Book Review | Normal

Title: Normal

Author: Danielle Pearl

Genre: Contemporary

Pages: Estimated around 440

Series: The first book with a sequel on the horizon

Publisher: Smashwords

Rating: 5 stars


It's the kind of situation most people would dread. Starting at a new high school, in the middle of my senior year, in a new town, in a new state. I know no one. No one knows me. That's what I'm counting on.
A year ago, Aurora "Rory" Pine was just a normal teenage girl - just as sweet and naive as the fairy tale princess she was named after.
But this isn't a year ago.
Rory is broken, and now suffering from a debilitating anxiety disorder, wrought with precarious triggers, she moves across the country to escape the source of her troubles. Her plan is anonymity, but that's easier said than achieved for the new girl having a panic episode outside of calculus. The worst part? There's a witness - and a gorgeous one at that.
Sam is a walking trigger for Rory. Incredibly handsome, built like the star athlete he obviously is, and undoubtedly popular, Sam outwardly represents everything Rory despises about high school. But as the fates keep throwing them together, a connection sparks that neither ever expected, and certainly couldn't ignore.
But Sam has issues too, and Rory's past won't just stay in the damned past. When friendship evolves into something deeper, can a girl utterly destroyed by the worst kind of betrayal and a boy battling demons of his own ever have a normal relationship? Is that even what they want? Find out in NORMAL, a gritty story of trust and abuse, heartbreak and salvation, and if they're lucky - love. This is not a flowery romance - not for the faint of heart.

I would firstly like to apologise if this review turns out to be a bit of a shambles as after reading Normal I find I am in the midst of a rather serious book hangover. It's been a good few weeks since I've left a story world with a sense of loss and a painful ache for more (A bitter-sweet feeling for all readers) but this book seriously had me completely dangling from its every page.

I am very hesitant when it comes to giving books a 5 star rating. I only reserve my full praise for once I've finished the book and gauge how much I want more and how much I want to relive it again. After reading this book I was totally lost in returning to the real world and enjoyed my reading experience so much that it was easy to award the 5 stars to Danielle Pearl's work.

I've read a few contemporary books and indeed fantasy books about teenagers who have serious issues and even disorders and usually you find out what their issue is and why that have it within a few chapters. This book was tantalizingly reluctant to give away why Rory isn't 'Normal'. I loved this as it kept you guessing and left your brain to do plenty of detective work! 

The book started to jump back in time every few chapters to show a scene from Rory's past so that by the time you neared the end, you learned through this 'chapter time travel' why she suffers from her anxieties. I really liked this as it made Rory more relatable and it gave you great insight into her life and how she has changed in such a short space of time, but also how in so many ways she is unchanged.

There were some great plot twists so the ending really wasn't predictable and in no way did it end with a happily ever after, despite Rory's fairytale name. Some people may not agree but for me, I loved this. I felt that after all she's been through, no matter what she deserves, Rory's story could never be totally perfect. Yes it could be happy, but there would always be a shadow looming over that happiness. In many way I think it did have a happy ending, Rory accomplished so many things and fought her demons with such courage but I liked how it didn't end in the usual, controversial way.

The characters were amazing. Rory was inspiring and in so many ways an excellent example and role model. Sam...well I suppose the only way to describe him is utterly gorgeous! The description of Sam and so many other characters were so well written that I could picture their images so well it was like they were alive in my mind.

The writing style was so inviting and gripping; I couldn't put it down! Every time life rudely interrupted my reading or I forgot my kindle, I could hardly stop thinking about it. This is exactly what I look for in a book and I would like to congratulate Danielle Pearl on her magnificent writing ability. 

The book did have a few explicit scenes - scenes that made my heart melt and others that made it thud uncontrollably. The book drove such strong emotions out of me that I could share with Rory making it a fast-paced exhilarating read!

To round off every post I end with at least one item of constructive criticism for every book. For this one I have been sat in front of my computer screen for a good 5 minutes trying to find something and I really can't come up with anything other than the amount of swearing. I found towards the end of the book swearing was used in almost every sentence for certain characters and although I agree that sometimes it was necessary. Sometimes I thought it was maybe in excessive use. But seriously, that's all the criticism I can find!

I can't recommend this book enough to anyone over the age of 14 who wants a book with true meaning, emotion and excitement! One of the best books I've read all year...truly awesome! This book deserves so much praise and it should be a huge success...watch this space!

Happy Reading,

Hebe xxx

Book Review | Instant Karma

Title: Instant Karma

Author: Donna Marie Oldfield

Genre: Contemporary

Pages: 324

Series: Stand alone

Publisher: unknown

Rating: 4 stars


Do you believe in karma? Materialistic, selfish estate agent Siena Robinson doesn’t – until she hits a disastrous run of bad luck that makes her wonder if she has brought it upon herself.

In Instant Karma, Siena moves to the quiet village of Fenville, where the locals are opposing a development that will see a beloved hall and library replaced by new flats and shops. What her neighbours don’t know is that she is one of the developers and stands to make millions from the deal.

