A Perfect Society (Skin Trials Series, book 0.25) 

By S.Y. Humphrey

Blurb: 
In the near future, we survive devastating hurricanes that pound the southern United States. We try to return to normal. Only, the flood waters harbor flesh-eating bacteria. Suddenly, every American must scan into a new digital government, called Perfect Society.

Officials say it’s designed “to protect us.” But soon, normal life descends to chaos. Civility disappears in the food and medicine riots.

That’s when I learn my father is concealing someone on our farm- a genetic scientist. He possesses a cure, a gene-changing formula the new government of Perfect Society does not want citizens to have.

Blood-soaked strangers sneak through our footpaths in the middle of the night.

What is the outbreak? A force of nature? A catastrophe beyond our control? Or a scheme far more sinister?

Just as I find answers, the true threat crashes our home.

Now I am one of the few left to protect this cure.

This science fiction apocalyptic novella is a story in the Skin Trials series. 

Review: 
I received this novella for a honest review. Overall, her book was great and well portrayed. 

The story-line of this book was really good and something I'd love to read more of. It is set in America where there is tornado's and storms quite a lot, they then go out to the store to get more groceries which is when they discover the government has started a new process where you have to scan yourself and get your identity registered for your closest store to stop diseases from spreading.

There are several things that the government does within this book that actually makes me think this could definitely happen in the future. I also love that her father is a secret agent, this was a nice plot twist to the story and made it the main story-line in the end. So I hope the actual series is like this.

I felt the characters within the book made a great development but the only thing that still really gets on my nerves is how Pepper calls her mother and father, mammy and daddy sometimes. I just don't think it really suits her age or her personality, I don't know anyone where then they were that age, call their parents those names.

There is some slight romance within this novella but nothing drastic and nothing that develops yet. I hope it does in away because I think they will make a great couple but then with our latest discovery I'm not too sure how I'd feel about it.

I feel this book on whole was excellent and definitely worth the read as it was fast paced. The only thing that made me rate it down was the mammy and daddy calling.

Favourite Character: Jonah

Read: 17/10/19

4 stars out of 5

written by Sammie

Check out Sammie's review of Book 1: Skin Trials

Check out Sammie's review of Book 0.5: The Perfect Fight

A Perfect Society (Skin Trials Series, book 0.25) 

By S.Y. Humphrey

Blurb: 
In the near future, we survive devastating hurricanes that pound the southern United States. We try to return to normal. Only, the flood waters harbor flesh-eating bacteria. Suddenly, every American must scan into a new digital government, called Perfect Society.

Officials say it’s designed “to protect us.” But soon, normal life descends to chaos. Civility disappears in the food and medicine riots.

That’s when I learn my father is concealing someone on our farm- a genetic scientist. He possesses a cure, a gene-changing formula the new government of Perfect Society does not want citizens to have.

Blood-soaked strangers sneak through our footpaths in the middle of the night.

What is the outbreak? A force of nature? A catastrophe beyond our control? Or a scheme far more sinister?

Just as I find answers, the true threat crashes our home.

Now I am one of the few left to protect this cure.

This science fiction apocalyptic novella is a story in the Skin Trials series. 

Review: 
I received this novella for a honest review. Overall, her book was great and well portrayed. 

The story-line of this book was really good and something I'd love to read more of. It is set in America where there is tornado's and storms quite a lot, they then go out to the store to get more groceries which is when they discover the government has started a new process where you have to scan yourself and get your identity registered for your closest store to stop diseases from spreading.

There are several things that the government does within this book that actually makes me think this could definitely happen in the future. I also love that her father is a secret agent, this was a nice plot twist to the story and made it the main story-line in the end. So I hope the actual series is like this.

I felt the characters within the book made a great development but the only thing that still really gets on my nerves is how Pepper calls her mother and father, mammy and daddy sometimes. I just don't think it really suits her age or her personality, I don't know anyone where then they were that age, call their parents those names.

There is some slight romance within this novella but nothing drastic and nothing that develops yet. I hope it does in away because I think they will make a great couple but then with our latest discovery I'm not too sure how I'd feel about it.

I feel this book on whole was excellent and definitely worth the read as it was fast paced. The only thing that made me rate it down was the mammy and daddy calling.

