Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Mini Reviews #9 ♥ Tiny Pretty Things, Killer Within, Black Iris & more.

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Tiny Pretty Things
Sona Charaipotra & Dhonielle Clayton

Genre: Contemporary YA
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Nobles| Goodreads 

Source: e-ARC was sent free of charge via Edelweiss. 
My Thoughts: So many books to review, so little time. I shall be doing mini reviews today of hyped books & upcoming releasesmini reviews are getting pretty popular these days so here's to hoping we find some gems in stones. Tiny Pretty Things has such a beautiful cover, I love the cursive writing and the color usage used. It truly shows an amazing font can be sufficient enough for the cover. Furthermore, it's a realistic novel about girl on girl hate in ballet - the story revolved around three characters Gigi, Bette and June who are students at an exclusive Manhattan Ballet School. Gigi is the innocent victim, Bette is the mean girl, and June is a follower who's misguided. Now, Bette and June are capable of backstabbing each other in order to get what they want. The book has diverse characters from many ethnic groups as well. The novel acknowledges the dark side of females where they rip each apart - I have actually studied about this topic, and I'm glad there's an actual book that sheds some light on the issue. Now, I admire female friendships, but cattiness still exists in reality especially in professional settings. Tiny Pretty Things takes an extreme form of bullying though - the ending was just saddening, this would have worked better as a standalone novel though. I couldn't put this book down, the writing is compelling and you do get to know more about the characters and the reasoning behind their choices. The great thing about the novel is most of the girls are catty, but you do see character growth in some, it's better to go open minded in this novel. Recommended for fans of Black Swan.


Killer Within
S.E Green
Genre: Thriller, YA
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Nobles | Goodreads
Source: Review Copy was sent free of charge via Kaye Publicity. Thank you Julia.
Thoughts: Killer Within is the sequel for Killer Instinct which I had previously reviewed. I liked the second installment so much better, although, it could have used a better cover. Lane is in a internal battle with her desire to kill and her family conflict. Should she be the good daughter and good sister, or act out on her urges? Now, she only hunts down serial killers. It's great that the author has mentioned why she gets these tendencies now, the background information in between was intriguing to know. There is a crazy fan of Lane a.k.a The Masked Warrior, now the fan is re-creating Lane's work.. but they're targeting innocent people. Now, the police are in the hunt for the replica creator which means Lane is in troubled too. I couldn't guess who the copycat was, I accused almost everyone mentioned except Justin, Lane's little brother. Ultimately, my main guess was wrong although, I wish the ending had a more stronger impact. Killer Instinct which had such a good ending though. Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading the sequel beginning to the end, the series is promising and I do look forward to reading the third installment. Recommended for fans of Killer Instinct, I Hunt Killers, and Normal.


Black Iris
Leah Raeder

Genre: New Adult, Suspense
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Nobles | Goodreads
Source: e-ARC was sent free of charge via Netgalley.
Thoughts: Unpopular opinion time.. I'm the black sheep so brace yourself for the impact. Well, the cover is gorgeous - I've read the author's previous book Unteachable, it was a decent read and I'm not the biggest fan of the author. Black Iris is about an anti-heroine name Laney who is fifty shades of messed up. There are rumours about her, and she is now set to prove how the rumours are actually true. What bothers me the most is how the books have very little plot and lengthy pages of steamy scenes. This isn't really a love story, it's a more dark and intense read. It does have lesbian romance so kudos to the author for showing diversity. Leah's writing is beautiful though, it's lyrical and quite atmospheric although, I do feel no one's eyes aren't speckled with embers or something unless it's a fantasy novel. I love that the author's challenges stereotypes, she questions double standards and misogyny. She creates flawed characters who have a certain darkness to them. Black Iris didn't work for me, because I didn't get a sense of an actual story until the last 15% of the novel, before it's just smash smash.. It surprises me how people are offended by sexist remarks, but there is a sly racist remark in this novel which no one really caught on about Middle Easterners, way to make them look evil. The book never truly apologized about it and that's what offends me actually.. That's enough to make me put down a novel, I can handle one-two subtle sexist comments, but racism is something I hate even more, I did however finish this novel even though I wanted to DNF it. The MC is flawed which is alright, but then she almost seems psychotic. Her choices are rather strange yet she's sending out the message, "don't judge me." Of course people will judge you when you're on the path towards self-destruction! There is just too much drug usage/addiction with no bad outcomes, I'm surprised the heroine is still alive. I feel the book is giving a wrong message and is saying if you have a messed up life, it's okay to abuse addiction, drugs and alcohol. Laney is trying to justify her choices by claiming to be a "normal" teenager. Honestly, this generalizes all teenagers. Most teenagers don't fool around, they might party once in a while but many are not addicted to sex, booze. and drugs. If you're a party monster, than that probably that does not make you normal. Most teenagers aren't diagnosed with bipolar disorder nor or they suicidal. There are other ways to deal with your problems to to you know? Yoga helps. I wasn't the biggest fan of the ending either, it just sounded cliche, sometimes cliche works but it didn't in this case. I was a bit hesitant to share my review since all my blogging buddies have enjoyed this novel, and I'm sure many others will enjoy this too but it's just too complex for my taste. Recommended for fans of Unteachable