But then Siena discovers that her high-school sweetheart, Aiden, is leading the protest and she finds herself acting as a double agent who is torn between her neighbours’ plight and making lots of money.

Will Siena betray her new friends and let greed ruin a second chance with Aiden? And will she ever find out who or what is behind her run of bad karma? 


I've been reading a lot of fantasy at the moment so it was really nice to be offered to read a genuinely good contemporary book. Instant Karma was exciting with true morals and complex characters.

Firstly I'd like to talk about the cover... I don't know about everyone else but bright coloured covers seem to be all the rage. Personally I'm loving it! Instant karma's cover immediately catches your eye... It's simple yet inescapably unmissable!

Admittedly, it wasn't particularily gripping from the first page but there were still enough subtle hints and hooks to prevent me from putting it down and to keep telling myself 'one more chapter.' Which is always inevitably the biggest lie I tell myself! By the end I craved more and I devoured it's contents in a day! 

One thing that bugged me at the beginning is that the main character wasn't particularily relatable. Siena is rude and selfish and usually, one likes a main character that is inspiring and one can look up to them... This wasn't really the case here but as the book went on I gained respect for certain characters and even some for Siena. I found I kept trying to come up with excuses for Siena and although she was really unlikeable, sometimes you had like snippets of insight into her former 'good' self and it gave me enough hope to believe maybe it would turn out ok.

The plot was really good and I got that bitter-sweet twist in my stomach as you were put in Siena's shoes and were completely torn between love and money. Although this is infuriating it made it even more gripping and exciting. I thought the romance that played into the book was really sweet and made me squeal a little at times and scream in frustration at other times which, in my opinion is just how a book should be.

There was a major plot twist, which I really didn't see coming! Wow! But I thought it was good...maybe a little too unexpected and unrealistic but none the less, it kept you on your toes and open to new ideas! 

I thought the book had good, clear morals and it is unusual to find a book with such a strongly communicated message, I thought this gave the book purpose, which I really enjoyed.

The writing style was pretty good, it suited the style of the book and it was laid out very clear and quite simply so it was easy to follow and you didn't have to try hard to push through the text. While this made it a light easy read, it didn't make it compelling or give my brain a lot of work to do. However, having said this I think that the style actually really suited the book and it was nice to read something so easy-going!

All in all, the book was really very good! I'm extremely grateful for Donna Marie Oldfield for sending this little gem my way and I seriously recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a light, gripping contemporary read!

Happy Reading,
Hebe xxx

Book Review | Demon Stones

Title: Demon Stones

Author: Michael Drakich

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 582

Series: Related works

Publisher: Smashwords

Rating: 3 stars



It’s been almost a hundred years since warlock meddling freed the demons from their underground domain. Their eventual capture has encased them in large stones across all the lands. They became known as the demon stones.
Over time, the truth of their imprisonment devolved into legend and tales to frighten children.
Now, the seven kingdoms are in upheaval. The demon stones are being opened and the vile creatures once more roam the land. War has broken open between realms as the fingers of accusation are pointed.
Caught in the middle is Gar Murdach, a farm boy who recently passed the age of ascension of sixteen marking him as a man, and his younger sister, Darlee, as they both struggle in their separate ways to escape the horrors wrought by the demons and the war that swarms round them.

If I am perfectly honest, the beginning of the book really didn't have me hooked. I disliked the characters and thought that life was rather boring. It wasn't until at least a quarter of the way into the book where I really started to crave the chapters more and more.

Once I got into the book, I got a great description of each character that I could then interpret in my individual way. I began to really respect some characters and find depth in others, which at first seemed shallow and uncomplicated.

I really enjoyed how the plot thickened really nicely towards the end, following different character's endeavours  The great thing was that it wasn't too complicated that I got confused when swapping between characters but each 'thread' of the story had plenty of suspense and mystery to keep me guessing as to what was going to happen next.

I really liked how the females in the book were not portrayed as weak, but they were hardy and at sometimes (in my opinion) far braver and more heroic than some of the male characters. Darlee, Gar's sister and Silk turned out to be far more complex and tough characters than I first expected. 

I did think that the book was slightly more male oriented, with lots of battle and fighting, however, I actually enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would and in the end I was really feeling the suspense and I was keen to read on for another chapter...or two...or three.

I thought the writing style was great. A nice amount of slightly more complex vocabulary in parts but it was very understandable and quite addicting. The descriptions and emotions of characters were magnificent. I think Michael Drakich's writing deserves so much praise!

I really enjoyed the relationships between the characters. I really liked how they all tied in and your opinions on people's perspectives and loyalties were sometimes completely flipped. I loved this as it made the books unpredictable and kept me guessing throughout.

The factor I thought as the best thing about the book was how it was set in a totally new place. I loved that I could use the map at the front to see where the references were and it also left my imagination to do a lot!

My main criticism would be that I did think the book went on for a bit too long. At the beginning I wasn't very engaged and although I really got into it and became utterly hooked, especially at the end. I thought hat at times I was trudging through. The book was quite long and this may have been part of the challenge.

