Review: Tell Me Again How A Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan

Tell Me Again How A Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan - Leila has made it most of the way through Armstead Academy without having a crush on anyone, which is something of a relief. As an Iranian American, she’s different enough; if word got out that she liked girls, life would be twice as hard. But when beautiful new girl Saskia shows up, Leila starts to take risks she never thought she would, especially when it looks as if the attraction between them is mutual.

Struggling to sort out her growing feelings and Saskia’s confusing signals, Leila confides in her old friend, Lisa, and grows closer to her fellow drama tech-crew members, especially Tomas, whose comments about his own sexuality are frank, funny, wise, and sometimes painful. Gradually, Leila begins to see that almost all her classmates are more complicated than they first appear to be, and many are keeping fascinating secrets of their own. From Goodreads.

I've wanted to read Tell Me Again How A Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan for quite a while, so when it came up in Dahlia Adler's Book Club for February, it was the perfect chance to pick it up. Tell Me Again is a sweet, lovely story, but it left me feeling only lukewarm.

Leila has so far managed to keep her sexuality a secret from everyone, something she's pleased about, because she doesn't need any more attention than she already gets for being Iranian American. But when the beautiful Saskia starts at her school and wants to be her friend, Leila finds it really difficult to hide the fact that she now has a crush. But when it looks like Saskia might fancy her too, Leila finds herself going along with whatever Saskia wants to do, no matter the trouble it will get them in. Leila's former best friend Lisa, now part of the popular crowd, has been struggling to come to terms with her brother's death, and Leila reaches out to try and comfort her. Slowly their friendship begins to recover, and she finds, when she signs up for the school play, that there are friends she never thought she would have got on with to be found there as well. Her new friends are there for her when Saskia goes from hot to cold and back again, but how will her family react if they discover she's a lesbian?

For a book that has a fair amount happening, Tell Me Again didn't really feel like it. Leila is dealing with her feelings for Saskia and Saskia's strange behaviour, getting to know her new friends as well as keeping her current ones from being annoyed with her, and worrying about how her traditional, conservative Iranian parents will treat her if they ever found out about her sexuality. A lot is happening, but I was thinking for most of the book, "When is something going to happen?" The pace of the story stayed steady, no matter what was happening; there were no real highs of excitement or lows of fear for me as a reader, despite Leila having both for herself. Farizan's writing style kept me gripped, but the pace of the story left me wanting more.

Saying that, Tell Me Again was a really interesting story. It has a great cast of characters; Tess and Greg, Leila's current friends, Taryn, Christina and Simone, the theatre tech crew, and Tomas who is made an understudy and stage manager with her, and Lisa, Leila's former best friend. Then there's Saskia who is fascinatingly vile. She's a bully and she's terrible, but I have a feeling she has her own issues; it would be interesting to see her story. What I loved about this book was how Leila making new friends with the tech crew, Tomas, and Lisa didn't take away from her friendships with Tess and Greg. All her friends are important to her in different ways, and no-one gets left behind. The only reason Leila tries to keep Tess and Greg from being annoyed with her is because Tess fancies Greg, and Greg fancies Leila, and it can make things awkward.

I found learning the little we did about Persian culture really interesting; the party and the wedding, where a large group of Iranian people got together, were fascinating, but we learnt more simply from Leila's home life. For the main, it came through in Leila's concern about how her parents would react to her sexuality - she doesn't just have to come out to her parents, she has to come out to Iranian parents, who come from a country that have very strict views on sexuality. She already knows a mother and father from her Iranian community kicked out their son when they found out he was gay, and she's terrified of what will happen to her if her parents find out.

"Lisa, you don't understand. It would hurt them. I've already disappointed them. My father is desperate for me to be a doctor. They'd probably kick me out. You know where they're from, being gay is illegal? They imprison people over there for feeling like I do! Sentence them to death sometimes." (p212-213)

I have to say I struggled a little with the main romance of this book, but to discuss it would spoil the story, so look or don't look.

