When fifteen year old Laila’s father passed away, she didn’t know that he was a tyrant. She didn’t know that he was a dictator. She also didn’t know her father was killing people every day. She didn’t believe it: what fifteen year old would?

When Laila’s father is murdered by her uncle, Laila, her mother, and her little brother are moved to the suburbs of America. Her little brother thinks he’s king, but doesn’t know what pushed him from being a prince to being the king. The small family of three is now living in a completely different world and an entirely different life to what they have always known.

Laila is used to covering her entire body to prevent anything from showing and bringing shame on her family. Now she attends high school. She can talk to boys and does so many other things that she would never be allowed to do back home.

But things aren’t as simple as they seem. Laila soon finds out through the internet and television who her father was and what he was doing. Her mother isn’t telling her what’s going on or who these people are who keep showing up in their new home.

Laila is tired of sitting around with no food, watching her mum turn to alcohol for relief, and decides to take it upon herself to figure things out. She has to solve what’s going on and get back what belonged to her family—even if it means lying to her mum and sneaking around.

I picked up The Tyrant’s Daughter on netgalley and I went into this book without any idea what it was about, except that I loved the cover.

The biggest worry I had at the beginning of the book was that Laila is only fifteen years old and dealing with a huge amount of pressure. I didn’t want this book to become more ‘high school drama-y’, but turns out that she acted with extreme maturity! She didn’t focus too much on her new life or the boys around her. I liked that she was more worried about saving her family and her people. So no, this book didn’t have very much romance, but romance wasn’t what I was looking for in this type of book. Loved Laila for that!

Overall, I truly enjoyed the story! I liked watching Laila and her little brother open up to a whole different type of society and way of living. Her thoughts at the beginning of the book about what the girls in her new high school were wearing and how they were so exposed was extremely interesting. Laila was experiencing complete culture shock and it shows the huge differences between cultures and ways of thinking.

I don’t think I would have picked up this book if I had read the synopsis. I usually don’t read books that have anything to do with war, but I’m glad I did! The characters and the culture displayed in The Tyrant’s Daughter were so detailed and real. I couldn’t get enough!

Bel:

Cover

Male and female faces in shadow against a white backdrop sat above a beautiful star-scape, all done in pinks purples and oranges. Quite pleasing to the eye, and speaks volumes about the contents of the story.

Characters

There is a complicated mix of characters and each of them carries their own.

Favourite

Amy, though she spends some time feeling sorry for herself she eventually gets her butt kicking self into gear and makes it work.

Least Favourite

Eldest. Creepy character.

Beginning

Amy and her parents are preparing to be put into stasis for a rather long flight across the universe.

Storyline

Amy is woken up fifty years prematurely and the situation on Godspeed is odd to say the very least.

Ending

There is more to be read in the follow up books A Million Suns and Shades of Earth so to spoil the ending wouldn’t be nice.

Thoughts

I didn’t reread Across the Universe as I’d already reviewed it in August 2012, but this is what I said back then…

“The pacing of the novel was well-crafted, with much of the mystery remaining out of reach until effectively unravelled; also, as this is the first instalment in a series, there was the sense of ‘to be continued’ but never the infuriatingly feeling of details being purposefully omitted.

Beth Revis also does atmosphere superbly, and this is evident from the novel’s opening chapter, in which Amy is cryogenically frozen. She narrates each stomach-churning detail as it happens. Never before have I felt so incredibly claustrophobic while reading!!”

Quote

“More than the sound of my own beating heart, I miss the sound of a ticking clock.” Amy about the passing of time.

Krista:

Cover

The US hardcover has an interchangeable dust jacket. One side is a brightly coloured universe with blues and pinks, but if you flip the cover over it’s a blueprint of the ship in which you can see the different levels and areas that are explored in the book. I prefer to keep the blueprint as the outer cover on my book.

Characters

The story is told from different perspectives: Amy, as she explores the ship after she wakes up, and Elder, as he does his duties. We travel through the ship and more characters are introduced, some playing larger roles than others.

Favourite

Harley: The friendship that develops between Amy and Harley and Amy and Elder are strong and come from more than simple convenience. 

Least Favourite

Eldest: I have to agree with Bel here. C.R.E.E.P.Y.