All in all, I thought the book was amazingly well written, with some good complex characters and a really textured plot. I recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy or sci-fi, especially boys!

Happy reading,

Hebe xxx

The Book Backlog Dilema

I realised the other day that I haven't done a simple post in ages. I mean, I've published a few reviews but no proper posts, where I tend to ramble on about things in the life of a fangirl that spark my interest. Or things that I simply want to share with the internet. And then, today, an idea suddenly hit me like a Bludger to the head...

Recently, I've found that on top of my colossal list of books that I've had recommended to me or have spotted in Waterstones, it seems that all of a sudden all of my favourite authors are releasing more books! This, of course is amazing! But sometimes I feel I really do struggle to keep up.
I mean, all this would be fine, if it wasn't for the massive backlog of review books I have been sent. Now, please understand that I am not in any way being ungrateful for all the wonderful books authors send me so generously, but being a fairly busy schoolgirl, and being a person who struggles to say 'no' (especially when it comes to books) I now find myself in a position where I am reading 2 books at a time, yet still have 10 reviews to do.

I am a strong believer that reading should be for pleasure and so I will allow myself a to read books that I have bought for myself. At the moment, I am reading 'Blood of Olympus' by Rick Riordan (for all you Percy Jackson fans - OH MY GODS!!) and I am also reading 'Demon Stones', which is a review book kindly sent to me that I am really enjoying.
You can't force yourself to read. If reading becomes a chore instead of a treat then all the fun and purpose is drained. Reading for the sake of reading simply isn't the point. The joy of jumping into a different world and the satisfaction you can get from that is one of the reasons I love to read.  I found myself only reading to wade through all my reviews and get them done so no impatient authors should email me with their complaints. Then I realised: they don't mind!
Surely, it would be better to take my time to enjoy their book than to treat it like a chore? Is that not the point?
Although I am slightly more calm and content after discovering that there is no need to rush, I am still feeling the full force of the backlog dilema!

I find I am stuck in this vicious cycle of craving, buying, reading and debt. I also find that I have so many books on my shelf that I haven't read! Why do I want more? The answer is simple: (apart from the slight book addiction of course) Media.
I know what you're all thinking: Media? What has this got to do with anything said so far? In fact...what has really been said so far because I'm about 5000% sure I've just got myself caught up with an impulsive book-reading addict. (Congratulations if you've made it so far by the way!) But I promise you Media is the answer. Without other pages on social media such as Facebook and Instagram, without amazon reviews or even blogs like this one, I wouldn't have even half the amount of access I currently do to what books everyone is raving about and what books I should definitely read.
Of course, without media, you could still find me outside Waterstones with my face squished in a mask of wonder against the window, but I probably wouldn't have discovered half the books I have through the internet. Of course, in a way this is fantastic as I have found so many books I love through media...yet it means that I have so much to read and too little time. If I could read constantly, this wouldn't be a problem! But school and life tends to get in the way a bit so the pile just keeps rising slowly but surely. The problem really is that I love having all these books available to me but at the same time, it's almost becoming stressful. It's a love-hate relationship!

At the moment I am willing myself to read my books that are of top priority at the moment. This includes: review books (obviously) and releases that I have been anticipating. So far, I am cutting back on my list to the books I really really want to read and I'm taking my time! I know the pile will never truly be conquered...but I can at least try to tame it!

Is anyone else feeling this struggle or am I going insane?!

Happy reading,
Hebe x

Book Review | The find

Title: The Find

Author: Gregg Bell

Genre: Thriller/crime

Pages: 305

Series: Stand alone

Publisher: Thriveco

Rating: 4 stars


What can a mother do when she has no money and a dangerously sick kid?

She can make a mistake.

In a moment of desperation, cleaning lady Phoebe Jackson tries to pawn the diamond-bejeweled Rolex she found in a mobster’s locker. Turns out the watch is a fake, but the mobster isn’t—and he’s on to her.

I was really excited to be given the chance to review this book as I have read one of Gregg Bell's other books (Jamie's Gamble) and I really enjoyed it. The synopsis also really drew me in, it's short yet gripping and I was highly anticipating this read.

The first thing I loved about the book was how clever the plot was. At the start the plot seemed to be pretty simple, it wasn't until you were nearing the end where I realised quite how complex and difficult the situations had turned out for the characters and this unexpected depth was really intriguing.

The second thing I liked was that it wasn't predictable *Hallelujah chorus* ! I find with so many books with crime/thriller genres that they are so predictable and with this style of book, this can totally ruin it! I was delighted to find that this certainly wasn't the case here and Gregg Bell really managed to keep twisting bits of the plot here and the to throw you off course just enough to keep you guessing.

I also adored the characters, especially the main character, Phoebe  As a female protagonist she was brave, down to earth, loyal and she always wants what's best for her girls. Other characters were cleverly done also and I loved how contrasting some were (I'm trying my hardest not to spoil you so i'm sorry for being vague!)

If I had to criticise the only thing I could say was that I thought at some points it was slightly repetitive in that when something happened, often rather than moving on and making the book even more action packed and fast-paced it seemed to me, that at points it was backtracking a bit.