Lisa comes out and tells Leila she's always had feelings for her. It's almost like now there's another option for Leila rather than being on her own, and suddenly she's interested, where she didn't even consider Lisa beforehand. She didn't fancy her, didn't think she was attractive, nothing. They weren't really friends, then they kind of were, then Lisa tells her the truth about why she stopped being her friend, and now all of a sudden, Leila has feelings for Lisa. It just seemed so conveniant. I never really believed how Leila felt for Lisa as their relationship developed, because it just came out of nowhere.

The romance is really sweet, though; lovely and not too heavy. A pretty light f/f romance. I just struggled with it.

Although I was disappointed with Tell Me Again, I did find the Persian culture and the beliefs regarding sexuality interesting, so I'm really looking forward to giving Farizan's first book If You Could Be Mine a read, a f/f romance set in Iran.



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Published: 6th October 2015
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Sara Farizan on Twitter

Review: Loud Is How I Love You by Mercy Brown

Loud Is How I Love You by Mercy Brown - Twenty-one-year-old front girl Emmylou knows that getting her band noticed in the ‘90s indie rock scene will be no easy task. She definitely knows better than to break the number one rule of the band: Don't sleep with your bandmates! But after she ends up having the best sex of her life with her guitarist, Travis, she finds following that rule is a lot harder than it sounds.

When the band gets the gig of their dreams, making it big seems just within reach. But Emmy’s inability to keep her hands off Travis threatens everything they’ve worked for. Can Emmy find a way to break the rules and not blow the chance of a lifetime? From Goodreads.

I don't read too much new-to-me NA because it all just seems completely saturated with sex, and I find if the characters keep having sex, I get pretty bored. But YA authors Dahlia Adler and Becky Albertalli recommended Loud Is How I Love You by Mercy Brown because of main character Emmylou's voice, among other things, and as it was pretty cheap, I thought I would give it a go. Loud Is How I Love You was so good!

The first rule of being in a band: Don't sleep with your band mates. It makes things complicated, and complicated is not what you need when you're trying to make the big time. So when Emmylou breaks this rule and sleeps with her guitarist, Travis, she panics about how it will affect the band... until she falls into bed with him again. Emmy just can't get enough, but at the same time, she's constantly worrying about her band - especially as she's seen how relationships are causing trouble for her  friends' bands. And when they bag a slot on a gig for one of the biggest bands in the area, she knows so much more is on the line - but maybe more than she realises, if she keeps pushing Travis away.

When I first started this book, I was pretty sure it was going to be one of those books that bored me. There is quite a lot of sex at the beginning. It's the day after the night before, and she's remembering what happened - in quite some detail. But on the whole, there's more story than there is sex, and it does cool down after a while. Once it did, I really fell in love with this story. Travis is such a good guy, and you tell from very early on that he has such strong feelings for Emmy. This isn't just sex for him, he wants more from Emmy, but she's scared - scared for the band, and scared for herself. It sounds a bit like Travis is a walkover, but he's not. Emmy keeps changing her mind. "No, no, no, we can't do this!" "Ok, well... maybe we could, if we take it slow..." Travis keeps thinking he's got the green light, only for Emmy to put the breaks on things again. She hurts him over and over, and that's really only going to go one way.

Emmy herself is such a complicated character. She does have the most brilliant, strong voice; it does feel a lot like you're reading her diary, or her mind. Emmy is so passionate about her music and her band. Music is her dream, it's all she wants to do with her life, so when this... thing she has with Travis gets going, she really does lose the plot. Her mind jumps back and forth like nobody's business, not knowing what it is she wants more, or what to do for the best. What she doesn't seem to get is that the way she's behaving is putting the band at risk more than sleeping with Travis is, because things between them get quite rocky. But it's not just her band that she's worried about. There are things from her past that are affecting her judgement, and she just wants everything to go back to how they were before, when everything was ok. But at the same time, she can't get enough of Travis. She's really torn. Emmy is so flawed, and so frustrating, but you can't help but feel for her.

I loved the world this story is set in. I used to be really good friends with an unsigned punk rock band, and I would go to so many gigs, was guest listed and allowed backstage sometimes, so although I'm not a musician myself, this was all so familiar to me. It reminded me of a time in my life when I was having so much fun, making great friends, and dancing to great music. I spent years watching those guys dedicating so much time to their band and trying so hard to make it, I could completely understand where Emmy was coming from, even if I disagreed with her all of the time. Loud Is How I Love You was a nice trip down memory lane.

