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Review: The Originals by Cat Patrick

Image from Goodreads

Image from Goodreads

Title: The Originals
Author: Cat Patrick
Publisher: Electric Monkey
Publication Date: 6 May 2013
Source: Review Copy
Rating: 4.5/5

Synopsis from Fantastic Fiction

17-year-olds Lizzie, Ella, and Betsey Best grew up as identical triplets… until they discovered a shocking family secret. They’re actually closer than sisters, they’re clones. Hiding from a government agency that would expose them, the Best family appears to consist of a single mother with one daughter named Elizabeth. Lizzie, Ella, and Betsey take turns going to school, attending social engagements, and a group mindset has always been a de facto part of life…

Then Lizzie meets Sean Kelly, a guy who seems to see into her very soul. As their relationship develops, Lizzie realizes that she’s not a carbon copy of her sisters; she’s an individual with unique dreams and desires, and digging deeper into her background, Lizzie begins to dismantle the delicate balance of an unusual family that only science could have created.

REVIEW 

I think this just might be my favorite Cat Patrick book so far, I adored the characters, the thought provoking plot and of course I completely fell for the romance.

Told in first person narrative from the point of view of Lizzie, as you can see from the synopsis Lizzie is one of triplets but not exactly triplets they are clones. While I would have liked a little more information on the research side of things with regard to cloning the idea alone provided much food for thought.

Lizzie is independent, stubborn and a little rebellious. She doesn’t handle having to share her life very well. All aspects of the sisters lives are controlled and planned, they aren’t allowed to make decisions for themselves which does not sit well with Lizzie especially.

While the girls may be clones they are all very different, although they share physical traits their personalities are nothing alike as you would expect from siblings. However, they have never been given the chance to explore their individuality, only small concessions to their can be made; such as the way they were their hair for the day, but this again leads to the other girls having to do their hair in the same way. You can feel their frustration leaking from the page.  Despite their differences and similarities the close bond between the three girls stands out within the story, to the point of being a little freaky on occasions.

Lizzie’s voice is very distinctive and the direct address to the reader within the narrative added a sense of intimacy to the story. It felt as if Lizzie and I were already friends and I, in some way, was her accomplice. Cat Patrick managed to create such a realistic, believable character in Lizzie that you can’t help becoming attached to her.

The Originals weaves high drama, romantic tension and conspiracies into an extremely compelling plot. The themes of growing up, gaining self confidence and independence form the basis of the story. The romance and a very swoon-worthy Sean are the icing on the cake for this book. While the idea of human cloning provided food for thought, an almost philosophical internal debate waged while reading taking into consideration elements of nature versus nurture and the way in which scientist can bee seen as ‘playing god’.

The Originals is high on my recommendation list, so what are you waiting for go read it ;)

Classics Carnival: Review: Dark Companion by Marta Acosta

Image from Author Website

Title: Dark Companion
Author: Marta Acosta
Publisher: Tor
Publication Date: June 2013
Source: Netgalley
Rating: 2.5/5

Synopsis from Author Website

Orphaned at the age of six, Jane Williams has grown up in a series of foster homes, learning to survive in the shadows of life. Through hard work and determination, she manages to win a scholarship to the exclusive Birch Grove Academy. There, for the first time, Jane finds herself accepted by a group of friends.

She even starts tutoring the headmistress’s gorgeous son, Lucien. Things seem too good to be true.

They are.

The more she learns about Birch Grove’s recent past, the more Jane comes to suspect that there is something sinister going on. Why did the wife of a popular teacher kill herself? What happened to the former scholarship student, whose place

Jane took? Why does Lucien’s brother, Jack, seem to dislike her so much?

As Jane begins to piece together the answers to the puzzle,she must find out why she was brought to Birch Grove—and what she would risk to stay there….

REVIEW 

In all honesty I had no idea this was a re-imaging of Jane Eyre until I started doing my review. Truthfully I am a little glad I didn’t as Jane Eyre is my favorite book of all time and while this book is OK I wasn’t blown away by it. I think I would have been further disappointed if I had realized it was a re-imagining.

While I liked the premise of this book for me it did not live up to my expectations. Although it is fast paced, gripping in places I had the overwhelming feeling that the story was trying to be too many things at once.

