Soul Beach by Kate Harrison (Book Review)

Goodreads summary:
When Alice Forster receives an email from her dead sister she assumes it must be a sick practical joke. Then an invitation arrives to the virtual world of Soul Beach, an idyllic online paradise of sun, sea and sand where Alice can finally talk to her sister again - and discover a new world of friendships, secrets and maybe even love . . . . But why is Soul Beach only inhabited by the young, the beautiful and the dead? Who really murdered Megan Forster? And could Alice be next? The first book in an intriguing and compelling trilogy centered around the mystery of Megan Forster's death.


                                  My rating - 2.5




My Review:
Honestly? I had mixed feelings about this book.
I liked the idea of Soul Beach - a place where young, beautiful people go when they die and their loved ones can visit the beach virtually, and communicate with their dead kin. It was like a paranormal social website. Lewis was a geeky ex-friend of Maggie and Alice's new companion; he was my favorite character and I would have preferred him as the love interest - but we can't all get what we want. 

The thing that I hated about Soul Beach was the romance between Alice and Daniel. It was one of those romances where the characters fall in love at first sight. I don't believe in love at first sight and I insta-love is one of my pet-peeves. Continuing with my hate for insta-love,  another thing that bothered me was that the author concentrated more on the romance than she did on the murder of Alice's sister. 

As I said earlier, I really liked the idea of soul beach. But we never find out what soul beach is, who's behind it and why it exists. It's just... There. No explanation. 

Alice was one of those characters that annoys me from the very first page. She's just lost her sister in a tragic way - I understand - but she's so obsessed with Soul Beach that she spends all her time on there and not in the real world. When people pass on, you grieve, then you get on with your life. 

I hated the ending because it was predictable. I won't go into details to avoid spoilers, but I found that it was an easy way to get Alice and Daniel together. So I'm afraid that I will not be picking up the sequel and I'm pleased that I borrowed this from the library. 

40th Anniversary - Live Episode

                                                         My rating - 5

On 17th October this year, to celebrate their 40'th year, Emmerdale went live. Eastenders and Coronation Street are two other soaps that have gone live but Emmerdale was my favorite. It was an action packed episode, the acting was brilliant, and most importantly? There were no mistakes!! In Eastenders, Scott Maslin who plays Jack Branning messed up his lines, Barbara Windsor called the actress who plays Roxy by her real name and when Bradley died his finger moved. I don't remember any mistakes from Coronation Street, but some of the acting wasn't up-to-scratch.

During this live episode there were two births, two weddings (one that only lasts an hour) and a death of a 'well loved-character' which later turned out to be Carl King. The births were Debbie and Gennie Dingle and  when Debbie gave birth it was nice finally seeing Cain and Zak getting on better and Cain and Charity were nice to each other for once. Gennie's birth was hilarious. Nikhil was especially funny when he was looking at a baby app on his Iphone. The funniest bit was when he fainted. Hilarious!

Now the death. I am so gutted that they killed off Carl King! I know his character wasn't very nice leading up to the great finale, but he had his great moments and he was a very popular character. His death was a complete shocker! I knew it was him that was going to die from the very start, but the way he died shocked me. Chas promised Carl that she would run away with him, when she wasn't really going to. He tried to force himself on her but she hit him on his head with a brick. I thought this was the end of Carl King, and I was ready for the episode to finish. But then Cameron came along. He hits Carl over the head with the brick and this time it kills him instantly. But not before he manages to send Debbie a text that would change the characters forever. Chas thinks she killed Carl, but we all know it was Cameron. One thing that ruined the ending was when Cameron hit Carl. The brick bounced right off him!

The two characters I feel sorry for are Dan (Chas's husband) and Jimmy. Dan because the love of his life doesn't love him, and Jimmy because he's lost another brother and now he's the only one left.

Ten by Gretchen McNeill (Book Review)

Goodreads summary:
And their doom comes swiftly.

It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.

