Review :Sing Down the Stars by L.J Hatton

Summary

When the aliens came, they didn’t attack—they just hung in the sky. After a year of human hysteria, they left and the rains began. Ever since, some girls have been born with unusual abilities. The fifth daughter of Magnus Roma, creator of the extraordinary circus called The Show, Penn was born a Celestine: she can call down the stars. Her newborn cries brought burning hail that killed her twin brother. For sixteen years Penn has hidden her power by assuming the life of her twin, just as her four older sisters (who can manipulate the elements) have hidden from the Wardens’ Commission in plain sight as circus performers.

Then, one explosive night, Penn loses everything. The wardens want to protect Earth from anything alien. Her sisters are taken, and The Show is destroyed. To save her family, Penn must do the unthinkable and use the power she’s been taught to suppress. She’ll travel to the very heart of her world’s darkness and discover the truth about her terrifying gift.

Review

I received a digital copy of the book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Sing Down the Stars was an amazing and well-written book. I really liked the plot and how it had enough twists and turns to keep me interested for its entire duration.

It centres around Penn, the daughter of the ringmaster (and creator) of a famous Circus, the Show, and a girl with the ability to sing down the stars, literally. That is the aftermath of an alien invasion that caused a lot of children, especially girls, to be born with special abilities. These children, though, are chased by the Comission and when Penn's Father suddenly disappears and the Circus is attacked, she and her friends must go on the running seeking the only safe place for them, the Hollow.

I loved how action-packed and fast paced this book was! There wasn't a moment where I thought the plot was going too slow or that nothing was happening. I was also fascinated by this world, where everyone had chosen to take a step back to the past, fake Victorian as the book says, because most now feared technology.

Penn, was also a very nice character to read about. She's definitely strong, and driven by her will to protect her friends and family. But, she's also very reckless and impatient which makes for a bad combination. There were moments that I loved her character and others where I was really frustrated with her.

Lastly, the romance wasn't really anything special. It was there, but I realised at the end of the book, that I hadn't really noticed it much and it also came out of nowhere at some points, like the author had remembered that Penn has a love interest so she would briefly mention him in a paragraph and then continue on.

Overall, Sing Down the Stars was a really fun and quick read. It had its flaws but you should really pick it up if you're in the mood for fantasy/science-fiction.

Publisher : Skyscape

 Publication Date: October 6th 2015

 Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

 Pages: 372

 Format: E-copy

 Rating : 4/5

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Summary

It was Sloane who yanked Emily out of her shell and made life 100% interesting. But right before what should have been the most epic summer, Sloane just…disappears. All she leaves behind is a to-do list.

On it, thirteen Sloane-inspired tasks that Emily would normally never try. But what if they could bring her best friend back?

Apple picking at night? Okay, easy enough.

Dance until dawn? Sure. Why not?

Kiss a stranger? Um... 

Emily now has this unexpected summer, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected), to check things off Sloane's list. Who knows what she’ll find?

                                                                             Go skinny-dipping? Wait...what?

Review

This is my first time reading a Morgan Matson book and I have to say this author is already becoming one of my favourites . Since You've Been Gone is one of the cutest and funniest contemporaries I've read in a while. It's about breaking out of your shell, doing things out of your comfort zone and it also centres around friendship.

The book was laugh out loud funny at many occasions and I found myself liking each and every side-character. I love how they stood out and they weren't just there to make the MC shine.

Emily was a great protagonist. I could really relate to her when it came to her shyness and her awkwardness and I loved seeing her develop from a girl that hid in her best friend's shadow to someone more confident and out going. She was flawed,of course, but that's what made her more real and fun to me.

Also, Frank was like a breath of fresh air. Usually in a book with a shy, reserved main character the person who helps her break out of her shell,and also her love interest, is a 'bad boy' (am I the only one who seems to come across this type of books, all the time?) and although I can't say I don't enjoy a good bad boy it does get tiring after a certain amount of time to read about them. Frank, on the other hand, was so sweet and funny and adorable!

