Book Review- Spoilers!

Title- The Distance Between Us
Author- Kasie West
Genre- Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Format- eBook
UK Publisher- Harper Teen
Buy Here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Distance-Between-Kasie-West/dp/0062235656

Goodreads Blurb-
Money can't buy a good first impression.

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers learned early that the rich are not to be trusted. And after years of studying them from behind the cash register of her mom's porcelain-doll shop, she has seen nothing to prove otherwise. Enter Xander Spence—he's tall, handsome, and oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and the fact that he seems to be one of the first people who actually gets her, she's smart enough to know his interest won't last. Because if there's one thing she's learned from her mother's warnings, it's that the rich have a short attention span. But just when Xander's loyalty and attentiveness are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn't a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she'd ever realized. With so many obstacles standing in their way, can she close the distance between them?

Initial Thoughts- Young Adult contemporary is my favourite genre to read so I was excited to start this book! The cover is okay but I wasn't the biggest fan and, even though I know you shouldn't, I DO judge a book by it's cover. Don't shoot me, I do look at other things as well but covers are important. I liked the premise for this book, poor girl meets rich boy in a doll store is quite original if you ask me!

Strong Points- Caymen and her humour! I love her personality and the little things she does, such as referring to her father simply as an Organ Donor. The tone of the book was so happy, always making me giggle along the way and then when we meet Caymen's grandfather at the end, it just gets better! The way she joked around Xander was my personal favourite though, when she says to him 'All right, hot stuff. Work it.' at their photoshoot, I was honestly holding back a roar. I also loved the length of this book, it took me just over a day to get through and i was not reading non stop so if I was, it would have been through super quick.

Weaknesses- I must admit, there weren't many. One main one was the amount it made me want hot chocolate! I know that this isn't a real criticism but I don't care! The first thing I did when I finished the whole book was go get the drink (it was around about 11.30pm by the way, while everyone else in my house was asleep, oops!). The only thing thing that I actually disliked was the ending, they patched everything up then what? I don't know! Kasie has said she may write a sequel to this book in the future so fingers crossed!

Favourite Quote- 'Feelings, my dear daughter, you will perhaps learn one day, can be the most costly thing in the universe.'
I honestly thought this was beautiful. Caymen says afterwards that she played this line over and over in her mind and I could not agree more. That line was very powerful. Is very powerful. Will forever be very powerful. And that is what I like so much about it, that it will forever be a statement even if have not read this book.

Overall Rating- ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

Book Review- Spoilers!

Title- The Elites

Author- Natasha Ngan
Genre- Young Adult, Fantasy, Dystopian

Format- Paperback

UK Publisher- Hot Key Books

Buy Here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Elites-Natasha-Ngan/dp/1471401529

*I was sent this book by the publisher in return for an honest review.*

Goodreads Blurb-
Hundreds of years into the future, wars, riots, resource crises and rising sea-levels have destroyed the old civilisations. Only one city has survived: Neo-Babel, a city full of cultures – and racial tension. 

Fifteen-year-old Silver is an Elite, a citizen of Neo-Babel chosen to guard the city due to her superior DNA. She’d never dream of leaving – but then she fails to prevent the assassination of Neo Babel’s president, setting off a chain of events more shocking and devastating than she could ever have imagined. Forced to flee the city with her best friend Butterfly (a boy with genetically-enhanced wings), Silver will have to fight to find her family, uncover the truth about Neo-Babel and come to terms with her complicated feelings for Butterfly.

  

Initial Thoughts- I liked this book. It was nice. Not amazing, not the best thing I've ever read, not something I will remember in a few months time but nice. I was excited to start reading, the blurb sounded and prologue got me hooked, well at least I thought it had. You see, it ended up taking me two days to get through the first 4 chapters because I just wasn't bothered, it was a slow start to say the least.

Strong Points- I like the character of Butterfly. A lot. Not only because he had wings (but that's pretty cool) but at how real he was. His reactions. The way he acted with Silver near the beginning. The way he reacted when his family dies. The way he saved Silver near the end, even though it caused him so much pain. He could be a real person (minus the wings of course) and that is one thing needed from a good dystopian novel, a connection to reality.

Weaknesses- I thought the whole storyline of racism, with Silver being taunted for being 'a dirty red', had good potential but I didn't see it too much. Ok, they use it when Leanor tries to stop the building relationship and to show Silver is not an Elite but it had so much more to give! Also, things became hard to visualise at times, especially the way the city of Neo-Bable was enclosed away from the outside world by a giant wall that nobody could escape from.

Favourite Quote- 'She's lied enough that day to recognise the lies in his words.'
Don't ask me why I love this, I have no clue! Ever since I read that line, it has just stuck in my mind. I think it is because of the truth in it, we all lie too much, so much so that it is becoming reality.