Author: Zaheerah

A twenty-something reader. Slowly making her way through the endless pit that is her TBR pile.
Science Fiction & Fantasy, Young Adult/ Teen

BOOK REVIEW: Concentr8 by William Sutcliffe

by Zaheerah1 Comment on BOOK REVIEW: Concentr8 by William Sutcliffe


you can find the book at:

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Author Bio

goodreads summary:

In a future London, Concentr8 is a prescription drug intended to help kids with ADD.

Soon every troubled teen is on it. It makes sense, doesn’t it? Keep the undesirable elements in line. Keep people like us safe from people like them. What’s good for society is good for everyone.

Troy, Femi, Lee, Karen and Blaze have been taking Concentr8 as long as they can remember. They’re not exactly a gang, but Blaze is their leader, and Troy has always been his quiet, watchful sidekick – the only one Blaze really trusts. They’re not looking for trouble, but one hot summer day, when riots break out across the city, they find it.

What makes five kids pick a man seemingly at random – a nobody, he works in the housing department, doesn’t even have a good phone – hold a knife to his side, take him to a warehouse and chain him to a radiator?

They’ve got a hostage, but don’t really know what they want, or why they’ve done it. And across the course of five tense days, with a journalist, a floppy-haired mayor, a police negotiator, and the sinister face of the pharmaceutical industry, they – and we – begin to understand why …

my review:

Rating: ★★★☆☆

~ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review~

Concentr8 takes us into London, where the increase of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents have reached epidemic levels. Concentr8 has been used by the government as a form of social control until the use of Concentr8 was abolished, wiping out the availability of its supply to the public. A group of teens kidnap a random worker from the Mayor’s office for hostage although it is clear that they don’t know why they did it or what they actually want by doing it.

Personally, Concentr8 had the potential to be so great, but it really wasn’t a readable novel. The multiple POV change too quickly for my liking, and at some points, I didn’t know if it was really that necessary to capture the perspective of every other character in the story. I hoped it would give a clearer picture, but it just didn’t work.  The narrative voices all sounded alike and would have been better off with one or two POVs rather than the mashup we got.

However, this book does have some strong points that are interesting to read in a YA novel. The psychology of nature versus nurture is a longstanding debate and this novel really work with the issues of ADHD and Ritalin. It’s a quick read, with an intriguing premise and well-imagined story, but it could have been executed better for me. Still worth a read though, for anyone interested.
Books, LGBTQIA, Science Fiction & Fantasy

BOOK REVIEW: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

by Zaheerah1 Comment on BOOK REVIEW: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

you can find the book at:

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goodreads summary:

When Rosemary Harper joins the crew of the Wayfarer, she isn’t expecting much. The Wayfarer, a patched-up ship that’s seen better days, offers her everything she could possibly want: a small, quiet spot to call home for a while, adventure in far-off corners of the galaxy, and distance from her troubled past.

[..] Until the crew are offered the job of a lifetime: the chance to build a hyperspace tunnel to a distant planet. They’ll earn enough money to live comfortably for years… if they survive the long trip through war-torn interstellar space without endangering any of the fragile alliances that keep the galaxy peaceful.

But Rosemary isn’t the only person on board with secrets to hide, and the crew will soon discover that space may be vast, but spaceships are very small indeed.

my review:

Rating: ★★★★☆

~ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review~

To begin with, I honestly never thought I would ever get emotional over an AI system.

Long Way is an absolutely beautiful debut novel by Chambers. Using a vast variety of human and alien characters, mixed with interesting and exciting cultures, Chambers tells an extraordinary story about what makes us human.

Rosemary, a young Martian woman, running from her past, joins the crew of Wayfarer, a ship that drills wormholes for intergalactic travel. The team takes a job on the other side of the galaxy which could make them rich, but on the way, they face the challenges and dangers of the multicultural universe. Chambers pulls you in the life of her characters (humans, aliens and AIs alike) and builds a whole galaxy through the lives of her characters, dealing with struggles that are all too human, even when the character is alien.