I have to end this review by saying that I really loved Travis. He was the sweetest guy. Despite the things that happen between them, and how many times Emmy pushes him away, or how many times she hurts him with her careless words... you become sure he's just going to throw in the towel, but the boy just has too much integrity to walk away. There are people relying on him. This is not just about him and Emmy; what happens between them affects the whole band, and he keeps fighting to sort things out with Emmy, one way or another, despite hurting and wanting her love. God, I loved him!

Loud Is How I Love You is such a fantastic story, and there's a lot more going on under the surface than you would expect. I'm so excited to read the sequel/companion novel Stay Until We Break when it comes out in June!



Published: 19th January 2016
Publisher: InterMix
Mercy Brown's Website

Review: The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig

The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig (eProof) - Sixteen-year-old Nix Song is a time-traveller. She, her father and their crew of time refugees travel the world aboard The Temptation, a glorious pirate ship stuffed with treasures both typical and mythical. Old maps allow Nix and her father to navigate not just to distant lands, but distant times - although a map will only take you somewhere once. And Nix's father is only interested in one time, and one place: Honolulu 1868. A time before Nix was born, and her mother was alive. Something that puts Nix's existence rather dangerously in question...

Nix has grown used to her father's obsession, but only because she's convinced it can't work. But then a map falls into her father's lap that changes everything. And when Nix refuses to help, her father threatens to maroon Kashmir, her only friend (and perhaps, only love) in a time where Nix will never be able to find him. And if Nix has learned one thing, it's that losing the person you love is a torment that no one can withstand. Nix must work out what she wants, who she is, and where she really belongs before time runs out on her forever. From Goodreads.

I wanted to read The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig from the moment I heard about it on Barnes and Noble's Blog. I was elated to hear Hot Key Books would be publishing it in the UK, and that we'll get to read it soon without ordering it from the US. As soon as I saw it was available on NetGalley, I snapped it up, and oh my god, it's so, so, so good!

Nix lives with her father, Captain Slate, and their crew on the time-travelling ship, The Temptation. As long as they have a map of a destination from the time they wish to travel to, they can go anywhere and anywhen. Slate is obsessed to the point of distraction with finding a map from 1868 Honolulu, Hawaii, when his wife died, to try and save her life. The only problem is, she died during childbirth when Nix was born. If Slate manages to save his wife, what will happen to Nix? When Slate discovers there is a map that may very well take them to 1868 Honolulu, he needs Nix's help to get it. She can help her father, and risk her very existence, or she can refuse - but Slate is threatening to abandon Kashmir, Nix's best friend, in a place and time she can never return to, if she doesn't help him. It time for Nix to decide what's more important; trying to please a father who seems barely interested in her until she can help him; Kash, for whom she's beginning to have feelings for; or her own life.

I cannot begin to tell you how much I loved this book! I was absolutely gripped by this story, dying to know where it would it lead and what would happen, but more than that, I was taken in by the sumptuous storytelling. The Girl From Everywhere is a treasure trove of beauty, when it comes to describing the wonderful island of Oahu, and detail; given her home is a time-travelling ship, Nix has nurtured a love for history and mythology, and there is so much information woven into this story, I was completely swept away by it all. And with Heilig's master storytelling, it didn't feel like an info dump or a dry history lesson, it was all delicately woven in to the plot of the story. Although The Girl From Everywhere is sci-fi meets historical, it had a magical realism feel to it, where myths and the magical are real, as long as you had the right map.

I was completely taken by the cast of characters, and loved how diverse they were. Half Chinese and half American, Nix is a brave, smart, and resourceful young woman, who has quite a modern voice despite when she was born - due to the fact that she's been brought up by a father from present day New York. She's quick and clever, and I just loved her. She's also stubborn, and determined to work out how to navigate and flee to time-travel away from her father, for the safety of her existence, and because of the unintentional hurt she's always caused by a father who is obsessed with a woman who died 16 years ago. I wish we had more of Bee and Rotgut, two of the other crew members, because they were so interesting! Bee is an African woman from a long ago past, part of a tribe that believed that those who die are still with their loved ones, and so she is forever talking about and to Ayen, her deceased wife. Rotgut is a Chinese man who used to be a monk before running away and joining the crew of The Temptation. Bee is friend and an almost-mother-figure to Nix, and offers advice and friendship, and kind words when her father is present but absent. Rotgut... we got less of him, and I can't tell you much about him other than that he does the cooking and loves fishing for the food he cooks, but I really liked him, too!

