Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth: review.

Can a book be terrifying and interesting at the same time? I guess this novel can be both.But first and foremost I feel I need to point out that I would not recommend Carve the Mark to teenagers. I would recommend it to young adults or adults who want to read a different sci-fi book and have a strong stomach. I confess I had to skip some parts in which there was too much violence involved.

The terrifying parts are really hard: bad parenting, hatred between siblings, self-deprecation, violence, self-harm and the constant feeling of being trapped with no way out.The interesting aspects are many as well: a new and original world with strange and fascinating ideas, sibling love, romantic love in very unusual circumstances and above all the possibility of escaping from what seems to be your fate.

Carve the Mark is one of those books that you either hate or like but it is worth giving it a try.

Select Few by Marit Wiesenberg : review.

After having read and loved Marit Wiesenberg's first novel Select, I had very high hopes for her second one. Select Few didn't disappoint me, it was just as good as I thought it would be.
Julia and Angus embark on a road trip. For Julia being again with one of the members of her extended family is a welcome change after months of feeling abandoned by them. The downside is that although she thinks that she is protecting her beloved Jhon, she just cannot live without him. The author has written a plot that is both romantic and exciting at the same time since Julia and Angus are trying to run away from the FBI and also looking for Julia's birth mother. During this journey, Julia will learn facts about her past and make decisions that will shape her future.
If you liked Select, you really need to read Select Few, it's one of those novels you don't want to finish but you can't stop reading. A good sci-fi book and also a remarkable YA one.

Thanks to NetGalley for this amazing novel!

People Like Us by Dana Mele: review.

Mean people doing mean things. This is what this book is about. Calling names, bullying, mocking and even killing people seems to be the bread and butter of the elite boarding school Kay is attending. But don't be mistaken, Kay is no angel. She'd rather eat than be eaten and talks about murder with such an ease that makes you wonder what skeletons she may have in her own closet. The rest of her classmates, including boyfriends, are not better. In fact, there isn't a single good character in this novel, all of them are deeply flawed and therefore you won't guess until the end who the killer is.
It's an interesting novel, but not a pleasant one.

The Friend by Dorothy Koomson: opinion.

I found it entertaining but I wouldn't say it's a must-read. It focuses mainly on the friendly and sometimes not so friendly relationship of a group of women, the secrets they keep and the lies they tell to protect themselves. All of them are strongly influenced by the men in their lives, for the better and for the worse. I think the female characters should have been a bit more independent.

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson: review

The plot was so interesting and the first chapter so intriguing that my expectations were really high, however, as I continued reading this book turned out to be a bit of a disappointment.

Unfortunately, I didn't find the characters attractive, some of them were not well developed and the pace was too slow sometimes with many irrelevant events going on and suddenly too fast with surprising revelations that came out of nowhere.

The book was just OK, I liked many parts, but it could have been wonderful. Anyway, this is just my humble opinion and I am sure that many readers will find it great.