Told in first person narrative from Jane’s perspective, you can tell there is something far more to Jane than meets the eye; the chilling prologue piquing the imagination. Part of the plot involves the discovery of just what makes Jane different, personally I would have liked this aspect to play a larger role. This element seemed to have got lost in the other plot threads only to re-appear close to the end and in a rushed incomplete manner.

Jane, orphaned at a young age from the horrific events in the prologue, lives in foster care in a very rough neighborhood  She is pretty much a product of her environment until tragedy strikes making her re-evaluate her actions.

Gaining a scholarship to an exclusive school, Jane is even given a little cottage in which to live while she is there. As you would expect there is far more to the school than first impressions would assume and yes it is a little predictable.  Obvious hints are placed within the narrative leading the plot. Jane’s personality does not reflect the decisions she makes and made me question her validity as a character.

Redeeming qualities come in character form; Jack is the quirky, hot romantic interest and Mary Violet provides some hysterically funny moments as well as a much needed friend for Jane. Their presence helped lift the plot and relieve the tension.

Although there are a number of twists within the story they were in no way unexpected. The story does reach a satisfactory conclusion while leaving scope for a second book with some outstanding plot issues enabling a continuation if the author wishes.

I did have the distinct impression that this book started off in one direction and then tried to work in too many different elements before returning to the original plot, leaving me feeling unfilled.

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Book Twirps

Review: Unravelling by Elizabeth Norris

Image from Publisher Website

Image from Publisher Website

Title: Unravelling
Series: Unravelling #1
Author: Elizabeth Norris
Publisher: Harper Collins Children’s Books
Publication Date: 7 June 2012
Source: Review Copy
Rating: 4/5

Synopsis from Fantastic Fiction

Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed – as in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she’s opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn’t possible, she knows – with every fiber of her being – that Ben has somehow brought her back to life.

But her revival, and Ben’s possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI agent father’s files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something – but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what’s right in front of her: Everything that’s happened – the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben’s sudden appearance in her life – points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she’s going to need to uncover Ben’s secrets – and keep from falling in love with him in the process.

REVIEW BY SHELLY

This is a real sci-fi, action, crime novel all in one that is a thoroughly good read. It follows Janelle, a normal 17 year old going about her life until one day she is hit head on by a truck and dies. Luckily for her, Ben Michaels is near by and brings her back to life. Impossible – well not in Unravelling. This is a book where Elizabeth Norris turns things on it’s head and makes you try and second guess what is going to happen.

Janelle tries to get closer to Ben to find out how he brought her back and then gets involved with the FBI case that her Dad is trying to solve. Little does Janelle know that the secret Ben is carrying with him will literally end her world. I do think that the way Janelle can access her Dad’s FBI files is a little far fetched but I went with it anyway.

Even though this is a story about Janelle and Ben there are also a couple more characters that deserve a mention. Janelle’s Dad seems like such a cool Dad but I think it was his partner Strutz who captivated me more. Also Reid and Elijah, who are Ben’s friends, bring in some much welcome humour to the story.

The way Elizabeth Norris writes the book as a countdown is brilliant as it really reads as if the end of the world is going to happen and you get swept along with the fast pace of it all. In fact it leaves you gasping for breath at the end of it.

I won’t spoil the end but make sure you have tissues handy and I do feel as though a sequel may be on it’s way but I for one don’t mind as I would love to find out what happens between Janelle and Ben. I mean it can’t all be over can it??

Review: The Beautiful and The Cursed by Page Morgan

Image from Publisher

Image from Publisher

Title: The Beautiful and the Cursed
Series: The Dispossessed
Author: Page Morgan
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Publication Date: 2 May 2013
Source: Review Copy
Rating: 3.5/5

Synopsis from Publisher

Ingrid Waverley is a young woman to be reckoned with. Faced with her brother’s mysterious disappearance after an abrupt move to Paris, she is determined to discover what has happened to him. Soon she and her sister Gabriella are drawn into a Parisian underworld more terrifying than they could ever have imagined, but watching over them are two impossible (and impossibly handsome) young men. Luc is a ‘Dispossessed’, an ancient gargoyle whose sworn duty it is to protect the humans who inhabit his abbey. Nolan has secrets of his own too. He is a member of the Alliance – a shadowy group dedicated to keeping Paris safe from the demonic forces that threaten to destroy it.