And Kashmir! Oh, Kashmir! A young Persian man from a mythical Iran, he is quick witted and flirty, hugely self-confident, and one of the most talented thieves I've come across in fantasy. I loved him! And his relationship with Nix was so beautiful! Theirs is a slow blossoming romance, it's all under the surface and subtle, but they're hints and flirty banter that might be more than banter, and it's just so gorgeous! He doesn't push it though, he doesn't force Nix into a conversation she's not ready for. Because Kash is her best friend, and she loves him and what they have so much. Yes, she's coming to realise feelings are slowly but surely developing for him, but she doesn't want to risk or complicate what they already have. And so Kash kind of gently places hints about how he feels, and leaves it up to Nix to decide what to do with them, whether that's choosing not to read more into what he's saying, ignore the fact that there might even be more to what he's saying anyway, or face exactly what he's saying head on, and respond. The ball's in Nix's court, and he gives her the space to work things out - both that he feels something for her, and to work out what it is she feels for him. It's the sweetest damn thing ever, and oh my god, I want a Kash of my own! All this sweetness doesn't take away from just how hilarious he is, with his quips and self-confidence. I just love this boy, and I would like more of him. And, with how this story is set up, with all it's different times and places and history, I think it would be perfectly do-able if Heilig ever wanted to write a short story from his point of view of when he first joined The Temptation. So a The Girl From Everywhere 0.5. Or maybe one set between The Girl From Everywhere and the as yet untitled sequel, The Girl From Everywhere 1.5, from his point of view on an adventure with Nix, but where we get into his head and get more of what he feels for her. Or just any kind of short story from his point of view, because I just love him so. Just putting that out there.

And now Slate. He is such a complicated character. I kind of loathe him and feel so unbearably sorry for him at the same time. He is so desperately lost without his wife, Lin, that even 16 years on, his every waking thought is about trying to find a way back to her. He is obsessed - the bad kind of obsessed where he thinks of little else, least of all his own daughter who's very existence is on the line. When Slate has hope, he is so deliriously happy, so unbelievably euphoric. Nix finds it difficult to say no to him when he's like this; yes, helping him is hazardous for her, but despite how he treats her, he's still her father and she loves him, and wants him to be happy. And when he's hoping and needing her help, she has her father back, if briefly. But when hope is dashed - as they have found various maps of Honolulu in 1868 in the past that have just failed in getting them there - Slate falls into the depths of the darkest despair. His only way of coping is to shut himself in his quarters and get so high on opium, he's completely out of it for days at a time. I suspected throughout the novel that Slate might be bipolar, but this is never discussed, so I couldn't say for sure.

Although the stories are very different, the experience of reading The Girl From Everywhere was a lot like my experience of reading Harry Potter*; it evoked the same feelings of wonder, excitement and awe! And despite the fact I read all the time, The Girl From Everywhere reminded me of what reading is all about - those feelings, the wonder, excitement and awe, are what I hope for every time I open a book. Reading this book was like discovering reading for the very first time, again. I have a feeling that The Girl From Everywhere - and subsequent books - are going to be books I read over and over again.

The Girl From Everywhere is perfect and wonderful, and I absolutely cannot wait for the sequel! It's such an incredible debut novel, and I am so excited by the thought of all the books she'll write. I cannot praise this book enough! I need you all to read it, so we can rave about this gem of a book together.

*Please note, I am not saying The Girl From Everywhere is like the Harry Potter books. These books are in no way similar when it comes to plot. I'm saying The Girl From Everywhere made me feel the same way as I felt when reading Harry Potter. Do not read this book and expect Harry Potter, because that isn't what you're going to get.

