THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL by Soman Chainani

Book One in The School for Good and Evil series
Publication date: May 14th, 2013
Publisher: HarperCollins
Number of Pages: 488
Date read: , 2013
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic, Romance, Magic
Source: ARC from Netgalley
Format: Ebook




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(Description source: Goodreads)

“The first kidnappings happened two hundred years before. Some years it was two boys taken, some years two girls, sometimes one of each. But if at first the choices seemed random, soon the pattern became clear. One was always beautiful and good, the child every parent wanted as their own. The other was homely and odd, an outcast from birth. An opposing pair, plucked from youth and spirited away.”

This year, best friends Sophie and Agatha are about to discover where all the lost children go: the fabled School for Good & Evil, where ordinary boys and girls are trained to be fairy tale heroes and villains. As the most beautiful girl in Gavaldon, Sophie has dreamed of being kidnapped into an enchanted world her whole life. With her pink dresses, glass slippers, and devotion to good deeds, she knows she’ll earn top marks at the School for Good and graduate a storybook princess. Meanwhile Agatha, with her shapeless black frocks, wicked pet cat, and dislike of nearly everyone, seems a natural fit for the School for Evil.

But when the two girls are swept into the Endless Woods, they find their fortunes reversed—Sophie’s dumped in the School for Evil to take Uglification, Death Curses, and Henchmen Training, while Agatha finds herself in the School For Good, thrust amongst handsome princes and fair maidens for classes in Princess Etiquette and Animal Communication.. But what if the mistake is actually the first clue to discovering who Sophie and Agatha really are…?

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“She had always found villains more exciting than heroes. They had ambition, passion. They made the stories happen. Villains didn't fear death. No, they wrapped themselves in death like suits of armor!

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“I’m not a princess!” she snapped, fixing her collar.
“If you say so,” the prince said, eyes drifting downward.Agatha followed them to her gashed legs, waterfalls of brilliant blood. She saw blood blurring— Tedros smiled.
“One . . . two . . . three . . .”She fainted in his arms.
“Definitely a princess,” he said.” 

The first thing that attracted me to The School for Good and Evil was the amazing cover! It's so gorgeously detailed and it picturesquely depicts the dual natures of the schools perfectly! The thing that made up my mind about having to read this novel was the blurb, so mysterious and intriguing...

Sophie is incredibly beautiful in appearance and she knows it too, she befriended the town's strangest girl, the one who lives in the cemetery, Agatha. Sophie knows the town's legend of children being kidnapped, two every four years who end up the focus of fairy tales, one a princess or hero, one a villain  and this year Sophie hopes it her turn to be whisked away to become a princess and she sees Agatha as the sure pick for the School for Evil. Agatha, though, would rather just be left alone. 

Sophie's wish comes true, well... partially anyway, upon arriving at the school there seems to be a mix up about which girl belongs in which school, but is it really a mistake?

I really like Agatha's character, she's unconventional, a little strange, but completely strong and wholly defiant. Sophie is another matter, she is obsessed with becoming a princess, and obsessed with getting her prince. The story is told from Agatha's point of view, as well as Sophie's and another third point of view, but I won't tell you whose... surprise is always fun.

Every character is interesting, even the secondary characters are given their own motives and emotions that you actually get to experience throughout the novel, these insights really expand the story and add so much more meaning to the ultimate plot. Plus, some such characters who you may not think it possible of in the beginning, do become endearing, quite unexpectedly so. 
 The plot itself is gripping and Oh So intriguing, The School for Good and Evil really is a novel you can just keep on reading. I love a novel that conveys some kind of deeper meaning and The School for Good and Evil absolutely delivers, showing what it really means to be Good, that things are always so clearly defined, it dispels stereotypes and depicts the true meaning of friendship! 

The story takes twists and turns and brings you along with it by way of being incredibly descriptive, so much so that you can picture the story the whole time you're reading. Chainani's writing style brilliantly creates settings, such descriptive writing also may happen to result in temporary blurry vision (my eyes slightly welled up at certain points).
I half didn't want to finish the story, it's an easy read that is BEYOND easy to enjoy! When I got towards the very end I actually could not believe there were so few pages left, I just kept thinking 'where have you gone?' 

