Review for Every Ugly Word by Aimee L. Salter

Every Ugly Word
By Aimee L. Salter
Published July 29th 2014 by Alloy Entertainment
Received Ebook from Netgalley
257 pages

"When seventeen-year-old Ashley Watson walks through the halls of her high school bullies taunt and shove her. She can’t go a day without fighting with her mother. And no matter how hard she tries, she can’t make her best friend, Matt, fall in love with her. But Ashley also has something no one else does: a literal glimpse into the future. When Ashley looks into the mirror, she can see her twenty-three-year-old self.
Her older self has been through it all already—she endured the bullying, survived the heartbreak, and heard every ugly word her classmates threw at her. But her older self is also keeping a dark secret: Something terrible is about to happen to Ashley. Something that will change her life forever. Something even her older self is powerless to stop." ~ Goodreads

Review

Put away your assumptions and predictions about Every Ugly Word. They probably won't match up to the real thing. 

Every Ugly Word was not at all what I expected. Meaning it was not one of those "issue" books. The ones that are really heavy and hard to digest. You feel like you are wading through deep water. With the addition of obscurity and mirror magic it made the story feel a lot lighter, but the message still remained. The effects of bullying are astounding - and not in a good way. 

I really empathized with Ashley. I felt her helplessness, hopelessness and experienced the nightmare that was her life. The fact that she kept going and getting back up proved she was strong inside. A quality that reached through the pages and affected me deeply. Her best friend Matt at times was exasperating, but he really was the only one who truly cared about Ash. Bonus points to him. Their friendship was strong because they both stood by each other during the rough times. And like any realistic friendship, it had its less-than-stellar moments. However, they worked through them and by the end  both became more mature.

I cannot divulge any specifics regarding the POV or plot as it would ruin the mistique. However, I can say that I loved how the two alternating point of views were handled. Loved it. Loved it. Loved it. As I was flipping pages I was unaware of becoming hooked, it just happened. There is an underlying mystery to Ashley's story that will keep you remarkably engaged. Then, there is the fact that you are left questioning her sanity and her credibility. It felt almost like a thriller at times (slightly). As for the whole seeing her twenty-three year old self, that part was confusing. I like the ingenuity of it, but there came a point where I felt lost on how it all fit together. I just threw up my hands and kind of accepted it as it was. 

I highly recommend Every Ugly Word to readers who enjoy mystery, romance, page turners, and of course a heavier topic. Give it a chance and see what you think!

Excerpt

"So... where do you want me to begin?"

He crosses his leg over his knee, pulling up his pang leg slightly. "Nothing too dramatic. Start with the night you planned to give Matt the letter."

I feel the grin slide off my face. Nothing too dramatic. Right. I can't help glancing sideways at the mirror.

For a moment the magnitude of what I'm trying to achieve is overwhelming. I cannot breathe. But I force my muscles to loosen. I swallow my fear - and begin to speak. 

Review for Rebel Wing (The Diatous Wars #1) by Tracy Banghart

Rebel Wing (The Diatous Wars #1)

By Tracy Banghart
Published July 29th 2014 by Alloy Entertainment
Received Ebook from NetGalley
372 pages

"The Dominion of Atalanta is at war. But for eighteen-year-old Aris, the fighting is nothing more than a distant nightmare, something she watches on news vids from the safety of her idyllic seaside town. Then her boyfriend, Calix, is drafted into the Military, and the nightmare becomes a dangerous reality.
Left behind, Aris has nothing to fill her days. Even flying her wingjet—the thing she loves most, aside from Calix—feels meaningless without him by her side. So when she’s recruited to be a pilot for an elite search-and-rescue unit, she leaps at the chance, hoping she’ll be stationed near Calix. But there’s a catch: She must disguise herself as a man named Aristos. There are no women in the Atalantan Military, and there never will be.
Aris gives up everything to find Calix: her home. Her family. Even her identity. But as the war rages on, Aris discovers she’s fighting for much more than her relationship. With each injured person she rescues and each violent battle she survives, Aris is becoming a true soldier—and the best flyer in the Atalantan Military. She’s determined to save her Dominion . . . or die trying." ~ Goodreads

Review

Rebel Wing may initially feel like a "been there done that" sort of book, but in truth it is well written and highlights the importance of finding one's identity and independence.

Aris has guts. Posing as a man is one thing, but transforming into a solider is another. The training described is hard - especially for her in her weakened state. It impressed me how this girl who had been treated as a broken doll pushes herself to do the incredible. Her personal growth is astounding. By the end of the book she becomes an independent woman. It is refreshing how the romance doesn't overwhelm the book. Yes, it is the inciting force for her to join the Military, but that changes. She comes to realize the bigger picture and how she can make a difference. The rest of the characters were varied and fulfilled their respective roles (friend, commander, potential love interest, etc.)

The dystopian world is described very well, namely the sectors and dominions. The biggest indicator that it is futuristic is the technology, but I appreciated that it is not far fetched. Rebel Wing is engaging and keeps a steady pace. The chapters alternate between two seemingly parallel stories, which proved to be intriguing. One was Aris' story and the other showed what was going on politically. It definitely enhanced the whole experience.

I highly recommend readers to give Rebel Wing a chance, especially those who look for a strong female lead. You may be surprised. 

Excerpt

High above the olive groves and blinding white roofs of the village, Aris danced. She twisted and dove, guiding her wingjet straight out over granite cliffs and the glitter of the ocean. As she did, she imagined its wings were her arms, reaching far out into the blue. Her fingers would knife through a wisp of cloud, and the moisture would linger against her skin, like a kiss. Most everyone here could fly. But no one flew like Aris did.