2015-01-23T05:05:52+00:00

The Selection – Kiera Cass 5 Star Review

January 23, 2015/Charlotte Bull/Leave a comment

5 Star Review

I picked up this book because of course the cover was gorgeous, it rated high on Goodreads and because the concept seemed different. I’m very, VERY glad I did.

Positives – I realised as soon as I finished the book that a lot of the reason why I loved this book was because of Kiera Cass’s writing style. It was beautiful to read. No awkward sentences, no staggered paragraphs, it just flowed along majestically. Kiera Cass is obviously a very talented writer. Apart from the writing style, the storyline was fresh and new. Oh how I loved America. She’s a great character that has a quirky personality yet strong in many ways. Each scene was written to the point where you were completely engulfed in their world, (yes I did smile like an idiot and laugh out loud at some things). Both Aspen and Maxon were well developed characters that had strong motives and were responsible young men. Their actions were logical and suited their personalities perfectly. I really enjoyed the strong characters that stayed true to their natures.

Negatives – There were hardly any negatives in this book. The one major thing for me was that I felt that the climax lacked a little. I was reading it and looking at the page numbers wondering when I’d get into the real action but it didn’t really evolve into anything memorable. Nevertheless the storyline was still enthralling and exciting. The only other thing was the lack of description for the appearance of the character’s sometimes. When America was looking into Maxon’s eyes I wanted to image that but I didn’t remember reading what colour his eyes were.

Overall – For those who love a good love story (or love triangle) this is a must read. It’s different, it’s enthralling, it’s beautifully written, it’s captivating and it should be on the top of your book list. Thankfully the next two books in the series have been released so I can move straight on to number 2 – The Elite. Really looking forward to delving into that book and I have high expectations for it.

BLURB –

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn’t want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she’s made for herself–and realizes that the life she’s always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Happy Reading Everyone xo

Shadows (The Rephaim) by Paula Weston 4 Star Review

January 19, 2015/Charlotte Bull/Leave a comment

Over the Christmas/New Year break I read Shadows by Paula Weston. Once I read the first book, I was hooked and ended up devouring all three within a few days. I’m very excited about the release of the fourth and final book Burn. Here’s my review on Shadows –

Shadows – The Rephaim

Paula Weston

4 Star Review

Positives – First off the cover was different and I really liked it. It gave you an idea of what the book was about and wasn’t the conventional ‘girl in gorgeous dress’ design. I loved that this book is set in such a beautiful real location and the description of the landscape was fantastic but I may be a bit biased considering it’s almost local to me. I enjoyed Paula Weston’s writing style and the characters were fairly well developed. The storyline was fast paced and there were quite a few unexpected twists in it. Paula has obviously put a lot of research into this book and I loved that her concepts were based from real writings and teachings, etc.

Gaby was an interesting protagonist who was refreshingly down-to-earth and relatable. Her reactions to the situations she was thrown into were smart and understandable. She is a well-developed character with a unique story.

Rafa was a very sexy love interest and although it was predictable from the start that the reader would learn to love him, I enjoyed going through the journey. The cliff-hanger at the very end was exciting and I found myself staring in to space contemplating different scenarios that might happen to Gaby and Rafa in the second book, even long after finishing the first.

Negatives – I couldn’t find many negatives about this book. There was a few small inconsistencies and even one part seemed like it was missing at least a whole paragraph although it didn’t affect the overall storyline at all. I found with some of the characters – for example Daniel – he wasn’t as developed as I would’ve liked. The ending was a bit complicated and left the reader with some confusion about concepts that were only added at the end. There wasn’t enough time to explain the new revelations properly but I’m sure it will all make sense in the second book.

Overall – This book rates as a 4 – 4.5 star book. It did have some negatives but overall I really enjoyed it. For me to thoroughly enjoy a book I need to feel that the storyline is based on reality, giving the reader the sense that it might just be possible. This book was just that – real yet imaginative. Shadows is Paula Weston’s first book which means she will only get better. I’m very excited to read Haze!

(Alternative Cover)

It’s almost a year since Gaby Winters was in the car crash that killed her twin brother, Jude. Her body has healed in the sunshine of Pandanus Beach, but her grief is raw and constant. It doesn’t help that every night in her dreams she kills demons and other hell-spawn.