But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.

Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

                                                                                   My rating - 4.5

My review:
Ten is an amazing book. It's about 10 teenagers who go to an island for a party, but suddenly they start dying and they have to try and figure out who the killer is. Unlike some novels where it's obvious who the murderer is from the very start, in Ten you keep having to guess, and just when you think you know who the killer is, there's a massive twist and you start suspecting somebody else. The identity of the killer was a complete shock. And the worse thing was that they were one of my favorite characters before the big finale. If you read this and after a couple of chapters decide it isn't for you, stick with it. The last 50 or so pages are unmissable and well worth the wait. 

Even after I finished reading Ten, the story stuck with me. I'm doing things like watching TV or walking my dog, when suddenly a light-bulb appears above my head and I think "that makes sense," or "blimey, why didn't I think of that before?"

If you want a novel with plenty of nail-biting action, constant twists and turns and a dash of romance, then you have to pick this up. You won't be disappointed.

Unsaid Things... Our Story by McFly

Goodreads summary:
Prepare to meet the real McFly...

In 2003, Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones, Harry Judd and Dougie Poynter came together and formed what would become one of the most popular and successful bands in the UK. Just teenagers at the time, they were catapulted into the limelight and had to adapt quickly to their new-found fame - and everything that came with it. Now, at last, they have decided to tell their story, in full and revealing detail.

Speaking with candour and their trademark humour, Tom, Harry, Danny and Dougie share both the stories of their own lives and that of McFly. They give their personal insights into their contrasting childhoods, the individual paths that led them to the band, the struggles they have each overcome, their love lives, and, of course, their music.

Packed with previously untold stories, a lot of laughter and the occasional tear, Unsaid Things offers a privileged look into the lives of four guys who started out as bandmates and became best friends. Their unique camaraderie radiates from every page and by the end of the book, you'll know them almost as well as they know each other.

                                  My rating - 10000000
                            My realistic rating - 5

My review:
Unsaid Things is McFly's autobiography. If you don't know who McFly are, let me tell you a bit about them. McFly are a pop/rock band from England and they have been going since 2004. So many bands release books when they're barely famous (One Direction, anyone?) but McFly waited until they had plenty of experience and material to write a book. I have been a fan of the band since I was eleven and as a nineteen, almost twenty year old, I am still a huge fan. I have been lucky enough to see McFly live five times and I met the whole band back in 2011. It was honestly one of the best days of my life. So you can imagine how excited I was for this book.

Unsaid Things starts off with a prologue which is a little story of the guys in a hotel. It was an interesting beginning and very funny. The book is then spread out into thirteen chapters, each chapter concentrating on an important part of their career. From each member's childhood to the recent weddings of Tom Fletcher and Harry Judd, we get an insight into the band we all know and love.

My favourite chapter was the story surrounding Dougie Poynter going into rehab. At the time there were many rumors going around. The main one was that he was heart-broken after his breakup from Frankie Stanford. I was one of those fans who believed this story, but it was far from the truth. Dougie spilled his heart out and I shed a lot of tears. I could imagine how hard it was to tell us what really happened to him.

Until now, McFly had kept a lot of their life secret. In Unsaid Things, you discover so much about the band that you never knew before. If you think you know McFly, think again.

Check out this trailer for the book. It is hilarious!

Gone by Michael Grant (Book Review)

Goodreads summary:
In the blink of an eye.

Everyone disappears.

Gone.

Everyone except for the young. Teens. Middle schoolers. Toddlers. But not a single adult. No teachers, no cops, no doctors, no parents. Gone, too, are the phones, internet, and televisioon. There is no way to get help.

Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents -- unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers -- that grow stronger by the day.

It's a terrifying new world. Side are being chosen and war is imminent.

It's first in a breathtaking saga about teens battling each other and their darkest selves, gone is a page-turning thriller that will make you look at the world in a whole new way.

