Pen to Paper

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon Review

2016-03-13T12:27:00.001+00:00

The Bone Season

Series: The Bone Season #1
Pages: 452
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release date: 20th August 2013
Buy: Book Depository | Amazon UK

Add to Goodreads

Goodreads synopsis:

The year is 2059. Nineteen-year-old Paige Mahoney is working in the criminal underworld of Scion London, based at Seven Dials, employed by a man named Jaxon Hall. Her job: to scout for information by breaking into people’s minds. For Paige is a dreamwalker, a clairvoyant and, in the world of Scion, she commits treason simply by breathing.

It is raining the day her life changes for ever. Attacked, drugged and kidnapped, Paige is transported to Oxford – a city kept secret for two hundred years, controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. Paige is assigned to Warden, a Rephaite with mysterious motives. He is her master. Her trainer. Her natural enemy. But if Paige wants to regain her freedom she must allow herself to be nurtured in this prison where she is meant to die.

The Bone Season introduces a compelling heroine and also introduces an extraordinary young writer, with huge ambition and a teeming imagination. Samantha Shannon has created a bold new reality in this riveting debut.

My initial reaction to The Bone Season was definitely one of excitement. I knew it was mostly set in Oxford (albeit an alternative, future version of Oxford), and this being a city I both love and know fairly well, I was looking forward to seeing how it would be adapted for a fantasy novel. I was also quite excited by the idea of different kinds of clairvoyants, or voyants for short. Add to that that the main character was obviously in constant danger just for being what she is ... I was expecting to be immediately hooked. And I was. The beginning was instantly engaging. Straight away you learn so much about Paige, her abilities and how she puts them to use in the criminal underground of Central London, now known as Cohort I. The opening chapters are full of action, and it was fairly easy to get to grips with the world and its inhabitants.
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Flawed by Cecelia Ahern Review

2016-02-15T15:20:00.002+00:00

Flawed by Cecelia Ahern

Series: Flawed #1
Pages: 400
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
Release date: 24th March 2016
Buy: Book Depository | Amazon UK

Add to Goodreads

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy of the book.

Goodreads synopsis:

The stunning YA debut from internationally bestselling author Cecelia Ahern.

Celestine North lives a perfect life. She’s a model daughter and sister, she’s well-liked by her classmates and teachers, and she’s dating the impossibly charming Art Crevan.

But then Celestine encounters a situation in which she makes an instinctive decision. She breaks a rule and now faces life-changing repercussions. She could be imprisoned. She could be branded. She could be found FLAWED.

In this stunning novel, bestselling author Cecelia Ahern depicts a society in which perfection is paramount and mistakes are punished. And where one young woman decides to take a stand that could cost her everything.

I first read Cecelia Ahern when I was about 17, starting off with A Place Called Here, a book that I really loved. Despite that, though, I haven't really read too many of her books, mostly because I rarely read the kind of books she writes. But when I heard she was publisher her first YA novel, my interest was immediately piqued, and I knew I had to read it. Her style was always easy to get on with when I did read anything of hers, so I expected it to be similar with Flawed. If anything, I think Flawed was even easier to get on with than her adult books, and I was drawn into the story almost immediately.
But it wasn't until things started to go seriously wrong that I became totally engrossed.
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Wishlist Wednesday #216

2016-02-03T10:02:00.000+00:00

Wishlist Wednesday is a book blog hop where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves.

So what do you need to do to join in?

Follow Pen to Paper as host of the meme.
Please consider adding the blog hop button to your blog somewhere, so others can find it easily and join in too! Help spread the word! The code will be at the bottom of the post under the linky.
Pick a book from your wishlist that you are dying to get to put on your shelves.
Do a post telling your readers about the book and why it's on your wishlist.
Add your blog to the linky at the bottom of this post.
Put a link back to pen to paper (http://www.pentopaperblog.com) somewhere in your post, and a note saying that Pen to Paper is the host of the meme.
Visit the other blogs and enjoy!

Baba Yaga Laid an Egg
by Dubravka Ugrešić
Goodreads

Synopsis:

Baba Yaga is an old hag who lives in a house built on chicken legs and kidnaps small children. She is one of the most pervasive and powerful creatures in all mythology. But what does she have to do with a writer's journey to Bulgaria in 2007 on behalf of her mother? Or with a trio of old women who decide to spend a week together at a hotel spa? Startlingly original, "Baba Yaga Laid an Egg" takes a traditional myth and spins it afresh. The result is an extraordinary meditation on femininity, ageing, identity, secrets, storytelling and love.

In the space of just a couple of weeks, I've gone from having never heard much at all about Baba Yaga to having seen it everywhere. It started when I was watching some comic book recommendations on YouTube and I think about three different YouTubers mentioned Baba Yaga's Assistant (with mixed reviews).
All I really know from watching these videos is that Baba Yaga was a Slavic folklore character with some sort of supernatural presence, and she would either help or harm those who looked for her. Since I watched those videos, she keeps popping up everywhere, and then I'm in one of my local bookshops, looking for something entirely different, and I stumble on this book.
This takes the Baba Yaga figure and puts her in several different forms and tells her story based on what form she takes. This has me really intrigued, and I would have it on my shelf already, but the bookshop's copy was damaged, so I will be keeping an eye out for it on my trip to London in a week and a half.

What's on your wishlist this week? Let us know in the comments below, or link to your own Wishlist Wednesday post in the Linky :)

Wishlist Wednesday #215

2016-01-27T09:20:00.000+00:00

So what do you need to do to join in?

