the initial meeting between Kate and Mark, until the end of their high school careers. Alternating between the points-of-view of Mark and Kate, it's a look at two teenagers on the brink of adulthood, trying to be true to themselves, trying to hold on to old friendships, and trying to navigate the paths of first love. You feel the uncertainty, the pain, the joy along with the characters. 

I loved Kate and Mark, they are wonderful and real, and they have their own issues, and they feel really strongly about friendship and just being there. So yep, I really, really loved them both, so much. There was something very realistic about this book to me, and I'm so happy I got to read it, and to share the journey Kate and Mark were on.

Another thing I love, is the depiction of the LGBT community in You Know Me Well - especially when it comes to teenagers finding somewhere they belong, with people they feel won't judge them. I think it's really important to discuss these topics, in YA literature especially, so I genuinely appreciate what the authors are doing here. This book could be a really important one for teens dealing with coming out, identity, and acceptance from other people.

First loves, friendships, the end of high school, the dreaded future - something we've all gone through.You Know Me Well is delightful, refreshing, and full of feeling.
Have you read David Levithan before? This was my first! Do you have other books in mind that touch upon LGBT themes?

Nanette O'Hare is an unassuming teen who has played the role of dutiful daughter, hardworking student, and star athlete for as long as she can remember. But when a beloved teacher gives her his worn copy of The Bugglegum Reaper--a mysterious, out-of-print cult classic--the rebel within Nanette awakens.
As she befriends the reclusive author, falls in love with a young troubled poet, and attempts to insert her true self into the world with wild abandon, Nanette learns the hard way that rebellion sometimes comes at a high price.

✱ Pages: 272 (hardcover)
✱ Publication date: 31 May 2016
✱ Provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
This was my first Matthew Quick book! I read an excerpt of the first few chapters two or three months back, and I was already hooked, so you can imagine how super excited I was to receive and ARC for this one!

My Rambling "This is Why I Love It" Review

You probably already got the basic message: I really loved Every Exquisite Thing. It's one of those books I just couldn't put down. The plot actually surprised me and things took a surprisingly serious turn but that made me love this story even more. I really don't want to go into the specifics because I fear that would take away from your reading experience! Suffice it to say that this story handles serious topics in a way that makes you think. It really fits this story, and I much prefer that to, say, making something horrible happen because it's emotive and will make the reader cry (which is also cool and necessary [yes, I'm looking at you, All the Bright Places] but I don't always want that, you know?)

 My favourite thing about Every Exquisite Thing might be that it touches upon some really important topics: mental health and therapy, how we live our lives, and - as a kind of central theme - literature and stories and their profound effect on us. I highlighted so many passages of this book that I can't even pick favourites to share with you. I'm pretty sure I'll be rereading this as soon as I can manage it.

 A book for the quiet rebels among us who don't want to go to prom, who excel at things they don't really enjoy, who get tired of doing what's expected just because other people tell them it's for the best, Every Exquisite Thing surprised me in the best way possible. It is refreshing, compelling, and honest: exactly what you want from good Young Adult literature.
Verdict: SO GOOD. Read it!
Have you read Matthew Quick before? And I'm always curious about this: which cover do you prefer? Keep reading my lovelies!

Everyone knows the legends about the cursed girl--Isabel, the one the señoras whisper about. They say she has green skin and grass for hair, and she feeds on the poisonous plants that fill her family’s Caribbean island garden. Some say she can grant wishes; some say her touch can kill.

Seventeen-year-old Lucas lives on the mainland most of the year but spends summers with his hotel-developer father in Puerto Rico. He’s grown up hearing stories about the cursed girl, and he wants to believe in Isabel and her magic. When letters from Isabel begin mysteriously appearing in his room the same day his new girlfriend disappears, Lucas turns to Isabel for answers--and finds himself lured into her strange and enchanted world. But time is running out for the girl filled with poison, and the more entangled Lucas becomes with Isabel, the less certain he is of escaping with his own life. 



✱ Pages: 288 (hardcover)
✱ Publication date: 12 April 2016
✱ Provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review


A YA début that features magical realism? Sold.

