JESS JUST READS

A BOOK REVIEW BLOG

Hive by AJ Betts

All I can tell you is what I remember, in the words that I have.

Hayley tends to her bees and follows the rules in the only world she has ever known.
Until she witnesses the impossible: a drip from the ceiling.

A drip? It doesn’t make sense.

Yet she hears it, catches it. Tastes it.

Curiosity is a hook.

What starts as a drip leads to a lie, a death, a boy, a beast, and too many awful questions.

Hive by AJ Betts is the first novel in a two-book dystopian series. The story takes place in a claustrophobic, confined setting — a small, strict community encased within walls.

Hayley is governed by the society she was born into. It’s all she’s known. Everyone has a purpose — a role — but Hayley starts to question hers when she discovers a drip from the ceiling.

It’s water. But that doesn’t make sense. What she’s discovered doesn’t align with what she’s been taught. That’s not where water is supposed to come from. Is it?

“With a thud, the buzzing stopped. It was Geoffrey who’d done it, his palm flat against the wall. He shouldn’t have killed the bee, but I didn’t care — there were plenty of others and, besides, it was further proof that I’d indeed come here chasing a rogue.”

Hive is a refreshing addition to dystopian fiction — a unique plot and premise, and a heavily character-driven story. The setting is eerie and creepy. The novel explores curiosity and intrigue, but also a young girl’s determination to be something other than what she’s been told she needs to be.

The book ends on a cliffhanger, unsurprisingly. I wonder if this story should’ve just been one book with two parts, rather than a two-book series. This is a pretty slim book with a slow plot, and if book two is the same then I think it would’ve served a better purpose to combine the stories.

I’m not that good at keeping up with sequels because there’s often quite a bit of time between books, so if it’s not a trilogy, and the two books are really small, why not combine?

“I checked the commons again, this time looking for other absences. On the stairs that skirted up around the commons stood members of the council, but fewer than there should have been. The judge wasn’t among them. Nor was her son.”

A.J Betts’ writing is detailed, descriptive but also really evocative. She has a real talent with words, and crafting effortless prose that just flows.

The novel does have dark elements, exploring a woman’s role to conceive children so that the society can keep growing. Hive reminded me of The Handmaid’s Tale in many ways.

The protagonist, Hayley, is inquisitive and wide-eyed. She’s innocent, but she’s also smart. She knows it’s not safe to express her curiosities to other people in the community. They won’t believe her. They’ll think she’s ‘mad’ and mentally unstable. So, she spends her time solo — searching and trying to confirm her suspicions about where she’s been living her whole life.

“We all wanted marriage. We all wanted to be the right age at the right time, wearing flowers in our hair and red balm on our lips. We all wanted to take our turn with the gold ring and the white dress that had been worn by every girl since the first days, handed down from generation to generation.”

With poetic writing and an intriguing plot, Hive will appeal to all readers. It asks many questions about what it means to alive.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Hive
A.J Betts
July 2018
Pan Macmillan Australia

From Twinkle With Love by Sandhya Menon

Aspiring filmmaker and wallflower Twinkle Mehra has stories she wants to tell and universes she wants to explore, if only the world would listen. So when fellow film geek Sahil Roy approaches her to direct a movie for the upcoming Summer Festival, Twinkle is all over it. The chance to publicly showcase her voice as a director? Dream come true. The fact that it gets her closer to longtime crush, Neil Roy-aka Sahil’s twin brother? Dream come true x 2.

When mystery man ‘N’ begins emailing her, Twinkle is sure it’s Neil, finally ready to begin their happily-ever-after. The only slightly inconvenient problem is that, in the course of movie-making, she’s fallen in love with the irresistibly adorkable Sahil.

Twinkle soon realizes that resistance is futile: The romance she’s got is not the one she scripted. But will it be enough?

From Twinkle With Love by Sandhya Menon is a heartwarming romantic comedy for young adults. Sandhya is also the author of When Dimple Met Rishi, and both of her novels explore issues surrounding culture, identity and relationships.

I enjoyed this a lot more than Sandhya’s previous novel. I found the storyline really fun and unique, and the characters really varied. Twinkle isn’t afraid to speak her mind and she’s really witty. Sandhya has captured her voice really well. At times she’s self-centered, unable to see the ‘bigger picture’ and makes rash decisions, but teenagers are like that. They can be over confident or immature, but in Twinkle’s case, she’s trying to show her classmates what she’s capable of.

