Half Wild by Sally Green

Half Wild by Sally Green
Release Date - March 24, 2015
Publisher Website - Penguin Canada
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 400 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received for an honest review from publisher**

**SPOILERS FOR HALF BAD**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

"You will have a powerful Gift, but it’s how you use it that will show you to be good or bad."

In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, seventeen-year-old Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world's most powerful and violent witch. Nathan is hunted from all sides: nowhere is safe and no one can be trusted. Now, Nathan has come into his own unique magical Gift, and he's on the run--but the Hunters are close behind, and they will stop at nothing until they have captured Nathan and destroyed his father.

A young man faces oppression, prejudice, and wishes to fight back. This theme could be plucked from present day issues and is instantly recognizable to everyone. Half Wild takes this theme, mixes in witches, romance and danger to create a sequel that surprises and delights.

Nathan's voice is the element that resonates the most in this story. Sally Green brings this character to life through his voice. Nathan's voice isn't just well written, he's also a complex and engaging character with flaws. He is often selfish when it comes to his reasoning and wants, but he does love fiercely and would die for those who have earned his trust and respect. His character is one that grabs you and lingers. He's been through so much that has scarred him in so many different ways. It's hard to shake his story because you care about him and what happens to him so deeply. It's Sally Green's writing that makes this possible, and it's evident that her skill is in crafting character and voice.

Perhaps the most mysterious element of Half Bad was Marcus, Nathan's father. He was nothing like I expected him to when he finally appeared in end part of Half Bad. After being told how evil and horrible he was for the entire novel, I was surprised to see a subdued man and how patient he was with Nathan. The prophecy is still hanging oppressively over any bond that he and Nathan could form, and that is something that the author is careful to keep as an ominous presence throughout both novels.

Annalise, the girl who has caught Nathan's eye was not my favourite part of the first novel. I found myself wanting Nathan to see what was obvious to everyone else and realize that Gabriel is in love with him. This novel did nothing to derail me from this particular pairing and I find their dynamic must electric, and spark filled than any moment with Annalise. Gabriel and Nathan have actually gotten to know each other, and the unwavering support and love Gabriel offers is incredibly romantic.

With war brewing between those who want peaceful separation between the witch and black witches, and those who would kill all black witches and half bloods there is plenty of danger and action to be found within these pages. Nathan's allegiance seems more out of necessity than a real desire to help. I, however, hope that the true peace comes from the merging of white and black witches. This will, obviously, be easier said than done and Half Wild shows it will take plenty of trust and forgiveness before anything resembling peace can be had. This war already has casualties and I can only imagine the finale will bring more heartache to Nathan and the other characters we've grown to care about.

This series has gotten a lot of buzz and this second instalment once again shows why. It's a captivating, character driven story that continues the journey of a boy looking for where he belongs, who he can trust, and hoping to find his own version of quiet.

New To My Book Closet

It's that time of the week again. Time to show you what bookish goodies made their way into my home and book closet (to be saved from the evil book eating cat monster named Aria). This is inspired by the various "mailbox" posts out there (eg. In My Mailbox by The Story Siren, and Stacking the Shelves by Tynga's Reviews).

Two awesome sounding books made their way into my mailbox this week. A huge thank you to Penguin Canada for sending them to me.

Half Wild by Sally Green (goodreads)

The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall (goodreads)

What books made their way into your mailbox this week?

Happy weekend, and happy reading!

Best Of 2014.... So Far

The halfway point of 2014 is quickly approaching and with it many best of (so far at least) lists. Since I typically do one, I figured now was as good a time as any.

Here are the ten books that I would consider my best of 2014...so far. These are in no particular order and are not ranked in any way.

We Were Liars by E Lockheart

The less said about this one the better. Just read it. Become a liar. You'll thank me after you've recovered.

Brazen by Katherine Longshore

Fans of Reign are being told to pick this one up. I completely agree. It's got scandalous Tudor drama, some rather adorable flirting, and some of my favourite friendships portrayed in a novel. Katherine also happens to be a fantastic writer, so the overall book is amazing.

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

Taking a beloved character and putting a deliciously sinful twist on her? Perfection. Danielle Paige's precision style writing, and attention to detail made this an intricate read. It left me dying for book two, and pretty sure I would never look at Dorothy the same way again.

Half Bad by Sally Green

A beautifully written book that puts a twist on the whole nature vs nurture question. A boy witch who has been ostracized his whole life for being 'half bad' offers heartbreaking moments, and a fascinating look at society in general.

Love Letters To The Dead by Ava Dellaria

This will leave you weepy, and may inspire you to write your own love letter to the dead. An impact debut novel that uses a letter style format to tell it's heartbreaking yet hopeful story. I easily got swept away.

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

A fun novel that has depth and layers. This one is perfect for the summer, and will leave you wanting to touch base with your own best friend...and maybe write them a list or two.