Thank you to Hot Key Books via NetGalley for the eProof.



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Published: 3rd March 2016
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Heidi Heilig's Website

#WO2016 Valentine's Blog Hop: Character's Sending Valentines (+ Giveaway!)

Today I'm taking part in the #WO2016 Valentine's Blog Hop, organised by the lovely Julie Ember, debut YA author of Unicorn Tracks.

Wo2016 originally stood for ‘Waiting on 2016’ and was started as a supportive FB group for writers publishing a book in 2016 by Suzanne Van Rooyen and Louise Gornall. The group is comprised primarily of YA and NA authors, about 70% of whom are debuts. Now that 2016 is officially here, the #WO2016 group thought it would be fun to do a blog hop together. Since the group’s primary objective is support, which is a type of love, they picked Valentine’s Day as a theme.

For my part in the Valentine's Blog Hop, three authors are sharing extra content: valentine's sent between the couples in their books - all title links go to Goodreads and author links go to the author's website. And at the very end of this post is an epic giveaway!

First up we have the first book in the Never Veil series Nobody's Goddess by Amy McNulty (released 21st April 2015), with a Valentine from the veiled lord to Olivière.

In a village of masked men, magic compels each man to love only one woman and to follow the commands of his “goddess” without question. A woman may reject the only man who will love her if she pleases, but she will be alone forever. And a man must stay masked until his goddess returns his love—and if she can’t or won’t, he remains masked forever.

Seventeen-year-old Noll isn't in the mood to celebrate. Her childhood friends have paired off and her closest companion, Jurij, found his goddess in Noll’s own sister. Desperate to find a way to break this ancient spell, Noll instead discovers why no man has ever chosen her.

Thus begins a dangerous game between the choice of woman versus the magic of man. And the stakes are no less than freedom and happiness, life and death—and neither is willing to lose. From Goodreads.



Olivière,

I look at you and I see what could be. I see your hands in mine, your dark eyes glistening as they gaze at me. I see that smile you think I have never seen, evidence of that small bit of happiness you have felt since you moved into my castle—in those moments you were away from me.

I know that you will never be mine. Even though I longed for you for all these years, more years than you can imagine, more years than you will ever see, you made it clear to me. You did not want me. You would forget me, if you could. You refuse even to ask my name, as if by knowing it, you would have to acknowledge I exist, and that I love you.

You are my subject, but I am your slave. My chest burns with never-ending desire to make you happy, to do everything you ask of me. But I know in your words lies a careless sort of power. I know what you would ask of me, if I let you. I cannot let it end now, after all this time. After all you have put me through.

I love you, but I hate you, and I know you hate me, too. I want to love you, to only love you. I wish I had the sort of power you have over me over you. I wish we could start anew.

Forever yours,

The veiled lord

And now we have Scardust by Suzanne van Rooyen (publishing 8th February 2016), with a Valentine from Raleigh to Crow - a playlist he created for him.

Dead Rock, Texas, 2037

Raleigh Williams made a promise to his brother before he died, that he’d scatter his ashes on Mars. Desperate to leave a life of bad memories behind and start over in the Martian colony, Raleigh fully intends to keep that promise. But his plans are thwarted when a meteor near-misses him in the desert, and Raleigh finds in its crater not debris or even a spacecraft, but a man covered in swirling scars and with no memory of who he is. At least he looks like a man—a man Raleigh can’t seem to keep his eyes off of—but whenever they touch it ignites a memory swap between them.

Raleigh agrees to help Meteor Man piece together his life through their cosmic connection. But the memory share goes both ways, and Raleigh becomes inexplicably entangled with a guy who is everything he needs—everything good that Raleigh is not—but might not even be human. As their minds and worlds collide, reality unravels and Raleigh must face a painful truth, one that could shatter his dreams of finding love, reaching Mars, and fulfilling his brother’s last wish.



And finally, we have Of Scions of Men by Courtney Sloan (publishing 22nd February 2016), with a Valentine's emails between Rowan and Devon.

