Ella Whittle

5 stars! This book has everything: humour, action, romance, mystery, tension and drama. It is easily the best fantasy universe I have ever come across, and this particular book is so amazing because it somehow manages to be a fantasy book without the main theme of the book being its fantastical universe. Kaz Brekker is one of the most feared members of the Dregs, one of the city of Ketterdam's many criminal gangs. Together with his crew Inej, Nina, Jesper, Wylan and Matthias, he must complete a heist so daring no one has ever attempted it before... Although from this summary, Kaz sounds like the main character, in truth each chapter is written from the perspective of a different member of the crew. This is how it is able to span so many different themes. Each member of the crew is in on it foar different reason: be it money, loyalty, love, fear, debt or revenge. My favourite character is easily Inej. She is part of a community of travelling performers called the Suli. However, one day she was seperated from them and forced into Ketterdam, where she became a spy for the Dregs due to her excellent acrobatic skills. Other favourites include Nina, a Grisha heartrender. Grisha are members of a sacred Ravkan order who can use the elements to their advantage: Corporalki, who can heal or attack people with their link to the human body, Materialki, who can use materials to make things and attack people, and summoners, who live up to their names. I would recommend this book for 11+. I know most places say 13+, but I read this book when I was 11 and was absolutely fine. There are some pretty gruesome scenes and a heck of a lot of violence, but no swears or anything. Just depends how comfortable you are with violence. As to who would like it, I think everyone should give it a try. I wasn't much of a fantasy fan myself before I was introduced to Leigh Bardugo, and still aren't, but with this book you will honestly forget that it is fantasy, you will be so wrapped up in the storyline. It's basically like Ocean's Eleven, if you've ever seen that film. Ocean's Eleven but mixed with the Game of Thrones. Absolute work of art! BUY THIS ASAP!!!

I love this book! Completely introduced me to the thriller genre, and I am now OBSESSED! I know lots of people would dismiss this as the worst Holly Jackson book, but in my eyes it is one of the best and soooo deserves a sequel. The plot twists are easily the best out of any book I have ever read, and the ending is so unexpected and perfect. Out of the many plot twists, there was only one I saw coming. I physically could not leave this book alone and got to the point where I was reading it under the desk in lessons (and I am the ultimate goody-two-shoes) because I NEEDED to know what happened next. The characters are wonderful. Red is unlike any protagonist I have ever come across, and unlike many books, the antagonists rely strongly on your own interpretation. If you asked me, I would say they are a completely different person/group of people to the next guy. I'll just quickly give you a bit of depth for if you're thinking of maybe getting this book: Six friends are going on a road trip in a thirty-one foot long RV (that extra foot too important to be rounded down) during spring break, when they get unexpectedly lost and stranded on a tiny, backwater country lane somewhere in North Carolina. Little do they know, they have been brought here on purpose, and will not be allowed to leave untill they meet their captor's demands. Secrets are brought to surface, and the night will bring the six of them closer to the end than they could ever have imagined. One of them carries a deadly secret, that will mean freedom for their friends and the end of this awful, awful night stranded in the wilderness. But the question is, who is it? Obviously, there is so much more to the book than that (the characters each have intricate backstories, a lot more things happen, and Red is just so damn relateable and human) but hopefully what I have written is enough to get you to BUY THIS NOVEL ASAP!!!!! Out of all the characters, one of my favourites has got to be Reyna. The way she stands up for herself is so powerful, and even though I am probably the only person in the world who would consider her a favourite, she's an incredible person. Other favourites include Arthur and Red. And can I just say, Holly Jackson's dialogue is PER-FECT!!!!!! Age ratings - 11+, depending on how comfortable you are with swearing as there is a LOT of it (perhaps slightly unnecessary at times). It completely depends on the person, because there are some pretty gruesome scenes and lots of things that people might find trigerring, as well as violence and some pretty scary suspense. Honestly, as to how Holly does it, I have absolutely no idea. 5 stars. Absolutely, certainly, 110%, definitely, literally, physically, totally, perfectly, wonderfully 5 stars. 6 if I could. Oh and by the way, if you don't like cliff-hangers this is no good for you, because it was practically unfinished and I had to consider writing a fan-fiction sequel to tie up all the loose ends. But STILL 5 STARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AMAZING! The Hawthorne Legacy is probably my favourite book right now. The mystery is absolute world-class, the characters are sooo human and perfect, the idea/plot is pretty original and everything about it is just brilliant! So I found out about this series from a friend, and let me tell you it is everything social media says it is. I bought this particular novel to entertain me on a flight, and I had literally finished it before I got to the airport! But honestly, that was fine because I spent the ENTIRE flight rereading it, skimming for clues and trying to work out what I thought might happen next. This is one of those stories that you literally can't put down even if you want to (which I promise you, you will not). It has a little bit of everything: action, romance (a love triangle to rival The Hunger Games), mystery, tension (heck is there a lot of it) and drama. I would recommend this book for pretty much anyone. I know most sites say 13+, but I think mature 11-year-olds could easily handle it. It's perfect for fans of The Hunger Games, any of the Leigh Bardugo series and anything Holly Jackson (especially Five Survive), but even if you don't like them you will still probably like this book. The reason this novel is so hard to put down is the incredible suspense. The mysteries were semi-explained at the end of the first book, but I had a feeling there was something fishy about it and I was right, when I read this everything clicked. In case you haven't read the first book: It is about a girl called Avery who lives with her sister and struggles for money. However, one day this all changes when she receives a visit from Grayson Hawthorne, the grandson of an extremely upper-class man with a net worth of over 48 billion. Avery has never met this man and has no idea how he knew her, but learns that she has been mentioned in his will and must attend its reading. She assumes she has been left a few thousand pounds (which would still have turned her life around) but discovers that she has almost been left multi-billionare Tobias Hawthorne's entire fortune. She must live in his residence, Hawthorne House, for a year, battling with his blood-thirsty would-be-heirs to keep her fortune. Working with brothers Grayson, Jameson, Alexander and Nash, she must uncover why Tobias Hawthorne really took interest in her. And what she discovers will change every Hawthorne's life forever... Like I mentioned before, the characters are INCREDIBLE. Jennifer Lynn Barnes (the author) is great at making you feel a certain way about a character as soon as she introduces them. She has completely extracted all ideas of anyone else being on the love triangle from my head, and I know who I think will betray Avery before they've even opened their mouth. However, if she wants a character to surprise you, they will absolutely, definitely, 100% surprise you. The plot twists! Incredible. I have only ever read a few things that even come close. You might think you know what's coming, but trust me, you have absolutely no idea. 5 stars.