Becky's Book Reviews

So I’ve been meaning to post this earlier this week, but given the fact that I had an awful and allergic reaction to a hair dye I recently used (my eyes were all puffy and swollen and the left half of my face… well, let’s just say that children wouldn’t have wanted to be near me), I was pretty much forced to stay in bed for most of the time. Thankfully I’m all better now and can get around to sharing in my excitement for a book that’s been sitting on my TBR pile for a good while now: This Raging Light by Estelle Laure. I’ve always loved books that deal with characters who, by all rights, are in messy situations, dealing with messy, complicated people and complex and unwelcome situations. Lucille, the protagonist in this book, has the word complicated and life engraved in her heart. And it’s her story I can’t wait to read. Lucky for you, the lovely folks from HMH are offering 1 lucky reader a chance to win a hard copy of the book, plus a bottle of Essie nail polish. US only. (Don’t worr...

Once upon a time there was two girls where there ( probably , maybe, definitely ) should have just been one. Disclaimer: Review originally appeared on Women24 . A copy of the book can be purchased via Raru.co.za . The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich (first published in 2015 by Indigo, and imprint of Orion publishers) Dawn Kurtagich’s The Dead House is quite possibly one the creepiest books I’ve read this year. It’s a strong contender for one of my favourite books of 2015. Described as being part psychological thriller and part urban legend, this novel reads like a gothic novel.  Darkly atmospheric  it has undertones of horror throughout. This book messes with your mind in so many ways: from its inherent and underlying sense of impending doom to characters whose motives and reasoning border on the outskirts of the bizarre; and dark, ritualistic elements that serve to add a chilling and haunting air to the novel. Told by means of transcripts, diary entries, video reports and inte...

Source: Review copy received from the publisher via Netgalley. You can purchase a copy of the book from Raru.co.za . Publication date: 8 December 2015 Publisher: Running Press Kids What a surprisingly fun, fierce and unique sci-fi debut novel from Tessa Elwood. Featuring a heroine that is brave, plucky and filled with heart, Inherit the Stars is a novel filled with the trademarks that define an excellent YA sci-fi novel: explosive action, strong characters fighting to save the world and world-building, which while not fully developed, is nonetheless intriguing. We’re introduced to Asa, our main protagonist, right in the middle of what seems to be a riot attack. Hailing from one of three interplanetary systems (each with their own rulers and own set of rules), Asa is desperate to save the injured and unresponsive sister she shares a strong bond with. What she ends up risking to save her sister’s life soon sees her making the biggest mistake of her life and upsetting the balance of a pre...