                                                             My rating - 4

My review:
It is rare for me to find a series where I am excited to find out what's going to happen next, that I have to pick up the sequel straight away. Gone was one of those series.

I picked up Gone because of the theme. Teenagers take adults for granted. Adults keep them in line and do everything for them. But what if there were no adults? What if teenagers are the only people left? In Gone, we see everybody over the age of 15 disappear. No warning. They just disappear in front of everybody's eyes. At first the children are excited. No adults? Nobody to tell you what to do anymore. But soon things start to change and the children are growing scared. When you turn 15 you disappear like the rest of them. They don't know what happens when you disappear. What happens? Do you die? Or do you end up somewhere safe? Some of the children start developing powers and they suddenly realise that something is wrong.

There are babies and toddlers, and it's up to the older children to look after them. But there are children who are causing trouble, and things start getting out of control.

Sam is our protagonist. He was sitting in class when his teacher disappeared in front of him. Soon children are looking for a leader, and when Sam attempts to save a child from a burning building, he is the one they choose. Sam was one of the first children to develop a power - the ability to create light with his hand. Until the FAZE he kept it secret.

Sam meets Astrid who he has a crush on. She tells him that she has a little brother who's autistic, and they go to search for him. They find him in the nuclear power plant and Astrid reveals that Little Pete has had powers for a while. They believe that he is involved with the disappearance of the adults.

Then we meet Cain who is Sam's fraternal twin brother. He is from Coates Academy which is a school for troubled children. He arrives in Perdido Beach and soon takes over the FAZE. Children start turning on each other. There are fights and deaths aplenty.

Gone is extremely well written. It is over 500 pages long, but the chapters are short and it is fast paced so it's an easy read. Full of twists and turns that will keep you hooked, Gone is one of those books you won't want to put it down until you're finished the whole thing.

Mist by Kathryn James (Book Review)

Goodreads summary:

A chilling fairy-tale thriller for 10+ girls.

Midnight: a mist-haunted wood with a bad reputation. A sweet sixteen party, and 13 year old Nell is trying to keep her sister, spoilt birthday-girl Gwen, out of trouble. No chance. Trouble finds Gwen and drags her through the mist. Only Nell guesses who’s behind the kidnap - the boy she hoped was her friend, the cute but mysterious Evan River.

All those fairy stories Nell’s grandmother told her about girls being stolen by fairy folk are true. The Elven are beautiful as starlight, fierce as wolves, and cold as ice. And they want their world back. The fight has been raging for centuries. Nell’s grandmother should know, she’s a Watcher, the ones responsible for imprisoning the Elven in isolated iron-bound camps in Siberia. Only Evan, his fanatical older brother Fen, and a handful of Elven children are still free. 

Fen, hellbent on revenge, keeps Gwen in their wolf-guarded stronghold deep in the mist. The price for her safe return? The release of all the Elven – but the Watchers will never agree. Only Nell can save Gwen.

Time is twisted through the mist: if Nell stops longer than a night and day, a hundred years will hit her as soon as she returns and she’ll be old and withered before she’s even lived. The clock is ticking.

                                                                               My Rating: 4

My review:

Mist follows a girl called Nell who meets a mysterious boy called Evan who she's immediately attracted to. One night, her sister Gwen has a birthday party in the woods and mysteriously disappears. Nell discovers her sister has been kidnapped, and she discovers a fairy world where all is not as it seems.

I really liked Nell as a character. She reminds me of myself when I was thirteen years old. She was an outcast, the one nobody paid attention to. Unlike her sister, Nell didn't care that she was unpopular. 

I really liked Evan's character, and I see why Nell was attracted to him. He's very mysterious and unpredictable. Sometimes he acts like he doesn't give a damn about Nell, but he does a lot of things to help her and keep her out of danger. 

Another character I liked was Nell's sister Gwen. At first she was like a typical annoying bitchy character, but as the story continues we begin to see a more vulnerable side of her. 