And then Rafa comes to town. Not only does he look exactly like the guy who’s been appearing in Gaby’s dreams—he claims a history with her brother that makes no sense. Gaby is forced to accept that what she thought she knew about herself and her life is only a shadow of the truth—and that the truth is more likely to be found in the shadows of her nightmares.

Who is Rafa? Who are the Rephaim? And most importantly, who can she trust?

Fast-paced and gripping, Shadows, the first book in the Rephaim series.

Happy New Year!

January 15, 2015/Charlotte Bull/Leave a comment

Happy New Year Everyone! I hope you’re still on the path to your new year resolutions! I’m wavering a little but basically on track. So far 2015 has been a great and exciting new year.

Goals for my blog this year –

*More book reviews

*Blogs on writing

*Blogs on editing

*Random pieces of writing (from yours truly)

*Maybe even a few exerts from my manuscripts.

My writing related goals for this year –

*Meet new friends

*Reach more people with my blog

*Start the ball rolling on my publishing journey with my manuscripts

*Read and Review a lot more books than I did last year

*Blog way more often (starting now)

*Get more involved in the world of all things writing

*Finish two of the manuscripts I started last year

*Try and keep a journal/diary.

I’ve got a lot of goals but at least I have some great things to work towards.

What are everyone else’s goals for 2015?

Waterfall – Lauren Kate Review – 2 Star

December 28, 2014/Charlotte Bull/Leave a comment

Eureka’s tears have flooded the earth, and now Atlantis is rising, bringing with it its evil king, Atlas. Eureka is the only one who can stop him, but first she must learn how to fight. She travels across the ocean with Cat, her family, and Ander, the gorgeous and mysterious Seedbearer who promises to help her find Solon, an enigmatic lost Seedbearer who knows how to defeat Atlas.

Once on land, Eureka is taunted by gossipwitches, a group of displaced Atlantean sorceresses, and ambushed by locals struggling to survive amid the destruction her tears have wrought. And she feels no closer to facing Atlas or saving the world when Solon lets slip that love is Ander’s weakness, and that any affection he feels toward her makes him age faster.

Trying to make sense of the dark world her sorrow has created, Eureka receives startling insight from an enchanted pond. Her bewildering reflection reveals a soul-crushing secret: if she’s strong enough, Eureka can draw on this knowledge to defeat Atlas—unless her broken heart is just what he needs to fuel his rising kingdom…

I recently purchased a copy of this book with a gorgeous cover that promised to hold a captivating story inside. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case at all. I honestly don’t think I could rate this book any higher than a 1.5 star and because I can’t do halves I’ll have to round up and make it a 2 star. The only reason this book got any higher than a 1 star was mainly because I love Lauren Kate’s writing style and that was her saving grace from a 1 star rating.

Positives – The cover was beautiful. I loved Ander (still) – a loyal character whose love was unwavering and maybe his part in the story was what contributed to my annoyance. Lauren Kate was a way with words and her writing style is a pleasure to read. If only the storyline complimented her talent….

Negatives – Sadly, the negatives vastly overshadow the positives with this book. The story line was tangled and messy, confusing the reader and expecting them to understand concepts that the author obviously assumed were easy to pick up on. When I finished reading this book I wasn’t left excited to read the next book but rather annoyed that I’d bothered to read this book. Eureka toys with both boy’s emotions and it starts to get old. The story drags on in many parts and it makes you irritated at yourself for still bothering to continue with it. The ending was completely unexpected (and not in a good way), disjointed and downright confusing. The last few chapters didn’t fit in with the rest of the book and should’ve been wound in before the end. It felt like a rushed ending to a tediously long storyline. There was also some unnecessary violence but it was the same with the first book.

Overall – I feel the Lauren Kate has missed her mark with this series. The Fallen series will always be one of my favourites but it’s hard to understand how an author, who got it so right has now got it so wrong with this series. Lauren Kate obviously understands the ‘Teardrop’ world that exists in her own mind but doesn’t convey it to the reader very well which leaves the reader annoyed and confused. How can you enjoy a book if you can’t understand it? This book may be a book that requires multiple reads before you understand (any of) it but I wouldn’t torture myself by reading it again nor would I waste my time. Sadly I rate both this book and the first – Teardrop as a disaster and certainly won’t be reading any more in the series. I had high hopes that this book would be much better than the first as I saw real potential for it but that just wasn’t the case. If you enjoyed the first book then maybe read this one but I definitely won’t be recommending it to anyone.