Beginning

The prologue is detailed in describing the emotional and physical process of being put into stasis. I think it was a brilliant way to start the book and grab the reader’s attention.

Storyline

Amy is awoken from her stasis many years earlier than was originally planned. She is alone, scared, and misses her parents. What she finds aboard Godspeed is not what she expected. I loved the detail and world-building that the author puts into the history of the ship while she has been asleep.

Ending

As the first book in the novel, the story builds up at the ending with surprises that continue on through the other books in the series. 

Thoughts

For me this felt more dystopian than sci-fi. I loved all the twists the story took. This book got me thinking about individuality and the concept of leadership. The love story is more than just attraction; it’s companionship and trust. And I love the fact that Amy pushes Elder to trust his instincts and fight for what he believes to be right. It’s not a story about a girl that pushes a guy to see things her way, it’s about a girl that encourages a leader to become what he was always meant to be and to think for himself.

Quote

“We’re the ones who aren’t normal. People are supposed to be like that: obedient, calm, working together. It’s us—who can’t focus, who can’t work together, who can’t do the Feeder or Shipper jobs—we’re the ones who aren’t normal. We’re the ones who have to take the mental meds just so we don’t go loons.”

Lisa:

Cover

I absolutely love the original cover so when it went through a change, AFTER I purchased the first two instalments in this trilogy, my heart broke… into like a MILLION ZILLION pieces. I guess I just like the dorky romantic covers instead of the newer metallic ones.

Characters

I couldn’t get enough! I LOVED Amy and I LOVED Elder! They were so different, came from completely opposite worlds, but were just perfect for one another.

Favorite

If you couldn’t guess it, my ultimate favorite characters are Amy and Elder… duh! Amy was down to earth and unlike a lot of characters in the YA genre and didn’t just shrug when something crazy happened to them. Amy spent the entire book mourning the “loss” of her parents and never seeing them again – like any REAL person.

I like that she had feelings and was frustrated, and that she expressed that through the story. She needed time to absorb everything that was happening to her and going on around her, before she could move forward and decide what she was going to do next.

Elder, the soon to be new Eldest on Godspeed was dealing with his own issues. Not only are the humans from Earth being defrosted by someone, and left to die, but also he has the responsibility of becoming the leader of this massive ship on his shoulders.

He’s kind, sweet and really adores Amy!

Least Favorite

I don’t think I have a least favorite character. I mean there was a EVIL villain…but he was a good evil villain… if you know what I mean.

Beginning

Amy’s parents are asked to board Godspeed and travel three hundred years to discover a new planet for human habitation. Amy has a difficult decision to make: stay on Earth and say goodbye to her parents forever, or be frozen for three hundred years and leave behind everything she’s ever known. Is she willing to leave behind her home, and the boy she loves, to be woken up three hundred years later on a new planet?

Middle

Having unfrozen fifty years early, Amy is devastated when she is informed that she will most likely never see her parents again, or at least not until she is much, much older than them. Eldest and the doctor tell her that there is no way they can refreeze her, because there’s a HUGE risk she will never wake up again.

Now Amy is stuck on this ship with people who aren’t acting normal, who seem to be in a haze during “mating season”, and where the “crazy” people aren’t ALL that crazy. Things on Godspeed aren’t normal.

Elder is not only trying to keep up with his learning, and responsibilities, but is now also trying to comfort Amy and keep the ship under control.

And when frozen are being found open and left to thaw, Elder and Amy have to figure out who is doing this and how they even know that they existed! When one is found dead, and another is found half thawed, the pair knows they have to do something.

End

Broke my heart, put it back together again, and had my emotions all over the place! Across the Universe had me questioning every character, and everything they said and did. I would never have expected the ending, and who it was that was defrosting the frozens! SUCH a good twist!!

Overall Thoughts

I LOVE this trilogy! I have already read the second book, and really enjoyed it! I can’t wait to read the third one, to see how things end for Amy and Elder!

Hardcover, 398 pages

Published January 11th 2011 by Razorbill

original title

Across the Universe

ISBN

1595143971 (ISBN13: 9781595143976)

‘Argentinian Street Food’ might be a super-cute cookbook with its simple cover and cut-out design, but don’t be fooled – it works damn hard for all that cuteness. A little on the quirky side, filled with simple step-by-step illustrations and gorgeous photographs, it’s the sort of book that will have you pouring over the recipes just for the fun of it. And then, pretty much demanding you cook from it. It’s that irresistible.