The book is told through letters, email and text messages and is a really fun format. Sometimes the format is not very cohesive though, and I found myself confused and trying to keep up with the alternating formats. Additionally, the tense is a bit jolting. Most of the time, the big events in the book are actually told in past tense so Twinkle would give an introductory paragraph before diving back into what happened, and it felt pretty exhausting as the reader.

Twinkle is really passionate about being a filmmaker, and she grows over the course of the novel. At first, she’s hesitant, anxious and she doubts herself and her ability. But by the end, she knows how talented she is and she knows how important it is to strive for what you want.

“I got the strange feeling that there was a lot more under the surface than what Sahil was saying. But his eyes kept darting around, his jaw was clenched, and his arms were folded across his chest. It felt like he didn’t want me to get too close.”

From Twinkle With Love also explores female friendship and the pressure of being popular and liked in high school. Twinkle’s friend Maddie is in with the popular group, and at times she’s pressured to act a certain way to please the other girls, particularly Queen Bee Hannah MacIntosh. But that’s not who she is, and she often has to ignore Twinkle to push her away because Twinkle is not considered popular or cool. She is self-conscious and even describes herself as being a ‘groundling’. This causes friction between the girls.

I can relate to this a lot. Any girl who went to high school probably can. It was so easy to change your actions because of what others thought of you, and I think Sandhya captured this really well.

“What sucks is Hannah’s having a birthday party at Victoria’s parents’ cabin in Aspen in two weeks but it’s on the same night that Mr. Tanaka has a gallery showing in Denver, so Maddie said she couldn’t go. Hannah didn’t understand and thought it was because Maddie was mad at her about sitting on her turkey sandwich that one time. The way Maddie tells it, Hannah pitched a little fit.”

I liked that Sandhya explored the financial struggles in Twinkle’s life. A lot of teenagers don’t have money, nor do their families, but I don’t see it reflected in YA novels very often. In From Twinkle With Love, Twinkle is often mentioning her family’s financial situation and how she has to budget and be careful what she spends her money on.

“I looked at the menu and sighed. It was almost five dollars for the coffee, which was my lunch allowance for the week. If I bought it, I’d have to do without at school, and hungry Twinkle was hangry Twinkle.”

The ending is predictable, but still enjoyable. I liked the complexities of Sahil’s storyline, particularly his complicated relationship with his brother and how that affects his friendship with Twinkle.

Perfect for young readers, From Twinkle With Love will delight and inspire.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

From Twinkle, With Love
Sandhya Menon
May 2018
Hachette Book Publishers Australia

War Storm by Victoria Aveyard

Victory comes at a price.

Mare Barrow learned this all too well when Cal’s betrayal nearly destroyed her. Now determined to protect her heart—and secure freedom for Reds and newbloods like her—Mare resolves to overthrow the kingdom of Norta once and for all… starting with the crown on Maven’s head.

But no battle is won alone, and before the Reds may rise as one, Mare must side with the boy who broke her heart in order to defeat the boy who almost broke her. Cal’s powerful Silver allies, alongside Mare and the Scarlet Guard, prove a formidable force. But Maven is driven by an obsession so deep, he will stop at nothing to have Mare as his own again, even if it means demolishing everything—and everyone—in his path.

War is coming, and all Mare has fought for hangs in the balance. Will victory be enough to topple the Silver kingdoms? Or will the little lightning girl be forever silenced?

In the epic conclusion to Victoria Aveyard’s stunning series, Mare must embrace her fate and summon all her power… for all will be tested, but not all will survive.

War Storm by Victoria Aveyard is the fourth and final book in the Red Queen series, bringing the saga to a thrilling and tense conclusion.

Clocking in at 647 pages, War Storm is an epic finale full of politics, war, schemes and new allies. The pacing wavers, but the characters are fleshed out and the tension is high. If you love this series then it’s definitely worth reading War Storm because all of the loose ends are tied up and all narratives concluded.

I’ve recently created a new rule for myself when it comes to YA series, and that’s ‘I will not go back and re-read’. I pick up the sequel and start reading, and eventually I remember what happened in the previous book.