Favourite Character: Jonah

Read: 17/10/19

4 stars out of 5

written by Sammie

Check out Sammie's review of Book 1: Skin Trials

Check out Sammie's review of Book 0.5: The Perfect Fight

The Bone Houses 

By Emily Lloyd-Jones

Blurb: 
Seventeen-year-old Aderyn ("Ryn") only cares about two things: her family, and her family's graveyard. And right now, both are in dire straits. Since the death of their parents, Ryn and her siblings have been scraping together a meager existence as gravediggers in the remote village of Colbren, which sits at the foot of a harsh and deadly mountain range that was once home to the fae. The problem with being a gravedigger in Colbren, though, is that the dead don't always stay dead.

The risen corpses are known as "bone houses," and legend says that they're the result of a decades-old curse. When Ellis, an apprentice mapmaker with a mysterious past, arrives in town, the bone houses attack with new ferocity. What is it that draws them near? And more importantly, how can they be stopped for good?

Together, Ellis and Ryn embark on a journey that will take them deep into the heart of the mountains, where they will have to face both the curse and the long-hidden truths about themselves.

Review: 
I decided to download this book because Lauren received it in a book box and I liked the sound of it and the cover was quite intriguing. 

Overall, this book is a nice quick and easy to read, I'd possibly go to rate it as a middle grade book rather than a young adult. I just felt that it was not exactly young adult for me but that's my opinion.

So the two main characters in this book are called Ryn and Ellis. Ryn is a grave digger and lives in this small village on the outskirts of the forest. Ryn has lost near enough all of her family, she has her brother and sister left to look after. More bone houses are appearing int he village even though they used to stay in the forest where the magic used to happen. A bone house is when a body comes back to life after death.

I won't go into too much details about Ellis's life either because they are discussed quite a lot throughout the book and it allows you to grow a connection with each of the characters. Basically, he was abandoned as a baby and was found by a Prince. He is then trained up as a map maker and adventures into the village where Ryn is, this how they meet.

These two characters are really well developed and I love how they are done. I also love that the story doesn't have any side plots really and it is 100% developed. There was a lot of mystery included in this book and a lot of old tales that are supposed to be just stories. So I really liked that aspect of the book.

At the end when we discover more about Ellis it really confused me and I'm not entirely sure about him anymore. I think I may have to read that part again so I can get a better understanding. But then at the same time because of the ending and it being a stand-alone it doesn't really bother me as much as it would if it was part of a series.

Within this book there is obviously a lot of deaths, some violence, grief and a tiny bit of romance. I'm not entirely sure why this book doesn't meed the 5 star rating to be honest. I've possibly just naturally lowered the rating because I didn't think it was full young adult. But like I said before I don't know how you'd make it more young adult, I just felt like the book was aimed at a younger age.

Favourite Character: Ryn

Read: 13/10/19 - 16/10/19

4 stars out of 5

written by Sammie

The Bone Houses 

By Emily Lloyd-Jones

Blurb: 
Seventeen-year-old Aderyn ("Ryn") only cares about two things: her family, and her family's graveyard. And right now, both are in dire straits. Since the death of their parents, Ryn and her siblings have been scraping together a meager existence as gravediggers in the remote village of Colbren, which sits at the foot of a harsh and deadly mountain range that was once home to the fae. The problem with being a gravedigger in Colbren, though, is that the dead don't always stay dead.

The risen corpses are known as "bone houses," and legend says that they're the result of a decades-old curse. When Ellis, an apprentice mapmaker with a mysterious past, arrives in town, the bone houses attack with new ferocity. What is it that draws them near? And more importantly, how can they be stopped for good?

Together, Ellis and Ryn embark on a journey that will take them deep into the heart of the mountains, where they will have to face both the curse and the long-hidden truths about themselves.

Review: 
I decided to download this book because Lauren received it in a book box and I liked the sound of it and the cover was quite intriguing. 

Overall, this book is a nice quick and easy to read, I'd possibly go to rate it as a middle grade book rather than a young adult. I just felt that it was not exactly young adult for me but that's my opinion.

