The Isle of the Lost by Melissa De La Cruz - Review

Hello Book Lovers!!! I've finished The Isle of the Lost by Melissa De La Cruz and I thought it was a lovely read :) I felt like it gave a great message about being kind and how that can help in times of trouble.

We are introduced to the villains, such as Maleficent, Cruella De Vil, Evil Queen, and Jafar, as well as their children, Mal, Carlos, Evie, and Jay. Before long we begin to realise that although these children are daughters and sons of evil characters, they aren't necessarily evil themselves.

These characters have all been banished to The Isle of the Lost by King Beast and can't escape unless they find the Dragon's Eye which is hidden in the Forbidden Fortress. During a party that Mal has made Carlos have at his place, Carlos shows Evie one of his inventions, but after it explodes, Diago, Maleficent's crow returns after being turned to stone for years stating he witnessed the Dragon's Eye light up. As well as that, they find out the dome in which they live under, may have been broken.

The 4 children decide to go on a mission to find the Dragon's Eye but come across many obstacles on the way such as gargoyles, goblins, and tricky riddles they have to solve in order to progress any further on their quest.

During the mission, the children, who haven't exactly been friends, become closer and come to realise that being nice isn't always a bad thing. But will the children ever find the missing Dragon's Eye and will they ever escape The Isle of the Lost?

I really enjoyed this novel and it was fun to read and the characters are all so likeable even though they aren't always the nicest. Their personalities are all so unique and interesting and there wasn't a dull moment for any of them.

I don't think this was the best written book I've ever read but I do think it was an easy read and younger readers would definitely enjoy it, especially Disney lovers.

I also felt that I could picture each of the locations well especially when the children went on their quest. I also felt that I was on the quest with them and was trying to work out the riddles myself rather than just reading on to find out the answers. Because of that, I believe this gave the book a more interactive element which would be fun for readers of all ages.

I just hope this story is going to be carried on as a series as the ending didn't feel wrapped up enough for me. It left a lot of unanswered questions and I would like to find out more about where the characters end up and how their lives progress.

Rating /5

4

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

The Isle of the Lost by Melissa De La Cruz

Hello Book Lovers!!!

The next book I'm reading this month is The Isle of the Lost by Melissa De La Cruz. I'm super excited about reading this book as I'm pretty sure it's based on the Disney T.V show The Descendants. I've never actually watched the T.V show but I love Disney and I love reading about the villains which is what this book provides.

All I know about this book is that the villains have been banished to The Isle of the Lost and can't escape unless they find the Dragon's Eye. But the Dragon's Eye is hidden in the Forbidden Fortress. If they don't find it, then they don't escape.

I think this book sounds right up my street and because it's Disney related, I'm super excited to find out how the characters have been written in this story.

If you've read this book then let me know in the comments below what you thought of it and I'll speak to you all very soon with a review :)

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

Six Years by Harlen Coben - Review

Hello Book Lovers!!!

I've finished Six Years by Harlen Coben and oh wow wasn't it a page turner!!! It had me intrigued the whole way through and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

We begin with a guy called Jake who has been told at his ex girlfriend Natalie's wedding, by Natalie herself, to stay away. She has asked him to promise that he will leave them alone at all cost. Jake, not wanting to, but feels obliged to, agrees and for six years he keeps his promise.

But after the six years, Jake finds out that the man Natalie had married six years ago, Todd, has been murdered and Jake can't help himself and goes to the funeral hoping to see Natalie again. But when Jake gets there, he realises that the widow at the wedding isn't his beloved Natalie.

Jake decides to do his research and try to find out exactly where Natalie is but soon finds himself being kidnapped and nearly killed. Luckily he escapes and carries on his mission in finding Natalie but everyone he asks, denies knowing where she is. He does however find out that Natalie's dad disappeared 25 years ago, just like Natalie had done and wants to find out whether there is any link to the two disappearances.

After failing at getting any information off anyone, he finds out where Natalie's mother is and goes to speak to her. He manages to find out some information but there is still a lot of gaps in his findings.

Will Jake ever find his beloved Natalie and why did she disappear in the first place?

This is a real page turner of a book and I found myself completely immersed in the storyline. I really liked Jake and I also loved that Natalie was always present, just not physically. The book kept providing plot twists meaning it never really slowed down and I love books that do that as they keep me interested the whole way through.

