Non spoiler book review
*This book is told from a different perspective than book one and happens in a different area so the following synopsis and review will not spoil you for either book.

Title: Imprison the Sky (The Elementae #2)
Author: A.C Gaughen
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication date: March 2019 (Australia)
RRP: $14.99 AUD

Synopsis:
Stolen from her family as a child, Aspasia has clawed her way up the tanks of Cyrus's black market empire to captain her own trading vessel - and she risks it all every time she uses her powerful magic to free as many women, children and Elementae from slavery as she can.
But Cyrus is close to uncovering her secrets - not only that Aspasia is a wind Elementae with the ability to sail her ship through the sky, but that she is also searching for her lost family. And if Aspasia can't find her younger siblings before Cyrus does, she will never be able to break free.
Armed with her loyal crew full of Elementae and a new recruit who controls and intriguing power, Aspasia finds herself in the centre of a brewing war that spans every inch of the ocean, and her power alone may not be enough to save her friends, family, and freedom.

Click here for my review of Reign the Earth (book one).

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My rating: 5/5


Book one, Reign the Earth, was a phenomenal read last year (2018) and it was one of my favourites of the year so Imprison the Sky held high expectations for me. In the beginning, I was dead set that this wasn't going to be better than the previous book but as the story went on, I was so drawn to the characters and the story that it was all I could think about when I wasn't reading (sorry to my uni work). Even now, after finishing it a few days ago, the characters are still on my mind.

I felt the story line had a great feel to it. A novel with slaves can be a hard one but with the help of amazingly-written characters, this book has done really well. Reflecting back on the story, they spend a lot of time on the ship but I actually didn't notice - or perhaps, it was woven so well into the story that it just fit. There is a bit of crossover from book one - I had read Reign the Earth over a year ago so I couldn't remember fine details but I started to remember things as it went on - but you can find short summaries online if you want to.

Gaughen knows how to write great main characters. Reign the Earth followed Shalia, whereas Imprison the Sky is in the perspective of Aspasia, a air elementae, and thrice-damned (did I say that right?), I absolutely bow down to both of these women - and I'm sure I will to the MC's in the rest of the series.

Aspasia is a strong-willed, bisexual young woman who is under the control of her master but as she has a little more freedom than most slaves (if that's what you want to call it), she tries to make it worth while as best she can - trying to free as many women, children and elementae, as well as search for her family that was taken away from her years before. She is a true badass that will do anything for her crew, even if that means putting herself in danger to save them all.

In Reign the Earth, you meet Kairos, a beautiful being that is also the brother of Shalia. He was a great character there, so I was absolutely stoked to have him not only appear in this book, but become a solid and important character throughout the story. I adore the way he treats Aspasia and the crew, and how his character development is spot on. I am also crushing on him big time if you hadn't noticed.

The other characters in Imprison the Sky are a great asset to the story, the good and the bad. The plot is one thing, but I feel Gaughen has a great balance with what's actually going on in the story plus the characters that make it.

This series has so far been an A-plus story with insanely great characters and I am so keen for the rest of the books in the series. I highly recommend you pick these books up and immerse yourself in the world (I put trigger warnings in my review of book one though so check those out - link is above).



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


WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:


Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @thenutritionedition
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Spoiler free book review

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

Title: Scarlet
Author: A.C Gaughen
Publisher: Bloomsbury
New cover release date: May 2018 (all three books)

Synopsis:
Scarlet is good at keeping secrets. To the people of Nottingham, she's Will Scarlet, the young lad who protects those who cannot protect themselves. To Robin Hood and his band of thieves, she's the girl with a tongue as sharp as her knives. But nobody knows the truth about Scarlet's life before Nottingham - not even Rob, whose quick smiles have the rare power to unsettle her. And when someone from her past comes hurtling back into her life, everything she's fought for is suddenly at risk, including her own life.



The idea of a Robin Hood retelling is intriguing. When I was younger I loved watching the cartoon versions and immersing myself in the story of Sherwood's own hero. Now fast forward time to the beginning of this year when I received a copy of Reign the Earth by A.C Gaughen (review here!) and I loved it! So with the curiosity of a Robin Hood retelling mixed with the words of A.C Gaughen, comes this trilogy, and I was kinda keen.


