REVIEW: Dead Ends by Erin Lange

Review by Kulsuma

After having read the brilliant Butter, I couldn’t wait to read the author’s next book, Dead Ends by Erin Lange. Dead Ends follows Dane, a teenager who’s not afraid to use his fists when he feels the itch. Most wouldn’t want to cross him, so of course Dane is surprised and put out when, Billy D, the new kid with Down Syndrome, is not scared of Dane in the least.

Dane is one step away from expulsion and Billy D has some thugs out to get him, so the pair make a deal (grudgingly on Dane’s part) to help each other out. In the process, the two find out that they have a lot in common and that the other isn’t as bad as they first thought.

I enjoyed Dead Ends mostly because of the characters. They were very realistic and going through problems which readers can relate to. Dane is poor. All he wants is a car so he can drive himself places, but his mother, who has really good luck when it comes to the lottery, never cashes in her tickets, but rather puts them on display. This is one of the factors that leads to Dane’s bitterness which sometimes shows in the story through his violence.

After Dane promises to help Billy D find his father, they set out to solve the clues in the atlas Billy D’s father gave to him. I felt really sorry for Billy D because all he wanted was to find his father. His frustration is evident through the pages of the book. However, all things considered, this book fell short for me as I found it anti-climactic. There were no big surprises and I didn’t feel like I really related to any of the characters or supported their motives. While I didn’t like it as much as Butter, it was a good story.

Thanks for this, Kulsuma!

REVIEW: Dusk by Eve Edwards

Guest review by Kulsuma

I really enjoyed Dusk by Eve Edwards. It is the first in a two part series. It takes place during the First World War and follows our two main characters, Helen and Sebastian, from 1914 to 1916. Written in a non-linear fashion, we are immersed in horrific battlefield scenes and the grim reality of nursing near the front line. Helen is a young, independent girl who doesn’t really believe in her own strength, courage and beauty because of her abusive father. Sebastian is the charming, dashing young artist who falls for her. The time they have together is short before they are ripped apart by fate.

While the non-linear narrative might not appeal to everyone, I thought it was fantastic as it showed a contrast between ‘then’ and ‘now.’ It aided in showing how quickly times changed. Though Helen and Sebastian’s first meeting is somewhat awkward, their second meeting is the start of a beautiful relationship. Helen was a great character; she was down-to-earth, level-headed and a hard worker. Sebastian loves art, but when his brother is killed in the war, it is the catalyst that makes him sign up.

Interspersed with scenes of Helen attending to patients with ghastly injuries and Sebastian advancing the line excruciatingly slowly and with heavy losses, are flashbacks to how their relationship developed. As the story continues, there is increasingly more about social classes and family heritage; it is not just the physical distance that separates Helen from Sebastian. Furthermore, I enjoyed reading Helen’s sister’s story. Flora is a young, confident and beautiful girl, but when she falls in love with an officer from the navy, events quickly take a turn for the worse.

Dusk was a well-researched, well-written historical book. It presented what was happening in the trenches during the War realistically; futile, grim and desperate. I liked Helen and Sebastian. I would have liked to have seen more of the development of their relationship. Other than that, Dusk was a wonderful story and I look forward to reading the sequel, Dawn.

Wonderful review! Thank you so much, Kulsuma! 

Introducing Hayley, my new guest reviewer!

I have been struggling a bit lately with both reading and blogging. So recently on Twitter, I asked if anybody would like to guest review for me on a regular basis. I know it's a big ask and I didn't really expect anyone to come forward. To my absolute pleasure, Hayley offered up her time.  I think I really lucked out here. I've known Hayley for awhile through Twitter, a book swapping website we both use and both my blog and hers.  She's absolutely lovely and I hope you join me in giving Hayley a warm welcome to Fluttering Butterflies...

My name is Hayley and I'm a 20-something book addict. I work as a bookseller and I'm pretty much surrounded by books at all times. I love reading about books, browsing bookshops, going to author events and libraries as well as reading the actual books themselves of course!

I read quite a wide range of books although mostly fiction. I love YA of course particularly contemporary stories. Probably my favourite teen author is Susane Colasanti although I also love John Green, Malorie Blackman, Meg Cabot, Lisa McMann, Kate McGarry, Simone Elkeles and many others! I also like reading crime novels and offbeat authors like John Irving and Chuck Palahniuk.

I have experimented with writing a book blog a couple of times but can never quite manage to stay motivated with it. I love discussing books though so it is something I'd like to do one day, I just need to manage my work/life balance first. I'm really excited to be writing some guest reviews for Fluttering Butterflies as its a blog I've admired and enjoyed for a long time.

My favourite book of all time is The World According to Garp by John Irving. In terms of YA I'd find it really difficult to choose a favourite, I generally like reading about characters who are outsiders or misunderstood in some way. I think I've worked through a lot of my own teenage angst by reading these books. I like books that are dealing with difficult subjects to, as a bookseller I think its really important for teenagers to have these books to turn to. I really commend writers like Ellen Hopkins for writing about mental health, abuse and drug addiction. If there's anything I'd like to see more of its books dealing with mental health and sexuality issues as I think these are really under-represented. Personally I'm not a massive fan of dystopian stuff so I'd like to see that trend recede to make way for some new stuff.

So that's a little insight into what makes me tick, I look forward to sharing some of my bookish thoughts with you soon!

Review by Kulsuma: Velvet by Mary Hooper

Review by Kulsuma from sunshine and stardust

Velvet by Mary Hooper was a delightful book to read. It was such an interesting and captivating story about a sixteen year old orphan girl. It was obvious that Mary Hooper did her research because the writing, dialogue and the Victorian/Edwardian world she created was highly authentic. I was immediately immersed in Velvet’s tough life and felt very sympathetic toward her. Velvet works in a steam laundry which is more than exhausting. When her impressive work is noticed by one of the clients, the impressive clairvoyant Madame Savoya, Velvet can’t believe her good luck. But is all as it seems?

Velvet loves Madame Savoya’s beautiful home and the work she is required to do which is a far cry from the arduous work she did at the laundry. She even develops a soft spot for George; Madame Savoya’s gorgeous assistant. Velvet not only loves how kind and generous Madame Savoya is to her, but also to her many clients who want to talk to their loved ones on the Other Side. Madame Savoya comforts her bereaved clients through enlightening them as to what their deceased relatives desire them to do to please them, be it through generous donations to charities (handled by Madame Savoya of course) or selling off all their jewellery (through Madame Savoya again).

Velvet was a fantastic book. I was immediately caught up in the mystery surrounding Madame Savoya. Velvet is very loving and trusting of Madame Savoya. When a person is kind to you, it is very hard to think badly about them and so when others tell her that Madame Savoya is a fraud, Velvet is quick to defend her benefactor. I really enjoyed watching Velvet’s growth throughout the book. Even though she had been through many upheavals in her life, Velvet was an optimistic character.

Hooper’s storytelling is fluid, addictive and easy to visualise. I loved the magic, spiritualism and intrigue. It was refreshing to read a story about mediums, particularly at the turn of the 20th century when contacting the Other Side was very popular. Velvet finds herself helping Madame Savoya in little ways like conversing with clients and relating conversations to Madame Savoya. What remains a strong image to me was Velvet’s visit to a baby farm. This was such a shocking and traumatic scene which I will not forget.

My only criticism is that I felt Velvet was quite slow in realising things that seemed obvious to me. However, this did not take away from my enjoyment of the book. The climax was gripping and all the ends were tied up very nicely. I can’t wait to read more books from Mary Hooper.

Fab review! Thanks Kulsuma