As much as a loved the storyline, I did find myself forgetting which character was which as so many were introduced. The main characters where very well developed however and so they stuck in my head. I also thought that the bad characters were described very well as I did feel quite intimidated by them from beginning to end. The locations were also very descriptive and therefore I was able to get clear pictures of where the characters were and when.

I thought the ending was good also although I think it could have been even better by adding more action and suspense into the storyline but I thought that the action packed scenes throughout the book were very well written.

Rating /5

4

I would recommend this book to mature readers as some of the scenes are quite graffic so if you are squeamish then I probably wouldn't recommend this to you and I also don't think this is suitable at all for younger readers. If you like action packed page turners with a whole load of plot twists, I definitely think you would enjoy this book.

If you've read this book or any of Harlen Coben's other novels, then let me know in the comments what you thought of them as I would love to know your opinions, and if there are any in particular that you would recommend to me then by all means leave those in the comments as well.

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

Six Years by Harlen Coben

Hello Book Lovers!!!

The next book I'm going to read in the month of October is again a book that I think is perfect for this time of year. The book is Six Years by Harlen Coben. Now if you've read anything by Harlen Coben before, then you will know that he writes thriller/murder mystery types of novels. And as it's Halloween this month, I thought it would be appropriate to read something that would hopefully give me a chill down my spine!!!

I love reading crime novels and this time of the year is the perfect time to do so. I haven't read a novel by Harlen Coben for a few months now so I decided that this would be the perfect time to pick up another one of his books.

As far as I can gather from the synopsis on the back of the book (which I have to say intrigued me straight away), it is about a guy called Jake who six years ago watched his friend Natalie get married. He has promised to stay away from her and her husband but when her husband gets murdered, Jake can't seem to help himself and has to see her.

That's all I'm going to say about the story for now and I will of course explain more about the novel in my review once I have read it.

If you've read this book then by all means leave your opinions of it in the comments below but NO SPOILERS!!!

Speak to you all soon :)

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton - Review

Hello Book Lovers!!!

I've eventually finished The Distant Hours by Kate Morton and I have to say, it was an amazing experience to be reading another Kate Morton story after so many years. I really do love her writing and in both books I've read by her now (even though I need to recap on the one I read a few years ago), I always get so attached to the characters and the settings.

In this story we meet Edith, a girl who doesn't exactly always see eye to eye with her mother. After a letter arrives in the post addressed to her mother, and when Edith witnesses her mother's reaction when reading the letter, Edith begins to suspect her mother has been hiding something from her.

Edith begins her journey finding out what her mother has been hiding and finds herself at Milderhurst Castle, home to the Sister's Blythe. The Sister's Blythe consists of three sisters; Percy, Saffy, and Juniper.

While Edith visits the castle and meets the Sister's Blythe, she finds out about the girls' family history including a book titled The Mud Man which their father had written. This turns out to have been a major event in the girl's past and Edith goes on a hunt to find out why.

As well as the book, Edith learns about past relationships and the traumas the girls have been through. And during learning of these events, one man in particular becomes one of the main elements in Edith's discoveries in learning about the secrets behind Milderhurst Castle; Thomas Cavill.

I don't really want to say much more about the plot as I think it's one of those stories that you just have to read and find out all the little details for yourself. I thoroughly enjoyed this story as I instantly was able to picture the locations and the way in which Kate Morton describes these locations is just beautiful. I also really like that Kate Morton sets all of her stories in England. It gives her books much more of a historical theme and that is something I really enjoy reading about.

As well as loving the locations, I also loved the characters. There wasn't one particular character that I felt I liked more than the others, I enjoyed reading about all of them and their adventures in both the present and the past. That brings me on to my next point about why I enjoyed this book so much.

Kate Morton writes her novels in a way in which we see each character's perspective, both in the past and the present. Each chapter/section of her books have specific dates stated at the beginning of each so you know whether the words you are about to read of from the character's past or whether they are in the present time. This not only allows you to read about the character's now, but gives you a backstory of each of the characters, their history, events that have happened that have been highly significant in their lives etc.

I think if you enjoy reading about England and the historical elements of this country, then I think you will really enjoy Kate Morton's writing, and if you enjoy getting attached to the characters you are reading about and getting drawn into the settings, then these books are definitely for you.

Rating /5

5

If any of you have read The Distant Hours, or any other one of Kate Morton's novels for that matter, then leave in the comments your opinions as I would love to see whether you enjoy her novels as much as I do.