So the two main characters in this book are called Ryn and Ellis. Ryn is a grave digger and lives in this small village on the outskirts of the forest. Ryn has lost near enough all of her family, she has her brother and sister left to look after. More bone houses are appearing int he village even though they used to stay in the forest where the magic used to happen. A bone house is when a body comes back to life after death.

I won't go into too much details about Ellis's life either because they are discussed quite a lot throughout the book and it allows you to grow a connection with each of the characters. Basically, he was abandoned as a baby and was found by a Prince. He is then trained up as a map maker and adventures into the village where Ryn is, this how they meet.

These two characters are really well developed and I love how they are done. I also love that the story doesn't have any side plots really and it is 100% developed. There was a lot of mystery included in this book and a lot of old tales that are supposed to be just stories. So I really liked that aspect of the book.

At the end when we discover more about Ellis it really confused me and I'm not entirely sure about him anymore. I think I may have to read that part again so I can get a better understanding. But then at the same time because of the ending and it being a stand-alone it doesn't really bother me as much as it would if it was part of a series.

Within this book there is obviously a lot of deaths, some violence, grief and a tiny bit of romance. I'm not entirely sure why this book doesn't meed the 5 star rating to be honest. I've possibly just naturally lowered the rating because I didn't think it was full young adult. But like I said before I don't know how you'd make it more young adult, I just felt like the book was aimed at a younger age.

Favourite Character: Ryn

Read: 13/10/19 - 16/10/19

4 stars out of 5

written by Sammie

The End and Other Beginnings: Stories from the Future

By Veronica Roth

Blurb: 
No world is like the other. Within this masterful collection, each setting is more strange and wonderful than the last, brimming with new technologies and beings. And yet, for all the advances in these futuristic lands, the people still must confront deeply human problems.

In these six stories, Veronica Roth reaches into the unknown and draws forth something startlingly familiar and profoundly beautiful.

With tales of friendship and revenge, plus two new stories from the Carve the Mark universe, this collection has something for new and old fans alike. Each story begins with a hope for a better end, but always end with a better understanding of the beginning.

With beautifully intricate black-and-white interior illustrations and a uniquely designed package, this is the perfect gift for book lovers.

Review: 
So this is a book full of 6 short stories from an author I love. I have done this review different to my other short stories reviews, so you can get a better understanding of each of them. Plus my feelings feel like they have been on a right rollercoaster from the start to finish. I have also learnt from the first story not to read this at work because my god it is embarrassing crying in front of colleagues like a little girl.

Inertia
This is the first story and it is about this boy who has been in a car crash and has to undergo major surgery. There is a 1 in 10 chance of surviving. But because this book is set in the future it is not so simple. So he gets to choose 2 people as his visitors so they can share some memories with him before the surgery as a sort of goodbye.

The events mentioned are only between him and the girl he loves which is really cute but I'd have also loved to know about the memories he had with his mother too. 

Even though it was such a short story the characters did develop and I felt a connection to them and that's possibly why I balled my eyes out.

Within this story there are trigger warnings for self harm, depression, grief and death.


The Spinners
This is a story about two sisters who have just lost their mother. One of the sisters is a leech hunter. Basically there are a different species and they take over the human body. These species then put on a digital skin which has its flaws but it hides them from the real world.

The sisters love each other quite a lot, you can tell this throughout the book. But you can tell they have different personalities and priorities when it comes to their lives.

The story was pretty good but I didn't actually enjoy it as much as the first which is a shame really because that one got my hopes up instantly.

There is a trigger warning of grief, death and violence.

Hearken
I much preferred this story than the last one. So basically it's about this one family, there are two sisters, a alcoholic mother and a father. They are in a world where bio bombs are set off frequently so they have to go around with masks on to protect themselves. One of the sisters has perfect pitch so her father signs her up to take the hearken tests. A hearken is a person who gets this implant so they can hear the music a person creates. There are life songs and there are death songs.

This is such a sweet story to be honest and it is really meaningful. It really made me look at the world differently, so I will try and make the most of my life from now on. Basically, in the story it says everyone is dying and they each have two songs but when they are dying that song is the loudest and when a person has just been born that's when the life song is the loudest.

Within this story there is a lot about a sisterly bond, but it is also a lot about doing stuff that makes you happy and not just to please others, it is your life to love and live and you should enjoy and make the most of it.

