Tuesday 20 June 2017

History Is All You Left me - Adam Silvera

History Is All You Left Me – Adam Silvera




History Is All You Left me is the first book I have read by Adam Silvera, and it certainly will not be the last. I went into this book not really knowing what to expect, I had seen a few reviews, but nothing to really spoil the journey I was about to experience. I was actually quite grateful that this was the case.

When Griffin’s first love and ex-boyfriend, Theo, dies in a drowning accident, his universe implodes. Even though Theo had moved to California for college and started seeing Jackson, Griffin never doubted Theo would come back to him when the time was right. But now, the future he’s been imagining for himself has gone far off course.

To make things worse, the only person who truly understands his heartache is Jackson. But no matter how much they open up to each other, Griffin’s downward spiral continues. He’s losing himself in his obsessive compulsions and destructive choices, and the secrets he’s been keeping are tearing him apart.

If Griffin is ever to rebuild his future, he must first confront his history, every last heartbreaking piece in the puzzle of his life.

History Is All You Left Me is an amazing contemporary novel. We follow the journey of Griffin, who is dealing with his grief and slowly piecing together his history with his ex boyfriend and best friend Theo, to see just how we have gotten to this point. I have to say within the first few chapters of this book Adam Silvera’s writing had me instantly feeling for these characters. I knew nothing really of Theo, and yet there I was, upset and with a lump in my throat with the memory of him through Griffin. This was something I noticed Adam did a lot through this novel. You may not know much about a person, but you felt for them and deeply.

I’m not going to sugar coat it, this book is sad. For someone who knows what it is like to deal with grief, or those who can imagine what it is like. Even those who have experienced love loss, or heartache at what could have or should have been. This book will have you feeling all of the feels. You could be laughing one second or revelling in the cuteness of a moment, to suddenly having it all snatched away from you, with what felt like a fist straight through the chest to feel that heartbreak and sadness. Extreme to say maybe. But it will get you, every time.

The characters in this book are brilliantly written, all of them so deeply flawed and human. Everyone had their own battle to fight, or their own issues to work through. With the addition of grief in itself just being that darkened cherry on top of a pretty craptastic cake. But this is what you will love about these characters. They are all so real and all so flawed, you will find a way to relate to them.

History Is All You Left me is a story following love, loss and friendship within a circle of boys. Who all find their own way of trying to deal with heartache. Jumping between present day and the past or ‘history’ as it is known. To tell the story that is needed to be said, needed to be resolved in order to move on and come to terms with what has happened. Such a complex story unfolds, with a web of relationships all weaving together, and yet all circling around that singular character, Theo. Revelations are made, and twists and turns were unexpectedly thrown in as serious curve balls you would not expect. This really is one massive emotional rollercoaster, and yet one you don’t want to stop.

I would say if you are looking for a good contemporary, with brilliant characters and to which is beautifully written. Drawing you in even deeper as each chapter passes. Then I would seriously suggest this book. The writing style is brilliant and the story flows perfectly, even when jumping between varying time lines. I can honestly say, I am now looking forward to the next book I pick up from this author and what other journey he has planned for me.


I have given this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars.




Monday 12 June 2017

Hex - Thomas Olde Heuvelt

Hex – Thomas Olde Heuvelt



This is the first book I have read by this author, and it is the author’s first debut English novel. When I saw reviews and comments stating this author’s writing style had similarities to that of Stephen King, along with the seriously creepy blurb, I just knew I had to read this. I wasn’t disappointed. I read this book in one sitting, in less than a day. I had been hooked right from the get go.

Whoever is born here, is doomed to stay until death. Whoever comes to stay, never leaves.
Welcome to Black Spring, the seemingly picturesque Hudson Valley town haunted by the Black Rock Witch, a seventeenth-century woman whose eyes and mouth are sewn shut. Blind and silenced, she walks the streets and enters homes at will. She stands next to children's beds for nights on end. So accustomed to her have the townsfolk become that they often forget she's there. Or what a threat she poses. Because if the stitches are ever cut open, the story goes, the whole town will die.
The curse must not be allowed to spread. The elders of Black Spring have used high-tech surveillance to quarantine the town. Frustrated with being kept in lockdown, the town's teenagers decide to break the strict regulations and go viral with the haunting. But, in so doing, they send the town spiralling into a dark nightmare.

The story Hex is told from varying viewpoints of people who live in Black Spring. We have Steve Grant, a doctor working at a school. Whose family were outsiders and moved to Black Spring 20 years ago. Tyler, Steve’s teenage son, and actively involved in Project OYE (Open Your Eyes) with a group of other teenagers. Robert Grim a member of Hex, an organisation in place to keep track of the Black Spring witch, and ensure she is shielded from the outside world, with no risks of exposure. Then finally Griselda Houlst, a widowed butcher’s wife who idolises and worships the witch. I found it so interesting seeing each narrative within this story, so many different views and opinions. Parents merely wanting to protect their family and some going to such extremes in doing so. A teen wanting his freedom back and a man trying to ensure a town remains safe. You were really able to become involved within the story and paint the picture of a town that essentially ran off rules, regulations and out right fear. I felt at moments as if I was watching a horror movie, bracing myself for the jump scares with each page I turned.

Within the first few pages of this book I was a bit confused, with the appearance of ‘Gramma’ as the Grant family called her. At first I thought it was actually a family member until the mention of a cloth covering her face and her being stood in the corner of the room, which made it question how unusual this would be to greet a family member who had come to visit. I found the interactions to be quite funny, and I thought maybe the blurb was far scarier than what the actual book may be. However as the book continues, it soon shifted and started to become much darker. I only realised how much of an affect the witch had on me, when I finished the book and went to turn off the light to go to bed. I had this instant fear that she would be in my room, at the end of my bed. That was when I knew that this novel had sucked me in so much that I was fearful of such a character, which is not so easily done to me. I am always able to disassociate myself from any book I read, so credit to the author there for bringing this character to life with his words.

The novel did take a slight dip in the middle, and I’m still not so sure how I feel about the ending of it all. But the writing and the premise in this book was brilliant. Knowing this was translated from Dutch and the town names had been altered too again is a credit to the author. There were some really emotional pull at your heart string moments in this novel, to which I never realised how invested I was in characters. I almost felt a bit cheated at points due to how invested I was, if things were not heading the way I had hoped for them. This book is dark, incredibly dark. But it made it all that much grittier to read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I can see how it will not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I love a good scary story, especially one involving witches. Learning the history of the town, and the witch and what has led them to this point was fascinating. But then also seeing how barbaric council members were, in what is essentially a modern day era, was terrifying.

I would say if you like the works of Stephen King, and you like a good horror story. I would say pick this up. It is certainly a book I will tell others about, and I would even say would be a perfect book for the autumn/ winter time when Halloween comes around. What better way to scare you silly than this.

I have given this book 4 out of 5 stars.