Spoiler free book review

Title: Take Three Girls
Authors: Cath Crowley, Simmone Howell and Fiona Wood
Publisher: Pan MacMillan
Publication date: September 2017
RRP: $18.99

Synopsis:
Ady - not the confident A-lister she appears to be.
Kate - brainy boarder taking risks to pursue the music she loves.
Clem - disenchanted swim-star losing her heart to the wrong boy.
All are targeted by PSST, a toxic website that deals in gossip and lies. St Hilda's antidote to cyber-bullying? The Year 10 Wellness program. Nice try - but sometimes all it takes is three girls.
Exploring friendship, feminism, identity and belonging, Take Three Girls is honest, raw and funny.

I'm part of the blog tour hosted by Pan MacMillan (thank you!) for Take Three Girls and I'm very excited to tell you my thoughts on this book. Whenever I get contacted about #loveozya books I almost immediately say yes however, I make sure I read the synopsis first and then I can say 'yes' to my heart's content.

As you may (or may not) have noticed, this book has three authors and is told in the perspective of three different 16-year-old girls all attending the same school (in Australia!). Each author wrote a character each which I felt was smart even if it seemed like the normal thing to do anyway. Either way, it was written really well. I would say a downside though was that sometimes it would be in the present and suddenly switch to the past so fast and abruptly that I had to read the paragraph again (this happened a few times).
This book is centred around bullying, in particular, cyber bullying and how these characters deal with it and just you know, their lives really.

 This book took almost 300 pages for me to get really into it which was unfortunate BUT, I felt that it was worth it because after I reached that point, I didn't stop reading until I was finished and it honestly made me so happy (so happy that at one point, I had watery eyes from happiness).

I felt that the characters and situations were so realistic (I was that age 10 years ago - wow, am I old? -  and can tell you now, that most of this happened either to me or around me). I loved how some of the characters, mainly Clem I think, were so naive, even if it seems annoying, it was so damn real.

My favourite character was Ady, I simply adored her and she was who I had tears of joy for that I mentioned earlier. Though I felt like I related to each main character in a little way somehow, whether something relevant now or in my past - it was nice.

There was a little insta-love in the story but I didn't spend much time worrying about it because so much other stuff made up for it. I loved the message this book gave me and how important and relevant it is (fat-shaming, slut-shaming).
This might be a little random but I just wanted to emphasise something in the book how females are in a way, punished for who we are and choose to be. I am not one to usually say something like that but this book made me realise that with certain aspects in life, many women are degraded in a way that most men will never experience in their lifetime.

Okay, anyways... Overall, this book while it started slow, ended up being a good story and had a great message and I really enjoyed it.

Rating: 4/5

*This book was sent to me by Pan MacMillan as part of the blog tour and

in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.




WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:

Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
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Title: The Genesi Code
Author: Tristen Willis
Publication date: 1st September 2017

Synopsis:
Luka was only eight years old when her father, Christopher Foster, was murdered.
Christopher had been working on a cure for the Genesi Code, which has plagued the human race since the government began experimenting on human DNA in an attempt to create a genetically-advanced army.Luka has spent the last ten years training for the military’s elite taskforce, known as Delta Force, so she can uncover the truth surrounding her father’s murder. But along the way, she uncovers a truth about herself that she is not yet ready to face. Could the truth surrounding Luka’s past be the key to curing the Genesi and ending the war? In the end, is revenge all that matters?


Firstly, I am so grateful that I got the opportunity to review this. Not only do I love supporting new authors but Australian authors too. Tristen is the owner of Burning Pages Candles and along with the book she sent some candles, solid perfume and tea based on The Genesi Code as well as a badge that I'm incredibly tempted to buy a jacket solely to sew it on there (well I'd get my mum to do the sewing since I have no idea how).


The first few chapters felt a bit rocky to me, though that feeling quickly left me - I'm not sure if the writing changed or I just got used to it, and I was enjoying the story. After this initial stage I think you'll find it very easy to read.

The plot was very fast paced however, there was only about two moments (I think) in the book that I felt could've slowed down. Other than that, I really loved the story. I would say this was a dystopian novel, with sci-fi elements (Tris, correct me if I'm wrong!) and I love what has been set up here. The world, and especially the Genesi are so interesting to me and I'm looking forward to finding out more.



I would have liked for the other characters to be explored more - especially Ren, so I'm hoping for that in book two. I really liked Luka's character, she was badass and smart, but still real at the same time. I liked her thought processes and I really enjoyed reading from her perspective.

Overall, The Genesi Code is a fast paced and exciting story that absolutely left me wanting more. I wouldn't call the ending a cliffhanger but you'll definitely be excited to see what comes next. I feel like so much of the story was set up in this book to further continue and explore in the coming books.

