Release Date: May 17th 2017
Publisher: Piacador
Pages: 160
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Synopsis
In the midst of a mysterious environmental crisis, as London is submerged below flood waters, a woman gives birth to her first child, Z. Days later, the family are forced to leave their home in search of safety. As they move from place to place, shelter to shelter, their journey traces both fear and wonder as Z’s small fists grasp at the things he sees, as he grows and stretches, thriving and content against all the odds.
This is a story of new motherhood in a terrifying setting: a familiar world made dangerous and unstable, its people forced to become refugees. Startlingly beautiful, Megan Hunter’s The End We Start From is a gripping novel that paints an imagined future as realistic as it is frightening. And yet, though the country is falling apart around them, this family’s world – of new life and new hope – sings with love.
Review
I loved everything about this book. From the eye catching cover to the beautiful prose, this book took my breath away and I devoured it in one sitting. The story is set in a dystopian world that has been ravaged by floods and follows a young mother as she seeks to survive in this new world. It’s a very short book, only one hundred and sixty pages, but in that short space of time a lot happens to the young protagonist.
The thing I really loved about this book was Megan Hunter’s writing style. It’s very lyrical and absolutely beautiful to read. It was part of the reason why I kept turning page after page and before I knew it I’d finished it. The book is a somewhat cautionary tale on the negative effects that pollution have on the environment, and I think it’s a really superbly written story. It’s full of heart and emotion, and I don’t think I’ve ever read anything like it.
This book is really haunting, and it stayed with me long after I finished reading it. In fact several days afterwards I was still thinking about what a stunning book it was. The young mother’s plight as she gives birth, searches for food and is housed in a refugee camp is both harrowing and also realistic, as it’s infinitely possible with today’s destruction of our environment.
If you’re looking for a small book that packs a big punch, The End We Start From is definitely going to be one of the big books of 2017.
Series: Aurora Cycle #1
Aurora Rising was one of my most anticipated releases of 2019. I adored the Illuminae Files and I was hoping this would be just as fun and exciting. If it’s even possible Aurora Rising was even more incredible than I had hoped and it was an immediate five star read.
I was really struck by the eye-catching cover for How to Stop Time and so when I picked it up and read the synopsis I just knew I had to read it. I really loved this book and absolutely raced through it. The writing is so addictive that I honestly couldn’t put it down. I loved the premise of this book, mainly because it was a unique spin on the being who lives for centuries idea. Tom is not immortal, he simply ages slower than the rest of humanity. It’s a rare condition, and this idea makes the book seem all the more believable.
This was a bit of an odd read for me. I love DC Comics, but have never really clicked with Wonderwoman. When I heard that Penguin were doing a YA series of DC heroes I jumped at the chance to read them, even more so when I found out that Leigh Bardugo (one of my favourite authors) would be writing one. However I was still a bit unsure how it would go when Wonderwoman wasn’t a story I was all that familiar with.
Series: The Fandom #2
A few years ago at YALC I was lucky enough to get an ARC of The Fandom and I devoured it. I loved the idea of a group of friends who ended up being transported into the world of their favourite fandom and of course finding out that when they get there it’s even more dangerous than they thought. When I started The Fandom Rising I was so intrigued because I had no idea where the plot was going to go – the first book had reached a satisfying ending and the blurb for The Fandom Rising was very mysterious and vague.
This is my first time reading a book by Virginia Macgregor and I very quickly became absorbed in this emotional tale. The story follows Air, a young woman who is tasked with one job: get her brother Blake from the airport and make sure he turns up on time to their sister’s wedding. Whilst waiting for the plane to arrive she sees Christopher, who is also waiting on the arrival of the same flight. Their worlds collide when they learn that flight 0217 is missing. Unsure whether her brother even got on the flight, the two drive across the country in a desperate attempt to find him.
I loved this book from start to finish. Sarah Gilchrist is such a fascinating character. Forced to leave London in disgrace, Sarah is part of the first group of female medical students at Edinburgh University. She’s determined to become a doctor and help those in need. However those around her are not so thrilled at the idea of having female doctors, and there are those in her family who would much prefer she let the idea of doctoring go and get married.
This is easily one of my favourite books of 2017. (I know I’ve said that a lot this year, 2017 has been a fabulous year for books after all). But honestly, I can’t reccommend this book highly enough. I’d heard some of the buzz about it on social media, and so when it was announced that people attending this years Young Adult Literature Convention would be able to buy early copies, I jumped at the chance.
This has got to be one of the most unique YA fantasy books that I’ve ever read. I picked it up on a whim from my YALC pile and absolutely couldn’t put it down. I devoured this book in one breathless sitting, and it definitely left me hungry for more. The concept was probably what intrigued me most about Everless, the idea that time is a currency and if you don’t have enough money to pay for something you can bleed your years to pay for it.
This book is unlike anything I’ve ever read. It’s a fresh take on the artificial intelligence tale and I absolutely loved it.
The Bibliophile Chronicles 