That being said, I thought the book was magnificent and I definitely recommend it to anyone!

Happy reading,

Hebe x

Book Review | Unrelenting Nightmare

Title: Unrelenting Nightmare

Author: Stan Yocum

Genre: Thriller

Pages: 330 pages

Series: Stand alone

Publisher: iUniverse

Rating: 3.5 stars


Stuart Garrison, a brilliant virtual reality software developer, has his company poised on the threshold of industry dominance with the release of his newest virtual reality system--Next World. Among his competitors is Preston McBraid, the cutthroat CEO of a rival company. McBraid realizes that if he does not own Next World, his company is bound to lose its premier position atop the computer industry.

Driven by desperation and greed, McBraid hires the notorious Nomed, a highly sought-after assassin who commands millions to kill a target. The FBI learns of the assassination plot and intervenes to protect Stuart. He in turn quickly augments the FBI team, hiring two security specialists as additional defense: a monster of a man, nicknamed Superman--and Alex Nichols, an expert in the field of security. Stuart clings desperately to the hope that he can make it though the onslaught of Nomed's assassination attempts. If he does, his next ingenious virtual reality product--Mind Games--will blow the world away with its originality and staggering mass appeal, and catapult Stuart to the top of the computer industry as its reigning czar, and make him a billionaire many times over.

In this gripping suspense thriller, the wannabe czar of the computer industry is unwittingly catapulted into a deadly cat-and-mouse game against the infamous Nomed, and only time will tell who is clever enough to survive.

I must confess that I have not read a massive amount of thrillers and I am often scared off books by synopsis' that include vocabulary associated with the business world. (As a teenage girl the topic can be slightly daunting) However, I found I highly enjoyed Unrelenting Nightmare for many reasons.

One thing I particularly enjoyed about the book was the intelligent story line. The plot was detailed and well thought through, taking unexpected turns now and again, to ensure that it wasn't predictable. This not only made the reading experience a lot more exciting but it really gripped me, as the reader and made me plead with myself for one more chapter (Which, inevitably turned quickly into 2 or 3 more...ore maybe 10...). 

The Characters was another factor that lead to making this book such a great read. The 'goodies' were kick-ass and awesome and the 'baddy' was devious and truly malicious. All the characters also seemed to have more than one side to them and sometimes came across a lot different than the first impression that was gained upon first being introduced to them. This was an aspect I liked, as, like the plot it kept you guessing.

The genre of the book is not one that I usually read a lot of, but I really enjoyed this book and aspects that before have been a big unknown to me when reading, such as assassination and software developing. I was a bit worried at first that I wouldn't understand the story if too many unfamiliar terms cropped up, especially in the 'sciencey' parts, however, I found that this really wasn't the case and the book was easy to understand and I was intrigued by the new and astounding ideas that Stan Yocum introduced through his book.

My only pieces of criticism would be that sometimes I wasn't as hooked to the story as I would have liked to have been. In some chapters I craved more after it was finished, but in others I sometimes didn't really feel that interested. I found this especially to be the case in the business parts of the story. I also found that although the book had a great fast pace, especially towards the end, the book could go from action packed, to a bit hard to get through.

This is not to say that I didn't enjoy the book. I seriously thought it was excellent! I especially loved how clever the ending was and the fates of all the different characters. 

I highly recommend this book to any lovers of action, detective work and even science fiction lovers!

Happy reading,

Hebe x

Book review | Hand Of Chaos

Title: Hand of Chaos

Author: J. Hamlet

Genre: Fantasy/ action/ thriller

Pages: 311

Series: Stand alone

Publisher: Createspace

Rating: 4 stars


Exhausted, cynical, and confused, Anna is always there to report for duty. She's part of a clandestine government team that defends the nation against supernatural terrorism-which, in all honesty, is enough to drive anyone to drink. Toss in a fear of intimacy with a desire to have friends and lovers like a normal person and, well, Anna is a walking, talking contradiction, albeit one wrapped in a special agent with arcane, magical powers of her own. And at five-thirty in the morning with a zombie-infested apartment building in the heart of Washington, DC, you've got the makings of the worst morning...

I have to say that I don't think I have ever come across a book quite like this one. Not only was the plot and mixture of genres new and exciting, but the characters were very different to ones I have encountered before. This was really refreshing and made me enjoy the book very much indeed.

One of the things I loved about the book was how action-packed it was. The synopsis and front cover themselves promise excitement, action and fantasy. I have to say, the content delivered. Something was always happening, so there was no chance of getting bored and as the reader, I was constantly on edge, awaiting the next thing to happen.

The characters were great. I have never encountered a main character quite like Anna but I really enjoyed how independent and...well... badass she was! For so many female heroins, a man is essential in their day-to-day life and successes. This was certainly no the case here and I loved it! I also loved how some of the characters, although older, were equally as cool and inspiring as Anna was and I felt that each of them had a lesson we could all learn from.

The plot in the book was great, although I felt it could have been slightly more gripping. It all slid into place really nicely and I liked how some chapters jumped between characters. There also was a bit of romance which I found a slight yet pleasant interlude between the action and gore.