I have to say: I LOVED the ending, it really wasn't something that I quite expected but Chainani really pulled it off well and now I am really invested in ALL of the characters and am desperately awaiting A World Without Princes!


“What's the one thing Evil can never have...and the one thing Good can never do without?” 

I rate The School for Good and Evil Five out of Five!!

COPPER GIRL by Jennifer Allis Provost

Book One in the Copper Legacy series
Publication date: June 28th, 2013
Publisher: Spence City
Number of Pages: 248
Date read: July, 2013
Genre: Adult, Urban Fantasy, Magic
Source: ARC from Spence City
Format: Paperback




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(Description source: Goodreads)

Sara had always been careful.

She never spoke of magic, never associated with those suspected of handling magic, never thought of magic, and never, ever, let anyone see her mark. After all, the last thing she wanted was to end up missing, like her father and brother.

Then, a silver elf pushed his way into Sara's dream, and her life became anything but ordinary.

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"When you offered a token and lay nearly bare before me I assumed you wanted me."

Token? Oh right, my panties.

"And tonight ,you have bathed for me and attired yourself as a queen, and you have allowed me ingress to your chamber. What else was I to think?" 

Copper Girl  started off in a very individual way that right from the beginning had me absolutely  enthralled.

It follows Sara into her post war world where magic has been outlawed and the government has robots patroling all areas each day for the protection of the ctizens.

They enforce strict laws and regulations, including curfews and food rationings.

In this very sterile and unnatural world Sara hides her family history of being a major magic users but when a silver Elf named Micah starts coming into her dreams and stealing her panties afterwards, Sara feels a bond to him like never before.

Sara and Micah begin a relationship that draws them deep into the world of magic and otherworld beings that she tried to forget existed and they are drawn together in ways that can never be reversed.

When Sara discovers the fate of her missing brother and tries to delve further into what happened to both him and her father many years ago, there is no turning back as she stumbles upon government secrets that were never meant to be revealed.

Full of magic, naked comb-baring Nymphs, built sexy elves with awesome hair, humour and a government with a choke-hold on society what else could you ask for?

I began Copper Girl eager to see how Provost would weave the worlds of humans and elves together and I was pleasantly surprised when the transition between worlds didn't seem like a total dogs' breakfast like in some other novels I have read.

The worlds were well written but I fear that, as I generaly don't read too much into complicated back stories often, I missed important information in regards to the war between the Mundanes and Magic users. So I shall have to re-read Copper Girl before the sequel comes out.

Some aspects that I found quite irritating and unrealistic was that after 'meeting' Micah briefly only a few times, she was head over heels and almost ready to marry him, their relationship at the beginning seemed almost child-like and fanaticalistic to me. The way that Sara just accepted everything and wanted Micah so much despite them barely knowing each other really irritated me.

I also found that while most aspects of Copper Girl  were excellently explained in a detailled, thorough manner, others further on in the novel were glossed over so that some parts felt overly rushed and bulky, as opposed to the finesse shown at the beginning.

I enjoyed this book and the more time that I have to process Copper Girl, the more I feel that I liked it and the more positive I feel towards it. The characters and surroundings have depth to them and I am keen to see what the next installment in the Copper Legacy has to offer.

I rate Copper Girl Three out of Five!

BLOOD TIES by Gabriella Poole

Book Two in the Darke Academy series
Publication date: February 4th 2010
Publisher: Hoddor and Stroughton
Number of Pages: 288
Date read: August 31st 2010
Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance
Source: Bought   
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(Description source: Goodreads)

Suspense builds in the second tale of the Darke Academy, where true graduates take life by the throatThis term the secretive Darke Academy has moved to New York, and Cassie Bell is no longer the innocent new girl. 

Now she is strong, determined, and hiding secrets of her own. 
Cassie has been introduced to the world of the Few and is struggling to come to terms with her astonishing powers, a dangerous romance, and the malevolent spirit inside her, demanding to be fed. 