There is also a slight hint of a romance too, between two of the characters at the hearkin school. I really wish there was more on this book, I feel I'd fall in love with it evenmore.

There is trigger warnings of death, grief and alcoholism.

Vim and Vigor
I didn't really enjoy this story as much as others but I suppose that's expected, as you don't like every short story you read especially when they are different backgrounds and stuff.

So in this story it is about a group of friends they call themselves nicknames after superheroes. They lose one of the members from a car crash. The story is explained so don't worry. Since the car crash they lost contact with each other and have got on with their lives until prom occurs. This is when things change for them and they start to contact each other.

The main reason I don't like this book is because it's quite High School like and it gives me Two Can Keep a Secret vibes. I do like that the friendships between them all has come back together though. Also it gives you life lessons again about not putting your life with one person and to keep several friends. As well as having friends that like you for who you are not having to pretend to be something you are not.

This story has trigger warnings of death and grief.

Armored Ones
This is a story which consists of two chapters. These are exclusive content following on from The Fates Divide. It follows two of the characters Teka and Akos and the lives they are now living. I don't want to go into too much about these chapters just in case anyone has not read the Carve the Mark duology.

I feel that the characters in these stories have developed a lot since the book, and one things that really upsets me is the betrayal Teka experiences, he puts all his trust in this one person and it's thrown back into his face. I also loved that Akos is now standing up for himself and making his own threats to get what he wants in his life now.

Each of the extra insights are pretty cool and I'm so pleased that they were included.

This story has trigger warnings of death and violence.

The Transformationist
I'm not 100% sure if this is another story from after The Fates Divide. It feels like it is but I can't be certain because I can't remember all the characters names.

This story is based on another planet and there are different religions. These religions have different beliefs and traditions that they follow. Some of these traditions are quite extreme in my opinion, especially when they are transferring from a child to an adult.

The friendship between the two main characters is quite strong and at the end it does develop into a relationship. That is a spoiler to an extent but I've not said how it happens.

The story overall seemed quite good but not something I would have personally chosen to read if it was an actual book. So I'm pleased it is part of extended chapters if it is following on from The Fates Divide. 

There is a trigger warning for grief and death.

Read: 09/10/19 - 12/10/19

4 stars out of 5

written by Sammie

The End and Other Beginnings: Stories from the Future

By Veronica Roth

Blurb: 
No world is like the other. Within this masterful collection, each setting is more strange and wonderful than the last, brimming with new technologies and beings. And yet, for all the advances in these futuristic lands, the people still must confront deeply human problems.

In these six stories, Veronica Roth reaches into the unknown and draws forth something startlingly familiar and profoundly beautiful.

With tales of friendship and revenge, plus two new stories from the Carve the Mark universe, this collection has something for new and old fans alike. Each story begins with a hope for a better end, but always end with a better understanding of the beginning.

With beautifully intricate black-and-white interior illustrations and a uniquely designed package, this is the perfect gift for book lovers.

Review: 
So this is a book full of 6 short stories from an author I love. I have done this review different to my other short stories reviews, so you can get a better understanding of each of them. Plus my feelings feel like they have been on a right rollercoaster from the start to finish. I have also learnt from the first story not to read this at work because my god it is embarrassing crying in front of colleagues like a little girl.

Inertia
This is the first story and it is about this boy who has been in a car crash and has to undergo major surgery. There is a 1 in 10 chance of surviving. But because this book is set in the future it is not so simple. So he gets to choose 2 people as his visitors so they can share some memories with him before the surgery as a sort of goodbye.

The events mentioned are only between him and the girl he loves which is really cute but I'd have also loved to know about the memories he had with his mother too. 

Even though it was such a short story the characters did develop and I felt a connection to them and that's possibly why I balled my eyes out.

Within this story there are trigger warnings for self harm, depression, grief and death.


The Spinners
This is a story about two sisters who have just lost their mother. One of the sisters is a leech hunter. Basically there are a different species and they take over the human body. These species then put on a digital skin which has its flaws but it hides them from the real world.

The sisters love each other quite a lot, you can tell this throughout the book. But you can tell they have different personalities and priorities when it comes to their lives.

The story was pretty good but I didn't actually enjoy it as much as the first which is a shame really because that one got my hopes up instantly.