The aspects of fantasy in the book were obviously extremely well researched as there were fantastical beasts and objects which I had never stumbled across before, and exciting experience for an avid reader of fantasy! The information and knowledge given was astounding.

If I had to criticise the book I ave to say that I did struggle a bit when huge long words were used. I would often look the words up and because they were names of things dwelling in the realm of fantasy, they would have an unclear definition. Because of these daunting long words, I sometimes found my concentration ebbing and I think this is why I struggled to get entirely gripped. This may, however, just be because as a teenager, my vocabulary is more limited.

Overall, the book was a great book and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and taking part in the book tour. I really loved the new ideas I found in this book and the unique concepts of new elements, divine beings and ultra - badass characters!

Happy reading!

Hebe x

Book Review | Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children

Title: Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children

Author: Ransom Riggs

Genre: Supernatural Fantasy

Pages: 352 (hardback)

Series: I think the series of 2 is aiming to become a trilogy

Publisher: Quirk

Rating: 4.5 stars

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

I have always been told to never judge a book by this cover, but in this case...how can you not? Both the spine, front cover and synopsis give off an eerie and creepily intriguing vibe that I found very hard to ignore. A great front cover is always a bonus for me, when it comes to books and here I certainly wasn't disappointed!

The first thing I loved about the book itself had to be its uniqueness. Never before have I come across a book quite like this one. The concept of 'monsters' and 'magic' combined with the ideas of Time and Family really gave the book a new edge. It was refreshing to find something so different yet so hooking.

This leads me on to the next thing that I really liked: I was completely and utterly gripped. Not once did I want to put this book down and when I'd finished I craved more. I think that for me, this always shows the signs for a truly good book. Ransom Riggs did a spectacular job of keeping the book fast-paced and action packed, yet didn't speed it along so quickly that it was hard to follow!

The characters in the book were really something. They all had certain qualities about them, which one can relate to or look up to. I found I grew to love each one of them all for their different reasons. (Especially the main character Jacob, who is extremely likeable.)

Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children also wasn't predictable! This is a factor I would hope contributes to all good books, yet I have often found that I'm screaming at the characters (Sometimes not just in my head) what is obviously going to happen...then a few chapters late...HALLELUJAH, they Finally figured it out! Here that certainly wasn't the case, which was somewhat refreshing.

The writing style was pretty beautiful if I'm honest. Again, I felt it was rather unique, with plenty of description, yet enough to leave some party time for your imagination. Ransom Riggs somehow managed to bring me close to tears, reduce my nails to stumps and have my heart pounding in a few pages. This is something that many authors fail to do, but was achieved in this book.

I've heard of people having mixed emotions about the mix of photography and writing in this book, for me I loved it. It again made the book unique and I felt that the photographs really linked in well with the story and made the peculiar bits even more peculiar, which is hard to do...(things get very peculiar!)

The reason why I gave the book 4.5 stars was because I really liked it, however, it didn't get a full blown 5 star rating because for me, it wasn't OMG THAT WAS THE MOST AMAZING THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED TO ME!!!! (if you know what I'm saying). I also thought that We could have got to know a few of the characters a little more before the end of the book. I thought most of the characters were talked about in great depth, yet I feel that the book could have drawn a heck of a lot more emotion out of me if I had been given a little more of some characters that I could attach myself to.
The word that sums this book up is definitely unique. But I think one could probably settle for Peculiar or eerie. I highly recommend this book to YA readers and any fantasy lovers of any age...it was magnificent

Happy reading
Hebe x

Book Review | The Toothless Tooth fairy

Title: The Toothless Tooth fairy

Author: Shanelle Hicks

Genre: Children's 

Pages: 28

Series: stand alone

Publisher: Mirror Publishing

Rating: 3 stars


Bella had it all. The hair, the dress, and the smile. One day, her most important asset was missing...her tooth! Will Bella find the perfect tooth in time for the contest? Will Zelda, the meanest of the fairies, destroy Bella's chances of winning the crown? Take a journey onto Cloud Nine as Bella searches for a new tooth only to discover the tooth...I mean truth...behind her true beauty.

Writing this review is going to be a challenge for me because I think it is hard for a teenager to judge a book meant for younger children. However, i shall give it my best shot!

If I picture a younger of myself reading the book I can tell you that I (and pretty much any other girl below age 7 who loves fairies and girlyness) would really enjoy this book. 

I think what readers would like would be the cute illustrations and the characters themselves. You have your classic 'goodie' and 'baddy' (what more does a girl need!) The plot was pretty good, although I feel it could have had a bit more depth (but maybe that's just me being a teenager!) 

The moral of the story was good and I really liked how it taught you that it's not all about looks and being perfect but about how you treat other people and that kindness is often more treasured than beauty. 

I gave this book a 3 star rating because I liked it, yet I think there are quite a few books of similar story line and morals out there. 

I would definitely recommend this book to any girly girl under the age of 7. And I think it would especially benefit a child who is learning to read as it has nice illustrations to go with a small amount of text on each page so that the reader is not intimidated.