Firstly, the first book was published in 2012 - they have been rereleased with these beautiful new covers. Now because I had read the authors more recent work, I found myself comparing them a little bit however, they are totally different stories (duh!) so I quickly embraced the writing style of book one - Scarlet.


Robin Hood originates like around the 15th - 16th century, I'm not sure on the era the author was focusing on since I have no clue on what it was like but the language takes some getting used to BUT I promise you it gets easier. Though perhaps, you shouldn't read a second book at the same time as Scarlet.

The main character Scarlet, is clearly traumatised from her past life - I actually feel like their should be a trigger warning for disordered eating, she seems to reject food or give it to someone else as what seems to be a form of self punishment. While her character developed throughout the entire story, it was definitely lacking in the beginning which made it hard to connect with her at all. She is though, pretty badass which was one of my favourite things about the book.


I really liked two of the side characters - John and Much - especially Much, but I didn't really like Robin all that much. It was like he was constantly changing his mind on things and it just didn't sit well with me. Me being me, I was very interested in the 'main villain' of the story: Gisbourne, and it was unfortunate he was not featured as much though I definitely think he'll feature in the next two books.

Okay, now for the romance, I did not like it. It would have been better if there was absolutely nothing or just an attraction type thing. I thought it wasn't developed enough and so the characters 'romantic' feelings were kind of confusing.

What's really awesome is you can tell the developed writing of the author themselves. I seriously LOVE seeing that in authors books.

Okay, so I didn't love this book but if you're into Robin Hood I think you'll enjoy this trilogy for the most part.

If you want me to do a full review of the next two books - let me know! Otherwise there will be definite updates on Instagram (@erenareads)

Rating: 2.5/5


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*These books were sent to me unsolicited by Bloomsbury Australia. All opinions are my own.


WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:



Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @erena_b
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SPOILER FREE REVIEW

Title: Piecing Me Together
Author: Renee Watson
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication date: 1st March 2018
RRP: $14.99 (AUD)

Synopsis:

Piecing Me Together tells a story of Jade, a girl striving for success in a world that seems like it is trying to break her. She knows she needs to take advantage of every opportunity that comes her way. And Jade has: every day she rides the bus away from her friends and to the private school where she feels like an outsider, but where she has plenty of opportunities. But some opportunities she could do without, like the mentorship programme for 'at-risk' girls. Just because her mentor is black doesn't mean she understands where Jade is coming from. She's tired of being singled out as someone people want to fix. Jade feels like her life is made of hundreds of conflicting pieces. Will it ever fit together? Will she ever find her place in the world? More than anything she wants to opportunity to be real, to make a difference.

I picked up this short little book after reading some fairly intense books, and knew I needed some contemporary to keep up the reading pace. Initially, I was interested in the book and curious to where it was heading. The short chapters made it easy to read but also easy to put down when I found myself getting a little disinterested. Though, to keep you interested, the book definitely picked up in the end and felt like it really getting somewhere and I enjoyed the book overall.

The main plot of the story isn't really clear, it's kind of just Jade, our MC, dealing with her life, the hand she was dealt, and the actions of others around her. I don't think that's a bad thing in terms of the important racial issues this book offers, but maybe knowing that the story is perhaps quiet and what feels like a bridging step into what I hope is a continuation of books that deal with race, if that makes sense.


Jade wasn't a particularly memorable character. When I think of the characters in this book, I think of how much I love Lee Lee, one of the side characters - I wish there was more of her. That's what I think this book needed a little bit more of - just a bit more personality showing from the MC and the other side characters that made multiple appearances.

I feel like this book is kind of like a build up to something better, but that something better is you (or more specifically, white people, like myself). It's important that you take something from this book otherwise, what is the point of reading it? Yes, it's a short contemporary dealing with what people know is a big issue in society and has been for years. So why is it that people are still surrounding people of colour and races other than caucasians with their assumptions?


Let Piecing Me Together not be a book you just read and rate and that's it. Let it be a novel that can help young readers of colour know they're not alone, let it start helping young readers to understand the importance of race discrimination and how your words, my words and their's can be the power we need to stimulate more change in this world.

Rating: 3.5/5



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*These books were sent to me unsolicited by Bloomsbury Australia. All opinions are my own.


WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:



Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @erena_b
Goodreads: @erenareads
Twitter: @erenareads
YouTube: My Life As Erena or click here

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SPOILER FREE REVIEW


Title: Reign the Earth
Author: A. C Gaughen
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication date: 30th January 2018
RRP: 

Trigger Warning: Domestic Violence

Synopsis:

Shalia is a proud daughter of the desert, but after years of devastating war with the adjoining kingdom, her people are desperate for peace. Willing to trade her freedom to ensure the safety of her family, Shalia becomes Queen of the Bonelands.
But she soon learns that her husband, Calix, is motivated only by his desire to exterminate the Elementae—mystical people who can control earth, wind, air, and fire. Even more unsettling are Shalia’s feelings for her husband’s brother, which unleash a power over the earth she never knew she possessed—a power that could get her killed. As rumors of a rebellion against Calix spread, Shalia must choose between the last chance for peace and her own future as an Elementae.

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I hadn't heard of this book until I saw other book bloggers receiving this in the mail and upon reading the synopsis I was desperate to read this book. When it showed in my mail box I was stoked so firstly, thank you to Bloomsbury for sending it my way to read.

As you may have seen above (or skipped over), I'm giving this book a trigger warning for domestic violence. It shows a lot of emotional and mental abuse and small bit of physical abuse so read with care. These parts of the story are very heavy but necessary to the story.


I was really wanting to enjoy this book so with each page I was nervous however, those nerves were slowly put at ease as I finished each chapter. There were so many different elements to love in the book, the first being the main character Shalia. She was so likeable in so many ways; I loved how much she loved her family and how involved she was with her beliefs. She is a very strong character and doesn't break easily, she thinks about her words and actions yet isn't afraid to voice her opinions when she deems necessary. If you didn't get it by now, I adored her character and hope to see more characters like Shalia in 2018 across young adult fiction.

One of my other favourite characters was one of Shalia's many brothers, Kairos. He has this air of mystery about him but still very playful and his love for his sister and family is admirable.
Pretty much every other character (except the awful tosser that is the king - more on that soon) is likeable. Some of them we didn't get too much about in this book but as the series goes on, I am very certain we will.

Something that made me so dang happy was that there was no female/female 'catty-ness'. There was one instance when I thought it would happen but the main character being ever so great, played the situation cool and developed the relationship to make it pleasant to read.


So I was talking about domestic violence and the king; as many King and Queen relationships go, the king in this story - Calix, makes the decisions on everything and despises to be contradicted and shown up. After only a couple of Shalia's and Calix's encounters you will either see the emotional abuse or you won't (but you'll realise later) - and that is how, in my own knowledge, how a lot of victims experience emotional and mental abuse from their partner. Even though Calix is a complete asshat, he is very necessary to the story, not only for it to develop but perhaps also to take note of how domestic abuse can play out.

The story itself was such a pleasure to read. It had fantasy elements - which I'm so excited to see more in the next book and I love books that are part set in deserts (unsure as to why though). And while I had some inkling of what would happen in the end (you'll probably know too about a third of the way through), it still surprised me when certain events took place and it literally had me SHOOK.

I highly recommend this novel especially if you're into dark fantasies but just as another warning: there is a lot of abuse in this story (majority emotional and mental but also physical).

My rating: 5/5

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*This book was sent to me unsolicited by Bloomsbury Australia. All opinions are my own.


WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:

Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @erena_b
Goodreads: @erenareads
Twitter: @erenareads
YouTube: My Life As Erena or click here

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SPOILER FREE REVIEW
*Please note that while my review is spoiler free, the synopsis will give things away if you haven't read up to at least Queen of Shadows (book four). You can skip over it though if you still want to read my review.

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Title: Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass #6)
Author: Sarah J Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication date: September 5 2017
RRP: AUD 17.99 (paperback)

Synopsis:
Chaol has always defined himself by his loyalty, his strength, and his position as the Captain of the Guard. But all of that has changed since Aelin shattered the glass castle, since Chaol's men were slaughtered, since the King of Adarlan spared him from a killing blow, but left his body broken. Now he and Nesryn sail for Antica - the stronghold of the southern continent's mighty empire and of the legendary healers of the Torre Cesme. It's Chaol's one shot at recovery, and with war looming back home, Dorian and Aelin's survival could depend on Chaol and Nesryn convincing Antica's rulers to ally with them. But what they discover there will change them both - and be more vital to saving Erilea than they could have imagined.