3.5/5

*I was sent this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:

Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @erena_b
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Twitter: @erenareads
YouTube: Erena Reads or click here

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Book: American Monsters (Book three in Demon Road trilogy)

Author: Derek Landy

Publisher: Harper Collins

Synopsis:
Bigger, meaner, stronger, Amber closes in on her murderous parents as they make one last desperate play for power. Her own last hopes of salvation, however, rest beyond vengeance, beyond the abominable killers - living and dead - that she and Milo will have to face.
For Amber's future lies in her family's past, in the brother and sister she never knew, and the horrors beyond imagining that befell them...



Review for book one here.
Review for book two here.


I was eager to jump into American Monsters right after finishing Desolation (or more honestly, I started it the next day). I also had the motivation that I wanted to finish it before the new year so I could include it in my 2016 book count, and I did! This is officially my last blog post of 2016 so enjoy!

My main problems with the previous two books in this trilogy was the fact that I felt it too much when it wasn't needed. I didn't feel that as much with this book, yes there were a couple of times that I was like "okay, get on with it" but it was literally only a couple of times and it didn't last very long (thank you Derek Landy).

I really liked the storyline/plot in this book. I felt like I was on track with what was happening throughout the whole story - something that wasn't always clear for me in the first two books. However, it just wasn't as interesting as Desolation but I definitely still enjoyed it. Does that sound contradictory?

As this was the last book in the trilogy, I was constantly trying to figure how all of it was going to play out. I felt I knew the final outcome in a way, but I really had no idea. I really liked the ending except for perhaps one certain aspect, but that's what the author wanted I guess *le sigh*.
There was one particular event that happened that was skimmed over even though it deserved a whole damn chapter, so that made me a bit sad (if you've read it I'm sure you'll know what part I'm talking about).

I enjoyed the range of characters in this trilogy. While there wasn't a whole lot of diversity in these books, there was a little and that made me like the trilogy more. I enjoyed Amber's character more so in books two and three, the fact that she is actually this crazy, strong demon was actually kind of cool. She gets overconfident a number of times but I really started to like it in book two and three.

Throughout the series, Amber's parents didn't really bother me until about halfway through American Monsters. A crazy event that took place really threw me back and I had to close the book for a short while to let my heart break a little (it's hurting now just thinking about it).

Overall, I enjoyed the author's concept for this trilogy. They are fun and sort of spooky reads that are great for teenage and some young adult readers. I haven't read his more popular Skulduggery Pleasant series and therefore cannot compare his series. An enjoyable read!

3.5/5


*This book was sent to me by Harper Collins Unsolicited in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:
Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @erena_b
Goodreads: @erenareads
Twitter: @erenareads
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Book: Desolation (Book two in Demon Road trilogy)

Author: Derek Landy

Synopsis:
Reeling from their bloody encounter in New York City at the end of Demon Road, Amber and Milo flee north. On their trail are the Hounds of Hell - five demonic bikers who will stop at nothing to drag their quarries back to their unholy master.
Amber and Milo's only hope lies within Desolation Hill - a small town with a big secret; a town with a darkness to it, where evil seeps through the very floorboards. Until, on one night every year, it spills over onto the streets and all hell breaks loose.

Review for book one here.



I'll be honest here, after reading book one (Demon Road) earlier this year, it definitely didn't give me the feeling that I 'needed' to pick up book two straight away, so I left it and read other books. I should not have done this because a) this is a review copy and I should've had it as a priority and b) it actually turned out to be pretty good and much better (in my opinion) than the first one. In saying that, I did somehow manage to misplace this book but found it last month and got to work.

Much like the last book, Desolation starts off with an interesting chapter. Perhaps not as exciting as the previous book but a bit of mystery from a point of view of a new character, which I liked. And yes, new points of views, there a more than just Amber and Milo in this novel and I found it very easy to follow and the author definitely picked the right times and the right characters to do so.

There were quite a few new characters introduced and I think it added to the story really well. There were two elderly men - WHO WERE ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS, and a group of young adults on a mission to save the population from supernatural evil. I felt that there was some unnecessary dialogue from some of these characters but didn't dwell too much on it since it didn't happen all that often. I felt Amber's character developed really well in the sense that she was more mature and I found myself enjoying her chapters much more than the first book. And Milo, well I love Milo, like we all should. But seriously, those elderly men that I was talking about earlier were gold. It was their bickering I think that was actually making me laugh out loud and the sincere kindness in (one of) their hearts.

My main problem with book one was that I felt it had too much going on which it made it drag out a bit. While this book seemed to have a little of that, it improved immensely and made it much more enjoyable to read. Sometimes I had to go back to the previous paragraph and read over it again because I feel like some things happened so fast I didn't understand what was happening, but all in all, I was okay with it.