A School For Unusual Girls
Kathleen Baldwin

Genre: Historical Fiction, Young Adult
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Nobles | Goodreads
Source: Review copy was sent free of charge via Tor Teen. Thank you Alexis.
My Thoughts: Stranje House is a school for Unusual Girls. The school was created for the daughters of the Beau mode who no longer fit against the society's standards. They are enrolled to becoming more suitable ladies for marriage. The premise is fantastic and quite original actually. Georgiana Fitzwilliam is the heroine, she accidentally sets her father's house on fire and she is sent to Stranje House. However, Georgie is too strong minded and she doesn't want to marry, she plans to escape until she meets Lord Sebastian Wyatt, now they work together for a secret mission. Well, the concept of the novel sounded fantastic - I did enjoy this novel for the most part although, the first half is quite slow and it's hard to read in one setting. The first two chapters were easy to get into, but then it was slow.. The second half was executed well, and you do receive a genuine plot. The romance was adorable and some parts were almost hilarious, but it almost felt insta love which I'm not fond of. The historical fiction woven into a suspenseful type novel was intriguing enough, although some parts in the book were quite boring and I did skim here and there. Recommended for fans of The Winner's Curse.


Shukran for reading this! Leave your blog links in the comments & I'll be sure to check them out & drop by :) Stay in tuned pretty creatures..

“Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” —Nora Ephron 
femmmefatalee@gmail.com



33 comments:

  1. Ooh, I so love the cover for Tiny Pretty Things, and The Killer Within sounds like a book I would want to read. Adding that to my TBR. Sorry Black Iris didn't go well for you, though I still want to read it because I'm curious. I've seen a couple of mixed reviews about A School For Unusual Girls, but the concept is intriguing. :D Awesome mini reviews, Benish!

    Blessie @ Mischievous Reads

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    1. I agree! Tiny Pretty Things has such a gorgeous cover .. ♥ I hope you enjoy Killer Within, it's part of a series so be sure to check out the first book Killer Instinct, thank you Blessie!

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  2. I am so excited to read Tiny Pretty Things and I think that will be one of the books I am going to read this summer. It sounds like it is right up my street. I wasn't too sure about the book the Killer Within but it does sound like the sort of thing I would like so adding it to my TBR :) Nice reviews - you really are getting a thing for mini reviews.

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    1. I do hope you enjoy Tiny Pretty Things! Thank you Olivia & aha yes, I know what you mean. There's so many books to review and I don't have that much time to review every single book individually. ♥

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  3. For the most part, these all sound like great reads, even if Black Iris wasn't for you.
    Great mini reviews! :D

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  4. Tiny Pretty Little things sounds really great! Great mini reviews. I'm intrigued!

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  5. Great mini reviews! The only one of these that I've read is Tiny Pretty Things and I agree with you about it being realistic and the amazing writing but I was so frustrated with the book as a whole and especially the ending. I feel like this kind of book shouldn't be a series! =)

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    1. Yes, I agree I wish the ending was more of a standalone type. I'm not sure what else the authors will add in the future installments besides more drama.

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  6. Wow, Tiny Pretty Things sounds like an emotional book with dancing and bullying, and it is definitely realistic. I think I'd really like this one, I loved black swan!

    Killer Within sounds like Lane is a really conflicted character, and it sounds great that you couldn't guess who the killer was! That sounds fantastic, I do love these thrillers.

    Ugh yeah, a shame about Black Iris. I have heard really good things, but that slant/racist remark would definitely be offputting, especially if you were offended. That's the reason why I really couldn't read the Strange Angels Series because of all the racist/ignorant remarks about one of the book's asian characters.

    At first A School for Unusual Girls didn't really appeal to me, historical fiction isn't one of my favourites. But then I saw you mentioning the suspense and the comparison to Winner's Curse. Hmmm count me interested!

    I am loving your mini reviews so much Benish!

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    1. Thank you for sharing your thoughts Jeann & I'm glad you could enjoy the mini reviews as well! ♥ It's more fun seeing a group of books together than individual reviews. Tiny Pretty Things was an amazing read, everyone seems to enjoy Black Iris except for me. A school for Unusual Girls has a similiar concept to the Winner's curse with the marriage and rebellion. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on Black Iris though!

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  7. Great reviews Benish!!
    Tiny Pretty Things sounds great, love how it deals with a Bullying aspect.
    Killer Within sounds like a good mystery that kept you guessing.
    I have heard Black Iris is either a hit or miss read... definitely a miss for you :(
    A shame you found A School For Unusual Girls to be a bit slow, it still sounds like a good read.

    Naomi @ Naomi’s Reading Palace

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    1. Thank you for sharing your thoughts Naomi ♥ I would recommend Tiny Pretty Things and Killer Withim. Black Iris was just blah for me..

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  8. I have had enough girl on girl hate, so probably skipping Tiny Pretty Things. I have a feeling I'd feel the same way about Black Iris. Torture!