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At first, I wasn't crazy excited for this book - not because of Chaol but because I was simply desperate to know what happened after Empire of Storms. The ending of book five left me face down on the couch wondering what to do with my life so I kind of really wanted that next story (now book seven in the series). Alas, when it came closer to the release date, I found I was SO DAMN EXCITED for it and especially the special edition I had pre-ordered (it's beautiful by the way!)

Tower of Dawn is classic Sarah J Maas writing and I've loved all of these Throne of Glass books however, this book blew me away and it deserves a standing ovation. The story was just so riveting and once you got stuck in, you were powering through it.

I adored Yrene immediately, she almost rivals Manon for my favourite character in the series but she'll have to settle for second. Yrene is smart and thinks about her actions and consequences and if you know me well, you'll know I love those kind of characteristics. Along with those though, she is all round badass and also lovely and like I said, I adore her.

I freaking loved Chaol in the first two Throne of Glass novels but as we had more and more point of views and more Dorian development, he seemed to fall off my radar a little bit. I still liked him, I just wasn't as obsessed HOWEVER, Tower of Dawn does wonders for him and he's just shot straight up to being next to Dorian as my fave males of the series (not in love with Rowan, soz). Sarah wrote him so well in this story and I've started imagining him with his shirt off, ok bye.

I honestly was not interested in Nesryn in the beginning of this story and I actually think that was the aim. When she ventures out in the city and starts spending time with other characters her character develops beautifully and I found myself craving her chapters as much as the others.

The story has the classic character frustrations, relationship developments, a little bit of angst, crazy shit that happens, cool shit that happens, scary shit that happens, you know... that kinda story. It made me happy and then I would honestly be scared shitless, sometimes I cried a little bit but at the end of the book, I was so delighted with the entire story.

This could possibly be my favourite book of the Throne of Glass series, I know, CRAZY! The only reason I don't know is because Manon and Dorian give me life (especially in Empire of Storms). I actually voted for Tower of Dawn in the Goodreads Choice Awards because it's a damn WINNER.

Anyway, I felt like I kind of spewed my emotions for this book on the screen *laughs to self* but I hope you enjoyed this review and if you haven't read it, I hope you do! It is brilliantly written and such a phenomenal story.

My rating: 5/5 (duh)



*This book was sent to me unsolicited by Bloomsbury Australia. All opinions are my own.


WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:

Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
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Spoiler free review

Title: Because You Love to Hate Me
Author: Multiple; edited by Ameriie
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication date: September 2017
RRP: $14.99 AUD

Synopsis:
In this collection each booktuber gives one author a writing prompt, from which the author has created a story, written from the point of view of a famous villain. They may be stories of vengeance, of defiance, of rage. They might be stories of pain, of heartbreak, of sorrow. But they will definitely not be stories about do-gooders doing good. Leave it to the heroes to help the world; villains just want to rule the world. We love to hate them and they hate to be loved.

I was so excited to receive this in the mail despite not always loving short stories - they're too short! However, a bunch of short stories about villains, YES PLEASE.

I've been putting off writing this review because I had no idea how to write it. I didn't want to talk about every single story and I didn't want it to be too short - it might be though, so here goes...

A few of the stories were average, some were below average. For some of the them, the story was simply too... bland and repetitive? Others had a great idea to them but there was too much time spent on the beginnings of the story and the middle and/or ending was therefore rushed.

I felt that some of the stories were done pretty well. My favourites were The Sea Witch by Marissa Meyer, Shirley & Jim by Susan Dennard, Beautiful Venom by Cindy Pon and Death Knell by Victoria Schwab. The stories were brilliant and I felt they were executed beautifully as a short story.


I also enjoyed Jack by Ameriie, Marigold by Samantha Shannon (a great message!) and Sera by Nicola Yoon.

I wasn't at all interested in the booktuber commentary part - I'm sorry! I tried to start reading it but I'm not into a lot of the booktubers that were in there so it was hard for me to read it and then I just ended up skipping all of them.

Overall, if you like short stories - more so if they are told in a villain's perspective, then I think you'll enjoy this book.



Rating: 3/5


*This book was sent to me unsolicited by Bloomsbury Australia. All opinions are my own.


WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:

Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @erena_b
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Spoiler free review

Title: Moonrise
Author: Sarah Crossan
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication date: September 2017
RRP: $16.99

Synopsis:
Joe hasn't seen his brother for ten years, and it's for the most brutal of reasons. Ed is on death row.
But now Ed's execution date has been set, and Joe is determined to spend those last weeks with him, no matter what other people think...