Follow Pen to Paper as host of the meme.
Please consider adding the blog hop button to your blog somewhere, so others can find it easily and join in too! Help spread the word! The code will be at the bottom of the post under the linky.
Pick a book from your wishlist that you are dying to get to put on your shelves.
Do a post telling your readers about the book and why it's on your wishlist.
Add your blog to the linky at the bottom of this post.
Put a link back to pen to paper (http://www.pentopaperblog.com) somewhere in your post, and a note saying that Pen to Paper is the host of the meme.
Visit the other blogs and enjoy!

Giant Days Volume 1
by John Allison & Lissa Treiman
Goodreads

Synopsis:

Susan, Esther, and Daisy started at university three weeks ago and became fast friends. Now, away from home for the first time, all three want to reinvent themselves. But in the face of handwringing boys, “personal experimentation,” influenza, mystery mold, nuchauvinism, and the willful, unwanted intrusion of “academia,” they may be lucky just to make it to spring alive. Collects issues #1-4.

I haven't picked a graphic novel for my Wishlist Wednesday for a little while, so I thought I would today, especially as I seem to have added so many of them to the Wishlist recently.
Giant Days is one that I've actually looked at a couple of times in Forbidden Planet, but decided not to pick up in favour of other comics. However, I've been watching some YouTube comic book reviews this past week and Giant Days has been mentioned quite a lot in these videos. Everyone has been saying how great the story is, and it has me intrigued enough to make sure that on my next visit to the comic shop, this is a priority pick!
As I'm taking my brother comic shopping at the weekend for his birthday, it won't be that long until this is on my shelves, awaiting my attention.

What's on your wishlist this week? Let us know in the comments below, or link to your own Wishlist Wednesday post in the Linky :)

Wishlist Wednesday #214

2016-01-20T11:35:00.004+00:00

So what do you need to do to join in?

Follow Pen to Paper as host of the meme.
Please consider adding the blog hop button to your blog somewhere, so others can find it easily and join in too! Help spread the word! The code will be at the bottom of the post under the linky.
Pick a book from your wishlist that you are dying to get to put on your shelves.
Do a post telling your readers about the book and why it's on your wishlist.
Add your blog to the linky at the bottom of this post.
Put a link back to pen to paper (http://www.pentopaperblog.com) somewhere in your post, and a note saying that Pen to Paper is the host of the meme.
Visit the other blogs and enjoy!

We Are the Ants
by Shaun David Hutchinson

Synopsis:

Henry Denton doesn’t know why the aliens chose to abduct him when he was thirteen, and he doesn’t know why they continue to steal him from his bed and take him aboard their ship. He doesn’t know why the world is going to end or why the aliens have offered him the opportunity to avert the impending disaster by pressing a big red button.

But they have. And they’ve only given him 144 days to make up his mind.

Since the suicide of his boyfriend, Jesse, Henry has been adrift. He’s become estranged from his best friend, started hooking up with his sworn enemy, and his family is oblivious to everything that’s going on around them. As far as Henry is concerned, a world without Jesse is a world he isn’t sure is worth saving. Until he meets Diego Vega, an artist with a secret past who forces Henry to question his beliefs, his place in the universe, and whether any of it really matters. But before Henry can save the world, he’s got to figure out how to save himself, and the aliens haven’t given him a button for that.

This was released in the US yesterday, and I'm SO excited about it. I discovered it at the weekend, and now I'm desperate to get my hands on a copy. It already has a great rating on Goodreads, and I can see why. I think this story has the potential to be funny in places, but also life-affirming and thought-provoking. I'm also really enjoying that it has a gay main character, but without making that a central theme of the plot (in other words, having a gay main character is normal and something we don't need to make into a discussion point).
This sounds like quite a unique book and I know it won't be long until I get this off the Wishlist and onto the TBR.

What's on your wishlist this week? Let us know in the comments below, or link to your own Wishlist Wednesday post in the Linky :)

Wishlist Wednesday #213

2016-01-13T00:00:00.000+00:00

So what do you need to do to join in?

Follow Pen to Paper as host of the meme.
Please consider adding the blog hop button to your blog somewhere, so others can find it easily and join in too! Help spread the word! The code will be at the bottom of the post under the linky.
Pick a book from your wishlist that you are dying to get to put on your shelves.
Do a post telling your readers about the book and why it's on your wishlist.
Add your blog to the linky at the bottom of this post.
Put a link back to pen to paper (http://www.pentopaperblog.com) somewhere in your post, and a note saying that Pen to Paper is the host of the meme.
Visit the other blogs and enjoy!

The Martian
by Andy Weir

Synopsis:

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars.

Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there.

After a dust storm forces his crew to evacuate the planet while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded on Mars's surface, with no way to signal Earth that he's alive. And even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone years before a rescue could arrive.

Chances are, though, Mark won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first.

Armed with nothing but his ingenuity, his engineering skills--and a gallows sense of humor that proves to be his greatest source of strength--Mark embarks on a dogged quest to stay alive. But will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

Obviously the first time I heard about this book was a long, long while ago – especially with the film having been released last year, it would be hard to miss it. It's lingered on my wishlist for a while, but I've been unsure until the past couple of weeks, when it started appearing on EVERYONE'S favourite books of 2015 lists. I don't think I've watched a single Favourites video on YouTube or seen a Favourites post on blogs without this book being mentioned somewhere. And everyone is not only saying that it's a fantastic read, but that it's also surprisingly funny, which I have to say has warmed me up to the idea of this book a lot more! Therefore, this book will probably make its way onto my shelves in the very near future.