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    1. Black Iris was just strange, I don't understand the hype about it at all.

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  9. Great Mini Reviews Benish :) Tiny Pretty Things sounds really good! I've always loved Ballet, and stories about dancers. I think the bully storyline is very relevant, and I would love to read this story. Killer Within has caught my attention. A girl that hunts down serial killers and the whole copycat aspect has me very curious. I read Black Iris and loved it, but knew right away that this story wasn't for everyone. I don't like insta-love, and slow paced stories are difficult for me to get in to, so I don't think I'd enjoy, A School for Unusual Girls.


    Lindy@ A Bookish Escape

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    1. Thank you for sharing your thoughts Lindy!♥ Tiny Pretty Things and Killer Within were both great books that I enjoyed reading.

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  10. I've heard Tiny Little Things is INCREDIBLE. So therefore I neeeeed it. (I'm hopeless when it comes to thrillers and pretty covers. I JUST WANT TO READ THEM ALL. *hyperventilates* Plus it sounds a little bit like Dangerous Girls, which I adored). Anyway. Hehe.
    I've kind of vaguely heard of Black Iris, but NA? Not really my thing. I've yet to find one with a good plot. :(

    Love your mini reviews, as always!! XD

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    1. Yes, it does similar vibes to Dangerous Girls, although it doesn't mention any psychological aspects. As for New Adult, I think you should check out Unravel by Calia Mead, it's a thriller as well! Mud Vein by Tarryn Fischer was fantastic as well(the premise is not what it seems), both are very unique books in NA ♥ The Addicted series by Krista & Becca Ritchie is sooo good too!

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  11. Girl on girl hate, no thanks.

    The killer who only kills serial killers sounds like a YA Dexter. That always had too much adult stuff in it for me so I'm curious about this one.

    I like the revenge thing, but to like the book I really need a sense of why she wants revenge and it sounds like that was held back for too long.

    Nice mini reviews.

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    1. Thank you for sharing your thoughts Molly♥

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  12. Lovely reviews! Sad to read that Black Iris wasn't that good for you :( But I understand. I have to pick up Killer Within. I'm not much of a thriller kind of reader, but that one just sounds so good! :)

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    1. You should, the series is worth trying ♥

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  13. Oooo glad most of these were good reads for you. Really looking forward to reading TINY PRETTY THINGS! Great mini-reviews :D

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  14. Aww, I'm sorry that you ended up not liking Black Iris. I totally understand it thought - there are just some books that don't click with us. I know I've hated many that others loved (5th Wave... An Ember in the Ashes... okay, I didn't hate that one but I didn't love it and was not a big fan of it). I wish I had noticed the offensive lines, and I'm quite ashamed I didn't. Really glad you were still able to find books that you ended up loving, though!

    Faye at The Social Potato

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  15. Good to hear about Pretty Little Things, I have the audio coming up soon!

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  16. Tiny Pretty Things, oh that cover! It's really lovely and a perfect example of how covers can be just as effective just using font. I'd buy a copy regardless of what it was about. The positive reviews for Black Iris have been few and far between. I don't understand how an author can weave through diverse characters such as a lesbian relationship, but didn't see a dig at Middle Eastern nationals as offensive. I'll be outraged on your behalf too. Super insensitive of an author, but even more surprisingly that no other reviewer I've seen has come across that. I guess no one else has picked up on that.

    Wonderful reviews Benish, I really like the mini reviews <3

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  17. Yeah, I'll probably enjoy Tiny Pretty Things going into it open minded. Killer Within, I haven't read Killer Instinct because of some less than flattering reviews (but glad you enjoyed it!) I loved A School for Unusual Girls though, but agree, the first half was slow, I got into more after the first 50 pages, when the banter and everything came into it. Can't wait for the next one though, to get to know the other characters more. :)

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  18. Sorry to hear that Black Iris didn't work for you! I'm still not sure whether I should just go for it and read it, or wait a couple of months. Oh and I'm glad you liked Tiny Pretty Things! It was a lot of drama for me, and I kept wondering if these things actually happen in the ballet world (which I'm guessing it does, which makes me beyond sad). And I had no idea it was going to be a series? I thought the ending was good on its own.

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  19. I am so torn over Tiny Pretty things AND Black Iris. They both seem quite polarizing- people are either loving them or hating them! And I kind of feel that some of the things that bugged you the most about Black Iris would also bug me so.... I don't know. Maybe someday I will try it, but I am not rushing out. As for Tiny Pretty Things, I just don't know if I can handle all the mean behavior! But I know it DOES happen, so I probably should give it a go. Fabulous reviews, thanks so much for sharing them!

    Shannon @ It Starts At Midnight

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  20. I am so glad to see that you enjoyed Killer Instinct and Killer Within. I've had my eye on those books and need to pick up a copy of book one because I LOVE me some twisted thrillers like that - plus YA! Sad to see you didn't enjoy black Iris. This makes me nervous because I have it on my Nook and hope to read it soon. Eeek!

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