Happy reading

Hebe x

Book Review | Six Strings

Title: Six Strings 

Author: Jen Sanya Williamson

Genre: YA (aspects of fantasy)

Pages: 216

Series: Stand alone (as far as I can tell)

Publisher: Booktrope

Ratings: 4.5 stars


Riley Witt is running out of time.

Battling Alzheimer’s disease, Riley’s grandmother Mary suffers from memory loss, mood swings, and a tendency to wander off.

As senior year approaches, Riley has to face the reality that the one person she depends on most is slowly fading. Making matters worse, when Mary does remember the past, she tells tales of time travel and visions. As Mary’s version of the past gets more confused, Riley knows they are running out of time together.

But when Riley discovers a guitar belonging to a famous rock star at Mary’s house, the truth behind the crazy tales finally comes out.

SIX STRINGS tells the story of Riley’s journey back to 1973 where she enters a world of music, long-lost family, and first love. Her adventure is all about discovering her past, understanding her present, and figuring out how to step into her future.

I must say, when I was first offered to review this book I leapt at the opportunity. I had never heard of it, yet I was intrigued by the synopsis. I haven't really read a book quite like this one and I have to say it was not what I expected.

When I started the book I have to admit that I was in the midst of (as many avid readers will understand) a reading slump, so it took me longer than usual to get into the book, but I have to say, it certainly proved me wrong.

The first thing I truly loved about this book was the characters. I know I say this so often, but everybody loves a hero/heroin they can look up to and relate to. I am a strong believer that people decide their favourite characters based on people who simply remind them of themselves. As for the protagonist in Six Strings? Riley was so relatable in the way that she hated missing school, was the typical 'good girl' and constantly had to remind herself to 'be brave'. I loved her spirit and her viewpoint of the world. I not only love Riley but I adored all of the characters in their own ways. 

Jen Sanya Williamson deserved massive praise on her perfect balance when describing characters. We were given great factors of the characters but not lengthy detail so that our imaginations were left with no work.

Another thing I loved about the book was the fantasy aspect. The ideas, although breached before were different and unique, giving the book a refreshing and fun story to read. I loved the fast-pace of the book, giving you no time to get bored. 

The next thing I want to mention is the romance. I am a sucker for books with romance in and I find that the books I most enjoy have at least a small aspect of romance in this. Jen Sanya Williamson made a 'simple' romance into something quite beautiful and although it was a powerful thing, it didn't totally dominate the story and the fantasy and other threads to the story were not overpowered. 

The relationships between all of the characters were so accurate and amazingly portrayed. The hints of romantic chemistry, the hostility and unconditional love were measured out almost perfectly and I thought that the characters never overreacted or under reacted  which sometimes happens in a book where there are so many different relationships and such life-altering things threatening to jeopardise them.

The plot of the book got better and better and I really enjoyed how the story played out. my one criticism would be that at the beginning, I wasn't as hooked as I would have liked to have been. However, I finished the book hungry for more.

I have to say, I didn't realise how much I was enjoying the book until I realised I had been reading it for 2 hours straight and as I looked down and realised I had devoured 88% of the book I was utterly annoyed and frustrated as I simply didn't want my reading experience to draw to a close so soon. 

I'm not sure whether Six strings is going to have a sequel but I sincerely hope it does. I am intrigued and excited by Riley. Mary and their adventures. This book deserves hype and I would certainly recommend it to anyone.

Happy reading,
Hebe x

Book Review | The Faire Pendant: The Tale of Atterberry

Title: The Tale of Atterberry

Author: Leah Price

Genre: Children's fantasy

Pages: Unknown (around 200)

Series: The faire pendant series

Publisher: Talebearers publishing

Rating: 4.5 stars


Glenna’s life is anything but ordinary. The daughter of Renaissance festival vendors, Glenna’s days are filled with magic and medieval reenactments as she travels the faire circuit with her family.

Then one day, Glenna’s life changes forever. With the help of a pendant, she discovers Otherworld. An enchanted realm, Otherworld is the land in which all of the myths and magic woven by the Renaissance players comes to life!

Suddenly, Glenna is thrust into a quest filled with danger and deception when Atterberry, a great and powerful magician in Otherworld, needs help recovering a stolen item.

Can Glenna find the item in time? Can she summon the courage to become the medieval hero the residents of Otherworld expect her to be? And perhaps most importantly, can she juggle both her life in the real world and her life in Otherworld without damaging either?

I have always been a huge fan of anything fantasy and when I was given the opportunity to review this book I was so excited! I loved this book and I highly suggest it to anyone.

The first thing I loved about The tale of Atterberry was the characters. The main character Glenna and her friends were all unique and enchanting. I found myself intrigued and mystified by all of them and their expression. Recently, I have found myself reading increasing amount of YA fantasy and usually I look for an older protagonist who I can look up to and aspire to be. I found that although in this book, Glenna is younger than myself, I still looked up to her and found her a spirited and courageous young lady.

When I finished this book I found myself curious and craving more, an element which I think should be present in any book, yet so many authors fail to achieve. Here, I found myself gripped by the story and characters, even though it was intended for younger readers.