Geopolitical babysitting while arresting preternatural killers, it’s just the daily grind for Scion Rowan Brady. Brash and sarcastic, Rowan has sold her life, her career and her very blood to the controlling paranormal ruling class of America, all to make sure her kid brother can eat. Now she uses her powers as a scion to kick the ass of any preternatural creature idiotic enough to break the rules and prey upon humanity without a license. All it costs her is her freedom and a pint or two per week to her new Master.

But juggling her job and duties becomes even tougher when she is tasked with keeping a contingency of diplomats from Canada from getting gnawed on. However, negotiations for an International Blood Exchange are interrupted when bodies start showing up.

Now Rowan must rely on her talent and wit to defend the society she despises to save the lives she’s sworn to protect. But as she stumbles into the truth, she chances becoming a target of not only these killers, but of her own government. With shifters, ghosts, vampires and psychics all watching her, can she stop the killings before she is silenced?


Thank you to all three authors for sharing such intriguing Valentines! Do check out their books and their websites! And now for the giveaway! One winner will win all of this:

1 x Paperback ARC Copy of Pat Esden's A Hold On Me with Book Swag
1 x Hardback Copy of Sarah Ahier's Assassin's Heart with Book Swag
1 x Hardback Copy of Pintip Dunn's Forget Tomorrow with Book Swag
1 x Paperback Copy of Suzanne Van Rooyen's Scardust
1 x Paperback Copy of Jessica Gunn's Gyre with Book Swag
1 x Paperback Copy of Jodie Andrefski's The Girlfriend Request
1 x Paperback Copy of Vicki Weavil's Facsimile
1 x Paperback ARC Copy of Lucy Briand's Magnetic Shift with Book Swag
1 x eARC of Julia Ember's Unicorn Tracks With Book Swag
1 x eARC of Nina Rossing's Fjord Blue
1 x eARC of CK Oliver's Daybreak Rising with Book Swag
1 x eARC of Courtney Sloan's Of Scions and Men with Book Swag
1 x Ebook copy of Amy McNulty's Nobody's Goddess
1 x Ebook copy of Melanie McFarlane's There Were Once Stars

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Review: The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore

The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore - For twenty years, the Palomas and the Corbeaus have been rivals and enemies, locked in an escalating feud for over a generation. Both families make their living as traveling performers in competing shows—the Palomas swimming in mermaid exhibitions, the Corbeaus, former tightrope walkers, performing in the tallest trees they can find.

Lace Paloma may be new to her family’s show, but she knows as well as anyone that the Corbeaus are pure magia negra, black magic from the devil himself. Simply touching one could mean death, and she's been taught from birth to keep away. But when disaster strikes the small town where both families are performing, it’s a Corbeau boy, Cluck, who saves Lace’s life. And his touch immerses her in the world of the Corbeaus, where falling for him could turn his own family against him, and one misstep can be just as dangerous on the ground as it is in the trees. From Goodreads.

The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore has been absolutely raved about, and with the quote on the cover from Sabaa Tahir, saying it has "a fantastical world as captivating as that of The Night Circus," I knew I just had to read it. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is one of my favourite books, so any book that is compared to it is one I have to read. I'm so glad I bought The Weight of Feathers, as it's incredible.

The Palomas are a Latino family with scale birthmarks, who travel around with their mermaid show, putting on fantastical performances in water, with their brightly coloured tail costumes. Similarly, the Corbeaus are a French family of performers, who have feathers growing in their hair; formerly tightrope walkers, now they perform risky and dangerous balancing acts in the high branches of trees, with feathered peacock wings and fairy make-up, astounding the crowds. The two families have been rivals for generations, each believing the other has the magic of the devil flowing in their veins. The rivalry is violent and dangerous; brought up to believe a touch from one can kill the other, the only way to safely touch them is through fighting in order to keep their magic away.
Lace is a Paloma, new to the mermaid show, and has been brought up on the stories of the terrible things the Corbeaus have done, how they killed her great uncle, and she knows only fear and hate. Cluck is a Corbeau, who creates the beautiful wings the performers wear, and likewise has been brought up to believe in the Palomas are a danger to his family, and killed one of his cousins. Every year the two families arrive at the town of Almendro for it's annual festival, and do their best to keep out of each others way, and make sure the others don't come near them. When the town's chemical plant causes the clouds to rain down poison, Cluck comes across Lace as the water is burning through her clothes and skin. Not knowing she's a Paloma, he saves her life - and one of his feathers burns a scar into her arm. Lace has been touched by a Corbeau, a brand burned into her skin, and neither her nor Cluck's lives will remain the same.