The Winner's Cure by Marie Rutkoski

Beautifully written, and some amazing world building mixed with incredible characters made Marie's novel a fantastic start to a new series. It's sneaks up on you and leaves you breathless as you feel it's full impact. Book two now, please!

Famous In Love by Rebecca Serle

Fun! Fun! Fun! If Hollywood love triangles, CW television shows, and novels that explore more than just the romance are your thing, YOU NEED TO PICK UP THIS BOOK. The characters, the setting, and the romance all won me over. My review will come closer to the date, but Rebecca had me hooked from the first paragraph. I basically need book two immediately.

Exquisite Captive by Heather Demetrois

Intricate world building, a driven and determined female lead character, and some scorchingly sexy scenes made this a favourite. The interweaving of the all too real issue of the slave trade made this one resonate a little deeper. Full review to come soon (along with some other fun things) but this one easily charmed me.

The Blonde by Anna Godbersen

Marilyn Monroe as a spy is the premise for this tightly woven novel. Surprisingly this works much better than perhaps thought at first glance, and the author makes it seem entirely all to plausible. The romance between Marilyn and John F Kennedy provided a romantic backdrop that raised the stakes. A fantastic beach thriller for this summer!

Each of these links to my review (where available) if you wish to check it out.

What books made your list? Did you read any that are on mine? If so, what did you think?

Half Bad by Sally Green

Half Bad by Sally Green
Release Date - March 4, 2014
Publisher Website - Penguin
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 416 pages
My Rating - 5/5
**received in exchange for an honest review from the publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

In modern-day England, witches live alongside humans: White witches, who are good; Black witches, who are evil; and fifteen-year-old Nathan, who is both. Nathan’s father is the world’s most powerful and cruel Black witch, and his mother is dead. He is hunted from all sides. Trapped in a cage, beaten and handcuffed, Nathan must escape before his sixteenth birthday, at which point he will receive three gifts from his father and come into his own as a witch—or else he will die. But how can Nathan find his father when his every action is tracked, when there is no one safe to trust—not even family, not even the girl he loves?

In the tradition of Patrick Ness and Markus Zusak, Half Bad is a gripping tale of alienation and the indomitable will to survive, a story that will grab hold of you and not let go until the very last page.

Ever wonder what the Harry Potter series would have been like from Draco's perspective? Or perhaps if it's protagonist had been Voldemort's son? It's not had to imagine, right? Half Bad takes this concept and makes it achingly real. It mixes it's mythology with prejudice, and assumptions, and offers an addictive look at nature vs nurture.

The concept of this novel is actually grounded in reality. For a novel that is about witches, there is very little magic in it. Instead, it's an unflinchingly honest look at the damage humans can inflict on each other. We can easily picture this story, because we see it happening around us. We know how children are treated if they are born to someone 'undesirable'. They are often automatically deemed to grow up to be 'just like their parent'. It can create a brutal cycle because the child in question never strives for more, and it repeats with their children. We, of course, also see the opposite, but the prejudices found within Half Bad are all too easily found outside its pages. It made the novel feel more authentic, and added an extra layer to the story.

Nathan's voice is one of the most compelling aspects of the novel. The character is what makes a twist on a classic story like this, and Nathan's voice does just that. When we first meet him he is locked in a cage. His only crime is simply being born. As we learn the mythology and what exactly it means to be 'half bad' my sympathy grew. Once we learn how rare Nathan is, and I physically ached for him. Here is a child who has been deemed 'less than' his whole life. The strength he has is staggering. He refuses to give up, lay down and take it. He refuses to curl up and die. It's this fighting spirit, mixed with his nature that makes him a perfect, if deeply flawed, narrator.

His family is a mixed bag of support and disdain. His three half siblings each offer a different point of view. His sister, Jessica, lives to torment him. His brother, Arran, genuinely loves him. His other sister, Deborah, seems to tolerate him without feeling strongly either way. His Gran has been a loving, nurturing presence in his life. However tolerable his home life, the outside world is anything but welcoming.

It becomes instantly apparent that not all White witches are good, and therefore it must stand to reason that not all Black witches are evil. We should know that lumping people into groups, and expecting them to be the same is ludicrous, but that is exactly where prejudice and stereotypes come from. The Witch witches who are hunting Nathan are brutal, and yet his captor, Celia, shows a different side to them. The relationship between Celia and Nathan is complex, intriguing and really surprised me.

The romance is the only part that fell a little flat for me. I liked it more by looking at it as an idea, rather than a real connection. Annalise is not as defined as the other characters. She's gentle, sweet, and kind. She's meant to be demure, and pretty. She is also one of the few people outside of Nathan's family to be kind to him. In this respect, it's perfectly natural he would form a crush on her. I hope her character is developed because I would love for the romance to be as gripping as the rest of the plot.

Half Bad is an engaging, intense read that will leave you desperate for it's sequel. Strong mythology, realistic characters, and wonderful writing came together to captivate me from page one.