The story itself is great, I reckon. I honestly had no idea how they were going to do it after book one - it definitely left an opening but I was just unsure. It has plenty of fantasy elements that I liked and were easy to read. There was a sort of 'twist' I guess you could say, that I REALLY liked. It makes me crave what happens next (lucky I have the third and final book in my hands).

Sorry if I seem a bit vague about the story but it can be hard with sequels because you don't want to give spoilers of the previous book/s. I would recommend checking out my review for Demon Road, where it all starts with Amber's crazy parents. The synopsis for this book (above) actually gives a goo description of it I think, as well as the little bits I've added on to this review.

I would honestly highly recommend this story to middle grade to the younger adult age, and for those older (I'm 25 if that helps?), if you enjoy teenager to young adult I would recommend picking up Demon Road just to get to Desolation. I was pleasantly surprised by this book and thoroughly enjoyed myself - very much picking up book three after this blog post so stay tuned for that review also!

Make sure to leave a comment letting me know your thoughts on this trilogy or send me a message on Instagram. Be sure to check out my YouTube channel (see below) as I post videos on there all the time. See you soon for more bookish things!

4/5




*This book was sent to me by Harper Teen Australia in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:
Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @erena_b
Goodreads: @erenareads
Twitter: @erenareads
YouTube: Erena Reads or click here

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"How do you live with yourself when you've deceived the one you love?
How do you move on when the person you've been fighting to save betrays you?
Two years ago, Maggie Stevens began the hunt.
Four weeks ago, Maggie's world fell apart when she finally found what she'd been looking for. And when Quentin, who had blindly trusted her, unravelled her web of lies.
Now, Maggie lives in the dark. But she's not about to stay there. Not when she still has to bring M-Corp down. Not when there is still a chance she could win him back.
In the exhilarating conclusion to Disruption, Maggie must do whatever it takes to show the world the truth. And the price for her quest?
Everything.
But who for?"


The second part of this thrilling duology, comes Corruption. You can read my spoiler free review of book one, Disruption, right here.

As you may remember, as soon as I finished book one, I immediately started book two and I think I lost myself in it. Within the first chapter, I had gone through a multitude of emotions and the story had me in its grasp.


Much like book one, Corruption is action packed, full of surprises and very easy to follow the story. Once again, the flow of the story is spot on and this made it so much easier to be hooked and be involved in the story. Australian YA author, Jessica Shirvington is a writing queen! Having read her other YA novels (and loving those), I am seriously impressed with this dystopian novel.

I don't want to give away too much of the story seeing as this would spoil you if you're yet to read book one. The story is still based around the controlling M-Corp technology and Maggie's desire to stop them but they're are many hiccups on their adventures and it still has a little of that witty humour we got to see previously.

A few new characters are introduced and we get a bit more background on other characters we only saw a little of last time; as well as our beloved Maggie, Quentin, and my personal favourite, Gus. The character development is brilliant. I already fell in love with our main characters in Disruption and I somehow fell even more in love with them in this book.

I had some idea of the plot (you will too after reading book one) however, there was so much more to it as the story continued on. One minute I would be thinking "Okay, I understand that this would happen" and then some whiplash-giving stuff would go down and I would need to calm myself before continuing to read on.

You'll experience a lot of different emotions whilst reading this book: curiosity, nervousness, happiness, anxiety, tragedy... You'll constantly be wary, wondering what is going to happen next, who to watch out for, you may also find the need to crawl in the ball at times; BE PREPARED!

Now I am sorry I don't go into too much detail in this review, but I absolutely refuse to spoil any one of you - I cannot give even a snippet away!

Disruption set the bar high for book two, it exceeded. This is a must read and definitely a favourite of mine this year.

A brilliantly written book: 5/5

*This book was sent to me by Harper Teen Australia in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:
Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @erena_b
Goodreads: @erenareads
Twitter: @erenareads
YouTube: Erena Reads or click here

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"What if a microchip could identify your perfect match?
What if it could be used against you and the ones you love?
Nine years ago, Mercer Corporation's M-Bands became mandatory. An evolution of the smartphone, the bracelets promised an easier life. Instead, they have come to control it.
Two years ago, Maggie Stevens watched helplessly as one of the people she most was taken from her, shattering her world as she knew it.
Now, Maggie is ready. And Quentin Mercer - heir to the M-Corp empire - has become key to Maggie's plan. But as the pieces of her dangerous design fall into place, could Quentin's involvement destroy everything she's fought for?
In a world full of broken promises, the ones Maggie must keep could be the most heartbreaking."


First of all, author Jessica Shirvington is Australian (woop woop!) and she's also the author to one of my favourite series, Embrace/The Violet Eden series so I was very much interested in starting this duology.

This is a young adult dystopian novel where the population must wear 'M-Bands' that are used in everyday life: used as ID, money and even used for ratings with other people to see if you could potentially have a future together. Though for some, they rate as negatives and are taken away to rehabilitation camps where they're never seen again. Maggie's father was a negative and she's on a mission to rescue him back and prove his innocence.