Speak to you all very soon!!!

xHannahx 

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton

Hello Book Lovers!!!

The next book I'll be reading in the month of October is The Distant Hours by Kate Morton. I've been meaning to read another Kate Morton book for a very long time now and as I have two unread books of hers on my shelf I decided it was time to give one of them a read :)

From what I can gather from the synopsis, a letter is delivered that has been lost in the post for many years. This letter then leads the characters to unearth family secrets as they set out on a journey to visit (or revisit as the case may be), Milderhurst Castle.

I think this book sounds fascinating yet unsettling, and as it is Halloween this month, I felt I needed a book that was going to make me feel, if anything, a little creeped out!!!

I also just want to say that this book is rather huge (670 pages), so don't expect a review up in the next few days!!! And also, I just want to mention how beautiful the cover of this book is. Kate Morton always seems to have stunning book covers and I just can't wait to get my head stuck into this story!!!

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green - Review

Hello Book Lovers!!!

I first of all want to apologise for the speed I'm reading at the minute. I'm not very well at all and haven't been for nearly 4 weeks now, but it's nothing serious, it's just taking a long time to pass. Anyway, I've finished An Abundance of Katherines by John Green. I did enjoy this book but not as much as I enjoyed his other books.

In this story we are introduced to Colin Singleton, who has just graduated from high school and has also just been dumped by Katherine number 19.....yes.....19!!! He decides to go on a road trip with his friend Hassan to not only clear his head and get away from home for a bit, but also to create a theory for the Katherine situation.

While Colin is away, he uses his theories to predict how long a couple will stay in their relationship and if it happens, when they will separate. The boys find themselves in Gutshot at the tour of the grave of Archduke Franz Ferdinand where they meet their tour guide Lindsey Lee Wells. Later in the day the boys meet Lindsey's mother Hollis and she invites them back to her house for tea. While there, Hollis offers the boys summer jobs at her factory as well as a room in her home.

While working on their summer jobs, Colin continues working on his theorem and Hassan works on his people skills which eventually gets him a girlfriend. Although Lindsey has a boyfriend, also a Colin, herself and Colin Singleton start to become close over the summer and helps him with his theorem.

The characters soon begin to realise the importance of friendships, how friendships can turn into relationships, and what their futures hold for them.

Like I said above, I didn't enjoy this book as much has John Green's other work. I didn't think there was a strong storyline and other than Colin, I didn't feel like I got to know the other characters that well. I did really like Colin though and I definitely thought the way to book was written was another fantastic way to portray Colin's intelligence as well as how he was described in the story.

I also really liked the extra elements to this book such as the footnotes and the graphs as this gave us more of an insight to the characters, Colin's theorem, and the story itself. Although these were great elements, I did feel like I got confused a lot and I don't put this down to John Green at all, I just find anything maths related very difficult to understand.

Apart from those points, I did enjoy the story, it just wasn't strong enough for me and it didn't make me feel many emotions. I would have liked more insight to some of the less main characters as I got confused at which character was which at points. I loved Colin's character however and I did begin to feel attached to him. I think he is a well written and well developed character and his intelligence is incredible!!! He does however need to work on his social skills!!!

Rating /5

3

As always, let me know in the comments below what you thought of this book if you've read it and if you have any different opinions to me then I would love to read them.

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Hello Book Lovers!!!

It's the 4th October and nope I've not begun reading anything yet this month. I think I needed a few days off reading after marathoning a series last month but I feel ready again to delve into my next book!!! And it's going to be An Abundance of Katherines by John Green :)

This is the only John Green book I've not read (excluding his co-written book with David Levithan, Will Grayson Will Grayson), so I'm super excited to read it and say that I've finally read all of John Green's solo work :)

I don't know a huge amount about this book but I've heard it is quite funny and most people seem to enjoy this book. I've not heard anybody say this is their favourite John Green book but I definitely want to give it a go to see what my opinion on it is.

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

September 2015 Wrap Up

Hello Book Lovers!!!

It's now the beginning of October so it's time to do my September Wrap Up!!! I've read 5 books this month which I'm definitely happy with as I've had quite a busy month. So lets get to it!!!

The first book I read in the month of September was Annie by Thomas Meehan

I love the film Annie so when I seen this I knew I had to pick it up. It follows the same story as the film but has some changes that I thoroughly enjoyed :) I gave this 4* on Goodreads.

