Book Review: Impostors by Scott Westerfeld

I have missed this world so much, so when I saw Impostors sitting on the display table in my local Waterstones I pounced on it and then gushed about the whole Uglies universe to the bookseller for a good ten minutes as I paid. Because Uglies is one of my favourite series and I'm so excited that it's continuing.

Frey and Rafi are inseparable... Two edges of the same knife. But Frey's very existence is a secret.

Frey is Rafi's twin sister-and her body double. Their powerful father has many enemies, and the world has grown dangerous as the old order falls apart. So while Rafi was raised to be the perfect daughter, Frey has been taught to kill. Her only purpose is to protect her sister, to sacrifice herself for Rafi if she must.

When her father sends Frey in Rafi's place as collateral in a precarious deal, she becomes the perfect impostor-as poised and charming as her sister. But Col, the son of a rival leader, is getting close enough to spot the killer inside her. As the deal starts to crumble, Frey must decide if she can trust him with the truth and if she can risk becoming her own person?

With Impostors, master storyteller Scott Westerfeld returns with a new series set in the world of his mega-bestselling Uglies-a world full of twist and turns, rebellion and intrigue, where any wrong step could be Frey's last.

Amazon UK | Amazon US

Waterstones

Source: Purchase

5 Words: Family, power, control, betrayal, revenge.

When I heard about this book I was so excited - I loved the Uglies books growing up. I loved the twisted world, the acerbic take-down of societal conceptions of beauty. And now I'm back in the same world watching a similar take-down of the people in power. and it's excellent.

I loved the changes in the characters, how the Frey from the first page isn't the Frey from the last page, how the truth about Rafia is slowly revealed. I loved that there was so little trust and so much hope, so much pretending.

There is a bit of romance in the story, but it's not front and centre. To be honest I could very easily ignore it. It felt a bit convenient, and with the relationship between the particular characters it often felt more like an emotional outlet and a bit of mutual attraction than anything serious.

The ending is spectacular. This book is a bit of a thrill to read, packed with action and battle scenes, the hard reality of Frey's life is there on the page and explored in her every action. But that ending left me desperate for more.

Impostors may be the fifth book in the Uglies world, but you don't need to have read any of the other books first as this is set in a future timeline and generally deals with different characters and cities.

Have you read any of the Uglies books?

What's your favourite fictional power struggle?

Books On My Autumn 2018 TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and is a chance for everyone to get to know fellow bloggers and share lists. I love lists. Every week is a different list.

This week is Top Ten 

Books On My Autumn 2018 TBR

I am a huge rereader and save some books especially for rereading in autumn. But I also read new books and some of these are autumn releases which I can't wait for, others are ones I'd like to finally get around to. Click on the title to go to Goodreads!

• Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix by Julie C Dao
• The Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner
• The Corset by Laura Purcell
• Vox by Christina Dalcher
• Mirage by Somaiya Daud
• Saving Death by RL Endean
• The Sealwoman's Gift by Sally Magnusson
• Everything Leads to You by Nina La Cour
• Social Creature by Tara Isabella Burton
• The Tyranny of Lost Things by Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett

What's on your TBR this autumn?

September Primark Haul 2018

At least once a week I'll browse through Primark's website looking at the New Arrivals and fantasy shopping in my head. I even sometimes do imaginary Primark Hauls for fictional characters, which I 10/10 recommend for fun. I thought it was finally time to do my very own haul so here we go!

It's getting to the time of year where all I want is comfort. I want snuggly jumpers and socks, soft slippers, a bit of a pamper. And Primark is where I find it, so I was super excited to head in to town on Saturday and stock up on the good stuff. I go in around once a month to have a mooch around, as it's always busy and I'm not a fan of crowds - I have to bug myself up for it.

Scatter Shoulder Jumper £13.00

Luxury Chenille Socks £2.50

Princess Face Mask £3.00

Twilight One Coat Nail Polish £0.90

Sloth Life Mule Slippers £4.00

Here's my haul in total!

I spent ages going through racks to find the jumper in my size, but I was not going to leave without it. It's pale blue, super soft, and has gorgeous details across the shoulders and arms. It's so comfortable that I kind of can't wait for the colder weather, as this will definitely become a wardrobe staple.

I couldn't resist these luxury socks. The pack contains two pairs, this lovely pink which reminds me of the sunset, and a beautiful pale blue that reminds me of rain clouds in the distance. I think they're perfect for autumn under my boots.

With all of the wind and rain over the past couple weeks, my face in in some serious need of some TLC. In store they had four different Disney Princess face masks, but I settled on this Jewel Of The Sea face mask. It's a sheet mask with green tea that promises to refresh and revitalise skin.

I also picked up this dark grey one coat nail polish, in the colour Twilight. I'm always really impressed by Primark nail polish, especially as it's so cheap, and this colour is really calling to my current mood.

Aren't these slippers adorable? I really relate to sloths, and love taking things slow and taking naps. The slippers are pale grey and super soft, with a memory foam sole. Perfect for slipping on after work.

Do you shop in Primark?
What's top of your September shopping list?