I did that with War Storm and I found it rather easy to jump back into the series, and slowly, all of the events of the previous books came flooding back to me.

“The mountains in the distance loom closer with every passing second. They look more like a wall than any mountains I’ve ever seen. Fear tries to eat at my resolve, but I don’t let it. Instead I narrow my eyes and sharpen my focus on the task at hand, leaving little room for anything else.”

Mare has definitely matured over the course of the series, and I found her internal thoughts to be much more consistent with her characterisation. She’s smart, savvy and she’s strategic.

Evangeline is probably my favourite character in the book, because you feel sympathetic towards her and so you feel emotionally invested in her storyline.

I also think the characterisation of Iris is fantastic — she’s a total badass. She puts herself first and even though she has no regard for anyone other than her family; she really helps propel the story forward and keep the reader guessing.

“The interior fort is an experiment in chaos. By now Cal will have begun his own assault, marching his battalion up and out of the tunnel system Harbor Bay is built on. It is an old city, well preserved through the ages, with deep and twisting roots. The Scarlet Guard knows them all.”

The plot is a little chaotic in the book, so you aren’t too sure where it’s headed. It’s a really long read, and the story drawn out. I think the pacing could’ve been tightened in the middle of the book, because I did feel really exhausted by the time I reached the end of the novel.

In saying that, the conclusion did feel a little rushed and quiet. I was expecting a big showdown between Cal and Maven, but after hundreds of pages of slow pacing, the final conflict in the book wrapped up rather quickly.

“The snarl of transports echoes outside the holding bunker. The soldiers must have returned, and I wonder if they managed to track down anyone in the swamps. The noise filters through the high windows cut into the concrete slab walls. The room is cool, partially underground, bisected by a long aisle dividing two rows of barred cells.”

When sequels come out so far apart, it’s hard to remember everything and if you choose not to go back and re-read like me, then you feel like you’re treading water for 100 pages just trying to remember what’s been going on up until the start of the book.

Readers will only pick this up if they’ve read the first three books in a series, but I would recommend this series to young readers who love fantasy books. Now that the series is complete, you can pick up all of the books and read everything closely together.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

War Storm
Victoria Aveyard
May 2018
Hachette Book Publishers Australia

Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

Leah Burke—girl-band drummer, master of deadpan, and Simon Spier’s best friend from the award-winning Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda—takes center stage in this novel of first love and senior-year angst.

When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat—but real life isn’t always so rhythmic. An anomaly in her friend group, she’s the only child of a young, single mom, and her life is decidedly less privileged. She loves to draw but is too self-conscious to show it. And even though her mom knows she’s bisexual, she hasn’t mustered the courage to tell her friends—not even her openly gay BFF, Simon.

So Leah really doesn’t know what to do when her rock-solid friend group starts to fracture in unexpected ways. With prom and college on the horizon, tensions are running high. It’s hard for Leah to strike the right note while the people she loves are fighting—especially when she realizes she might love one of them more than she ever intended.

Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli is a young adult novel set in the United States. It acts as a sequel to the events in Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, but you can read this book on its own and you’ll still be able to follow the plot very easily. Leah on the Offbeat takes place one year after the events in Simon.

I’ve read every single novel written by Becky Albertalli, and I think she has a real talent for capturing the teenage voice. Leah on the Offbeat is very dialogue-heavy, and a lot of the scenes are written in text format. It captures the teenage slang and dialect perfectly. Every single character in Leah on the Offbeat — and all of her other books — felt real and relatable, and their dialogue was not at all forced upon the reader.

“I wish you’d give him a shot.”
“Who, Garret?” I ask, my voice jumping half an octave.
“Wells.”
My face burns. “Oh.”
I glance at Mom, who’s sitting rigidly straight, chewing on her lip. She looks vaguely distraught. I don’t entirely know what to make of it.
She sighs. “Okay, what if—”

“I’m not getting brunch with your boyfriend.”

Once I got to the end of the novel, I spent some time reflecting on the book and I noticed that there doesn’t really seem to be much plot to this. What actually happens? Sure, the characters mature and learn and relationships form and disintegrate, but what really happens? Not much.