There is a trigger warning of grief, death and violence.

Hearken
I much preferred this story than the last one. So basically it's about this one family, there are two sisters, a alcoholic mother and a father. They are in a world where bio bombs are set off frequently so they have to go around with masks on to protect themselves. One of the sisters has perfect pitch so her father signs her up to take the hearken tests. A hearken is a person who gets this implant so they can hear the music a person creates. There are life songs and there are death songs.

This is such a sweet story to be honest and it is really meaningful. It really made me look at the world differently, so I will try and make the most of my life from now on. Basically, in the story it says everyone is dying and they each have two songs but when they are dying that song is the loudest and when a person has just been born that's when the life song is the loudest.

Within this story there is a lot about a sisterly bond, but it is also a lot about doing stuff that makes you happy and not just to please others, it is your life to love and live and you should enjoy and make the most of it.

There is also a slight hint of a romance too, between two of the characters at the hearkin school. I really wish there was more on this book, I feel I'd fall in love with it evenmore.

There is trigger warnings of death, grief and alcoholism.

Vim and Vigor
I didn't really enjoy this story as much as others but I suppose that's expected, as you don't like every short story you read especially when they are different backgrounds and stuff.

So in this story it is about a group of friends they call themselves nicknames after superheroes. They lose one of the members from a car crash. The story is explained so don't worry. Since the car crash they lost contact with each other and have got on with their lives until prom occurs. This is when things change for them and they start to contact each other.

The main reason I don't like this book is because it's quite High School like and it gives me Two Can Keep a Secret vibes. I do like that the friendships between them all has come back together though. Also it gives you life lessons again about not putting your life with one person and to keep several friends. As well as having friends that like you for who you are not having to pretend to be something you are not.

This story has trigger warnings of death and grief.

Armored Ones
This is a story which consists of two chapters. These are exclusive content following on from The Fates Divide. It follows two of the characters Teka and Akos and the lives they are now living. I don't want to go into too much about these chapters just in case anyone has not read the Carve the Mark duology.

I feel that the characters in these stories have developed a lot since the book, and one things that really upsets me is the betrayal Teka experiences, he puts all his trust in this one person and it's thrown back into his face. I also loved that Akos is now standing up for himself and making his own threats to get what he wants in his life now.

Each of the extra insights are pretty cool and I'm so pleased that they were included.

This story has trigger warnings of death and violence.

The Transformationist
I'm not 100% sure if this is another story from after The Fates Divide. It feels like it is but I can't be certain because I can't remember all the characters names.

This story is based on another planet and there are different religions. These religions have different beliefs and traditions that they follow. Some of these traditions are quite extreme in my opinion, especially when they are transferring from a child to an adult.

The friendship between the two main characters is quite strong and at the end it does develop into a relationship. That is a spoiler to an extent but I've not said how it happens.

The story overall seemed quite good but not something I would have personally chosen to read if it was an actual book. So I'm pleased it is part of extended chapters if it is following on from The Fates Divide. 

There is a trigger warning for grief and death.

Read: 09/10/19 - 12/10/19

4 stars out of 5

written by Sammie

Rage (Stormheart, book 2)

By Cora Carmack

Blurb: 
Princess or adventurer.

Duty or freedom.

Her Kingdom or the Stormhunter she loves.

If Aurora knows anything, it's that choices have consequences. To set things right, she joins a growing revolution on the streets of Pavan.

In disguise as the rebel Roar, she puts her knowledge of the palace to use to aid the rebellion. But the Rage season is at its peak and not a day passes without the skies raining down destruction. Yet these storms are different—they churn with darkness, and attack with a will that’s desperate and violent.
This feels like more than rage.

Review: 
This book was pretty amazing, just lacked adventure for the majority of the book. And I am so pleased that I only just read Roar last month so I've not had to wait long for this book.

I originally thought that his book was going to be the last one and it was only going to be a duology but then when I was about 6 chapters from the end I discovered there's a 3rd book coming out next year and I already has it's name, 'Reign' and a cover which is beautiful. So I kind of expected the book to end on a cliff-hanger.