What's on your wishlist this week? Let us know in the comments below, or link to your own Wishlist Wednesday post in the Linky :)

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken Review

2016-01-08T00:00:00.000+00:00

The Darkest Minds

Series: Darkest Minds #1
Pages: 488
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release date: 18th December 2012

Buy with free worldwide delivery
Add to Goodreads

Goodreads synopsis:

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something frightening enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that got her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that had killed most of America’s children, but she and the others emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they could not control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones. When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. She is on the run, desperate to find the only safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who have escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents. When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at having a life worth living.

I got the third and final book in this trilogy for Christmas, so I figured it was about time that I started reading the first book, and I'm so glad that this was my first book of the year.

The Darkest Minds was incredibly easy to get into. I read the first 40 pages without even blinking (okay, maybe I did blink, but it felt like I didn't), and before I knew it, I was totally addicted to the world and its characters. The story is set up really well at the beginning, to the point where I wasn't ever really confused about what was going on; there was just enough information that I had a good grasp of what had happened to the country and how it looked now, after disaster had struck.

Wishlist Wednesday #212

2016-01-06T09:40:00.001+00:00

So what do you need to do to join in?

Follow Pen to Paper as host of the meme.
Please consider adding the blog hop button to your blog somewhere, so others can find it easily and join in too! Help spread the word! The code will be at the bottom of the post under the linky.
Pick a book from your wishlist that you are dying to get to put on your shelves.
Do a post telling your readers about the book and why it's on your wishlist.
Add your blog to the linky at the bottom of this post.
Put a link back to pen to paper (http://www.pentopaperblog.com) somewhere in your post, and a note saying that Pen to Paper is the host of the meme.
Visit the other blogs and enjoy!

More Happy Than Not
by Adam Silvera

Synopsis:

In his twisty, gritty, profoundly moving debut—called “mandatory reading” by the New York Times—Adam Silvera brings to life a charged, dangerous near-future summer in the Bronx.

In the months after his father's suicide, it's been tough for 16-year-old Aaron Soto to find happiness again--but he's still gunning for it. With the support of his girlfriend Genevieve and his overworked mom, he's slowly remembering what that might feel like. But grief and the smile-shaped scar on his wrist prevent him from forgetting completely.

When Genevieve leaves for a couple of weeks, Aaron spends all his time hanging out with this new guy, Thomas. Aaron's crew notices, and they're not exactly thrilled. But Aaron can't deny the happiness Thomas brings or how Thomas makes him feel safe from himself, despite the tensions their friendship is stirring with his girlfriend and friends. Since Aaron can't stay away from Thomas or turn off his newfound feelings for him, he considers turning to the Leteo Institute's revolutionary memory-alteration procedure to straighten himself out, even if it means forgetting who he truly is.

Why does happiness have to be so hard?

This one has been popping up a lot on BookTube recently, and I have to say it has me very intrigued, especially as the average Goodreads rating on this book is currently at 4.11 stars, which is incredibly rare. And from what I've heard so far, this rating is definitely earned. It's supposed to be a little bit heartbreaking and totally gripping, so it won't be long before this one comes off the wishlist and onto my bookshelves. I'm really intrigued by the plot, especially the idea of memory-alteration, and why he would even consider that. And the scar – what happened to give him that scar?
I will definitely be finding out soon!

What's on your wishlist this week? Let us know in the comments below, or link to your own Wishlist Wednesday post in the Linky :)

My Favourite Books of 2015

2016-01-03T13:03:00.000+00:00

Whenever the New Year comes around, I always set myself a reading goal of 52 books in the year on the Goodreads Reading Challenge. 2015 proved an excellent year for beating this challenge. I read a total of 63 books and over 20,000 pages in the year, and I discovered a whole load of new favourites too!
And now the time has come to reset the reading challenge for a new year, and to choose my favourite reads of the past 12 months. Choosing just ten favourites out of 63 potentials has been a particularly difficult task this year, and these are not really in any particular order, apart from, perhaps, the first three in the list, which really did stand out above all the rest.
But without further delay, here are my favourite reads of 2015!
Read more »

Wishlist Wednesday #211

2015-12-23T12:29:00.001+00:00

So what do you need to do to join in?

Follow Pen to Paper as host of the meme.
Please consider adding the blog hop button to your blog somewhere, so others can find it easily and join in too! Help spread the word! The code will be at the bottom of the post under the linky.
Pick a book from your wishlist that you are dying to get to put on your shelves.
Do a post telling your readers about the book and why it's on your wishlist.
Add your blog to the linky at the bottom of this post.
Put a link back to pen to paper (http://www.pentopaperblog.com) somewhere in your post, and a note saying that Pen to Paper is the host of the meme.
Visit the other blogs and enjoy!

A Gathering of Shadows [A Darker Shade of Magic #2]
by V. E. Schwab

Synopsis:

Four months have passed since the shadow stone fell into Kell’s possession. Four months since his path crossed with Delilah Bard. Four months since Rhy was wounded and the Dane twins fell, and the stone was cast with Holland’s dying body through the rift, and into Black London.

In many ways, things have almost returned to normal, though Rhy is more sober, and Kell is now plagued by his guilt. Restless, and having given up smuggling, Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila, who disappeared from the docks like she always meant to do. As Red London finalizes preparations for the Element Games—an extravagant international competition of magic, meant to entertain and keep healthy the ties between neighboring countries—a certain pirate ship draws closer, carrying old friends back into port.

But while Red London is caught up in the pageantry and thrills of the Games, another London is coming back to life, and those who were thought to be forever gone have returned. After all, a shadow that was gone in the night reappears in the morning, and so it seems Black London has risen again—meaning that another London must fall.