Secrets, danger and hidden powers stalk the girls in this beautifully imagined paranormal romance that will keep readers gripped from beginning to end – and one thing is for sure – you’ll never look at a gargoyle in the same way again…

REVIEW BY BETH

I accepted this novel because it’s described as a must-read for fans of Libba Bray and I am definitely a fan of Libba Bray. Page Morgan’s novel has an interesting theme, plenty of climactic cliff-hangers and intriguing hints to keep the reader engaged.

I’m not a big fantasy/paranormal reader so those elements of the novel, which are of course plentiful, didn’t particularly do it for me but I have no doubt they’d be a huge hit with anyone who does love the genre as Morgan simply writes so engagingly.

Morgan immerses her readers into late 19th century Paris and mixes it up with the introduction of gargoyles. Yes, gargoyles. They are the protectors of the humans in this area of France and are fascinatingly created, showing Morgan’s brilliant and creative imagination. The novel sees Ingrid, the leading human character in the novel looks for her brother Grayson whilst dealing with her own personal shames, one of the reasons the whole family upped sticks and moved to Paris in the first place.

Despite some of the key elements of the plot not being to my taste (gargoyles and monsters etc are really not my thing) I simply can’t knock Morgan’s talent and her ability to create a dark and brooding scene as well as a fast moving plot which is engaging. Her characters are fantastic too, with a touch of forbidden romance which also goes down well.

Fans of the genre will not be able to put this book down.

Review: Inhale, Exhale by Sarah M Ross

Image Received from InkSlinger PR

Image Received from InkSlinger PR

Title: Inhale, Exhale
Author: Sarah M Ross
Publisher: Self Published
Publication Date: 4 May 2013
Source: Review Copy – Ebook
Rating: 3.5/5

Synopsis from Amazon

**Warning: Contains very strong language, and sexual situations.**

Jillian had a plan: celebrate the end of her first year of college with an amazing summer full of beaches, barbeques, and bonfires. When her mom insists she needs a summer job, and her boyfriend spends more time with his band than with her, Jillian’s plans go down the drain.

Grant had a plan: finish his Masters, get a great job at Google, and get the hell out of Georgia. He might be giving up some of the fun of his youth, but he knows his all work and no play method would be worth it when his dreams came true.

But things never go according to plan.

When temptation brings them together and tragedy tears them apart, Jillian and Grant will be forced to choose: fight for their dreams, or fight for each other.

REVIEW 

The book starts with a very powerful prologue that really grips your attention and makes compulsive page turning  necessity in order to try to match the rest of the story to the prologue.

Told in dual first person narrative (my favorite as I can get inside the head of both characters). Jillian is a little bit of a daydreamer but a truly nice person, she is very family orientated and a wonderfully loyal friend. However, she does tend to see her boyfriend, Christian,  through rose colored glasses justifying  their relationship even though she feels they are drawing apart. Grant is responsible, having been forced to grow-up quickly following his mothers death. He has terrific values even if they do get slightly warped with the plan he has for himself in his head.

There is an instant attraction between Grand and Jillian even though they both try to fight it. The intensity of their attraction both frightens and exhilarates them. they have so much in common and interact so well the idea of soul-mates blossoms within the imagination. Don’[t get me wrong this isn’t a case of insta-love more like insta-lust that develops into love.

As their friendship develops we get to see more of Grant’s romantic side that even he didn’t know existed providing some very swoon-worthy moments. The story is quite fast paced and gripping. It is a really quick read while still providing a connection to the characters that stays with you after the last page.

There are a number of surprise events that add tension to the story. Yet aid the realization that you can’t plan all of your life, sometimes life throws you off the path you have set in order to put you on the path you need to be on. Sometimes it is easy to forget what is truly important in life and events seemingly throw a spanner in the works actually lead us to where we should be. Once that happens all the pieces fall into place. It was a joy to follow the pieces falling into place for Grant and Jillian.

Inhale, Exhale is a great starter for those dipping their toes into New Adult Romance; quick, fast paced and yet utterly romantic.