book reviews – A Fangirl's Opinion

Mini Reviews – Circe, The Night Circus and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

November 2, 2019

Circe by Madeline Miller

I finally gave into the hype surrounding this book and let me say that everything said about this book is true, it is a wonderfully original and captivating read that explores the shadows of villainized women Greek Mythology. Millers choice to tell Circe’s story in first person was genius, it made transcending her emotions and hurting off the page more impactful and somewhat realistic. Her journey is one of many delicate and divine layers as she grows from a naive and hopelessly blind nymph to a powerful and compassionate heroine who’s weaknesses only excel her quest of love and acceptance. Throughout the book we get glimpses into other myths but storyline is solely Circe’s personal tale of heartbreak, desire and motherhood. A beautiful masterpiece filled with thought-provoking and powerful quotes, this book is a must read for all.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Prepare to be transported to the beautiful and enchanting world of the Night Circus where anything is possible thanks to Morgenstern’s magically intertwined storylines and sparkling prose which creates a place that is majestic and thoroughly irresistible.Behind the scenes of Le Cirque des Rêves, there is a tournament underway between two magicians who have been trained since childhood for this exact purpose by their instructors. Morgenstern includes every element you’d want in a book, a whirlwind romance, a beguiling mystery and peculiar characters that drive the story. This truly captivating adventure is proof that magic does exists.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

It is clear why Gail Honeyman’s debut novel ‘Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine’ won last year’s Costa Book Award as is a stunning example of a beautifully written and profound novel that touches on a collection of different issues and aspects that will leave readers feeling wrecked in the best and worst ways possible. Eleanor is lonely, damaged and awkward and every day of her life is the same, but one night, all of that changes rather abruptly. Eleanor is a uniquely refreshing and quirky character but that doesn’t stop readers from establishing a connection with her and understanding why she is, the way she is. Instead, we take her by the hand and join her on her emotional journey as she experiences different events that act as a catalyst for change and wonderful character development.

Never Fade – Alexandra Bracken

July 29, 2015

It isn’t often the case when the second book in a series is as good or better than the first but this is the case for ‘Never Fade. Once again Alexandra Bracken has created a suspenseful and action packed novel which I could put down…

Never Fade, again follows the character of Ruby as she begins her work for the Children’s League but when she’s entrusted with an explosive secret, she must hit the road again to help save the ones she loves and the lives of the millions of children trapped in the camps. Torn between old and the promises made to the children league, Ruby must help uncover the secrets hidden behind the disease and the government…

Ruby character development was perfect and so beautifully paced. She got to kick ass in this book and became a brave and powerful character who will do anything to protect her friends and others in difficult situations. In this book she also became a lot more mature with her actions and decisions which became clear in the writing.

I craved for Liam the first chapters of the book and when he finally appeared I didn’t know how to process what was happening. But sooner or later things came back into the swing of it, with everyone back together – except for Zu who I was disappointed not to see in this book, but hopefully in the next…

Obviously Liam and Ruby’s relationship was just beautiful. The romance was just gorgeous and even though we didn’t get loads it was just enough and was so intense you looked forward to it and appreciated the parts you got more than if there was loads

We are also introduced to a load of new characters as well as a few old faces. Vida was brilliant, she helped bring more humour and sass to the book as well as being a all-round badass! Can I ship her with Chubbs? The banter between them was funny and always made me smile! Joules, on the other hand was just so cute, his innocence reminded me first of Zu and I thought it was nice to have a character who wasn’t a total badass. Cole Stewart! Oh Goodness, now there’s two of them.

This book had so much action which always kept me on the edge on my seat and to add to that Alexandra Bracken decided to throw a few plot twists in there! The storyline, in some parts I thought wasn’t as strong as the first book however I loved the fact we finally got to meet some ‘Reds’ and saw the extent of their powers. Also in this book, a lot of my questions from the previous novel were answered but it did though leave me with even more like ‘What is the secret behind the disease?’ and ‘What is up with he government?’

The ending! Alexandra Bracken is one of the queens of rotten endings and cliffhangers. A part of me loves these endings as it just helps build my excitement for the next novel but on the other hand it just leaves me with a book hangover – Oh the struggles!

In the end, I can easily rate this book 5/5 stars and is a perfect dystopian novel and even better sequel. If you like what your reading, please feel free to check out my review on the first book, ‘The Darkest Minds‘.

The Elite – Kiera Cass

January 14, 2015

I love this series!! So much happened in this book which made it so addictive and to top it all off it leaves you on another cliffhanger, making it so much worse.