 But what I love most about Argentinian Street Food is the subject matter. Yeah, yeah, of course – FOOD – but my favourite kind of food. We’re not talking sit-down to eight courses that take three days to prepare here, Street Food is exactly what it should be: simple to prepare. Simple to hold. Simple to eat, pastries. The kind of food where you’re more concerned about the awesome conversation you’re having with the people you’re sharing that food with than which of the eight knives and forks you’re supposed to use first. In other words, this is social food. It’s fun and it’s tasty. And then there’s ice cream. Well, helados, which is kind of like Argentina’s version of gelato, but… different.

The authors, Enrique Zononi and Gaston Stivelmaher are Argentinian chefs who live and work in Paris, serving up their specialty pastries and ice cream in three different restaurants, as well as a mobile food cart that wanders through the streets of Paris. Called ‘Carrito’, the van is a tribute to the Buenos Aires of the 1950’s, serving empanadas and helados. The book starts out with the basics – how to make the two different styles of dough required for making stuffed empanadas (baked and fried).

Then, with step-by-step instructions even a first-timer can understand, it moves on to how to fill and fold the dough ‘parcels’, and, most importantly, how to ‘hem’ them to get not just a great-looking result, but a empanada that won’t leak. And then, the recipes move on to the actual fillings. For me, the first one I’m going to try cooking is definitely the Blue Cheese and Celery (with pecan nuts and mozzarella too!) though my husband is keen on checking out the Duck Confit and Foie Gras version. But it’s not just extravagant, out-there fillings included here – good old ham and cheese gets a look-in too.

Zanoni and Stivelmaher have also included a handful of ‘Pica Pica’ dishes, which are basically ‘little dishes’ – a bit of something on the side. My favourite here is the marinated beetroot with fresh goat’s cheese and chopped pistachios. Omgosh!

Finally, we get back to the helados and dulces – or confectionary. I’m passionate about making my own ice cream, and the stand-out recipe for me here is the Raspberry-Malbec sorbet. I can’t wait to try it out with some home-grown raspberries. And oh, while we’re at it, I think the Preserved Cumquats recipe just saved me the drama of marmalade this year…

Argentinian Street Food is available from April 1^st, 2014.

Published by Murdoch Books

160 pages, hardcover

ISBN – 9781743362945

RRP – $29.95

*I would like to thank Point, as well as Netgalley, for allowing me to review Better Off Friends.*

Macallan has recently lost her mother and is now trying to grow up and become a woman with only the help of her dad and uncle. When she is asked to come to the guidance councilor’s office at the beginning of the first day of school, Macallan assumes that she is getting an “I’m sorry your mom died” speech. But to her surprise, she is asked to give the new guy, Levi, a tour of the school and show him to his first period class.

Levi had just moved from California. He was dressed in a button up shirt, cargo shorts, and a pair of flip flops. He was trying to go for the cool/hot/mysterious new guy look, which the girls in his old school would swoon over, but he completely missed the target. Macallan dragged him down the hallways, dropped him at the door of his first period class, and didn’t give him a second look.

When Macallan saw Levi sitting by himself at lunch on that first day of school, she knew the right thing to do was to ask if he would sit with her and her friends; so she did. She had no idea just how quickly and easily she and Levi would click. But when he quoted her favorite British comedy show, she knew it was their destiny to become best friends.

Since that lunch period, the two were inseparable. They spent more and more time together and soon became best friends. But having a guy friend isn’t as easy as you would think, especially when everyone always assumed Levi and Macallan were dating.

Throughout Better Off Friends, Levi and Macallan were dating and seeing other people while still staying great friends. But neither Levi nor Macallan could explain the weird feeling they got in the pit of their stomach when they saw the other with someone else.

The two won’t find out until both of their hearts have been broken and they only have each other to lean on.

Better Off Friends was the perfect book to transition from deep winter reading, to light and fun spring reading.

The story is told from both Levi and Macallan’s perspectives and I feel like this was the best way to go when it comes to a book like Better Off Friends. I like seeing and knowing both sides of the friendship/relationship. I LOVE knowing what each of them is thinking, experiencing, and feeling.

