Review: Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster

This book is in the public domain and can be downloaded for free here

Jerusha has been living 18 years in an asylum and didn't expect it one day when a mystery man offers to pay for her education to become a writer. In return for her education, she has to write a letter once a month addressed to mysterious man, Mr Smith, about what she learns and how she fairs at school. Instead of writing the obligatory one letter a month, Jerusha aka Judy, writes a load of letters on a wide range of subjects and addresses it to 'Daddy Long Legs' her nickname for her secret benefactor (which originated from when she caught a glimpse of leaving the asylum and saw that he had long arms and legs).

I really liked Judy's voice and the way she told Daddy about what was happening in her life. She really had a talent of writing! It was a pleasure reading through her letters and getting to know her. I really felt for her when at times she would send angry letters to Daddy because he'd scarcely reply to her letters when she treated him as her closest confidant. I thought the twist ending was a nice surprise. Daddy Long Legs was a feel-good, refreshing read.

Review: All Fall Down by Ally Carter

Goodreads summary:
Grace Blakely is absolutely certain of three certain things:

1. She is not crazy

2. Her mother was murdered

3. Someday she is going to find the killer and make him pay

The thing is, nobody else believes her and there's no-one she can trust. Not her grandfather, a powerful ambassador. Not her new friends, who all live on Embassy Row. Not Alexei, the Russian boy next door, who is keeping his eye on Grace for reasons she neither likes nor understands.

Grace's past has come back to haunt her... and if she doesn't stop it, Grace isn't the only one who will get hurt. Because on Embassy Row, the countries of the world stand like dominoes and one wrong move can make them all fall down.

Grace returns to the Embassy Row three years after the death of her mother, to accompany her Grandfather who is the Ambassador of the United States in Adria. Three years ago, Grace witnessed her mother's death and is traumatized. The cause of her mother's death is ruled as an accidental fire but Grace knows that she was shot before she became ashes and she remembers a man with scarred face being there. During her time at Embassy Row, Grace sees a man with a facial scar and is determined to bring him to justice but things are never as they seem...

All Fall Down was a fast-paced heart-pounding thriller. I loved the setting of a couple of embassies built in a row and the idea that crossing the line meant going across to a different country. There's just something really cool about that. The narration was really good, it put me in the shoes of Grace; feeling frustrated that no one would take her seriously or believe her. At times I was doubting her myself and didn't know what to believe. It was kind of easy to see why people wrote her off as a girl crying wolf. This book wouldn't be complete without a group supportive friends for Grace. I loved that they were there when her Grandfather and Ms Chancellor constantly made Grace feel like she was crazy, otherwise it would have been really depressing and hard to get through the book. I liked that romance wasn't a big part of the story because Grace's mind just wasn't in that space but I enjoyed the hints of a love triangle. There was a hell of a twist at the end I was totally gobsmacked. I can't wait to dive back in this world!!

Review: The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore (Lorien Legacies #2)

Goodreads summary:
I've seen him on the news. Followed the stories about what happened in Ohio. John Smith, out there, on the run. To the world, he's a mystery. But to me . . . he's one of us.

Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We're hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another . . . but our Legacies are developing, and soon we'll be equipped to fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I've been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together?

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio—and failed.

I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.

And I'm ready to fight.

Wow Power of Six was fantastic. Better than I am Number Four! I can't believe it took me this long to pick it up but I'm glad I did. The book follows John Smith along with Number Six and Sam, who are on the run from Mogadorains and the authorities (who label them as a terrorists) after destroying a school in Ohio. Meanwhile Number Seven is hiding in a Convent in Spain, bidding the time when she leaves and joins the other members in the Garde. She suspects John Smith is a member of the Garde after reading about the Ohio school incident.

This book was exciting from start to finish! The author does an excellent job in recapping the events in the previous book and the Lorien Legacies at the beginning without it seeming like an information dump. Throughout this installment, we discover about what is contained in the Loric Chest and the trails and tribulations faced by Number Six before she joined up with John, Sam and Bernie Kosar. Number Six easily became my favourite character. She was such a cool and kick-ass female character who took no shit from anyone. It was interesting that the book was split into the POVs of Number Four/John and Number Seven/Marina rather than being in Number Six's POV. Number Seven was also a likable character. I loved the female power in this book! Packed full of action, I can't remember the last time I was this hooked on a book.

Review: Some Boys by Patty Blount

Goodreads summary:
Some boys go too far. Some boys will break your heart. But one boy can make you whole.

When Grace meets Ian she's afraid. Afraid he'll reject her like the rest of the school, like her own family. After she accuses the town golden boy of rape, everyone turns against Grace. They call her a slut and a liar. But...Ian doesn't. He's funny and kind with secrets of his own.

But how do you trust the best friend of the boy who raped you? How do you believe in love?

A gut-wrenching, powerful love story told from alternating points of view by the acclaimed author of Send.

Some Boys was an unflinching story that looks at bullying and rape. The writing was powerful as it brought out a lot of strong emotions from me. My heart was aching in empathy and my head was pounding in anger at some of the things that Grace had to endure. Grace was an extremely strong character and I couldn't imagine handling things the way she did.

Ian is caught in the middle of supporting his friend Zac who (allegedly in Ian's view) raped Grace or standing up for Grace after he hears her raw account of what happened that night she was at the party with Zac. It was good that Ian didn't appear to be the white knight in shining armour ready to pick Grace off her feet and save her from everything. (Hell, he even joined in with his mates in taunting Grace albeit regretting it later). I liked the message conveyed in the book that doing the right thing is not always easy.

The ending was quite disappointing. It was too unrealistic in light of what Grace had to endure and I would've preferred a much toned down open ending. Nevertheless, my disappointment in the ending is easily overshadowed by my love for the story throughout.