I read A Darker Shade of Magic while on holiday in Amsterdam in July, and although I thought it was a little slow-going, by the time I finished it I was completely engrossed in the world and was left desperate to know what happens next! According to Goodreads, we only have to wait until February to find out, so I'm especially excited for the new year. I just hope that A Gathering of Shadows has a quicker pace than the first book.

What's on your wishlist this week? Let us know in the comments below, or link to your own Wishlist Wednesday post in the Linky :)

Dying to Know You by Aidan Chambers Review

2015-12-19T15:58:00.000+00:00

Dying to Know You

Series: None
Pages: 288
Publisher: Definitions
Release date: 2nd May 2013
Buy: Book Depository | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Waterstones

Add to Goodreads

Goodreads synopsis:

Karl, aged seventeen, is hopelessly in love. But the object of his affections, Firella, demands proof, and poses him a series of questions regarding his attitude to the many sides of love. But Karl is dyslexic, and convinced that if Firella finds out, she will think he is stupid, and unworthy of her, and leave him.

So Karl asks a local writer to help him construct his replies - and an unlikely, but extremely touching, friendship develops between the two men. They both come to learn a great deal about about life from a very different perspective, and when an act of violence shatters their calm, they find their respective appraisal of life shifting in profound ways.

Dying to Know You is perhaps most unique in the way it has been written. When I first read the synopsis, I expected it to be from the point of view of the teenage boy, but it isn't. The entire story is written from the point of view of a 75-year-old man – a writer – and it soon becomes clear that the novel itself is supposed to be a kind of fictional non-fiction.
Read more »

Wishlist Wednesday #210

2015-12-16T10:38:00.000+00:00

So what do you need to do to join in?

Follow Pen to Paper as host of the meme.
Please consider adding the blog hop button to your blog somewhere, so others can find it easily and join in too! Help spread the word! The code will be at the bottom of the post under the linky.
Pick a book from your wishlist that you are dying to get to put on your shelves.
Do a post telling your readers about the book and why it's on your wishlist.
Add your blog to the linky at the bottom of this post.
Put a link back to pen to paper (http://www.pentopaperblog.com) somewhere in your post, and a note saying that Pen to Paper is the host of the meme.
Visit the other blogs and enjoy!

Lion Heart [Scarlet #3]
by A C Gaughen

Synopsis:

The eagerly-awaited conclusion to the Scarlet trilogy delivers another action-packed and romance-filled adventure.

Scarlet has captured the hearts of readers as well as the heart of Robin Hood, and after ceaseless obstacles and countless threats, readers will finally find out the fate of the Lady Thief.

Imprisoned by Prince John for months, Scarlet finds herself a long way from Nottinghamshire. After a daring escape from the Prince's clutches, she learns that King Richard’s life is in jeopardy, and Eleanor of Aquitaine demands a service Scarlet can’t refuse: spy for her and help bring Richard home safe. But fate—and her heart—won’t allow her to stay away from Nottinghamshire for long, and together, Scarlet and Rob must stop Prince John from going through with his dark plans for England. They can not rest until he’s stopped, but will their love be enough to save them once and for all?

When I read Scarlet by A. C. Gaughen, I was absolutely blown away. Not only do I already love Robin Hood stories, but this one was told from the point of view of Scarlet, who unlike the known comrade of Robin, Will Scarlet, is a girl. And she's such a badass!
The way the story is written is also fantastic ... I thought I'd find it difficult to read, but if I remember correctly, I think I read the entire thing pretty much in one sitting.
This is another book that is on my Christmas wishlist, so I'm really hoping that next Friday sees this beautiful book added to my shelves.

What's on your wishlist this week? Let us know in the comments below, or link to your own Wishlist Wednesday post in the Linky :)

Wishlist Wednesday #209

2015-12-09T11:23:00.000+00:00

So what do you need to do to join in?

Follow Pen to Paper as host of the meme.
Please consider adding the blog hop button to your blog somewhere, so others can find it easily and join in too! Help spread the word! The code will be at the bottom of the post under the linky.
Pick a book from your wishlist that you are dying to get to put on your shelves.
Do a post telling your readers about the book and why it's on your wishlist.
Add your blog to the linky at the bottom of this post.
Put a link back to pen to paper (http://www.pentopaperblog.com) somewhere in your post, and a note saying that Pen to Paper is the host of the meme.
Visit the other blogs and enjoy!

The Stars Never Rise
by Rachel Vincent

Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Nina Kane should be worrying about her immortal soul, but she's too busy trying to actually survive. Her town's population has been decimated by soul-consuming demons, and souls are in short supply. Watching over her younger sister, Mellie, and scraping together food and money are all that matters. The two of them are a family. They gave up on their deadbeat mom a long time ago.

When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their very existence, she'll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. And Mellie's sin has put her in serious trouble.

To keep them both alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a fugitive with deep green eyes who has already saved her life once and who might just be an exorcist. But what kind of exorcist wears a hoodie?

Wanted by the Church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she can't survive on her own. She needs Finn and his group of rogue friends just as much as they need her.

I may or may not have chosen this as a Wishlist Wednesday title before, but I'm choosing it (possibly) again because I wanted to show some of the books on my Christmas wishlist off. I have been dying to get my hands on this for a long time, so it was a given that it would end up on the Christmas list.
I've loved Rachel's books ever since I read the first Shifters novel oh so many years ago. Her writing is fun and fresh, and every book I've read of hers has kept me gripped right the way through.
This is the first book in a new series, and I'm really looking forward to getting stuck in. Also, there's demons, so what's not to love? I hope this proves to be as gripping and as thrilling as I think it's going to. Fingers crossed this is under the tree this year!

What's on your wishlist this week? Let us know in the comments below, or link to your own Wishlist Wednesday post in the Linky :)

Wishlist Wednesday #208

2015-12-02T09:33:00.001+00:00

So what do you need to do to join in?