I’ve read many books where a boy and a girl were ‘best friends’ and started to fall in love. But what makes Better Off Friends different is that we get to witness this friendship develop, grow, and change over the years. We get to see the struggle and hardships the friendship has gone through and overcome, as well as just how this boy and girl become so close. And only towards the end of the book do the two confess their feelings towards one another.

If you’re looking for a good first spring/summer book to read, Better Off Friends is the book for you. It doesn’t have too much lovey-dovey stuff, but real and true feelings. No insta-love.

I’ll have to pick up the rest of Elizabeth Eulberg’s books!

To finish off this mini-series of blogs on cosplay we thought we’d bring to you the Cosplay Awards (Mel and Ruth Style). Here we present to you the gold, silver, and bronze of the cosplays we have come across. We want to make it clear that these are our personal (and therefore biased) opinions!! Now, on to the awards!

Bronze Medal – Ruth’s Selection

Belle

LucioleS Photography by L² Photography

My bronze medal goes to this beautiful interpretation of Belle from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. I’ve awarded this medal to a new cosplayer on my radar, LucioleS, for the detail that went into replicating Belle’s blue country-style outfit. LucioleS shows off this princess’ classic beauty, and tops it off with her adorable props. Sometimes simple cosplay is the hardest cosplay to pull off, so a big hat tip here!!

Bronze Medal – Mel’s Choice

Kagamine Rin from Vocaloid

Keik Cake Store,  [Photo credits & Coaching: E3Studios Photography, Forgotten Memories Photography, Lorenzo So Photography & Red Dumpling]

I love LED lights—I’m talking in general—but add them to a cosplay and look out! Keik has used LED lights in a number of cosplays, each one skilfully crafted and a massive convention hit. I think they make her Vocaloid cosplays (which are a popular cosplay) a step above the rest. This outfit is perfectly constructed and looks even better in the dark!

Silver Medal – Ruth’s Selection

The White Queen, Emma Frost

[Yaya Han  Photography by Brian Boling]

It is hard to go past the genius that is Yaya Han when giving out cosplay awards. She has created a vast array of costumes over the years, making it tough to choose one. But my silver medal goes to her version of Emma Frost, the White Queen, from X-Men. This comic beauty has telepathy and the ability to turn her skin to diamond. Yaya has done an incredible job of showing off these diamond skills, while looking stylish too.

Silver Medal – Mel’s Choice

Elsa and Anna from Frozen

Yuurisans Cosplay, [Photo credits: Yuuri-little sister]

Yuuri-K and Yuuri-C are well known for their double-team cosplays. The love anything they can do together, so for them to portray the Frozen sisters Elsa and Anna is a natural move! The cosplays are designed with insane detail; Anna’s buckles and small details were all handmade by the cosplayer, as were Elsa’s cape, bodice and even shoes! When it comes to putting their heart into something, these sisters go all the way.

Gold Medal – Ruth’s Selection

Captain Jack Sparrow

[CB Studios.  Photo by Ecky Reyes of e-Photography]

There’s a lot of fantastic cosplay out there and it was already difficult to narrow down just three to showcase for you. But picking my gold medal was actually simple. I did a double take with this one to check it wasn’t actually Johnny Depp. CB Studios takes out my gold medal for his phenomenal portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow. The detail that has gone into recreating the loveable rogue from Pirates of the Caribbean is outstanding. The only rules that really matter are these: what a man can do and what a man can’t do. For instance, you can accept that this man can pull off Captain Jack or you can’t. But pirate is in his blood, savvy? (I may have adlibbed the script there…)

 Gold Medal – Mel’s Choice

Yurai as Angewomon from Digimon

 [Photo credits: Unknown Photographer]

This girl has a special place in my heart because of her amazing work with Final Fantasy cosplays. I was hard pressed to decide which of her cosplays I should pick, because she does a lot of pieces people would love to do, but would never try. However, seeing as how Angewomon (Arn-jay-wo-mon) is a beloved character from my youth (before I knew what an anime addiction was) I had to give it to her. This is a cosplay she did about six years ago and revamped it for a convention in 2013. I love the detailing and the fact that she works with her body shape, making a hard 2D costume fit with a normal 3D person’s body. I hope one day she can find an awesome Angemon cosplay and do a rocking set!