Teardrop by Lauren Kate 3.5 Star Review

October 1, 2014/Charlotte Bull/3 Comments

Teardrop

by Lauren Kate

Lauren Kate is most probably my favourite author so before I had even started this book, I had very high expectations.

Teardrop is certainly not one of my favourite books but I still liked it. The ideas were unique and her writing is for the most part, of a high standard. The characters were well developed and you were roped in to the story quickly.

The Good: The cover – OF COURSE! It was just beautiful in true Lauren Kate style. The strength of Eureka as a person although one could sometimes confuse her strength with a lack of emotion altogether. Brooks was a lovable character who you got very attached to. Ander was also a great character although quite confusing and sometimes his actions were downright strange. The kind of strange where most people would have kept their distance from him. The story was very engaging and made me tear up in a few spots were I felt very empathic toward the emotionally crippling situation Eureka was in.

The Bad: Firstly I hated how confusing it was in so many parts. It left me feeling stupid after having to read a few pages twice just to get my head around it. Some sentences were disjointed and didn’t make sense but that lessened as the book went on. I don’t think the whole idea of the book was explained very well at all. There were many things that just didn’t make sense and the reader was never given an explanation for. I finished the book still trying to understand the concept and the reasoning behind the character’s actions. Eureka’s dad was a feeble, under-developed character that almost didn’t really fit into the story. Ander was the kind of guy that I don’t think anyone would continue to spend time with after the first encounter. Eureka’s personality was often malleable which got annoying sometimes. I did like Brooks, he was vivacious and fun. In a real life situation he and Eureka would undoubtedly be boyfriend and girlfriend. I felt like I was really left in the dark regarding anything about Ander despite the book being so long. It did drag on a bit and the ending came on suddenly, leaving the reading wondering if their version on the book was missing chapters. There was one scene that was much too descriptively violent for what it needed to be.

OVERALL: This book only rated 3.5 stars for me because although I really enjoyed the basic storyline the bad points were numerous.

Will I be reading Waterfall when it comes out? Yes because I’m curious to see if that book is better that the first. There is real potential there so let’s just hope she’s ‘upped her game.

Perennial By Ryan Potter 4 Star Review

July 9, 2014August 29, 2014/Charlotte Bull/Leave a comment

I can honestly say that I was very pleasantly surprised by this book. I don’t think the blurb does this book justice and the cover threw me off a bit. I only say this because I started it not really expecting it to be as enthralling as it was. Perennial is very well written and I think Ryan Potter has created a great book. I went from thinking I might not finish it at the start to wanting to read the next book as soon as I finished the last page.

I liked the main protagonist – Alix and thought she was fairly relatable. She was a strong character with a kick-ass attitude which I always love. Lewis is a shady but interesting character that suited the book perfectly. Add William into the mix and you have a love triangle that constantly pulls the reader’s heart in two different directions. The reader really feels for Alix because both of her love interests have some great positives and some very negative ones which makes choosing one very difficult.

This book has some amazing twists and turns that really surprise you. The ending is both fantastic and shocking.

There are some negative though hence why I’ve given it 4 stars. I found that the very ending scenes were quite rushed and they needed more time spent explaining and justifying everything. The book went along at a good steady pace but when you get to the climatic ending it seems to be lacking, as though the author ran out of time and needed to wrap it up quickly.

Overall – This book is a great read and once you’ve started it you feel compelled to finish. If you’re looking for a book that gives you a great exciting ending with lots of surprises thenthis is the book. Good job Ryan Potter

**** 4 Stars

Archipelago by Mati Raine Review 5 stars!

March 18, 2014March 19, 2014/Charlotte Bull/Leave a comment

I was lucky enough to read Archipelago by Mati Raine as a beta reader and I have to say that I absolutely loved it! This book is definitely a 5 star book and I would recommended it to every age group. The cover is beautiful and intriguing which is always a great start.

It starts with a female protagonist – Lily who develops wings and because of that she has lived an extremely sheltered life. Lily seemed to be a bit of a weak character in the sense that she was scared of everything but you have to remind yourself with an up bringing such as the one she has had, wouldn’t you be? Throughout the book Lily transforms into a great strong character who you really love and are rooting for. My favourite character though would have to be one of the twins – Wyvr (love the spelling too). He and his twin are Australian and being an Aussie myself well, it’s always great to find that in a book. The love life of Lily is as difficult and confusing as any teenage girl’s. I won’t spoil is but when Lily gets her heart broken it’s devastating but very relatable. I won’t lie this book brought me to tears a few times. To me when a book can have that kind of effect on me it means that it’s so well written and draws me in so much that I care enough about the well being of the characters enough to be moved emotionally.

With all the action in this book I think it is definitely one of those books that a reader would benefit more from if they read it more than once. It’s something that I plan on doing before the second book is released. I’m desperately hoping that I don’t have to wait too long to get my hands on the second book. I was left badly wanting to find out which boy Lily ends up getting with and needing to know what happens next. I can hardly fault this book and I think it is the kind of book that should go far.

This is currently my favourite book and I assume it will only be surpassed by the next book (no pressure of anything Mati haha).

I will be buying a print version (wish it was hardback as it’s such a lovely looking book) so I can always have a copy on my book shelf. It’s cheap enough that you really can’t go wrong with it.

Congratulations Mati on such a wonderful piece of writing and thank you for letting me be your beta reader, I was honoured.

Review of Black: The Human Soul by Damon Rambo

February 26, 2014/Charlotte Bull/Leave a comment

Before I start I must say that I considered not writing this review and honestly I’m still not sure if I should but I need to empty my head of these thoughts plus I’m only one person and my opinion shouldn’t stop you from reading this book if you want to. My guilty conscience will plague after writing this but honesty is the best policy….. right??? So here goes and I’ll try and be as nice as I can.

I won this book on Goodreads – yay. I always try and read any books that I’m given and rate them. Unfortunately the copy of the book I received had no title on the cover and looked nothing like the cover shown on Goodreads. My copy only has a few words about the human soul and the author’s name. The plain black has a texture that as soon as I or anything else touches it, it leaves prints all over it. I figured that maybe because I got this book for free I wasn’t entitled to a proper copy. Unfortunately there is nowhere on the outside of the book that shows the title but I wasn’t deterred and started to read it.

I’m going to start of with the positives of this book –

There were parts of this book which were very well written and it really roped me in. I love the little dog – Sparky. I was pulled in to keep reading this book in places. The book only consists of about 160 pages of reading which is good because it won’t take long to read so you can have your own opinion of it.

****Warning there are spoilers if you read ahead****

I’ve tried but I honestly can’t find anymore positives…. I feel like such a nasty person being so critical of someone’s hard work but I got quite irritated and angry after reading this book. So here are the things that got to me –

The dedication runs down his own work so before you start you’re questioning the quality of this work. to quote “This pathetic effort of fiction, the best I can do” that to me put me off a little. The Introduction was well, it makes out this book will be psychotically scary and the amount of times the word ‘friend’ was used I felt like I was being pulled into a Nigerian money stealing scam (apologies if that’s offensive to anyone). So far I hadn’t even gotten to the first word of the first chapter and I’m already irritated. It starts off pulling the reader straight into a situation that sparks the curiosity but after a while its evident that giving us (the reader) any sort of life line in regards to what is going on would be too much to ask. We soon realise that the main character is a heartless pr*ck. Not my idea of a main character…. The book is very short and I felt compelled to finish it so onwards I ploughed. There’s a scene where he remembers what he assumes is his daughter talking to the wife/mother saying she wants to marry daddy. That to me really grossed me out. I’m not a parent as of yet but I’m not sure children say they want to marry their father? If so I might explain the differences of love and marriage to children when that time comes to pass.

So the man says stupid rude things and somehow the animals in the book understand english and are even able to have parts in the book where you know their thoughts (there isn’t anything alerting the reader to the change in point of view either). The wolves he insult somehow follow him and attack him. His loyal dog sacrifices itself for him and dies (yet another thing that irritated me). Although the man seems to question why he asks so callous and cold-hearted in the end any hope that he’s learnt anything at all from his journey is lost.

The ending –

He remembers that he’s a killer and killed the wife’s lover and his own child (albeit accidentally) and now he’s back to kill the wife. So after we learn that he kills the wife, he dies from the fire. After 150+ pages I now felt like I had learnt nothing from this story and just felt sour at the outcome. As a final nail in the metaphorical coffin, The last chapter which is probably under 100 words seems to hint at the reader that the little girl actually lived and is hiding in a bomb shelter…. I think the scene where she died tied up any loose ends and any possibilities that the girl could’ve lived so it didn’t make sense and seemed stupid. Of course there was a conclusion that basically says that sums up the book saying it was a ‘dark’ book but not about invented things instead about the darkness of the human soul (which wouldn’t have been so bad) EXCEPT that then it won’t on to say that we are all evil and lost.

By the time I finished the last word in this book I wanted to throw it at someone or something. I’ve read MANY many books but this one, it just made my blood boil. There was honestly no point to this book like AT ALL!!! It’s been a full day since I finished this book and I’m still really cranky about it.

Don’t take my opinion of it but it’s best to instead read it and make your own decisions about it.

This review is based solely on my opinion of this book and nothing else. I’m sure the author is nice guy and I’m sure there are other people who will actually enjoy it but unfortunately that’s not me. I’m really sorry for such a negative review but now it’s time for me to move onto the next book 🙂

Review – Unraveling Secrets by Lana Williams **** Star

January 29, 2014/Charlotte Bull/Leave a comment

I received a signed copy of this book as winner of a Goodreads competition.

When I first saw the cover I can honestly say I was VERY put off… I’ll elaborate later but DON’T LET THE COVER PUT YOU OFF!!!! I really liked this book and it definitely deserves 4 Stars. The synopsis was what drew me in to reading the book and I’m so glad I ignored the cover. It was a great read.

The Pros – Abigail is a stubborn female who has a backbone (sometimes a rarity in books). Stephen is just a sexy character. He is the ultimate hero and definitely makes the girls swoon. The storyline is fairly easy to follow and the other characters, for the most part, have strong personalities and are well developed. I didn’t expected the sex scenes but as far as sex scenes go – they were sweetly written and passionate without being overly descriptive and offensive.

The Cons – Although there are a few things that bugged me it certainly would not stop me from highly recommending this book to others.

Unfortunately the cover just ruins the book before you even start. I got asked if I was reading a Mills and Boon book which was embarrassing. It honestly looks like a book from the 80’s with costumes from a costume shop. The ‘lights’ in the background street look like white LED lights not olden oil lamps. The weird, much too old but ripped man looks like her father and isn’t anything like the gorgeous Stephen I (and I’m sure, others) pictured. The descriptions of Abigail’s clothes were fantastic but then the cover looks like she’s wearing a cheap taking dress certainly not from the time the book is set. The male doesn’t have a face that I like or think Stephen would look like. I tried to ignore the cover of the book so as not to make me hate Stephen.

Apart from the cover which was it’s biggest flaw, I wish Abigail wasn’t so helpless so hopefully in the next book she is able to handle herself a little more. There was one scene that made me groan, too many “damsel in distress” scenes but I’m hoping for a stronger Abigail in the next book. I’m interested to see where the story heads in the next book as I sort’ve thought that it could’ve been summed up and finished in one book. Some language inconsistencies but otherwise great.

OVERALL – I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book, right from the first chapter. I had trouble putting it down and was really drawn in.

Thank you Lana Williams for the book. Sorry about the negatives but it was a great book!

Ramblings of a Young Aussie Writer

A writer lost in her own imagination

Tag: Book Review

The Selection – Kiera Cass 5 Star Review

Shadows (The Rephaim) by Paula Weston 4 Star Review

Happy New Year!

Waterfall – Lauren Kate Review – 2 Star

Teardrop by Lauren Kate 3.5 Star Review

Perennial By Ryan Potter 4 Star Review

Archipelago by Mati Raine Review 5 stars!

Review of Black: The Human Soul by Damon Rambo

Review – Unraveling Secrets by Lana Williams **** Star

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