However, there could have been a more significant conflict but considering this is a debut –  The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet was something new and refreshing. I definitely recommend.

Books, Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Young Adult/ Teen

BOOK REVIEW: Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell

by ZaheerahLeave a Comment on BOOK REVIEW: Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell

you can find the book at:

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goodreads summary:

Nicolette’s awful stepsisters call her “Mechanica” to demean her, but the nickname fits: she learned to be an inventor at her mother’s knee. Her mom is gone now, though, and the Steps have turned her into a servant in her own home.

But on her sixteenth birthday, Nicolette discovers a secret workshop in the cellar and begins to dare to imagine a new life for herself. Could the mysterious books and tools hidden there—and the mechanical menagerie, led by a tiny metal horse named Jules—be the key to escaping her dreary existence? With a technological exposition and royal ball on the horizon, the timing might just be perfect for Nicolette to earn her freedom at last.

Gorgeous prose and themes of social justice and family shine in this richly imagined Cinderella retelling about an indomitable inventor who finds her prince . . . but realizes she doesn’t want a fairy tale happy ending after all.

my review:

Rating: ★★★☆☆

~ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review~

I’m so disappointed with this book because it had the potential to be brilliant. Like other Cinderellas, Nicolette is at the mercy of her cruel stepmother and sisters. She’s treated like dirt and forced to work as a servant in her own family home. Unknown to her stepfamily, Nicolette has a talent for engineering and hides her mother’s old inventions away in her workroom. She plans to sell her designs to make enough money to leave and, hopefully, repurchase her family home from her stepmother’s clutches.

The concept is fantastic. Nicolette wants to save herself, remove herself from her toxic environment but on her own terms. The emphasis is not on romance but on the importance of friendship. And the importance of loving yourself rather than loving the prince. But there is no climax. The story flows quick and easy, but there’s nothing that fuels excitement, no internal conflict that was satisfying to read.

Overall, this book was enjoyable. How likely I would recommend this book will be varying, depends on my mood I think. But the ending was was cute, and honestly one of my favourite for a fairy tale retelling.

Books, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Young Adult/ Teen

BOOK REVIEW: Miss Mabel’s School for Girls (The Network Series #1) by Katie Cross

by ZaheerahLeave a Comment on BOOK REVIEW: Miss Mabel’s School for Girls (The Network Series #1) by Katie Cross

you can find the book at:

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GoodReads summary:

Never underestimate the power of a determined witch.

Letum Wood is a forest of fog and deadfall, home to the quietly famous Miss Mabel’s School for Girls, a place where young witches learn the art of magic.

Sixteen-year-old Bianca Monroe has inherited a deadly curse. Determined to break free before it kills her, she enrols in the respected school to confront the cunning witch who cast the curse: Miss Mabel.

Bianca finds herself faced with dark magic she didn’t expect, with lessons more dangerous than she could have ever imagined. Will Bianca have the courage to save herself from the curse, or will Miss Mabel’s sinister plan be too powerful?

my review:

Rating: ★★★☆☆

~ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review~

Bianca Monroe is a witch, stuck with a dominant Inheritance curse has been placed on her mother and grandmother. The witch behind the curse is none other than Miss Mabel of Miss Mabel’s School for Girls. The school is the most prestigious one in the Witches’ Network and every year, it hosts a Student Competition, the prize of which is private lessons with the school’s High Witch. Within the first few hours of arriving at the school, Bianca volunteers for the Competition – the first first-year volunteer in centuries. But what she doesn’t realise, and what she has been warned about, is that winning the Competition was the easiest part – Miss Mabel is cunning and ruthless, for which Bianca could be the perfect weapon.

For a debut author, the world of The Networks is good – I read a lot of fantasy and paranormal books, and witches are amongst my least favourite premises. I love the concept, but the stories aren’t executed well enough. Katie Cross did manage to make it work for me. The writing is decent and sets the fast pace quite nicely.