Firstly, let me thank the book gods for another floppy paperback - I enjoy these. Secondly (another thanks), this cover is damn beautiful and I could have it forever on display.

Moonrise is written in what I think is a poetry layout - it isn't poetry but at a glance, it looks like it, does that make sense? It's from the perspective of Joe and flips between the present and the past as his memories which made for a more well developed and insightful story.

I've never read a fictional story like this before and it was interesting to read about a boy who has a brother on death row. This was an emotional read and I found myself crying towards the end. It makes me even more emotional that people actually go through this kind of situation on a daily basis - it's heartbreaking. Our main character, Joe, was a well developed character and I enjoyed reading from his point of view. The other characters in Moonrise were a great addition that helped the story continue.


The writing seemed simple but compelling and beautiful. I loved the structure of the book, it made it so easy to read and to be drawn in and to never want to put it down. I finished this in about 24 hours and wish I could rewind and read it all again for the first time - something only a few books have made me feel.

I highly recommend Moonrise, more so if you're looking for a quick read - though you may want to try and devour this as slowly as you can.

Rating: 4/5


*This book was sent to me by Bloomsbury unsolicited. All opinions are my own.




WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:

Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
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Title: All the Dirty Parts
Author: Daniel Handler
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication date: October 1st 2017
RRP: $24.99

Synopsis:
Coles is a boy in high school. He runs cross country, he sketches, he jokes around with friends. But none of this quite matters next to the allure of sex. "Let me put it this way," he says. "Draw a number line, with zero is you never think about sex and ten is, it's all you think about, and while you are drawing the line, I am thinking about sex."
Coles fantasies about whomever he's looking at. He consumes and shares pornography. And he sleeps with a lot of girls, which is beginning to earn him a not-quite-savory reputation around school. This leaves him adrift with only his best friend for company, and then something startling starts to happen between them that might be what he's been after all this time - and then he meets Grisaille.


Upon being contacted about this book to review, my first thought was "ahh, not my kind of book". But then because of that thought, I changed my mind and wanted to give it a try.
Now you might think I'll go off track here but it's relevant, I assure you. You know Lemony Snicket? Author of A Series of Unfortunate Events? Have you ever wondered who he actually is? WELL, it is Daniel Handler, author of this novel: All the Dirty Parts, (fun fact??)

From the synopsis, you may be somewhat intrigued, just like I was. I did not think about the fact that this was told from the perspective of a 16-year-old high school boy however, once I finished, I did and well... I felt a bit weird. So basically, this book is literally the thoughts of said 16-year-old boy, Cole and how he constantly thinks about sex.

I liked how this book was written in Cole's thoughts with the dialogue kind of thrown in there however, I failed to see much of a story, it was really just his day-to-day thoughts and that's what really let me down. It was just about him and sex really, I wouldn't say it was for a 26-year-old female like myself. There was a point in the book that had the full potential to go into a story that I would have loved to read, alas I was left disappointed.
There were times (not too often) where there would be a sudden flashback to the other day or last month and then back to the present in the same sentence, it threw me off a little.

In saying all that, I think there are other readers who would find this novel far more entertaining (I'm now thinking about a line about hommus mentioned in the book). It was a really quick read as well, so if you're looking for just a little something to read and you don't mind reading about the sexual thoughts (some are more explicit than others) from a 16-year-old character then check out some of the reviews on Goodreads because I've seen some others enjoy it.

Rating: 2/5 



*This book was sent to me by Bloomsbury 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: Stargazing for Beginners
Author: Jenny McLachlan
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication date: June 2017
RRP: $14.99

Synopsis:
Meg adores space. She is fascinated by science, loves logic and wants nothing more than to be an astronaut. Stargazing for Beginners sees Meg left to look after her little sister for ten days after her free-spirited mum leaves suddenly to follow up yet another of her Big Important Causes. While Meg may understand how the universe was formed, baby Elsa is a complete mystery to her.
Plus, mum's disappearance has come at the worst time: Meg is desperate to win a competition to get the chance to visit NASA headquarters, but to do this she has to beat close rival Ed. Can Meg pull of this double life of caring for Elsa and following her own dreams? She'll need a miracle of cosmic proportions.