The Setting


Maybe my favourite thing about this book: the setting was lovely. Reading this book kind of feels like being transported to Puerto Rico. It's rather wonderful, really. The descriptions are lush, and give a really nice picture of what life is like for our characters. The writing is enjoyable and works for this story really well.


The Characters


This is where my opinions get a bit mixed. Isabel - the girl filled with poison - is an enigma. I like those. She kept me reading - I had to find out more about her. She is interesting, and her circumstances just make you wonder, make you want to know everything. But the protagonist, Lucas... I guess I didn't find him all that likeable? Which is fair enough, and actually might just mean that he's quite a realistic portrayal of a teenage boy. I just couldn't quite bring myself to care about him. Potentially because he sometimes seems like he doesn't care about things.


The Mystery and the Plot


Isabel may be the first mystery in the story, but there is also another pretty important one: girls are disappearing. This storyline works well enough to drive the plot, but overall it ended up being a bit confusing. I wanted something slightly more from the plot because there was so much potential in the premise of the cursed girl. On the other hand the magical realism is a cool part of the story.

Overall, I'm glad to have read A Fierce and Subtle Poison but I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a few problems with it.

An interesting feat of magical realism with a pretty intriguing plot, wonderful descriptions, and characters that will keep you turning the pages to find out what happens to them (even if you're not overly fond of Lucas).
Have you read A Fierce and Subtle Poison? Do you enjoy magical realism?

Her story begins on a train.

 The year is 1956, and the Axis powers of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan rule. To commemorate their Great Victory, Hitler and Emperor Hirohito host the Axis Tour: an annual motorcycle race across their conjoined continents. The victor is awarded an audience with the highly reclusive Adolf Hitler at the Victor’s Ball in Tokyo.

 Yael, a former death camp prisoner, has witnessed too much suffering, and the five wolves tattooed on her arm are a constant reminder of the loved ones she lost. The resistance has given Yael one goal: Win the race and kill Hitler. A survivor of painful human experimentation, Yael has the power to skinshift and must complete her mission by impersonating last year’s only female racer, Adele Wolfe. This deception becomes more difficult when Felix, Adele twin’s brother, and Luka, her former love interest, enter the race and watch Yael’s every move.

 But as Yael grows closer to the other competitors, can she bring herself to be as ruthless as she needs to be to avoid discovery and complete her mission?
✱ Pages: 388 (hardcover)
✱ Publication date: October 2015
✱ Series: Wolf by Wolf #1
✱ Provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review


I went in only knowing that this was an alternate history where Hitler lived. Pretty interesting (and scary) premise, right?


The Plot

I can't believe I actually read a book that's basically about motorcycle racing. I have absolutely no interest in motorcycles or racing... or motorcycle racing. But Wolf by Wolf is so good. I got really caught up in the plot, especially because the story-telling happens in the 'then' and 'now' - describing Yael's childhood and the horrors she has seen, as well as the deadly race she is caught in, in the present. Wolf by Wolf keeps moving at a fast pace (literally and figuratively), and there's something really original about this alternate history.

Yael

A superb protagonist who faces her problems head on and struggles to do what she thinks is right,Yael is interesting and relatable. Because of her peculiar ability to skinshift ( - to change her looks at will), she takes on what could be the most important task in the resistance against Hitler, and she concentrates on that mission in a way that really makes you respect her. The rest of the resistance is easy to side with too, and the other characters who take part in the Axis Tour get more and more interesting as the story progresses and we learn about them, little by little.

Important Themes

Graudin's brilliant writing brings the story to life and makes us wonder about questions of morality and identity. These are pretty big themes to grapple with, but it's done extremely well: Yael's ability to skinshift makes you wonder what it is that makes a person who they are. If you can change the way you look, who does that make you? Questions of morality come up too - is it right to do things that are wrong if it's for the greater good? Important things are explored in a very smart way in this story, and I couldn't help but appreciate that.

Exciting and exceedingly enjoyable, Wolf by Wolf is an amazing work of alternate history.
Have you read this one or other books that focus on alternate history?