Follow Pen to Paper as host of the meme.
Please consider adding the blog hop button to your blog somewhere, so others can find it easily and join in too! Help spread the word! The code will be at the bottom of the post under the linky.
Pick a book from your wishlist that you are dying to get to put on your shelves.
Do a post telling your readers about the book and why it's on your wishlist.
Add your blog to the linky at the bottom of this post.
Put a link back to pen to paper (http://www.pentopaperblog.com) somewhere in your post, and a note saying that Pen to Paper is the host of the meme.
Visit the other blogs and enjoy!

Illuminae
by Amie Kaufman

Synopsis:

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

I suppose I am a little bit cheating on this week's Wishlist Wednesday because this book is on my Christmas list (and hopefully that means I will be getting it later this month). But I figured that seeing as it's December now, we're allowed to talk about the books we're wishing for for Christmas.
I have been looking forward to Illuminae for a very long time ... especially because this is not a story told in straight prose, but in letters, logs, diary entries etc ... that kind of thing. I LOVE stories like that, books that are more interactive, that feel much more like a discovery of your own.
It also sounds like exactly the kind of story I would love – it's set in the future, in space (and on another planet) and things are going very wrong. I'm so freaking excited to read this book and I know it's going to be one of the first I choose off the Christmas pile!

What's on your wishlist this week? Let us know in the comments below, or link to your own Wishlist Wednesday post in the Linky :)

Wishlist Wednesday #207

2015-11-25T10:20:00.001+00:00

So what do you need to do to join in?

Follow Pen to Paper as host of the meme.
Please consider adding the blog hop button to your blog somewhere, so others can find it easily and join in too! Help spread the word! The code will be at the bottom of the post under the linky.
Pick a book from your wishlist that you are dying to get to put on your shelves.
Do a post telling your readers about the book and why it's on your wishlist.
Add your blog to the linky at the bottom of this post.
Put a link back to pen to paper (http://www.pentopaperblog.com) somewhere in your post, and a note saying that Pen to Paper is the host of the meme.
Visit the other blogs and enjoy!

Hunter
by Mercedes Lackey

Synopsis:

They came after the Diseray. Some were terrors ripped from our collective imaginations, remnants of every mythology across the world. And some were like nothing anyone had ever dreamed up, even in their worst nightmares.

Monsters.

Long ago, the barriers between our world and the Otherworld were ripped open, and it’s taken centuries to bring back civilization in the wake of the catastrophe. Now, the luckiest Cits live in enclosed communities, behind walls that keep them safe from the hideous creatures fighting to break through. Others are not so lucky.

To Joyeaux Charmand, who has been a Hunter in her tight-knit mountain community since she was a child, every Cit without magic deserves her protection from dangerous Othersiders. Then she is called to Apex City, where the best Hunters are kept to protect the most important people.

Joy soon realizes that the city’s powerful leaders care more about luring Cits into a false sense of security than protecting them. More and more monsters are getting through the barriers, and the close calls are becoming too frequent to ignore. Yet the Cits have no sense of how much danger they’re in—to them, Joy and her corps of fellow Hunters are just action stars they watch on TV.

When an act of sabotage against Joy takes an unbearable toll, she uncovers a terrifying conspiracy in the city. There is something much worse than the usual monsters infiltrating Apex. And it may be too late to stop them…

A friend of mine pointed this book out to me when we were out shopping in Forbidden Planet and I was so jealous when she decided that she wanted a hardback copy (she'd already read the book as a review eBook) – I had badly wanted to read it after she'd been talking about it. Of course, it went straight on the Christmas list for my family, so I'm hoping it's one of the books they choose from the list.
With monsters straight from the horror pages of mythology, and a corrupt government striking fear instead of giving the protection their people need, this book promises to be full of plenty of conflict and danger. The world-building sounds amazing (my friend assures me it is), which is very important to me in a fantasy like this – I have to believe in the world they live in.
I have very high hopes for this book, even though the reviews are very mixed on Goodreads. I'm still looking forward to giving it a read and adding my review into the mix.

What's on your wishlist this week? Let us know in the comments below, or link to your own Wishlist Wednesday post in the Linky :)

Wishlist Wednesday #206

2015-11-18T16:46:00.001+00:00

So what do you need to do to join in?

Follow Pen to Paper as host of the meme.
Please consider adding the blog hop button to your blog somewhere, so others can find it easily and join in too! Help spread the word! The code will be at the bottom of the post under the linky.
Pick a book from your wishlist that you are dying to get to put on your shelves.
Do a post telling your readers about the book and why it's on your wishlist.
Add your blog to the linky at the bottom of this post.
Put a link back to pen to paper (http://www.pentopaperblog.com) somewhere in your post, and a note saying that Pen to Paper is the host of the meme.
Visit the other blogs and enjoy!

False Hearts
by Laura Lam

Synopsis:

Orphan Black meets Inception: Two formerly conjoined sisters are ensnared in a murderous plot involving psychoactive drugs, shared dreaming, organized crime, and a sinister cult.

Raised in the closed cult of Mana’s Hearth and denied access to modern technology, conjoined sisters Taema and Tila dream of a life beyond the walls of the compound. When the heart they share begins to fail, the twins escape to San Francisco, where they are surgically separated and given new artificial hearts. From then on they pursue lives beyond anything they could have previously imagined.