And I don’t agree with how Leah treats some of the other students. I found it hard to connect with her, given how rude and negative she is for most of the novel. She criticises another student because she identifies as ‘low key bi’ and I don’t think that’s acceptable because it’s okay to not fully know who you are in high school. Leah is also really horrible to her mum and her new boyfriend, and although this may be relatable for some teenagers, Leah’s horrid attitude just seems over the top and I found myself deeply repulsed by some of her behaviour.

And in this moment, it’s easy to imagine this working. This friendship. Maybe we really could be roommates. We could hang around in pyjamas and Skype with Simon and eat cookies every night and make straight As all the time. She can have a boyfriend, I can hopelessly pine for a sophomore, and we’ll be legit best friends.

Ultimately, I felt fine about this book. I certainly didn’t hate it, but I wasn’t ecstatic upon finishing it. I simply enjoyed it. I do applaud that the book brings LGBTQ+ relationships to the forefront, because I think that’s really necessary in YA fiction.

Readers who aren’t as familiar with Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda will probably love this story anyway because they won’t be as familiar with the characters and they can go into this book with a fresh mindset.

Young readers who are looking for a story featuring LGBTQ+ characters will be pleased to discover Leah.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Leah on the Offbeat
Becky Albertalli
May 2018
Penguin Random House

Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian

Theodosia was six when her country was invaded and her mother, the Fire Queen, was murdered before her eyes. On that day, the Kaiser took Theodosia’s family, her land, and her name. Theo was crowned Ash Princess–a title of shame to bear in her new life as a prisoner.

For ten years Theo has been a captive in her own palace. She’s endured the relentless abuse and ridicule of the Kaiser and his court. She is powerless, surviving in her new world only by burying the girl she was deep inside.

Then, one night, the Kaiser forces her to do the unthinkable. With blood on her hands and all hope of reclaiming her throne lost, she realizes that surviving is no longer enough. But she does have a weapon: her mind is sharper than any sword. And power isn’t always won on the battlefield.

For ten years, the Ash Princess has seen her land pillaged and her people enslaved. That all ends here.

Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian is the first novel in a new YA fantasy series. It explores power, family and grief amidst the backdrop of a crumbling tyranny.

The crux of the plot is a young princess who vows revenge on the cruel man who stole her throne. She seduces the prince to aid her mission.

The plot is not unique or original, but it is readable and enjoyable. There are SO many YA fantasy series in the market at the moment, and if I’m being honest, I don’t think this one feels too different from the others. It is well-written and the characters are interesting, but I wasn’t blown away by the book. And I was unimpressed with the stereotypical tropes used in the book — love triangle being the most obvious one.

“This time, I let myself remember how my mother would sometimes let me wear her crown, how it was so big it would fall down around my neck. But while my mother’s crown was wrought from black gold and set with rubies, the one the Kaiser sends me is folded from ashes, and as soon as it is in place, it begins to crumble, streaking my hair, skin, and dress.”

Ash Princess is ripe with tension, suspense and drama. None of the characters can be trusted, and yet you find yourself invested in all of their storylines. The novel is punchy and pacy, and this launches a series that I am interested in continuing. It may not be original, but it is engaging enough to keep me entertained.

I would’ve preferred this novel if Theo had more control over her safety and her future. She needs her friends to help break her out, and it’s their determination that spurs her newfound confidence. And later in the novel, it is her allies that help her out of confinement.

Theo needs other people. She needs other people to save her.

“I’ve been dreaming of freedom every day since the siege, waiting and waiting and waiting for just this moment, when someone would take me as far away from this place as possible.”

I wanted this book to be about a young girl who takes charge and forges a new path for herself. Instead, it’s about a girl with friends and allies who help her forge a new path. She’s determined, yes, but she’s not cold or ruthless. I wouldn’t call her frightening or scary. Once she starts enacting her vengeance, she seems to be incredibly lucky. Almost too lucky.

“Through the wall, I can almost feel Blaise’s thoughts running the same path as mine. Throughout the past decade, the idea of the After has been all that’s kept me going, and i don’t have to ask Blaise to know that a part of him years for it as well. I’ve imagined my mother there, waiting for me.”

This series will appeal to those of you who love YA fantasy. It follows the usual tropes from the genre, but it is really well-written with strong prose and realistic dialogue. Despite it’s 400+ page count, you’ll find yourself tearing through those pages rather quickly.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Ash Princess
Laura Sebastian
May 2018
Pan Macmillan Publishers

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