JESS JUST READS

A BOOK REVIEW BLOG

Ruined by Amy Tintera

Amy Tintera’s latest novel, Ruined, is a revenge tale and is the first in a new series. Following on from the success of her previous novels Reboot and Rebel, Amy’s new novel Ruined is a fantastic blend fantasy and young adult, perfect for younger readers and older, fantasy readers and readers new to the genre.

The main character is Emelina, who is bold, sassy, confident and a wonderful protagonist. She is also a ruined – she is completely void of magic. Her home in Ruina has been ravaged by war, her parents have been murdered by their enemy kingdom Lera, and Em’s sister has been abducted. She is on a mission to find her sister, rescue her, and plot revenge on the royal family of Lera.

Em has nothing left, but that also means that she has nothing to lose. She must infiltrate the royal family, and she does this by murdering a young girl who is travelling to Lera to marry the royal prince. Em impersonates the girl and marries Prince Casimir, who is next in line to take the throne of Lera. And from within the castle walls begins a story filled with betrayal, conspiracies, romance, bloody battles, and a sword-wielding warrior heroine.

Em and Casimir are wonderful characters who grow quite close over the course of the novel. They mould well together and Amy has written them with vivid descriptions and realistic dialogue so the reader can empathise with both of them. Em and Casimir both have different objectives in the novel. Em is out for revenge and Casimir is learning how to take over the kingdom from his father. He is both sympathetic and empathetic, and Em works to sway his opinion on matters involving the Ruined. She is not always subtle about it, but that speaks to her character. She is opinionated and daring and she doesn’t think of consequences before taking action.

Despite the fact that Em’s alliance to Ruina is slightly obvious in some parts and Casimir somehow doesn’t suspect her of being disloyal to the kingdom, Ruined moves fast and the characters travel outside the castle, keeping the story interesting and keeping the reader enthralled and desperate to find out what happens next. The story propels forward at a faster rate than most fantasy novels, and works well to keep the reader engaged and entertained.

Lily and the Octopus by Stephen Rowley

Lily and the Octopus is such a sweet tale. It’s quite heartbreaking and melancholic, but it’s beautifully written and the prose weaves together effortlessly to create an enjoyable story.

This book is about the strong bond between the main character, Ted Flask, and his dog Lily. Unfortunately, there is an octopus growing in Lily’s head. And no, not a real octopus. A tumour. Ted merely refers to it as an octopus so that Lily won’t get upset. And perhaps on some level, he can’t accept it himself. He doesn’t want to admit to himself that Lily could die. Ted is a sympathetic, caring character. In fact, he cares the most for Lily. Even when we read flashbacks from his earlier life, the reader can see that Ted has always put Lily first, before family and relationships. He’s a relatable character in these instances. He’s not a perfect character. He has flaws. But through his relationship with Lily, the reader sees his empathetic and caring side, and we come to understand him.

Lily and the Octopus highlights the bond that humans can have with pets, and the emotional heartache it can cause when that pet isn’t well. Lily’s octopus will not go away, and it starts to take control over Lily’s brain. It even speaks to Ted and has its own distinct, snarky voice that the reader dislikes. Lily becomes less Lily and more the nasty octopus taking control over the dog’s body.

Lily and the Octopus reminds us how it feels to love a pet and how difficult it can be to let go. Stephen Rowley’s book also reminds us how devastating it can be to accept that you’re going to outlive that pet. This book is at times heartbreaking but at times funny and adventurous and uplifting. Stephen has written this story with flowing prose and lots of imagery and metaphors, so that it feels somewhat fantastical. This book takes you on a journey, and it is quite magnificent.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for supplying me with a review copy.

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

This book is a marathon, not just in its 700-page size, but also in the emotional journey the reader takes when working through it.

A Little Life is about four college roommates – JB, Malcolm, Jude and Willem – who stay friends long after college and well into their adult lives as working professionals. Malcolm is a wealthy architect, JB an artist, Jude a lawyer and Willem an actor. The novel follows their lives from their 20s to their 50s, with the occasional childhood flashback woven throughout. But this is not all that can be said about Hanya’s latest novel; A Little Life is an incredible tale of friendship and trust and is about understanding how to approach life and live life even when you feel you have nothing to live for. It is about strength and overcoming your faults, and about trusting others and letting them into your life.

Jude has a horrific childhood that he doesn’t like to share with anyone, and he is the pivotal character in the novel. Sure, the others are dominant characters and Hanya does centre whole chapters around each of them, but the novel is positioned as Jude’s tale. Jude is the character who moves the reader and who breaks the reader’s heart. His childhood caused such emotional and physical scarring that he has trouble letting people in, except for a few people in his life.

All of the characters in this novel are flawed, and Hanya doesn’t try to redeem them. She forces these characters together and lets them acknowledge their flaws and lets them find a way to live their lives despite their prejudices and their faults. Hanya separates the novel not just into chapters, but sections as well, and each section focuses on a different part of the boys’ lives. Slowly, we delve deeper into their adult lives, but not without brief glimpses into Jude’s past so that we can better understand his nature and his character.