When an old enemy returns, bent on revenge, Cassie is tested to the limit. 
Can she rescue her friends from a horrific fate, or will she end up destroying them to save herself?

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"Get your Jimmy Choos on, you mean," remarked Cassie under her breath, but she felt a thrill of glamour as she slipped into the gorgeous stilettos. "Am I going to be able to walk?"
"In these shoes you do not walk, Cassie, you stalk.”

Blood Ties further explores the hidden world of the dark and mysterious occurrences at the Darke Academy. 
It continues to follow Cassie Bell as she learns to live with being one of The Few, a very select group of students who have been given beauty, power and someone else's soul in their body.
Cassie is now trapped with Estelle, an old, strong and respected soul in her mind as well, this is no easy feat to deal with when Estelle interrupts her innermost thoughts and contributes her outspoken opinion to most things. 
As Cassie's friendships grow ever stronger with her classmates, especially Isabella, Ranjit and Richard, she begins to get a better view on her life and she begins to get it back on track. With Isabella by her side and the drop dead gorgeous Ranjit as her boyfriend Cassie feels as though she can take on the world. 
That is, until things take a dramatic twist for the worse and the tables turn on them, then Cassie finds herself torn between love, friends and self preservation.

Blood Ties was a great sequel to Secret Lives, it followed on really well from where it left off and kept up the momentum to keep your blood pumping. 
The characters continue to develop, diverting slightly from their stock character persona's and becoming more realistic and relate-able.  
I would love to be able to say that the language becomes more sophisticated and that a wider vernacular is used but alas, sadly it is not the case and it tends to remain mostly at the same level.
 Although the plot line certainly does thicken and intensify, it is sadly quite predictable at times but still maintains some mystery and curiosity for readers.
The next book should be just as good and this series seems to only be getting better, so cannot wait to get my hands on Divided Souls.

“For this lowlife to remain at the Academy while I was expelled is simply...oh dear, how shall we put it?"
"A crime," murmured Sara.
"That's kind, dear Sara, but crime can be fun and sophisticated." Katerina gave a thin-lipped smile as the other three girls chuckled. ."

I rate Blood Ties Four out of Five!

STAYING ALIVE IN YEAR 5 by John Marsden

Publication date: 1989
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Number of Pages: 78
Date read: March 27th 2006
Genre: Children, Magic, Fantasy, Humour
Source: Bought 

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(Description source: Goodreads)

Whatever happened to school?

  Scott and his friends are simply staying alive in year 5 until their surprising new teacher, Mr Murlin, comes along.

Boring textbooks go into the bin, eating chocolate in class becomes compulsory and suddenly it's OK to be weird.

But Mr Murlin is not popular with everyone...

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Staying Alive in Year 5 is such a fun, easy-going read that I love to pick up for a nice reminiscent time and a good laugh. 

It follows Scott and his friends as they go into year 5 with all its trials and tribulations as well as plenty of mischief and mayhem.

From the second that the quirky Mr. Murlin walks through their classroom door, everyone in there can sense that something is going to be VERY different this year. And they're correct! 

Before too long all the textbooks have been thrown away and students are sitting under desks for English tasks, writing about different aspects of life. Scott learns to deal with his new school life, as well as balancing his personal, family life as well as learning how to live with the surprises, especially the ones that his new, weird and whacky teacher presents. 

When magic seems to seep from inside the desks and teachers know what colour your underwear will be on the first day, you know that it will certainly be a year that will not be forgotten for many years to come.

This odd but magical book really transports readers back to year 5 and to a world of innocence and trivial concerns, full of laughter and practical jokes. This short book successfully captures the aspects of a year 5 and turns it into a fun ride for everyone to have, filled with light- hearted  magic and humour.

"Mr Murlin continued, ‘Eating chocolate in class is not only desirable, it is compulsory. Other things that are compulsory are laughing at the teacher’s jokes, day-dreaming, and watching ‘Neighbours’ on TV. There will be a test every Monday morning on ‘Neighbours’; those who fail will be pinned to the noticeboard by their ears."

I rate Staying Alive in Year 5 Four out of Five!