So onto the actual book, the story line is good. It's following on straight from the first book and the relationships between all the characters develop drastically and new friendships are formed. So generally this book meets expectations. The reason why it is rated 4 stars is because the majority of the action happened in the second half of the book, so it was quite a slow start. But for once it didn't actually make me want to put it down and stop reading which is something.

Aurora has joined the group of Storm hunters, they still aren't aware of who she is which is good for her. There are multiple times within this book where she could have been found out but some how she managed to still keep her secret. You can definitely tell that she has feelings for Kiran and he has for her which is really cute because it's one of those subtle relationships developing. I feel that Roar's character has developed more on the other characters I can see how the friendship has developed which is super nice. The only thing that annoys me about her is that she does not think plans through and just goes straight into doing them. But I guess that's why the book is so fun and unpredictable on the majority. 

I still really dislike Cassius but I'm starting to come to round to him especially with that ending. He is just one of those characters I think that some authors like to include. Really horrible, selfish ones that actually have reasons behind the way they act.

Another thing that I loved about this book is that it was including a 3rd point of view of this one young boy who could talk to the spirits which was 13 years earlier, it felt super amazing when it finally clicked who it actually was. I only realised about 40% through so I was quite late in this discovery sadly, but it was still really nice to come across it.

The relationship between Nova and Jinx seems like it has potential for them to actually become girlfriends because I think those are the feelings Nova has towards her but then also at the same time it may just be them getting closer to each other as they have experienced similar.

So overall, this book was amazing and definitely worth the read. I just really want book 3 to be here now.

Favourite Character: Jinx

Read: 01/10/19 - 08/10/19

4 stars out of 5

written by Sammie

Rage (Stormheart, book 2)

By Cora Carmack

Blurb: 
Princess or adventurer.

Duty or freedom.

Her Kingdom or the Stormhunter she loves.

If Aurora knows anything, it's that choices have consequences. To set things right, she joins a growing revolution on the streets of Pavan.

In disguise as the rebel Roar, she puts her knowledge of the palace to use to aid the rebellion. But the Rage season is at its peak and not a day passes without the skies raining down destruction. Yet these storms are different—they churn with darkness, and attack with a will that’s desperate and violent.
This feels like more than rage.

Review: 
This book was pretty amazing, just lacked adventure for the majority of the book. And I am so pleased that I only just read Roar last month so I've not had to wait long for this book.

I originally thought that his book was going to be the last one and it was only going to be a duology but then when I was about 6 chapters from the end I discovered there's a 3rd book coming out next year and I already has it's name, 'Reign' and a cover which is beautiful. So I kind of expected the book to end on a cliff-hanger.

So onto the actual book, the story line is good. It's following on straight from the first book and the relationships between all the characters develop drastically and new friendships are formed. So generally this book meets expectations. The reason why it is rated 4 stars is because the majority of the action happened in the second half of the book, so it was quite a slow start. But for once it didn't actually make me want to put it down and stop reading which is something.

Aurora has joined the group of Storm hunters, they still aren't aware of who she is which is good for her. There are multiple times within this book where she could have been found out but some how she managed to still keep her secret. You can definitely tell that she has feelings for Kiran and he has for her which is really cute because it's one of those subtle relationships developing. I feel that Roar's character has developed more on the other characters I can see how the friendship has developed which is super nice. The only thing that annoys me about her is that she does not think plans through and just goes straight into doing them. But I guess that's why the book is so fun and unpredictable on the majority. 

I still really dislike Cassius but I'm starting to come to round to him especially with that ending. He is just one of those characters I think that some authors like to include. Really horrible, selfish ones that actually have reasons behind the way they act.

Another thing that I loved about this book is that it was including a 3rd point of view of this one young boy who could talk to the spirits which was 13 years earlier, it felt super amazing when it finally clicked who it actually was. I only realised about 40% through so I was quite late in this discovery sadly, but it was still really nice to come across it.

The relationship between Nova and Jinx seems like it has potential for them to actually become girlfriends because I think those are the feelings Nova has towards her but then also at the same time it may just be them getting closer to each other as they have experienced similar.

So overall, this book was amazing and definitely worth the read. I just really want book 3 to be here now.

Favourite Character: Jinx

Read: 01/10/19 - 08/10/19

4 stars out of 5

written by Sammie