Oh my god, this book is incredible! There is something about magic realism that is so beautiful; there's no explanation for the fantastic - the Corbeaus' feathers, the Palomas' scales - they just are, and are accepted by character and by reader, and the magic of the story always weaves itself around my heart. This is the second novel in the magic realism genre I've read, the first being The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton, and although The Weight of Feathers has a more contemporary feel to it, I found the storytelling to be just as wonderful. I completely immersed myself in Lace and Cluck's tale, and I didn't want to come up for air.

At the head of each family is a strong, fierce woman. Each woman is more than the head of the family, they are dictators, in their word in law. For the Palomas, it is Lace's Abuela, her grandmother. Your place in the family is determined by how happy she is with you, and she doesn't bat an eyelid at telling you you're not pretty enough or slim enough, or you're simply not good enough. Every mermaid strives to get her approval. Her tongue is sharp, and she rules with an iron fist. I cannot begin to tell you how dispicable this woman is. Nicole, Cluck's mother, is the head  of the Corbeau family, and she despises Cluck, and puts him down at every opportunity. Her other son, Dax, is the star of the show, and as she makes no bones about how much she is disgusted by Cluck, Dax makes sure Cluck does what's right for the family with his fist. Any slip up will bring a beating from Dax, and Nicole will over look it. No-one stands up for Cluck, or helps him. Many don't seem to care, or fear for their own place in the family. The only people who are kind to him are his cousin Eugenie, and his Pépère, his grandfather, who he is very close to and tries to emulate. Individually, each family is absolutely disgusting, but when their hate for each other is added, they become horrifying.

So it's a wonder that Lace and Cluck ever manage to feel anything for each other. I don't want to give any hints as to what happens after the chemical storm, because this is a story you very much should discover as you read it. But both characters are filled with superstition about and fear of the other's family, it's amazing that anything happens. But it's a wonderful Romeo and Juliet-esque story, where they overcome their differences, and learn that what they've been told doesn't matter when it comes to each other.

I was blown away by this incredible story, but I have to say I was a little underwhelmed by the climax. It was more of an anti-climax for me. With all the hate flying around through this story, I just thought there would have been more of an epic conflict at the end. But there's also so much beauty in the ending, and in the actions taken by Lace and Cluck, I can forgive the slight disappointment.

The Weight of Feathers is an epic love story full of beauty and magic, and left me full of wonder. With this fantastic debut novel, McLemore has definitely become one to much. I cannot wait for her second novel, When the Moon Was Ours.



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Published: 15th September 2015
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Anna-Marie McLemore's Website

Review: Starborn by Lucy Hounsom

Starborn by Lucy Hounsom - Death and destruction will bar her way...

Kyndra's fate holds betrayal and salvation, but the journey starts in her small village. On the day she comes of age, she accidentally disrupts an ancient ceremony, ending centuries of tradition. So when an unnatural storm targets her superstitious community, Kyndra is blamed. She fears for her life until two strangers save her, by wielding powers not seen for an age - powers fuelled by the sun and the moon.

Together, they flee to the hidden citadel of Naris. And here, Kyndra experiences disturbing visions of the past, showing war and one man's terrifying response. She'll learn more in the city's subterranean chambers, amongst fanatics and rebels. But first Kyndra will be brutally tested in a bid to unlock her own magic.

If she survives the ordeal, she'll discover a force greater than she could ever have imagined. But could it create as well as destroy? And can she control it, to right an ancient wrong. From Goodreads.

I had completely forgotten Starborn by Lucy Hounsom was winging it's way to me, so I got all excited when I rediscovered it once it arrived. I really want to get back in to high fantasy again this year, and discovering new authors, so I was so happy to have this intriguing story. But, although I really enjoyed it, I was a little disappointed over parts of it.