I love how the romance was slowly built. Frank and Emily were purely friends for the majority of the book, getting to know each other. Their relationship was so incredibly cute! Frank supported Emily and even helped her complete that list, however crazy some of the things in it sounded, because he knew how important it was for her. Their romance was definitely one that left me with a cheesy smile permanently stuck on my face.

This book actually also inspired me to go out running... a bit irrelevant, I know, but no other book has managed something like that before (take into account I'm a very lazy person)!  In the book, Frank and Emily have these daily running laps which were going on for the majority of the book and since I was on vacation, in a small village, I decided why not do it myself! I applaud you, Matson, I applaud you.

Lastly, I feel the need to add that...I loved the list! It was so crazy and fun!

Overall, Since You've Been Gone was an amazing contemporary full of funny, cute moments and great characters! I adored it!

Publisher : Simon & Schuster

 Publication Date: May 6th 2014

 Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

 Pages: 449

 Format: Paperback

 Rating : 5/5

My Blog Turns One

WARNING A LOT OF CHEESINESS AHEAD

Sorry, this is a really hasty post because I really need to get off the Internet and unpack my things. Just came back from London!

Yesterday marked one year since the day I created Cuddle Reads and although I was unable to post anything, as I spent most of my day sitting on a plane, the knowledge of that lifted my mood sky high. (no pun intended)

Even though I can't really say I've been the best, or even the most punctual, blogger I can say that Cuddle Reads is one of the things that made 2015 one of the best years of my life. I created this blog because as much as I love my friends and family I couldn't always go to them to discuss the incredible book I read the other night. I needed something to unleash my inner fangirl on, share my love for a book or my disappointment in one that didn't meet my expectations (it happens). This blog helped me do just that.

Being on Cuddle Reads has allowed me to communicate with people all over the world that share the same love of books as me.The fact that, now, if I want to talk about a book I read all I have to do is go to my computer and type, is pretty freaking awesome! Also, being on the book-blogging community has opened my eyes to so many incredible novels and authors! In the past year I've actually acquired more books than I had in the last three. (..sorry mom)

So, in short, I want to thank you guys and the entire book-blogging community for allowing me to be the book crazed fangirl I am.

Tag: I Mustache You Some Questions

Thank you so, so, so much to Claire for tagging me! I'm so sorry it took this long!

 4 Names People Call Me

1. Sia

2. Soula

3. Ana

4. Stacy

 4 Jobs I Have Had

 1. I tutored my little brother for a while

2. Babysitter (though I can't say I was very good at it...)

3. TBD

4. TBD

 4 Movies I'd Have Watched More Than Once

1. The First Time (Dylan O'Brien!)

2. All the Fast & Furious Movies

3. Pride and Prejudice

4. Tangled ( My favorite Disney Movie!)

 4 Books I'd Recommend

1. Cinder by Marissa Meyer

2. The Kiss of Deception by Mary E Pearson

3. The Coldest Girl In Coldtown

4. Anna and the French Kiss

 4 Places I Have Been

1. My Room

2. My Living Room

3. .....School?

4. Other Places

 4 Places I've Lived

I haven't lived in many places so I guess I'll leave this blank for now..

 4 Places I'd Rather Be Right Now

1. My Summer House

2. London

3. Maybe at the cinema..(What can I say? I'm  a movie junkie)

4. Camp Half-Blood ;)

 4 Things I Don't Eat

1. Broccoli

2. Mayonnaise

3. Snails

4. Lamp

 4 Of My Favorite Foods

1. Pizza!

2. Shrimp pasta

3. Mushed Potatoes

4. spaghetti

 4 Tv Shows I watch

1. Teen Wolf

2. Once Upon a Time

3. Game of Thrones

4. Gotham

 4 Things I'm Looking Forward To This Year

1. Visiting London!

2. Starting a novel ( I have an amazing story that has been stuck in my mind for a few months)

c. 11th Grade

3. Magnus and The Gods of Asgard is coming out in October!

 4 Things I'm Always Saying

1. Omg..

2. Aww

3. My Books are not that many! (...denial)

4.Love ya too!

....I'm a very bubbly person...

So that was the I Mustache You Some Questions tag! I had so much fun doing this tag! Again, thank you to Claire for tagging me to do this!

I Tag Anyone Who Wants To Do This Tag!