Ten years later, Tila returns one night to the twins’ home in the city, terrified and covered in blood, just before the police arrive and arrest her for murder—the first homicide by a civilian in decades. Tila is suspected of involvement with the Ratel, a powerful crime syndicate that deals in the flow of Zeal, a drug that allows violent minds to enact their darkest desires in a terrifying dreamscape. Taema is given a proposition: go undercover as her sister and perhaps save her twin’s life. But during her investigation Taema discovers disturbing links between the twins’ past and their present. Once unable to keep anything from each other, the sisters now discover the true cost of secrets.

I love Laura Lam. After having read Pantomime and Shadowplay, I fell in love with her world building and with her writing and I've been desperate for more ever since (especially more Micah Grey! It sucked when Strange Chemistry stopped publishing books). So of course, the moment I saw this pop up on Goodreads, I had to add it to my wishlist, even though it's not going to be published until June next year!
And this book sounds just as thrilling as Pantomime and Shadowplay, and although it's set in a totally different kind of world, I have no doubt that this one will draw me in just as much. I'm so excited about this, I might burst!

What's on your wishlist this week? Let us know in the comments below, or link to your own Wishlist Wednesday post in the Linky :)

Wishlist Wednesday #205

2015-11-11T00:00:00.000+00:00

So what do you need to do to join in?

Follow Pen to Paper as host of the meme.
Please consider adding the blog hop button to your blog somewhere, so others can find it easily and join in too! Help spread the word! The code will be at the bottom of the post under the linky.
Pick a book from your wishlist that you are dying to get to put on your shelves.
Do a post telling your readers about the book and why it's on your wishlist.
Add your blog to the linky at the bottom of this post.
Put a link back to pen to paper (http://www.pentopaperblog.com) somewhere in your post, and a note saying that Pen to Paper is the host of the meme.
Visit the other blogs and enjoy!

Passenger
by Alexandra Bracken

Synopsis:

passage, n.
i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.
ii. A journey by water; a voyage.
iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.

In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them— whether she wants to or not.

Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are playing, treacherous forces threaten to separate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home . . . forever

I keep seeing this book just about everywhere. It seems that everyone on my Goodreads is either wishing for it, or has already read and loved it.
And I can see why it's already becoming so popular. The story sounds both dark and dangerous, but also so exciting. I love the idea that the characters travel not just in miles but in time, and I think that will really give the story something unique if it's done in the right way. It sounds like an amazing adventure, and I can't wait to set off!

What's on your wishlist this week? Let us know in the comments below, or link to your own Wishlist Wednesday post in the Linky :)

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs Review

2015-11-06T08:43:00.001+00:00

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Series: Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children #1
Pages: 352
Publisher: Quirk
Release date:
Buy: Book Depository | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Waterstones

Add to Goodreads

Goodreads synopsis:

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of curious photographs.

A horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

For some reason, now totally unknown to me, I kept putting off beginning this trilogy. Maybe I just thought I wasn’t in the mood for this kind of story, or something equally as silly, but I really wish I’d gotten into it sooner. Though, I suppose you could say that I don’t have to wait for the other two books to be released! That is definitely a plus to getting into this so late – I’m already in need of book two (hurry up, postman)!

The story begins with a series of family tales, passed down from grandparent to grandson. The tales resemble fairy tales in a way, but woven into Jacob’s grandfather’s childhood and filled with monsters and peculiar children. They could easily be taken as metaphorical for the holocaust, which is something that Jacob’s grandfather and his family faced during the war, having being brought up in a Jewish family in Europe, and this is exactly how Jacob sees it once he gets a little older and stops believing in the monsters and the fantastical children of his grandfather’s tales.
Read more »

Wishlist Wednesday #204

2015-11-04T09:07:00.000+00:00

So what do you need to do to join in?

Follow Pen to Paper as host of the meme.
Please consider adding the blog hop button to your blog somewhere, so others can find it easily and join in too! Help spread the word! The code will be at the bottom of the post under the linky.
Pick a book from your wishlist that you are dying to get to put on your shelves.
Do a post telling your readers about the book and why it's on your wishlist.
Add your blog to the linky at the bottom of this post.
Put a link back to pen to paper (http://www.pentopaperblog.com) somewhere in your post, and a note saying that Pen to Paper is the host of the meme.
Visit the other blogs and enjoy!

Legacy of Kings
by Eleanor Herman

Synopsis:

Weaving the fantasy appeal of Game of Thrones with the shocking details of real history, New York Times bestselling author of Sex with Kings Eleanor Herman reimagines the greatest emperor the world has ever known, Alexander the Great, in book one of the Blood of Gods and Royals series.

Imagine a time when the gods turn a blind eye to the agony of men, when the last of the hellions roam the plains and evil stirs beyond the edges of the map. A time when cities burn and, in their ashes, empires rise.

Alexander, Macedon’s sixteen-year-old heir, is on the brink of discovering his fated role in conquering the known world, but finds himself drawn to a newcomer…

Katerina must navigate the dark secrets of court life while keeping her own mission hidden: kill the queen. But she doesn't account for her first love…

Jacob will go to unthinkable lengths to win Katerina, even if it means competing with Hephaestion, a murderer sheltered by the prince. And far across the sea, Zofia, a Persian princess and Alexander’s unmet fiancée, wants to alter her destiny by seeking the famed and deadly Spirit Eaters.

I heard about this one for the first time a couple of weeks ago, while scrolling through Goodreads and I'm really intrigued by it. One of my closest friends loves Alexander the Great, and keeps telling me to read Mary Renault's fictional trilogy following his character (I believe the main events of the trilogy are historically accurate).
This one, however, throws in something a little extra in that it has a nice fantasy twist. It sounds utterly epic, so I really can't wait to get it on my shelves and give it a read! This is definitely going on the Christmas wishlist!

What's on your wishlist this week? Let us know in the comments below, or link to your own Wishlist Wednesday post in the Linky :)

All of the Above by James Dawson Review

2015-10-30T10:02:00.000+00:00

All of the Above

Series: None
Pages: 319
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Release date: 3rd September 2015
Buy: Book Depository | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Waterstones

Add to Goodreads

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy of this book.

Goodreads synopsis:

This is a funny and moving love story about friends, first loves and self-discovery by Queen of Teen 2014.

When sixteen-year-old Toria Bland arrives at her new school she needs to work out who her friends are in a crazy whirl of worry, exam pressure and anxiety over fitting in. Things start looking up when Toria meets the funny and foul-mouthed Polly, who's the coolest girl that Toria has ever seen. Polly and the rest of the 'alternative' kids take Toria under their wing. And that's when she meets the irresistible Nico Mancini, lead singer of a local band - and it's instalove at first sight! Toria likes Nico, Nico likes Toria, but then there's Polly...love and friendship have a funny way of going round in circles.

All of the above really does what it says on the tin; there is a lot going on in this story.
It begins when Victoria 'Toria' Grand moves from her previous home to Brompton-on-sea, a dreary, forgotten seaside town, and starts at a new school as the New Girl, which immediately makes her the focus of attention in such a tight community where everyone seemingly know everyone. Making friends is the biggest worry in Toria's life, so when she meets Daisy and her group of friends, she immediately latches onto them, hoping she'll find her 'tribe' in them. After a few weeks of only hanging out with them at Sixth Form and being left to herself on the weekends, she's finally invited out with them.
Read more »

Wishlist Wednesday #203

2015-10-28T11:03:00.002+00:00

So what do you need to do to join in?

Follow Pen to Paper as host of the meme.
Please consider adding the blog hop button to your blog somewhere, so others can find it easily and join in too! Help spread the word! The code will be at the bottom of the post under the linky.
Pick a book from your wishlist that you are dying to get to put on your shelves.
Do a post telling your readers about the book and why it's on your wishlist.
Add your blog to the linky at the bottom of this post.
Put a link back to pen to paper (http://www.pentopaperblog.com) somewhere in your post, and a note saying that Pen to Paper is the host of the meme.
Visit the other blogs and enjoy!

Daughters Unto Devils
by Amy Lukavics

Synopsis:

Sometimes I believe the baby will never stop crying.

Sixteen-year-old Amanda Verner fears she is losing her mind. When her family move from their small mountain cabin to the vast prairie, Amanda hopes she can leave her haunting memories behind: of her sickly Ma giving birth to a terribly afflicted baby; of the cabin fever that claimed Amanda's sanity; of the boy who she has been meeting in secret...

But the Verners arrive on the prairie to find their new home soaked in blood. So much blood. And Amanda has heard stories - about men becoming unhinged and killing their families, about the land being tainted by wickedness. With guilty secrets weighing down on her, Amanda can't be sure if the true evil lies in the land, or within her soul...

In case no one had noticed on Social Media, for like the whole of October, Halloween is on Saturday, so I thought I would make my choice this week suitable for the occasion. I stumbled on this one yesterday while scrolling through Goodreads and it sounds amazingly creepy. There does seem to have been a much better selection of YA horror over the past year and this looks especially creepy.
Although I probably won't be reading it for Halloween this year, I am tempted to buy it as a Halloween treat and read it in the next few weeks. Bring on the scare.

What's on your wishlist this week? Let us know in the comments below, or link to your own Wishlist Wednesday post in the Linky :)

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven Review

2015-10-26T12:25:00.000+00:00

All the Bright Places

Series: None
Pages: 388
Publisher: Penguin Books (UK)
Release date: 8th January 2015
Buy: Book Depository | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Waterstones

Add to Goodreads

Goodreads synopsis:

Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister's recent death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it's unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the 'natural wonders' of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It's only with Violet that Finch can be himself - a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who's not such a freak after all. And it's only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet's world grows, Finch's begins to shrink.

I first read All the Bright Places at the beginning of this year, so this review is coming from having read it through for a second time. Although, obviously, my second reading felt a little different to the first (I remembered the story quite well), it was just as enjoyable, and just as devastating.

Even though I read the book when it was first released, at the beginning of the year, I knew immediately it would turn out to be one of my favourites of 2015, if not one of my favourites of all time.
I was gripped right from the very first chapter – Violet and Finch had wiggled their way into my heart in the first few pages, and not only did they stay there, their presence grew until I felt totally consumed by them. I can usually relate to characters fairly easily, but it’s rare for me to feel quite as attached to characters as I felt with Violet and Finch. I think that’s one of the things that make this story both so beautiful and so heart-breaking.
Read more »

Wishlist Wednesday #202

2015-10-21T10:02:00.001+01:00

So what do you need to do to join in?

Follow Pen to Paper as host of the meme.
Please consider adding the blog hop button to your blog somewhere, so others can find it easily and join in too! Help spread the word! The code will be at the bottom of the post under the linky.
Pick a book from your wishlist that you are dying to get to put on your shelves.
Do a post telling your readers about the book and why it's on your wishlist.
Add your blog to the linky at the bottom of this post.
Put a link back to pen to paper (http://www.pentopaperblog.com) somewhere in your post, and a note saying that Pen to Paper is the host of the meme.
Visit the other blogs and enjoy!

Made You Up
by Francesca Zappia

Synopsis:

Reality, it turns out, is often not what you perceive it to be—sometimes, there really is someone out to get you. Made You Up tells the story of Alex, a high school senior unable to tell the difference between real life and delusion. This is a compelling and provoking literary debut that will appeal to fans of Wes Anderson, Silver Linings Playbook, and Liar.