Let me begin by saying how stunningly beautiful the cover of this book is, I love watching the light reflect off it at different angles. This book is a great teenage read but as a 26-year-old, I very much enjoyed it. I'm so thankful that Bloomsbury sent it to me because it's not something I would usually pick up - though that could potentially be a lie if I did a 'cover buy'.

Firstly, Meg is an incredibly likeable character. She is hardworking, smart and likes to keep to herself. With the situation she's been put into (shame on you, mother!), as well some things that happen at school, she's had to change her ways quite a bit and I seriously admire her for how she takes it. I empathised with Meg a lot in this story and am grateful for it.


The story itself, I found very interesting, I mean, who just ups and leaves their kids because 'there is a greater cause that I must help out with' (not a quote from the book, but you gist right?). Anyway, their mum f***s off to Myanmar and I'm here like WTF? But that is the main reason for this story. Meg is plunged into this chaotic life and because of that, it really helped develop her character. I loved so many aspects of this story and I LOVED that she loved space.

The side characters were great. Her grandpa is hilarious, and the biscuit club grew on me pretty quickly (you'll understand if you've read it/once you read it). Annie was a great character to have in there and I loved her bluntness.

Stargazing for Beginners brought out so many emotions in me and while I didn't entirely resonate with Meg, there were so many parts in this book that reminded me of my own experience in high school. Thank you Jenny McLachlan for writing a brilliant story that made me feel.

I'll leave you with one of my favourite lines of the book:
"Wish me luck"
"No way. You don't believe in that rubbish"
"You're right. Wish me a logical outcome"

4/5


*This book was sent to me by Bloomsbury 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 Names They Gave Us
Author: Emery Lord
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication date: 2nd June 2017 (Australia)
RRP: $17.99

Synopsis:
Lucy has her perfect summer planned out: perfect boyfriend, perfect job and quality time with her perfect parents.
Then her mom's cancer comes back, and suddenly life makes no sense.
Before she knows it, Lucy finds herself agreeing to volunteer as a counsellor at a camp for troubled kids, where lives are more different from her own than she could have imagined possible. Here Lucy meets the dashing but mysterious fellow counsellor Jones, who will change the way she sees the world forever.
With tragedy hovering at the edges of Lucy's life, this summer she must find out who she really is and what it means to love.

I started reading The Names They Gave Us after already reading two other contemporaries - something I don't do often, so without realising it, I was already comparing it to those two other books as they were amazing reads. For me, this book started off slow and I wasn't really sure where it was headed or it would get any better but I'm glad I stuck with it because it got to a point where I did not want to put it down, eager to know everything that happened next.

I liked Lucy the whole way through the story, she was an empathetic character who seemed very understanding and mostly assertive, though as we got deeper into the story I found that I really loved her. She made me feel what she was feeling and the heart strings were constantly being tugged. I found her so easy to read from, which was an absolute delight. As someone who isn't religious, I was first nervous as to how I would go reading from someone who is, but yet again I was surprised with the way it was written without having the main character change from who she really is.


We meet a diverse range of characters in this book who come from different backgrounds and hardships and if you're anything like me, there is definitely going to be a character you don't like to begin with. Further on into the story though when different relationships start to develop you find that you really need that character you didn't initially like. I loved all the different relationships in this book, be it the romantic kind, or friendship, even the ones they have with the kids in the camp. Thinking of it now, it was such a delight having the younger children involved in the story - they added a sort of whimsical feel to the book.

The story itself was amazing. Like I said earlier, it started off slow for me and I wasn't sure I was going to like it or not but it develops really well and I honestly think that slow start was relevant - others may not find it slow like I initially did. After reaching that point, I really started to feel the flow of the story and I think Emery Lord has done an amazing job in writing this book. I loved getting to know the backstories of the other characters as well as see Lucy develop. I think there's something for everyone in this book; while we only read from Lucy's point of view, you might find yourself connecting with some of the other characters.

There were so many things I loved about this story - if you couldn't already tell, and I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy young adult stories. The Names They Gave Us was an emotional story, both fun and incredibly heart wrenching, and absolutely not predictable. I am so, so happy I read this story as I think it's definitely my favourite contemporary read of the year so far (oOoh!)

Rating: 5/5

PS - How beautiful is this book cover?!

*This book was sent to me by Bloomsbury 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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SPOILER FREE REVIEW

**This book may potentially trigger those suffering or recovering from an eating disorder or disordered thoughts about eating. It does not talk about numbers but contains many behaviours and may affect you if you are not in the right mind to read this.

Title: Countless
Author: Karen Gregory
Publication date: 1st June 2017
RRP: $16.99

Synopsis:
When Hedda discovers she is pregnant, she doesn't believe she could ever look after a baby. The numbers just don't add ip. She is young, and still in the grip of an eating disorder that controls every aspect of how she goes about her daily life. She's even given her eating disorder a name - Nia. But as the days tick by, Hedda comes to a decision: she and Nia will call a truce, just until the baby is born.
17 weeks. 119 days. 357 meals.
Surely she can do it, if she takes one day at a time?

In many countries across the world, eating disorders have the highest mortality rate within the mental illness spectrum. You probably weren't expecting that.

Books that cover eating disorders can be very hard to write. Sometimes they come from real experiences and sometimes, completely fictional. They can also be very triggering for a reader; though as long as they come with a trigger warning it is up to the reader to decide whether to continue or not. I think this book really got it right.

I found Countless incredibly interesting in the sense that it was a good story but also perhaps a very real one. What readers need to keep in mind is that those suffering from an eating disorder go through it very differently to others. What you might read in one story will be very different to another however, both may be what sufferers actually go through - it is never a one specific way. Karen Gregory managed to write this novel in a way that could help those who don't know a lot about these mental illnesses have a better  understanding of how a sufferer thinks in a perhaps, more broad sense.


Our main character, Hedda, falls pregnant while in the grip of an eating disorder - something I've definitely never read about before. It follows her life through different types of relationships, but the one most important to her is her eating disorder. Hedda's character was written really well and I was constantly feeling empathetic with her as the story drew me in with each page. One of my favourite aspects of the book is that it sends a message of what is truly required for recovery - I don't want to mention my specific thoughts since it could be somewhat of a spoiler.
The writing flowed very nicely and I always in tune with what was happening, in fact, eagerly awaiting more.

The other different characters we meet were very important to the story and I felt that every single one of them was necessary and relevant. I enjoyed every single chapter no matter who the other characters around Hedda were. It was always intriguing to know what was happening and I was never bored.

I really enjoyed Countless and highly recommend it to those interested in picking it up. It's an emotional story and one that more people should know about. I feel like this will definitely be one of my favourite contemporaries of the year and I'd love to know your thoughts if you read this one as it comes out tomorrow.

4.5/5

That's all for now, I'll see you soon for another book review very soon!

xx


*This book was sent to me by Bloomsbury 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

Follow my blog with Bloglovin'!

***PLEASE NOTE: While this doesn't contain spoilers for A Court of Wings and Ruin, you may find that it will spoil A Court of Thorns and Roses (book #1) and A Court of Mist and Fury (book #2). You have been warned!

Title: A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3)
Author: Sarah J Maas
Publication date: 2nd May 2017
RRP: $17.99

Synopsis:
Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin's manoeuvrings and the invading king threatening to bring Pythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit - and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.
As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the  dazzling and lethal High Lords - and hunt for allies in unexpected places.
The earth will be painted red as mighty armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy them all.


**Another note: There was a lot of talk about a certain line in the beginning of the book being acephobic (not sure if spelt right but a description for those who a negative to asexuals or asexuality). I will talk about it at the very bottom of this review (after the rating) as it may be spoilery.


How does one even start a review for A Court of Wings and Ruin?

I have been waiting a year for this book to come out, and the immediate time after A Court of Mist and Fury (book #2) and the last month before this book came out were the hardest. My most highly anticipated book of the year is finally here and what do I do? I stare at it in disbelief for a moment before beginning the start of Feyre and Rhysand's final story.

STORY/WRITING

You may have heard this from others and you'll also hear it from me... The first maybe half of the book was slow. Though for me, I was absolutely fine with this. We needed to know all the details of basically everything that was happening leading up to the inevitable war, and I was happy to read it all. The second half the story was much more intense, this increased one hundredfold in part three of the book. There were so many times were my heart felt like it had seized in my chest and was going to cease beating. I had no idea what to expect of the action scenes in this book; I am a massive sucker for crazy action scenes with fighting and magic, gore and blood. I must say, it really surprised me - it was more intense than I ever expected it to be and that filled my heart with joy (and many close cardiac arrests). I was so damn happy with the way this book was written. I think I would have loved A Court of Wings and Ruin no matter what but there was so much pressure on Sarah for this book and I think she executed it wonderfully.


