The Mountains of Instead

Championing fiction as an escape from pandemics, politics and bad TV.

It's Pretty, But Is It Art? (Review: I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson)

I’ll Give You The Sun Jandy Nelson Walker 2015
Noah and Jude are twins, linked in that ineffable way that twins so often seem to be.Inseparable for their childhood, things start to change as they get older and I’ll Give You The Sun tells their story from two points in time and alternating perspectives…
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Secrets and Lies (Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher)

Thirteen Reasons Why
Jay Asher
Razorbill 2007

Slightly late on the uptake - story of my life - but I have been looking forward to this for a while now. Goodreads reviews are hugely mixed and there has been a fair bit of controversy banded around.  So is the fuss justified we rightly ask?

Clay arrives…
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Cliffs of Fall (Review: Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer)

Into Thin Air Jon Krakauer  Pan Books 1997
Edmund Mallory, one of the first and keenest adventurers on Mount Everest was once asked why he wanted to climb it.  He famously answered, “Because it’s there”.  And people have been climbing it, because it is there, ever since.  Not all with success. Mallory…
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Ghost in the Machine (Review: Echo Boy by Matt Haig)

Echo Boy
Matt Haig
Random House 2014

Space year 2115 - the future! Travel the globe and beyond in seconds, live forever thanks to insatiable advancements in medical science and, if you like, never leave the safety of your home again whilst living a better virtual life on-line!  I know, what's not …
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Full Fathom Five My Father Lies (Review: Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater)

Blue Lily, Lily Blue
Maggie Stievfater
Scholastic 2014

Blue Lily, Lily Blue is the third book in Maggie Stiefvater's Raven Cycle. This review therefore may contain mild spoilers for the previous two books (reviews of which you can find here and here).

In the arena of 300 Fox Way, Monmouth Manufactu…
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Introducing our Youngest Contributor and her First Book Review

We don't really review books for anyone under YA age here on MOI, but that's all about to change because we have a new reviewer: Lady M.  Lady M is six and has been interested in getting in about these here hills for a while. So here is her first book review, originally written out by hand …
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Weighed And Found Wanting (Review: #Scandal by Daisy Ockler)

#Scandal Daisy Ockler Simon Pulse 2014 Lavender Oaks High is online, all the time.At least the students are… and most of the staff, too.It’s a digital world, with Facebook ruling the technological roost – much like the majority of high school s in the Western world.At Lavender Oaks, the hive mind is o…
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All That Glitters (Review: The Jewel by Amy Ewing)

The Jewel Amy Ewing Walker 2014
Violet Lasting is about to become Lot 197, a child-bearing commodity for the wealthy of her city who reside in the glittering confines of the Jewel.  Previously ruled by four houses and now by an Elector and Electress, it has long been known that the Jewel is barren – o…
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The 5th Wave (our review, again, because of terrible embargoes and INFINITE SEA)

One of our top reads of last year, was The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey.  Clearly, it made the top of several lists as it is now being adapted for film and the sequel has been embargoed until its release date next weeks. As we can't, therefore, review The Infinite Sea yet (much as we would really, r…
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Uncomfortably Numb (review: Dangerous Boys by Abigail Haas)

Dangerous Boys
Abigail Haas Simon and Schuster 2014
A half-built house; a knife; a girl; two brothers.That’s how it ends and also how, for Chloe, it all begins.When Ethan Reznick sauntered into her life with his easy smile and laid back attitude he was exactly what Chloe needed.An escape from her pare…
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