As soon as you pick up this book you jump straight into the story. You understand everything that's happening in the first few chapters which can be uncommon these days. It kind of feels like being in control and perhaps that is why I like it, though it seems ironic as M-Corp (the company that made this tech) wants to control the world with their M-Bands.

I'm very drawn to the main characters in this book. We get to meet the gorgeous Quentin Mercer, heir to the M-Corp industry and someone who Maggie has been keeping an eye on and brings him into her master plan to find her father. And someone you meet early on in the story is Gus, who just so happens to be my fave character so far. Gus and Maggie have this strange relationship that started with blackmail and their bickering is great, I love it. You obviously meet those other characters who you have to hate but they're necessary to the story and written really well.

While this story has a similar layout to many other dystopian novels, this is also like no other that I've read in this genre. I liked that it was to do with technology - while fictional, a possible realistic insight to the future? Probably not to that level but interesting nonetheless.

The flow of the story was spot on. There was action when we needed action, the aftermath of said action, the calm when we were allowed to be calm and the nerves. I found myself so immersed that I was feeling anxious when risky things were about to go down - this happened a lot. I was never bored and it was honestly hard to put down.

As I said earlier, I've read Shirvington's Embrace series which I absolutely fell in love with and so I wasn't really sure what to expect from this dystopian novel. Well she definitely doesn't disappoint and you should definitely pick this up. You might want to pick up the second novel as well, Corruption, while this first book doesn't end on a cliffhanger, it'll surely leave you wanting more.

Keep an eye out

for my review of book two, coming soon!

4.5/5


*This book was sent to me by Harper Teen Australia in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:
Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @erena_b
Goodreads: @erenareads
Twitter: @erenareads
YouTube: Erena Reads or click here

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"Five teenagers. Five lives. One final year. 
The loner: At school, nobody really notices Matty. But at home, Matty is everything. He's been single-handedly holding things together since his mum's breakdown, and he's never felt so alone. 
The school captain: Ryan has it all... or at least he did, until an accident snatched his dreams away. How will he rebuild his life and what does the future hold for him now? 
The popular girl: Well. the popular girl's nest friend... cool by association. Tammi's always bowed to peer pressure, but when the expectations become too much to handle, will she finally stand up for herself?
The newcomer: Charlie's just moved interstate and she's determined not to fit in. She's just biding her time until Year 12 is over and she can head back to her real life and her real friends...
The MP's daughter: Gillian's dad is one of the most recognisable people in the state and she's learning the hard way that life in the spotlight comes at a very heavy price.
Five unlikely teammates thrust together against their will. Can they find a way to make their final year a memorable one or will their differences tear their world apart?"
- Sarah Ayoub



Set in Sydney, Australia and written by Australian author, Sarah Ayoub, this YA novel revolves around five teenagers who must band together to create the school yearbook for their final year of high school at Holy Family private school. If you didn't catch it, these five teenagers couldn't be more different. You get to know each character very well, delving a little into their past - though I felt that Ryan's past wasn't looked into enough, his 'accident' was mentioned often and you only get a brief story of what happened.

From the start, Gillian (the politician's daughter) was my favourite, Charlie was my least. Gillian is kind hearted and so easy to love, her life isn't easy but she does well to cope. Charlie, has no interest in making friends and goes out of her way to make sure she doesn't; while at first I don't like her, I understand that's what the author was going for. You get introduced to a few other characters whom have a lot of impact on the main characters - Tammi's douchebag boyfriend David and her mean, stuck up best friend Lauren, both who I hated immensely and you will too.

As you can expect, the characters develop some kind of friendship with each other throughout the story - though not really how I first predicted. I enjoyed the easy character development and it flowed nicely. Ayoub not only makes it easy to read but really captured some of the issues that occur during high school years. Some of this is real life and whilst reading it reminded me of my high school years and how cruel some people can be, especially people that are meant to be your friends.

I wished the author had spent more time on the ending, I almost felt cheated. Something I did not see coming happens closer to the end of the book and the build up of it was great however after that, I felt I didn't really have time to process it and therefore did not make too much of a connection with it. I also felt since it is based around the students creating a yearbook, that there would be some snippets of it in the back - well no, there is not.

Overall, this book was still a great read. I think it is more suited to teenagers and possibly younger adults than I but I have seen bookstagrammers only slightly younger than me, enjoy it immensely. I hope that high school students take a chance and read this one; I hope it shines a new light on life for those struggling and those who could be the cause of the struggling.

I gave this book 3/5 on Goodreads albeit, a high three.

If you've read this book, let me know in the comments below what you thought!


*This book was sent to me by Harper Collins Australia in exchange for an honest review.


Where you can find me:

Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
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