Since I could read, fantasy has been ever present in my life and I can just imagine how much joy, the imagination of the younger version of me would have found in these books. I think they are a real gem that can be read and enjoyed by any age.

I loved how the plot developed throughout and the mystery solving involved kept my mind at work. Although, I think it was predictable at times, I found I didn't mind and I think it was perfect for younger readers in the complexity sense. I thought that there were words which younger readers would struggle with, but that was fine as they only cropped up on occassion and it is an easy way to enhance vocabulary.

As a teenager I absolutely loved the ideas of the story...another world where myths and magic come to life? It was literally everything fantasy lovers could want in a book! It really left a lot of room for the imagination yet gave the most perfect descriptions, the writing was sublime and looking back on it, I am finding it near impossible to fault it. The only thing I could critisize was the predictability and although I loved the characters and all the elements of fantasy, I like books with a lot of action and a little romance and this book lacked, I found in both these aspects. However, as a children's book I would not expect either of these elements, so I suppose that's just me being picky!

The storyline was like nothing I've encountered before, I've never come across a fantasy book quite like this one and I am very eager to read the sequels. I can see this book series making it big...and it deserves to! I can't stress enough how great this book really is!

So if you are looking for a fantasy book that has ideas that are exciting, new and brimming with imagination then I suggest you get reading! I really hope this book gets the hype it deserves! A truly magnificent triumph!

Hebe x

Book Review | Jamie's Gamble

Title: Jamie's Gamble

Author: Gregg Bell

Genre: Crime/ Contemporary

Pages: 242

Series: Stand alone

Rating: 3.5 stars




Jamie Thompson is the perfect person. Her CEO father has made sure of that. She has the perfect manners, a perfect tennis backhand and a perfect life. Jamie has a silver spoon in her mouth—and she’s gagging on it.
She has to get away.
She’s come up with the perfect plan. A friend in a west Texas border town has lined up an accounting job for her, but when Jamie gets there the job has fallen through. But there’s a waitress position open at a bar and grill. The one thing Jamie knows is she isn’t going back to her father, and so, broke, sixteen hundred miles from home and alone for the first time in her life, she goes for it.
What she finds is a world of gun-toting cowboys, Mexican drug gangs, the occult and a string of brutal rapes and murders. And Ricky Benson, a flame-throwing baseball pitcher, fallen from grace, who she falls head over heels in love with.
But the violence escalates. A fellow waitress is murdered, and Jamie feels like she might be next. Then Ricky Benson is accused of murder.
Jamie can make one phone call and her father will send the company jet for her—or she can stay and face the life that confronts her and fight for the man she loves.

Typically I would not find myself reading this type of book as I am more of a fantasy girl, however, I found myself rather gripped on the fast paced storyline and interesting characters.

What I really liked about this book was how the plot developed throughout. I loved how it started just focusing on the main character and gradually, more characters were focused on and the different stories, opinions and expressions which each character used made the plot a hell of a lot more enjoyable to read. I also found that it wasn't complex at all. Sometimes, I find that books like this can get a little confusing and I thought I might struggle to keep up with the fast pace. But I actually found I didn't struggle at all.

The writing in the book was really good and I loved the descriptions used for each character. However, I did find at times that the language could have been a little more complex with more variation in adjectives, but all in all it was great. 

One thing that really draws me in to any book is a character to which one can look up to or relate to. With the main character in this book Jamie, I found her attitude really inspiring and I also thought she was totally relatable, which is a bonus, I find in any book. Sometimes I find when men write about a female protagonist, they can sometimes get it a little wrong. Gregg Bell managed to get it oh so right and I felt that Jamie was a strong, independent woman who I could really look up to.

I love how the idea of ancient 'magic' and items such as D.U.M.E candles are threaded into the story and I think that these concepts were really effective. I must say that the thing that kept me happy in this book had to be how hooked I was. I think this had a lot to do with the fast pace of the book. A lot happened in a short space of time, yet I think that this really worked and made me crave more.

I gave this book 3.5 stars because a really liked it, yet I don't feel I can say it is one of my favourite ever books. The writing was good and I loved the characters, but I think that the book would have been even better if I had had more time to get to know the characters. I think if I had been more familiar with them, more emotion could have been drawn out of me. I know that this is such a hard thing to ask of a book and in no way do I want anyone thinking this is a bad book because it really was very good! 

I suggest you get reading people, because this is a book that deserves a shed load of hype!

Hebe x

Book Review | Falling into you

Title: Falling into you

Author: L.T Kelly

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: unknown (around 200)

Series: The final book in the falling duo

Rating: 3.5 stars



Marc Romano disappeared without a trace into the darkness. His lover became overwhelmed with grief in her loss. But her grief takes on a much more murderous form than most, for Teagan Lewis is a vampire. Now her heartache is taking her further from the woman she once was, and she realises she must snap out of her monstrous habits and discover the way back to her old self. But how?
Ending their trip around Europe, Teagan and her friend Alex head back to New York. Teagan has the full intention of carrying out a dangerous plan here; not just physically dangerous, but emotionally as well. How will she be able to resist the irresistible? And what of the new rival, Ivan Lenin? He threatens her her life and the lives of everyone she loves. The only people that can help her are her sworn enemy and an ancient stranger. Will they assist her?
How will Teagan Lewis face the demons of her past and try to find happiness? Will she stay and fight or will she run from the things she must face in order to finally be at peace? Mistakes will be made. People will die. The time has come...

