Pick #1: Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #1)
By Laini Taylor
Rating: 5
“Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love. It did not end well.”
A thrilling read, that has a hint of the supernatural and yet holds the beauty of Prague - a tale unlike any other.
With fact and fiction bonded so tightly you'll almost expect to wake up with an angel hovering over your bed (and wishbone dangling from around your neck!) Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a must-read for lovers of YA Fantasy.
Pick #2:
Goddess Interrupted (Goddess Test #2)
By Aimee Carter
Rating: 4.5
“You can say you love me all you want, but if you only ever act like the opposite's true, then I can't trust your words anymore.”
Out of all of Aimee Carter's characters, I loved Henry the most.
I adored how you could sense his inner struggle - your heart will ache for him and Kate, as you hope (against all odds) that they'll both come to terms with their love for each other.
Greek mythology is given a fresh interpretation, and is personified through a range of truly loveable characters: James, Ava (not Persephone), and more.
I hate to say this but nearly every book with Greek influences I've read - or movies I've watched - have made Persephone look like the world's biggest witch. She's rude, obnoxious, a flirt...! Fingers-crossed, Aimee gives her some redeemable qualities as the series progresses.
Kate really grows as a heroine. Even though she has grown into her role as Henry's 'wife/love/pet' (the last one was a joke, I swear!) she still holds onto her human fragility - the uncertainty, the fears, the ability to love.
All these emotions that make her human.
My favourite part is *spoiler* when she tells Henry her feelings to Henry in the throne room:
“That’s the problem, Henry. I don’t know how you feel about me. Everyone else seems to have an opinion about it, but the only person I want to hear from is you(...) I know I’m not like her and that I never will be, but you know what, Henry? That’s a good thing; because unlike her I’m not going to betray you…I’ll stay but no matter how much I love you, I will not let you manipulate me like this.”
Pick #3:
Does My Head Look Big in This?
By Abdel-Fattah Randa
Rating: 4.9
“What’s the good of being true to your religion on the outside, if you don’t change what’s on the inside,were it really counts?”
Compelling, brutally honest, full of spirit and sporting a cast of colourful characters that will find their way into your heart, Does My Head Look Big In This? is a book all teenage girls should read, no matter their race or religion.
Deep down, most girls - and even guys - can relate to Amal and her struggle to discover her identity amid the cultural chaos and to content with being herself among the troubles of today's Australian society.
Full of laughter, teen troubles, quirky parents and psycho neighbours, this book is a brilliant way of understanding the perks and the lows of being a teenager as well as dealing with the pressures of religion, peers and of course, boys.