The writing is flawless. Hanya moves between past and present so seamlessly that readers might sometime miss it and need to backtrack. The characters are so clear and dimensional that you’d think they were based on real people. Many readers I’ve spoken to have been divided over this book. Some hated it and gave up after 200 pages, and some devoured it and wanted more. I am the latter. I could’ve read another 200 pages of the book, or even more. I wanted to know more about these characters, and more about the gaps in their lives that Hanya skipped over.

Those who have heard about this book know that it’s a heartbreaking tale – it’s no easy read. It’s gut-wrenching, but the characters are so well-constructed that you don’t want to give up. You don’t want to shy away from where the story might be headed. Because although Hanya breaks your heart with these characters, she also gives you hope. These characters have such a strong friendship and their bond becomes a symbol and the thing that keeps you trekking throughout the novel.

I will recommend this book to everyone I know, because it’s a book that I’ll keep on my bookshelf and reread many times. It’ll be one of those books where a reread will make you discover something that you didn’t realise previously. This is a book that will become a classic.

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

These Broken Stars is the first book in a trilogy by duo Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner. A perfect blend of young adult, fantasy, and science fiction, These Broken Stars presents a unique and interesting world. Luxury spaceliner Icarus suddenly plummets from hyperspace into the nearest planet. The main characters, Lilac Laroux and Tarver Merendsen, miraculously survive and must work together to stay alive on this uninhabited, deserted terrain.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe and Tarver is just a war hero, but without the recognition he deserves. They bicker, disagree, and they struggle to stand each other. But they have a common goal: survive. And the entire book is shaped around this sole desire.

Amie and Meagan have put two characters together who are very different, and the authors have forced them to work together. They’re in a deserted location with the possibility of death, and the experience changes them. They grow over the course of the novel, and they are fast at observing abnormalities about this strange new world that they’re now trying to survive in. Lilac and Tarver soon realise that something shocking happened here, and they work to uncover it.

The sunlight feels pale and cold, but I know it’s the only thing standing between us and a much bigger problem. A problem we’ll face when the sun starts to sink.

Amie and Meagan have written an engaging, intriguing and well-written novel, filled with diverse characters and beautiful prose. Sometimes the pace seems a little slow, and sometimes Lilac seems too spoilt, but this is necessary. Lilac is like that because of the family she’s from, and the pace of the book sometimes feels slow because they’re the only two people in this terrain and the reader knows something is just around the corner, waiting to appear and challenge the characters.

Lilac and Tarver are authentic and the development of their relationship is realistic. Amie and Meagan have crafter multi-layered characters that propel the story along and give life to the novel. This is just as much a character-driven story as it is a plot-driven story. Lilac is stubborn and defiant, and Tarver is impatient and resourceful. Since they’re the only characters in the story for 90% of it, they held their own in the novel and kept the reader interested.

The prose is very descriptive and the dialogue surprisingly minimal. Amie and Meagan rely on imagery and description and seamless internal dialogue to paint their world, and it’s impossible for the reader to not enjoy this book. It’s wonderful, and it’s a trilogy that I’m very eager to continue!

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Night Circus has long been on my wishlist for both reading and reviewing. It is well-known, respected, and loved by many. It’s set in the late 1800s and early 1900s and centres around a circus that changes location. It will pop up in a small town with no warning for a few days, and then it’ll move halfway across America and appear in a major city. The circus, which is only open at night, is followed by many and loved by a lot more. And the characters in the story — the artists and performers and managers that run the circus — are unique and wonderful.

This story is imaginative, enjoyable and entertaining. Erin has crafted a great premise and has used the quite lengthy novel to project imagination onto the reader. The circus is comprised of black-and-white striped canvas tents full of unique talents and breathtaking experiences for the customers. And it is the magic within this circus that draws the reader in and keeps them engaged.

Within the circus, a fierce competition is underway. Two young magicians, Celia and Marco, are competing in a game of imagination and will, and each must take turns in improving the circus by bringing in extra, remarkable attractions. They have been trained since childhood to compete against each other, and along the way, they fall in love. And not only does this complicate their lives, but it complicates their competition. But the competition can not be stopped. It must continue, and only one is meant to survive.

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it, no paper notices or downtown posts and billboards, no mentions or advertisements in local newspapers. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not.

Erin is a fantastic writer. Some of her prose reads like poetry, and her dialogue is realistic. The characters compliment each other within this magic realism setting. The book moves at a slow, gradual pace within the first half, and then speeds up to build the momentum of the story and further interest the reader. Despite the quickened pace of the final 50 pages, which stifles the reader a little and proves for a slightly confusing ending, The Night Circus is still a marvellous tale, as imaginative as the acts within the circus.

Even though there were a few aspects of the book that I felt could have been improved, in particular the characterisation of Celia and Marco who seem to have similar personalities, I do respect this book for what it accomplishes. It is an enjoyable story with fantastical elements carefully woven in.