Evan's older brother Fen was the main antagonist, but it turns out there's a reason why he's acting like he is. He used to be a really good big brother to Evan, but that changed when their parents disappeared and he grew a dislike towards people and swore to get revenge. I actually felt sorry for him. 

I really liked the plot and fell in love with the fairy world. The fairies are very interesting people, and I felt like I wanted to jump into their world and get to know them. I liked how Nell got on well with the fairies and tried to fit in to their world. 

I borrowed this book from a library, but I enjoyed it so much that I'm thinking of buying my own copy.. If you love fun stories, fairies and just awesome awesome stories.. Then you will love Mist. 

In the summary it says this book is for '10+ girls' if you are a male, don't be put off. This is for you as well.

Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs (Book Review)

Goodreads summary:
Grace just moved to San Francisco and is excited to start over at a new school. The change is full of fresh possibilities, but it’s also a tiny bit scary. It gets scarier when a minotaur walks in the door. And even more shocking when a girl who looks just like her shows up to fight the monster.

Gretchen is tired of monsters pulling her out into the wee hours, especially on a school night, but what can she do? Sending the minotaur back to his bleak home is just another notch on her combat belt. She never expected to run into this girl who could be her double, though.

Greer has her life pretty well put together, thank you very much. But that all tilts sideways when two girls who look eerily like her appear on her doorstep and claim they're triplets, supernatural descendants of some hideous creature from Greek myth, destined to spend their lives hunting monsters.

These three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful gorgon maligned by myth, must reunite and embrace their fates in this unique paranormal world where monsters lurk in plain sight.

                                                                          My rating - 3.5

My review:
I did really enjoy this book.. It's told from the perspectives of three sisters who are the descendants of Medusa.. Gretchen knows what she is and has spent years hunting monsters she was born to send back to their world, Grace is the one who's just seen her first creature, and there's Greer who saw a creature when she was a child but put it down to imagination and led a normal life .. They were separated at birth, and all three sisters find each other and learn about their destiny

Main characters

Gretchen - your typical kick-ass heroin, which is the type of character I like to read about, as it makes a change from your typical YA whiny/damsel in distress character

Grace - A very shy/sweet girl.. She is also very clever. At first she seemed like one of those damsel in distress characters I hate, but then she started to grow a backbone 

Greer - Very "queen bee" and I hated her at first.. Too bitchy and annoying. But I soon warmed to her, and at towards the end of the book I started to really like her character

Other characters

Each girl has a love interest, but we don't really get much about them.

Nick - I found him creepy.. The way he kept following Gretchen around even when she tells him to back off, annoyed me quite a bit.. I kept thinking "just leave her alone!" 

Milo - I quite liked him, but he didn't appear that often so I didn't really get to know his character.. He seemed nice enough so I'm looking forward to reading more of him

Kyle - He is Greer's love interest.. I didn't really like his character. I didn't "get him".. It might be just me (it usually is) but I found his character confusing and one-dimensional. 

Thane - Thane is Grace's adoptive brother, and one of my favourite characters.. He's very protective, but a nice mannered person and I enjoyed reading about him. There's also something mysterious about him, especially towards the end when he has to "go away for a few days"

Ursula - Ursula is Gretchen's mentor. She has disappeared so you don't get to know her character at all, we just hear about her from Gretchen's perspective. Ursula isn't all that she seems 

Sthenno - She is Ursula's sister and she doesn't appear in the story (well, she does kind of)

Plot

The plot is one of the reasons why I didn't give this a higher rating. It was very fast paced but nothing much really happened.. The sisters are finding out who they really are and about their destiny's, but nothing much else happens. I found myself twiddling my thumbs during some parts. This is the first in a series, so I guess she's making it simple so people can get to know the characters and the backbone of the story

I just wish she added some more conflict. 

Ending

The ending was another reason why I didn't give this book a higher rating. It's very interesting and makes me want to read more, but.. I don't like it when stories end with cliffhangers.