Five Things I Can't Wait To Do In Autumn

Everything is just a little bit more dramatic in Autumn, and I find it so inspiring. I love to wrap up warm and go outside, see the colour and smell turning fruit and rotting leaves. It sounds gross but it's one of my favourite smells, I love the earthiness of it. I like the damp air curling my baby hairs, the wind chapping my lips, the rain beating my skin - it's all an excuse for an extra pamper.

And when the first morning frost hits I wake up extra early so I can walk the long way to work and crunch the grass and the leaves, and really feel the benefit of the warmth of my morning cup of tea.

And in the evening I love flickering candlelight, hot chocolate and malt before bed, second day soup with a chunk of crusty bread. New cosy pyjamas and and extra blanket, Melomel (fruited honey) mead warming my throat.

Autumn To Do List

Picnics

Picnics are usually reserved for Summer but I actually don't like picnics in the sun! In autumn you wrap up warm and cosy, pack a flask of hot water for tea, a flask of soup, pastry goodies galore. As a bonus the air is crisp and clear and smells amazing, there are less people (introverts, rejoice!) and there are less bugs.

Rereading Favourites

I absolutely love rereading books and I have some that I specifically reread in autumn. I can't wait to fall back in love with the familiar worlds and characters, and find something new in something I dearly love.

Bingewatching Shows

It feels like everything starts again in Autumn, and I spend so much time in front of the telly. I love TV shows you can binge-watch! I am particularly looking forward to watching Killing Eve as it starts this weekend on BBC iPlayer, and The Good Place, Grey's Anatomy, and Dynasty in the coming weeks.

Knitting

I started knitting last year after my diagnosis and I've been itching to grab my needles again. I just couldn't bring myself to do it when it was so sunny and unbearably hot outside. I have a couple of projects lined up and I'm going to challenge myself to try things other than scarves and snoods.

Hot Drinks and Cold Days

I love the feeling of cold hands wrapped around a hot drink, and I love that so many coffee shops do season ranges. The smell of spices in the air, feeling warm from the very inside, the decadence of the cake. I can't wait to get to Costa and try their Bonfire Latte!

What do you love most about Autumn?

What's on your Autumn To Do List?

Ten Hidden Gems

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and is a chance for everyone to get to know fellow bloggers and share lists. I love lists. Every week is a different list.

This week is Top Ten 

Hidden Gems

I'm sticking here to books I've read in the past year that I think didn't get as much hype as they deserve, and all of them I thought we absolutely excellent.

• Skylarks by Karen Gregory
• When The Beat Drops by Anna Hecker
• Royals by Rachel Hawkins
• The Extinction Trials by SM Wilson
• Jinxed by Amy McCulloch
• You Only Live Once by Jess Vallance
• Ascension by Victor Dixen
• Fir by Sharon Gosling
• The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth
• Girlhood by Cat Clarke

What's your favourite hidden gem?

Five Books I Reread In Autumn

I love to reread books. It's like coming home, putting on your comfiest pyjamas, getting between fresh sheets. You know what you're getting, that it's going to be good, and I find that even after 20 rereads I still get something new from the book.

I recently talked about the books I reread the most, but a big part of my rereading is also seasonal. There are some books I savour each Autumn, that I hold off on reading until it's just the right time.

My Five Autumn Rereads

1. Frozen Charlotte by Alex Bell
2. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
3. Shadows and Strongholds by Elizabeth Chadwick
4. Run For Home by Sheila Quigley
5. The Magicians' Guild by Trudi Canavan

What type of books do you like to read in Autumn?

Book Review: Killer T by Robert Muchamore

A clever sci-fi exploring society's reaction to evolving techonology, Killer T by Robert Muchamore is addictive and full of action, an just a little bit scary.

Harry and Charlie are teenagers whose lives are shaped by a society that's shifting around them. He is a lonely Brit in his first term at a Las Vegas high school. She is an unlikely friend, who gets accused of mixing a batch of explosives that blew up a football player.

The two of them are drawn together at a time when gene editing technology is starting to explode. With a lab in the garage anyone can beat cancer, enhance their brain to pass exams, or tweak a few genes for that year-round tan and perfect beach body. But in the wrong hands, cheap gene editing is the most deadly weapon in history. Killer T is a synthetic virus with a ninety per-cent mortality rate, and the terrorists who created it want a billion dollars before they'll release a vaccine.

Terrifying. Romantic. Huge in scope. A story for our times.

Amazon UK | Amazon US

Waterstones

Source: Giveaway

5 Words: Technology, friendship, adversity, survival, society.

Going in to this I didn't know much. I knew it was sci-fi and involved a killer virus, but I didn't know much more and didn't really have any expectations except "this will be good" because I loved the Cherub books growing up.

Right from the start I was impressed. I loved Harry's tenacity and drive, how he knew what he wanted to do and was prepared to go far to get there, even if I didn't actually like him. If that even makes sense. And Charlie, oh Charlie. I love Charlie.

I didn't expect the timeline of the story to be quite as vast as it was, but I felt that it really worked with the pacing of the story, keeping the action front and centre.

Killer T quite cleverly explored gene modification, how it would impact society, and even how companies would spin it to make money. The story itself acts almost as a commentary of a consumer driven world, a world where people have short attention spans and are driven by the media they consume.

This book kind of made me want to start stock-piling coffee and tea just in case. There's just such a sense of urgency, as though this could actually be right around the corner.