Alex fights a daily battle to figure out the difference between reality and delusion. Armed with a take-no-prisoners attitude, her camera, a Magic 8-Ball, and her only ally (her little sister), Alex wages a war against her schizophrenia, determined to stay sane long enough to get into college. She’s pretty optimistic about her chances until classes begin, and she runs into Miles. Didn't she imagine him? Before she knows it, Alex is making friends, going to parties, falling in love, and experiencing all the usual rites of passage for teenagers. But Alex is used to being crazy. She’s not prepared for normal.

Funny, provoking, and ultimately moving, this debut novel featuring the quintessential unreliable narrator will have readers turning the pages and trying to figure out what is real and what is made up.

I think it's fairly obvious that the first thing that drew me into this book was the cover. How stunning is it? I love the bright colours and the watercolour effect.
I also haven't read a book about a schizophrenic character before, so this will make for really interesting reading – especially as a coming of age story. I'm excited to see how the author has written the book too, because I can see so many different ways of writing this character's story. I really can't wait to get this on my shelves – definitely a candidate for the Wishlist.

What's on your wishlist this week? Let us know in the comments below, or link to your own Wishlist Wednesday post in the Linky :)

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr Review

2015-10-15T09:24:00.002+01:00

How to Save a Life

Series: None
Pages: 411
Publisher: Usborne
Release date: 1st September 2012
Buy: Book Depository | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Waterstones

Add to Goodreads

Goodreads synopsis:

Jill's life lost all meaning when her dad died. Friends, boyfriend, college – nothing matters any more. Then her mom drops a bombshell: she's going to adopt a baby.

Mandy is desperate for her life to change. Seventeen, pregnant and leaving home, she is sure of only one thing – her baby must never have a life like hers, whatever it takes.

As their worlds change around them, Jill and Mandy must learn both how to hold on and how to let go, finding that nothing is as easy - or as difficult - as it seems.

Heart-achingly beautiful, moving and funny, How to Save a Life has been named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2011, a School Library Journal Best Book of 2011 and an American Library Assocation 2012 Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults.

I bought How to Save a Life on my Kindle maybe about 3 years ago and then promptly forgot it was on there. As much as I love my Kindle, it doesn't live up to the feel of reading a physical book, so the books that I had only as eBooks kind of got forgotten. Recently, though, I have been reading more and more eBooks again, and I went searching through my device for something I had forgotten about. I wanted something where I didn't remember what the synopsis said ... a mystery read, if you will. How to Save a Life is the book that I chose. I'm so glad that I did.

The chapters alternate between two teenage girls, Mandy and Jill, and tell each of their stories, gradually merging them into one. The first thing that struck me about these two characters is how utterly real they are. I was immediately drawn into their lives, and I felt not just like a reader, but kind of like their friend. I was allowed in on their biggest secrets, fears and flaws (of which they have many).
Both girls have suffered in their recent pasts, and as the story develops we see more and more of what has happened to them, particularly Mandy – I could never imagine being in her situation and how terrible it must be.
Read more »

Wishlist Wednesday #201

2015-10-14T11:37:00.001+01:00

So what do you need to do to join in?

Follow Pen to Paper as host of the meme.
Please consider adding the blog hop button to your blog somewhere, so others can find it easily and join in too! Help spread the word! The code will be at the bottom of the post under the linky.
Pick a book from your wishlist that you are dying to get to put on your shelves.
Do a post telling your readers about the book and why it's on your wishlist.
Add your blog to the linky at the bottom of this post.
Put a link back to pen to paper (http://www.pentopaperblog.com) somewhere in your post, and a note saying that Pen to Paper is the host of the meme.
Visit the other blogs and enjoy!

A Boy Called Christmas
by Matt Haig

Synopsis:

You are about to read the true story of Father Christmas.
It is a story that proves that nothing is impossible.
If you are one of those people who believe that some things are impossible, you should put this book down right away. It is most certainly not for you.
Because this book is FULL of impossible things.

Are you still reading?

Good.

Then let us begin . . .

A Boy Called Christmas is a tale of adventure, snow, kidnapping, elves, more snow, and an eleven-year-old boy called Nikolas, who isn't afraid to believe in magic.

Matt Haig is, without a doubt, my favourite author, and I will now read anything he writes. But I am especially excited about this book. Already there have been so many wonderful things said about it, which makes it doubly exciting!
Yes I know it's only October, and already I'm wishing for a Christmas book when Halloween hasn't even arrived, but I make special exceptions for Mr Haig. I absolutely can't wait for this – it already promises to be a gem of a book!

What's on your wishlist this week? Let us know in the comments below, or link to your own Wishlist Wednesday post in the Linky :)

Pen to Paper

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon **Review**

Flawed by Cecelia Ahern **Review**

Wishlist Wednesday #216

Wishlist Wednesday #215

Wishlist Wednesday #214

Wishlist Wednesday #213

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken **Review**

Wishlist Wednesday #212

My Favourite Books of 2015

Wishlist Wednesday #211

Dying to Know You by Aidan Chambers **Review**

Wishlist Wednesday #210

Wishlist Wednesday #209

Wishlist Wednesday #208

Wishlist Wednesday #207

Wishlist Wednesday #206

Wishlist Wednesday #205

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs **Review**

Wishlist Wednesday #204

All of the Above by James Dawson **Review**

Wishlist Wednesday #203

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven **Review**

Wishlist Wednesday #202

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr **Review**

Wishlist Wednesday #201

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon Review

Flawed by Cecelia Ahern Review

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken Review

Dying to Know You by Aidan Chambers Review

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs Review

All of the Above by James Dawson Review

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven Review

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr Review