It's Inheritance Day for the town of Brenwym, the day teenagers coming of age look into the town's relic, which will tell them their true name and their calling. But when Kyndra looks into the relic - a shallow bowl filled with water - it reacts strangely before breaking into pieces. Kyndra doesn't know what her calling is, and nor do those who were still waiting to look into the relic. When a massive, dangerous storm kills a local, the town believe they're being punished because Kyndra broke the relic, and turn on her, planning to kill her. But two strangers with strange powers save her life and whisk her away. Brégenne and Nediah are wielders, people who can harness the power of either the sun or the moon, and due to the things they observed in the town, and on their travels, they believe Kyndra is a potential wielder, too. Kyndra knows they are wrong, she's just an ordinary girl, and believes herself proved right when they reach Naris, the secret home of the wielders, and the test, that brings forth a potential's affinity to solar or lunar energy, very nearly kills her. But Kyndra has been having visions of a past war, people are losing their minds, and the Breaking, the storm that destroyed Brenwym, is getting worse - quicker and stronger and more destructive. There are those who think these things mean something, and Kyndra must be tested again. What are Kyndra's visions? And why are people eager to help her pass the test?

I found the premise of Starbound to be really intriguing. I felt the pacing was off a little at the beginning, because things have and are happening, but it just dragged for me. Despite this, it soon picked up, and I was absolutely gripped by the story. In places it was kind of predictable and obvious where things would end up regarding Kyndra, but I was really interested to see how it the book would lead to that point. There's a lot of intrigue, and characters with their own agendas. There were elements that reminded me of other fantasies, which were kind of comforting in their familiarity.

But there's a lot we're not told. What is the purpose of the wielders? Once you've completed your training and are no longer a novice, now a master wielder, what do they do? All these wielders living in Naris, what are they doing? I understand that the world no longer knows or understands what wielders are since before the war, and so now have to live in hiding, but what do they do?! I have no idea! Brégenne and Nediah are out to track and observe the Breaking, but otherwise, the wielders as a whole? I just don't understand. Speaking of the Breaking, I don't really get why the Breaking is here. We're told why it was caused, but that why isn't explained. I don't want to spoil the story, but it's as in, the Breaking was caused because X happened. Ok, buy why did X cause the Breaking? There are a lot of things like this in the book that aren't explained well enough for me, and it left me with a lot of questions.

There are slight spoilers below. But it's on a very serious topic, and so I feel it's important to spoil this element. However, if you'd rather go without spoilers, don't click the button.

There is also the threat of sexual assault in the book. Which happens, so that's not exactly what I have a problem with. What I have a problem with is how Kyndra forgives these boys who were bullying her and threatened sexual assault when she was magically immobile, and becomes friends with her. WHAT THE HELL?! At first I genuinely thought the boys - and the girl who was part of the group, but not involved in the bullying/sexual assault - were spies for someone else, befriending her to get information out of her, but no. They were forced to work with her for a punishment, and friendship grew from there. And Kyndra lets it. She forgives the boys and lets it go. This is not true to life. This guy straddled her and kissed her when she couldn't move, and told her he could do anything he wanted. You do not just brush that aside and let it go and become friends with someone like that. You just don't. And I thought this whole element of the story was just completely misjudged. I think the friendship is supposed to continue in the next books, and how I'm supposed to get on board with that and like this guy, I just don't know. I really don't It left me raging.

I was really surprised by the climax and ending of this book. Every major plot point for this story is wrapped up, which I'm not used to; normally, some things are left open to be read about in consecutive books, but it's all wrapped up in Starborn. It's the wrapping up that leads to what will happen in the next book. But the climax and wrapping up happens so quickly! Not in a rushed way, but just that everything is resolved much sooner than I expected. And it's actually brilliant. During the lead up to the climax, I was completely lost to who the "good guys" were, and who Kyndra should be putting her trust in. I was completely turned around and so invested, that the last pages just flew by. Although, as I said earlier, there were elements of the story that were predictable, there were a number of surprising elements I was completely blown away by.

I will probably read the second novel to see where things go, but I'm not sure it's a book I would rush out to read. I do hope the book gives further explanation in the second novel. I guess we'll see.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan for the review copy.



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Published: 28th January 2016
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Lucy Hounsom's Website

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