Firstly, if you read my review on the first book of the series 'falling to pieces' you may notice that my rating for the book has bumped up to a 3.5 stars. I have to say that I enjoyed this book a whole lot more to the first one: the writing continued to be fluent and somewhat beautiful, and I felt that I gained a lot more insight into the characters in this book than I did in the first one.

In this book, I found that the plot was more rounded and developed than 'falling to pieces' and I began to appriciate the characters, especially Teagan, a whole lot more. I found Teagan a little bit selfish and that annoyed me. But I think in this sequel, you get to see that Teagan is really a spirited, brave and driven young woman.

I loved the aspect of history and myth that was introduced into this book and the very different theories L.T Kelly made about the beginnings of the vampires as a race. I have read a lot of vampire fiction, as I love fantasy and stories revolving around myths and legends so I found this twist on any previous ideas very interesting.

Another small, yet significant touch I enjoyed was a song was dedicated to each chapter. They were all songs I knew and I found as I finished each chapter I linked the songs with the events easily. I really liked this and thought it was quite original.

I am a bit of a hopeless romantic, and where as I thought that the romance in 'Falling to pieces' was a very strong and powerful element. The romance in this book was...wow! One minute I was telling teagan offer liking somebody and the next I was applauding her for liking somebody else... etcetera, etcetera.

I found I was really quite gripped by this story...the romance, the huge closeness developed with the characters, the beautiful language used (If I may, I would like to applaud L.T Kelly for using my favourite word: Plethora, on a few occasions.) and the ending was pretty perfect.

The book caused many strong emotions to be stirred in me and I think especially, finding out more about Teagan's mysterious past was one of the things that made me enjoy the book so much. I found that by knowing her story and the reasons for her actions she became easier to like and understand.

Ah, here comes the bit where I tell you the reasons for my ratings... Although, I liked this book more than the first one, I found that I didn't quite have time to bond and get to know certain characters. I think the book had the capability of pulling strong emotions out of me, but with a great book, I always find that once it's done I feel tearful because it's over and I crave more. With this book I didn't quite get that feeling. Although there were some sad moments, I wasn't compelled to shed any tears and I think this was because some characters needed to be given more time to become tear worthy. I know this sounds a little vague, but if you read it, I think you might know what I'm trying to convey.

Vampire fiction lovers, I suggest you get reading!

Hebe x

2014

Goal: 70 books to be read in 2014
Progress: 53 books read
All of the text in brackets is the series in which the book comes from!

-A-

• Allegiant (the divergent trilogy)
• An Abundance of Katherines
• Angus, thongs and full-frontal snogging
• Anna and the french Kiss
• Anna: deleted chapter (Anna and the french kiss) - I don't know if this counts but goodreads says so!
• A swift pure cry

-B-
-C-

• Child X
• City of bones (the mortal instruments)
• City of Ashes (the mortal instruments)
• City of Glass (the mortal instruments)
• City of fallen angels (the mortal instruments)
• City of lost souls (the mortal instruments)
• City of Heavenly fire (the mortal instruments)

-D-

• Dangerous Reflections
• Demon Stones
• Denial
• Divergent (The divergent trilogy)

-E-
-F-

• Falling to pieces
• Falling into you
• Fangirl

-G-
-H-

• Half Bad
• Hand of chaos
• Hollow City (sequel to Miss peregrine's home for peculiar children)
• Hunter's heart

-I-

• If I Stay
• Instant Karma
• Insurgent (the divergent trilogy)

-J-

• Jamie's Gamble

-K-
-L-

• Looking for Alaska

-M-
-N-

• Normal

-O-
-P-

• Paper Towns
• Phoenix (The beautiful dead series)

-Q-
-R-

• Return to Ribblestrop (The Ribblestrop series)
• Ribblestrop (the Ribblestrop series)
• Ribblestrop forever (the Ribblestrop series)
• Room 13

-S-

• Six Strings

-T-

• The battle of the labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the olympians)
• The clockwork Angel (The infernal devices)
• The clockwork Prince (The infernal devices)
• The clockwork Princess (The infernal devices)
• The Faire pendant: The tale of Atterberry
• The find
• The host
• The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the olympians)
• The lost hero (The heroes of olympus)
• The son of neptune (The heroes of olympus)
• The mark of Athena (The heroes of Olympus)
• The house of Hades (The heroes of Olympus)
• The blood of Olympus (The heroes of Olympus)
• The old man and the sea
• The toothless tooth fairy
• The Vanishing of Katarina Linden

-U-
-V-

• Vampire Academy

-W-

• Will Grayson, Will Grayson

-X-
-Y-
-Z-