The next book I read was The Maze Runner by James Dashner

This is the first book in The Maze Runner trilogy and one of my favourite. It was fast paced and didn't mess around at the beginning. You are thrown straight into the main storyline which I enjoyed hugely as a lot of books tend to introduce everything for way to long.

Then I went straight onto The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

This is the second book in The Maze Runner trilogy and although I did still enjoy this book, I found it a little slower than the first book. I did however begin to feel fully attached to a lot of the characters in this book which turns out isn't such a great idea once you get onto the next book which I'm about to talk about!!! I gave this book 4* on Goodreads.

The Death Cure by James Dashner was the next book I read

This is the final book in The Maze Runner trilogy and was a fantastic conclusion to the series. It was back to being fast paced like The Maze Runner and my heart got broken into a million pieces in some chapters of this book (BEWARE!!!). I also gave this book 4* on Goodreads.

And the final book I read this month was The Kill Order by James Dashner

You might be thinking, Hannah, you've just said The Death Cure was the final book in The Maze Runner trilogy, and right you are, but this is the prequel to the trilogy. I didn't enjoy this book as much as the others but I did still like how close the new characters we were introduced to were and although this wasn't that fast paced of a book, some of the action scenes were great to read and fantastically written. I gave this 3* on Goodreads.

So that is my Wrap Up for September!!! And now it's time for me to announce which book has won my Favourite September Read!!!

And my Favourite September Read goes to.....

The Death Cure by James Dashner!!!

I just think that this concluded The Maze Runner trilogy brilliantly and was fast paced throughout. If you're like me and get attached to characters then this book will probably rip your heart out.

So that concludes September!!! I'll update you on what I'm reading in October very soon :)

Also, let me know in the comments below what you've been reading in the month of September and if you have any recommendations for me then of course leave those in the comments as well :)

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

The Kill Order by James Dashner - Review

Hello Book Lovers!!!

I've finished The Kill Order by James Dashner which means I'm completely finished with all of The Maze Runner books!!! I didn't enjoy this book as much as the rest but I'll get on to why soon. Even though I finished this today, I'm still going to class it as a September read as I read most of it in September so you will see it in my wrap up which will also be posted today.

If you haven't already here are my previous reviews on The Maze Runner trilogy:

The Maze Runner: http://thatswhaticallabookreview.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/the-maze-runner-by-james-dashner-review.html

The Scorch Trials: http://thatswhaticallabookreview.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/the-scorch-trials-review.html

The Death Cure: http://thatswhaticallabookreview.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/the-death-cure-by-james-dashner-review.html

In The Kill Order, we are introduced to new characters as it is the prequel to The Maze Runner trilogy. These characters have just survived the sun flares but now face another challenge in which they have to survive the Flare, a highly dangerous and contagious virus that has invaded Earth.

Friends, Mark, Trina, Toad, Misty and Darnell, as well as two army veterans live together in the Appalachian Mountains and in the beginning, are settled and quite happy that the sun flares are over and they no longer have to fight to survive. But then an airship called a Berg has crash landed and some men begin shooting innocent people in the village.

They are shooting these people with arrows that will give them the Flare but as this point in time, Mark and his friends have no idea what the Flare is. The friends have to fight the infected and find a way to stop the people shooting the arrows.

Unfortunately some are lost on the way but soon they find a little girl called DeeDee that seems to be immune to the Flare. The team try to invade the shooters and fight off the infected, but there is only so much a small team can do against hundreds that are infected by the Flare.

Like I said earlier, I didn't enjoy this book as much as the rest. However there were some things I liked about it; it wasn't all bad. Some of these things included the clear friendship and protectiveness the characters had over one another, the fast paced actions scenes that I thought were written very well, and the prologue and epilogue that began and finished this book off brilliantly.

On the other hand, although I said I enjoyed the fast paced action scenes, I did find that this book got rather slow in sections and because of that, I didn't feel like I was fully concentrating on the story at all times. This meant that there were times that I had to recap to understand what had just happened.

I also didn't feel attached to any of the characters like I did in The Maze Runner trilogy and when there was a death, it didn't effect me at all. If you've read my reviews on the other three books, then you know how much some of the deaths effected me in those.

Overall I think this was a good book but if it wasn't written, I don't think that it would be a huge loss to the trilogy.

Rating /5

3

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx