Review: Forget Me by K.A. Harrington

Publisher: Putnam
Pages: 288

Received: Received a copy from Penguin Canada in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: August 7, 2014
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Goodreads Synopsis:

An edge-of-your seat psychological thriller with a romantic twist

On the three-month anniversary of her boyfriend Flynn’s death, Morgan uploads her only photo of him to FriendShare to get some closure—but she’s shocked when the facial recognition software suggests she tag him as "Evan Murphy." She’s never heard of Evan, but a quick search tells her that he lives in a nearby town and looks exactly like Flynn. Only this boy is very much alive.

Digging through layers of secrets and lies, Morgan is left questioning everything she thought she knew about her boyfriend, her town, and even her parents' involvement in this massive web of lies.

My Review:

This story really caught my attention after reading the synopsis, I really wanted to know what secrets would come out in the end. I found myself immersed in the story as Morgan is trying to find out what happened to Flynn and why Evan looks to be the exact same person. This book has a great creepy, mysterious feel to it and I just wanted to keep going to find everything out.

I really enjoyed the mystery Harrington has going on in this story, as Morgan and Evan dig into the mystery of who Flynn is, many secrets are revealed that delve far deeper into the town then Morgan could prepare herself for. Many more people are involved, and Morgan begins to question what she truly knows about her parents and what happened in her town to bring it down.

Morgan's best friend was a great addition to the book, she is the opposite of Morgan and is the one pushing her to really dig into things. It was great to see someone get Morgan out of her room after dealing with the death of Flynn, it doesn't seem like many people are there for Morgan. There are many great characters that help make up this story, but the plot is what really kept my attention, as Morgan and Evan get closer to the truth, things seem to become more dangerous.

K. A. Harrington has written an intriguing story that I believe will catch the attention of many readers. I did not want to put this book down, and at a time where I am having trouble getting through a lot of books this one went by quickly. 

Review: The Country of Ice Cream Star by Sandra Newman

Publisher: Knopf Canada
Pages: 640

Received: Received a copy from Random House of Canada in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: June 3, 2014
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Goodreads Synopsis:

A post-apocalyptic literary epic in the tradition of The Handmaid's Tale, Divergent and Cloud Atlas, and a breakout book in North America for a writer of rare and unconventional talent.

From Guardian First Book Award finalist Sandra Newman comes an ambitious and extraordinary novel of a future in which bands of children and teens survive on the detritus--physical and cultural--of a collapsed America. When her brother is struck down by Posies--a contagion that has killed everyone by their late teens for generations--fifteen-year-old Ice Cream Star pursues the rumour of a cure and sets out on a quest to save him, her tribe and what's left of their future. Along the way she faces broken hearts and family tragedy, mortal danger and all-out war--and much growing up for the girl who may have led herself and everyone she loves to their doom.

My Review:

This book took me quite awhile to get through, it was a difficult story to wrap my head around at certain points. The most difficult part of this book was the writing style, the way Ice Cream Star speaks is hard to understand sometimes. It is interesting to see how Ice Cream Star tries to save her brother, she will do anything to save her family from this disease that has been killing everyone. When a rumour comes around that there is a cure for what is called "Posies", Ice Cream will do anything to find it.

That is the one thing I truly loved about this book, for such a young girl she is a very determined person. It is interesting to see a girl like Ice Cream try to grow up in a post-apocalyptic world as is seen in this book. The world that Sandra Newman has created is one where children do not usually grow older than twenty, so it is a world full of young looking after the young, it definitely makes for some difficult conversations.

I am having trouble describing everything that happened in this book, it is a long story where many things happen to Ice Cream as she gains perspective on the world and the people around her. There are a lot of secondary characters who are in and out of Ice Cream's life throughout the book, and each of them have a huge impact on her future plans. I have to say that this is a book I would like to go back and reread in the future because I believe I missed out on a lot of information the first time around since it took me so long to get through. This book is one of a kind and I see it being a popular book, readers will just have to have the time to invest in reading this. 

Review: Love by the Morning Star by Laura L. Sullivan

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Pages: 320

Received: Received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley

Release Date: June 3, 2014
Buy From Chapters.ca / Buy From BookDepository.com

Goodreads Synopsis:

Upstairs, downstairs, and in which lady’s chamber?

On the brink of World War II, two girls are sent to  the grand English country estate of Starkers. Hannah, the half-Jewish daughter of a disgraced distant relative, has been living an artistic bohemian life in a cabaret in pre-war Germany and now is supposed to be welcomed into the family. Anna, the social-climbing daughter of working-class British fascists, is supposed to be hired as a maid so that she can spy for the Nazis. But there’s a mix-up, and nice Hannah is sent to the kitchen as a maid while arrogant Anna is welcomed as a relative.

And then both girls fall for the same man, the handsome heir of the estate . . . or do they?

In this sparkling, saucy romance, nearly everything goes wrong for two girls who are sent to a grand English estate on the brink of World War II—until it goes so very, very right!

My Review:

Well, this was an interesting enough book, but it took me some time to get through everything that was happening. Through an honest mistake two girls seem to get mixed up when they are sent to the same house under different circumstances. There are so many little mistakes that make this book what it is, a cute and funny story about unknown identities.

I really can say that I adored Hannah in this story, she is a cute girl who is very new to this world, and it really shows in the way she acts. What really makes everything in this story is the joy that Hannah brings to everyone around her. Hannah is such an upbeat person, who is always found singing whenever and wherever she can. I enjoy how Hannah just says what is on her mind, she is very open, yet at the same time very naive to what is happening around her. Anna on the other hand is someone who is difficult to like, she seems to be a bit stuck up, but I can see why she is so hardened to the world around her. Anna does not truly understand everything that is happening during the war, and is really only taking cues from those closest to her.

The romance aspect in this book is fun and so cute, I enjoyed how both of these girls fall in love with the same man, and yet their stories are so different. The romance for both of them starts off in a similar way and yet each of them take a different turn, they are always meeting in the dark of night and their discussions are so brilliant and cultured.

Though I could see where things were going with this story, it was enjoyable. One of those books where things just seem to get worse and each mistake leads to another, yet despite these small things there is a good amount of humour to everything that happens, with all the drama you have to have some cuteness added in. I can guarantee this is not a book for everyone but it is a quick read that fans of a writer like Sophie Kinsella will enjoy.