Bianca was a good protagonist. For once, I’m glad I wasn’t irritated continuously at the action of the main character. She’s determined but doubtful, and the lengths she was willing to go for her family are commendable. Miss Mabel’s School for Girls is about young women growing up and taking on responsibilities of adulthood, witching, and the good of the witch networks. There were no love triangles! (I’m pretty sure there are only three male speaking characters) It was refreshing to see female characters that don’t revolve around the male character.

However, I felt like the development between Bianca’s relationships with her family should have been emphasised more. They are an essential aspect of the events that occur, and the stakes are high against them, yet I felt no sympathy towards them because I didn’t feel Bianca’s love for them. Also, I know Bianca quickly masters particular skills for the sake of the story, but it still felt too convenient. Despite her years of training, there are some forces too powerful for Bianca to have performed as she did.

Books, Contemporary

BOOK REVIEW: The Color of our Sky by Amita Trasi

by Zaheerah2 Comments on BOOK REVIEW: The Color of our Sky by Amita Trasi

you can find the book at:

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Amazon
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Author Website

goodreads summary:

A sweeping, emotional journey of two childhood friends—one struggling to survive the human slave trade and the other on a mission to save her—two girls whose lives converge only to change one fateful night in 1993.

my review:

Rating: ★★★★★

“The truth remains quiet inside us,floundering like a battered bird,desperately wanting to spread its wings and fly away.

~ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review~

The Colour of our Sky is a profound story about the concept of the caste system in India, of how much that system decides the road people’s lives take.

Mukta was born into a lower caste, one in which the women dedicate their lives to becoming prostitutes for their goddess. When Tara’s family takes her from there, the two girls become more closely intertwined than either could ever have guessed.
Until Mukta is kidnapped in the middle of the night, and Tara just watches.

Within each character is complexity, no one is just ‘good’ or ‘bad’, there is a deep shame, determination, and love. Tara grew up in a middle-class home in India, is continuously reflecting the different ideologies she grew up with. Tara, in a moment of emotional difficulty, makes a decision that will haunt her well into adulthood–until she realises she can’t rest until she makes things right.

It’s beautiful and terrifying at the same time. A novel that will continue to make you think for a long, long time.

Books, Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Young Adult/ Teen

BOOK REVIEW: An Ember In The Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

by Zaheerah2 Comments on BOOK REVIEW: An Ember In The Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

you can find the book at:

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Amazon
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Author Website

 

my review:

Rating: ★★★★☆

“You are an ember in the ashes, Elias Veturius. You will spark and burn, ravage and destroy. You cannot change it. You cannot stop it.”

 

Laia is one of the Scholars – now ruled over by the Martial Empire – many of whom are poor and illiterate. When her brother is arrested by the Masks, she seeks out the Resistance for help. However, they demand that in return she must enter Blackcliff Military Academy as a slave to spy on the Commandant. Elias – the son of the Commandant – makes up the other perspective in this book.

The two main characters each have their own point of view, which I loved and was captivated by both. Laia and Elias have some major internal struggles going on. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I felt strongly for the characters, and the plot kept me going and I couldn’t put this book down! Both are unsure of the person that they are and what kind of person they want to be. It was beautiful to see them find the strength within themselves to survive in the very different but equally challenging positions they are in. It was lovely seeing their stories intertwine and seeing these similarities come to light. I was engrossed in the story, while it was slow-paced and the action not present throughout, I never felt the lack of it. A right balance was offered.

However, this isn’t really a complete story. The beginning doesn’t spend any time at all fleshing out the characters before everything changes for them. Rather than laying a foundation, Tahir pushes us right into the action. While this would annoy me for most books, but with Embers, it worked, and I was sped through this. It’s getting a sequel, and I’m glad because this is in no way a functional standalone, that some people thought it would be, since so many storylines were left unresolved. I thought it was well-paced and remained engaging throughout. There are a lot of flaws to point out, and a lot could have been improved.

Another aspect that had room for improvement was the romance. I’ll give Tahir credit, as I didn’t find it as bad, but I had a hard time buying some of the attractions between characters because they rarely interact. Overall, I had a fun time reading this, it’s an alright starter for a promising YA fantasy series. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for book 2!