‘The Elite’ begins with only six girls left in the selection from the original 35 and competition is fierce. But time is running out and Prince Maxon must choose a winner, one that will become his bride. America is seen as the favourite in his eyes however you can’t have a love story that simple, oh no! America must decide once again between Aspen; the boy from home or Maxon; the charming prince.

It was easy for me to jump right back into the world of Illea and the palace. I fell easily right back into the rhythm of the Selection process and life with the royal family. These books are very easy and certainly enjoyable reads – they make me wish that I was a princess! Once again we still have our love triangle between our two handsome young men and personally whilst reading I found it hard to make a decision of whom America should end up with – they both have there strengths and weaknesses. At times I am certain she should be with Maxon and then the next minute I’m positive she should be with Aspen instead! Oh gosh, it’s all so dramatic!

What I love about this book is the fact that the attention is taken away from Aspen and is more focused on Maxon. We get to know more about him, and what his character is really like. I also liked how we got to see America’s character develop, as she encounters more and more events in the palace. But at times America could get a bit frustrating which ruined her character slightly. By the end of the boo,k America was in a bit of an awkward place with both Maxon and Aspen and I feel she has a lot of work to do to ‘fix’ the situation…

The Elite is a step up from the first book as The Selection was quite light and wasn’t as serious as this book. In The Elite we get to see the cracks in the way Illea is run, and how they were more in danger than they expected. With more and more rebel attacks, more drama is created making the book more action packed!

I recommend ‘The Elite’ and ‘The Selection’ series for fans of fairy-tales with romance and action. Giving it 4/5, I really really really recommend this series and if you are still unsure check out our spoiler-free review on ‘The Selection’. If you are a fan of the series please do check out my review of ‘The One’

If You Find Me – Emily Murdoch

October 27, 2014

I’m not quite sure how to start this review sooooo, Hi. How ya doing? I’m good but slightly emotionally unstable because of this book. Yes it’s one of those. After I finished this book I sort of wondered around thinking about life in a somewhat of confused state, I have to admit, major book hangover…

After buying this book on a whim I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it but also how much it affected me. I read this book during the process of flying and also that first day of holiday. I usually read books pretty fast on holiday anyway but I read it in something like a day (or maybe 2, I don’t have superpowers, unfortunately) any way I usually judge a book on how quickly I finish it and so on my standards this was blimin’ good!

This book revolves around a young teenager named Carey. For as long as she can remember she has lived in an old caravan in the heart of the woods with her silent six year old sister Jenessa and her drug and alcohol addicted mother who is away for months at a time. This is her home so when strangers turn up one night, she doesn’t really know what to do and is terrified that they will find out their secret and the reason for Jenessa’s silence. Can’t say much more without spoilers, sorry folks…

I just couldn’t stop reading this book and I absolutely loved it from cover to cover, there was literally nothing I would change, although I have to admit it does get a bit heavy with the subject matter so younger readers please be warned…

Honestly this book was perfect and I absolutely loved it! I’m going to award it a massive 5 out of 5 stars * * * * * a beautiful and heartfelt story that I couldn’t put down.

Cinder – Marissa Meyer

September 26, 2014

Cinderella as a cyborg! Marissa Meyer is a genius, re-imagining of one of the most popular classics-Cinderella. Set in the future, Cinder is now a cyborg (how unique is this?). She’s smart and resourceful; a true modern day Cinderella cyborg.

Set in the distant future in New Beijing, we follow the protagonist Cinder across an mysterious adventure uncovering things from her past and future whilst she tries to stay alive as well as handling a tricky love life. We all know the tale of Cinderella and this novel follows it but with many unexpected twists and turns!

As for the characters, first we have Cinder who’s our typical Cinderella; she’s shy but strong minded and determined. Personally I think she’s perfect and I loved learning more about her! Then we have Iko, the lovable companion who is full of laughter as well as being a perfect friend to Cinder almost like the animals in Cinderella! Of course we can’t forget Prince Kai who plays the role of Cinders love interest. He’s kind and charming! What more could you ask!!

I loved everything about this book from the futuristic concept to the interesting turns to the plot, creating a new fantasy world. There are loads of twists and turns but the down side is they can be slightly predictable. From the very start it’s obvious what the big twist is going to be. However, it’s obvious in a way that makes me think this was the author’s intention.

Overall I loved this book and I am definitely planning to read the whole series! The book is a really nice easy read and even if you’re not a fan of si-fi I recommend you give it a try; you won’t be disappointed! I am happy to give this book 4/5 stars!!