FEYRE

As High Lady of the Night Court, Feyre had to take on a different role in this novel however, we still got plenty of wit, attitude and everything else we love about Feyre. She is my favourite female character in this story (many people go for Mor but I am totally in love with Feyre). She got even more badass following on from A Court of Mist and Fury and I am SUPER HAPPY about it. Over the entire trilogy, I've thought Feyre's character development has been phenomenal. It really changed in each book but in a good way and a way that flowed nicely with the story.

RHYSAND

Holy mother of gods and High Lords.
Rhys is my number one forever and always.
I cannot say more about him other than that I wish there were maybe a couple more chapters from him or at least an extended one. I love knowing his thoughts from his end. Maybe I can pray for a Rhysand novella??

FEYSAND

Once again, not much I can except the fact that I am totally and unconditionally in love with Feysand. MY TRUE OTP!! I do wish there were more sexy Feysand times in the story but I'm still about it.

OTHER CHARACTERS

I am so happy with what we got in regards to both new and old characters. This isn't a spoiler because we all knew it was coming but I was so happy with being able to meet the rest of the High Lords (give me a holler for Helion please). This addition truly added to the story and without it, I would have thought less of this book *gasp* but it didn't happen, so sit back down.
Cassian and Azriel, my other loves... When they first appeared back in the story I literally cried; I think because I love Feyre so much, I really read as if I am her so it intensified the feelings a lot haha.
We got to read more into Amren's and Mor's lives which I loved, it added so much more depth to the story as well as many unanswered questions.
Since A Court of Mist and Fury, I've grown to like Nesta much more but in this book I think I grew to love her?! I love her passion and fiery goodness and I'm hoping for another story from her because I have many questions.
I loved having Lucien back in the story. He wasn't in the previous book much so it was good to have my favourite witty fox back. His and Feyre's relationship development was SO GOOD and made me happy.
There are more characters that I'd love to talk about but... spoilers.

WORLD BUILDING

The only thing to really add in here is being able to explore more of the courts, I loved it! I'm hoping for the future stories set in this world, we get to know a bit more because I am greedy. Throughout the trilogy, I've really enjoyed the fact that it's divided by seasons and solars, so being able to explore more once again, added to the story.


OVERALL

I am so happy with how Feyre and Rhysand's story ended even though it's no secret I want to read about their lives for the rest of my life. I read this quite slowly because I was honestly terrified of what was going to happen but I'm really happy with how it turned out and it makes me so excited for the new books (if you're not sure what I'm talking about, there will be new books also set in this world but not from Feyre's perspective). I have some theories which characters they will be based on so if you want to talk more make sure you message me on Instagram (@erenareads). You can message me about anything really, especially if it's gushing over the Illyrian Warriors!

The ACOTAR series has been a real hit for me, it is honestly the perfect kind of book for me, more specifically book two and three. The way they are written is what a 26 year old like me likes to read. This book contains mature content (thank you Sarah) so make sure you're into that kind of thing and aren't too young before you decide to pick it up.

I'm sorry if this review is just a gush of emotions - I don't know how else to write a review for A Court of Wings and Ruin haha.

A brilliant 5/5 stars from me.
Thank you Sarah J Maas for writing this series that is perfection.




*Below is my thoughts on the 'acephobic comment'. Potential spoilers but not much.

Firstly, there were people who commented and judged it before they had even read it - seriously?
Secondly, I would not have noticed if people weren't talking about it, and this is why:

Asexuality or asexual people are those who are 'without sexual feelings' or attraction/association. Feyre makes a comment about the Hybern prince and princess about them not having any interest in beauty perhaps because their souls had been drained away.
Now if you've read the book, you know that as soon as Feyre meets them, she dislikes them and she has good reason as to why. So her making that comment fits in with how she feels about them.
Next is that a few chapters later, the Hybern princess goes on to tell Feyre about the fun she had f***ing Autumn Court males in the war.
That is where I will leave it. I strongly believe that it is not an acephobic comment and people shouldn't be so quick to judge.

ANYWAYS, that brings my review to a close. If you loved the book and want to talk spoiler ridden thoughts, then message me on Instagram so we can chat about it because I would love to!

I'll be back with another bookish post soon!

xx

*This book was sent to me by Bloomsbury 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

Follow my blog with Bloglovin'!