Book BFF Melissa: Historical Fiction

Number of Pgs.: 339

Publication date: February 6, 2012

Publisher: Elizabeth Wein
Genre: Historical Fiction

How I got the copy: library

Rating: 4 stars

From Goodreads:

I have two weeks. You’ll shoot me at the end no matter what I do.

That’s what you do to enemy agents. It’s what we do to enemy agents. But I look at all the dark and twisted roads ahead and cooperation is the easy way out. Possibly the only way out for a girl caught red-handed doing dirty work like mine — and I will do anything, anything, to avoid SS-Hauptsturmführer von Linden interrogating me again.

He has said that I can have as much paper as I need. All I have to do is cough up everything I can remember about the British War Effort. And I’m going to. But the story of how I came to be here starts with my friend Maddie. She is the pilot who flew me into France — an Allied Invasion of Two.

We are a sensational team.

Plot: 9/10

Characters: 9/10

Setting: 9/10

Pacing: 4/10

Style: 7/10

Cover: I like this cover better than the other one. It portrays the harshness of the book. I love the writing in the background too.

38+50=88(4 Stars)

I needed to write this review before I moved on to another book because I wasn't ready to let it go yet. It's one of those books that just stays with you for awhile. When I first started reading I didn't think I was going to finish it. It's so slow paced for the first 100 pages and It's all about planes in WWII which frankly--I have no interest in. But the narrator's voice kept me interested enough to keep going (that and everyone has raved that it's such a great book). I'm so glad I kept with it because after the first surprise twist in the plot the pacing picks up. After that there were a few more twists that slapped me in the face. I never saw them coming...and I'm usually pretty good at guessing plots.

The main character that narrates the first half of the book was witty, brave, strong, etc. She's facing an inevitable death and yet she still fights back against the Nazis who have tortured her. If you like Katniss you'll love this girl. Maddie, her friend, was a great character as well. I loved their relationship because it showed how a friendship could bring out the best in people. Maddie was always the quieter/scareder one, but she becomes strong because of this friendship and her love for her friend. I loved that Maddie was a pilot even though that wasn't common in those times.

{Review} The Madman's Daughter by: Megan Shepherd

4 Stars

Number of Pgs. 432 (Hardcover)

Publication date: June 29, 2012
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Genre: YA, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, Mystery, Horror

How I got the copy: Won from Epic Reads!

Rating: 4 Stars

From Goodreads:
In the darkest places, even love is deadly.

Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.

Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood.

Inspired by H. G. Wells's classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman's Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we'll do anything to know and the truths we'll go to any lengths to protect.

I've been using a new way of reviewing that I saw over at Making the Grade. It breaks the book down and makes it easier to rate. The way it works is each category gets a score out of ten points. Then you add them all up + 50 (50% automatically for each book) and that's your score out of 100.

8/10: I'm surprised to say that I like the Historical Fiction genre now! Especially ones that have mystery aspects to them like this one did. This story was not predictable. When things were revealed later in the book I was like "Why didn't I see that coming?!" I love when stories are able to trick me. This book was equal parts creep and thrilling.

7/10: Juliet is really bad ass for a female character in that time period. She isn't afraid of much and is so strong from having to fend for herself at a young age. Although her one weakness, her father, kept getting in the way of her seeing what was really going on. But I get it. She wanted acceptance from the father she hadn't seen in years.

Edward was so mysterious. He just shows up and I wanted to know more about him. I was really surprised when more about him was revealed. I honestly didn't see that coming.

Montgomery kinda reminded me of Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights. He's the servant that the rich girl falls for.