It's obviously no secret that I love to read (and write), and I'm sure pretty much all of you guys, if you're reading this, love to read (and possibly but not necessarily write) as well. If you read a lot, then you probably come across stereotypes and cliches and find types of books that you wish there are more of.
Here is a list of things I'd like to find in books. If you happen to know a book that has one or more of these elements, it'd be awesome if you commented and let me know :) Feel free to comment with kinds of books you want to see as well!
1. The love interest that isn't super hot. Of course it can be great to read a book with a totally swoon-worthy guy (or girl, but for the sake of eliminating awkward phrases, I'll just talk about male love interests) who whispers flirtatious phrases when no one's watching and saves you from ninja gangster pirates in one deft move, turning to wink at you while flicking his rich, golden curls out of his dangerous, steamy brown eyes. But, you know, plain or ugly guys and plain or ugly girls fall in love too. Actually, I can't think of any major crush I've ever had that was on a particularly hot guy.
2. The love interest that isn't a "good guy" nor a "bad boy". They do exist, you know. There aren't only "good girls" and "bad girls", right? Normal guys are really walking around, and they have complex, developed personalities. Actually, I can think of a few books with good love interests in this respect, like The Sky is Everywhere. I would like to see better love interests in paranormal romances, though. (Of course, I'm not saying ALL paranormal romances have underdeveloped male love interests, just the majority I've read. I've heard good things about Paranormalcy, for instance.)
3. A book that makes you cry and laugh. I've been reading too many books that just make you depressed, and then too many books that just make you laugh. I'm trying to find the perfect one that makes you burst into alternate spouts of heartfelt sobs and hysterical laughter.
What about you? What do you want to see more of?
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Paper Towns: Review
Details: Paper Towns by John Green, 305 pages, 4.10 stars on Goodreads
My Thoughts: First off, I really hated this cover. I'm not a fan of covers with just people's faces on them because it takes more than just a seemingly-ordinary girl's face to draw me in. At least in Firelight, the girl on the cover has those awesome pupils and scales. The only thing that made me pick this up was because it was written by John Green, and I loved his other two books, Looking for Alaska and An Abundance of Katherines. I adore his writing style with the witty dialogue and narration, and so I was looking forward to reading this.
For once :P, I wasn't disappointed. Well, okay, I was disappointed on one respect. In Looking for Alaska, the protagonist was named Miles. He was a little nerdy as well as shy, sweet, and sensitive. He was in love with an unpredictable, bold, indescribable girl named Alaska, who he doesn't get. In An Abundance of Katherines, the protagonist was named Colin. He was a little nerdy as well as shy, sweet, and sensitive. He was in love with an unpredictable, bold, indescribable girl named Katherine, who he doesn't get. In Paper Towns, the protagonist was named Quentin. He was a little nerdy as well as shy, sweet, and sensitive. He was in love with an unpredictable, bold, indescribable girl named Margo, who he doesn't get.
When I read Looking for Alaska, I was thinking, "Wow, this is an amazing book! Miles is such a real character! Alaska is fascinating!" When I read An Abundance of Katherines, I was thinking, "Wow, this is a great book! Colin really reminds me of Miles, though, and Katherine is basically Alaska. I like Lindsey, though!" When I read Paper Towns, I was thinking, "Wow, this is a good book! But seriously, John Green, I get it. You were a little nerdy as well as shy, sweet, and sensitive when you were seventeen. You met a crazy girl. Now please, please, please write about something else."
That said, I still looooove this book. And John Green. I mean, John Green's writing. Of course. UMM LET'S CHANGE THE TOPIC NOW. LET'S TALK ABOUT ADAM GREGORY.
Oh. I'm sorry. I'll go back to the book now. Even though yeah, it's the same plot again, it didn't pain me to read it because he has the wittiness and the quirkiness and the funniness going on. And sure, the themes are repeated a bit, but they're so fascinating. For the duration of the book, John Green makes you believe in Margo, in her craziness (how many times did I say "ness" in this post? Green has that effect on me - err, John Green, not the color green), and that maybe, just maybe, Quentin will get her.
There's so much more I want to say about this book, but it'll be full of adjectives and adverbs and all sorts of poor writing. And so I'll leave you with the rating.
Plot - 3/5
Characters - 4/5
Writing - 5/5
Impact - 2.5/5
Overall - 72.5% = B+
(Note: My new grading system is somewhat unconventional. A B+ is about four stars, which is what I gave it on Goodreads.)
Restoring Harmony: Review
Synopsis: The year is 2041, and sixteen-year-old Molly McClure has lived a relatively quiet life on an isolated farming island in Canada, but when her family fears the worst may have happened to her grandparents in the US, Molly must brave the dangerous, chaotic world left after global economic collapse—one of massive oil shortages, rampant crime, and abandoned cities.
Molly is relieved to find her grandparents alive in their Portland suburb, but they’re financially ruined and practically starving. What should’ve been a quick trip turns into a full-fledged rescue mission. And when Molly witnesses something the local crime bosses wishes she hadn’t, Molly’s only way home may be to beat them at their own game. Luckily, there’s a handsome stranger who’s willing to help.
Restoring Harmony is a riveting, fast-paced dystopian tale complete with adventure and romance that readers will devour.
Molly is relieved to find her grandparents alive in their Portland suburb, but they’re financially ruined and practically starving. What should’ve been a quick trip turns into a full-fledged rescue mission. And when Molly witnesses something the local crime bosses wishes she hadn’t, Molly’s only way home may be to beat them at their own game. Luckily, there’s a handsome stranger who’s willing to help.
Restoring Harmony is a riveting, fast-paced dystopian tale complete with adventure and romance that readers will devour.
Details: Restoring Harmony by Joelle Anthony, 320 pages, 3.76 stars on Goodreads
My Thoughts: This one was another dystopian, which, as I've said, I'm getting a little tired of. Or maybe more than a little. Let me say something straight off - I didn't dislike the book, but I feel it just didn't stand out very much, especially given how many other dystopians there are out right now. I read this something like three weeks ago (I know, I'm so behind on reviews), and I don't even remember very much about this.
There's nothing I can find that's wrong with the book - the plot is interesting, the characters feel real, and there are places where I very much wanted to know what happened next. I was a little disappointed, though, because the cover was so pretty (I know, I know, don't judge a book by its cover) and I've heard so many great things about this. In the end, Restoring Harmony simply didn't grab me as much as I'd hoped.
One thing, actually, that bothered me was how easy everything was for Molly. I liked her - she was strong and a little feisty and definitely intriguing - but whenever something bad happened to her, she escaped about half a minute later. For instance, there was a scene when she was about to get raped, but then got rescued at the last moment. A lot of scenes like this occurred where they didn't do much for the plot nor did they affect her much, and I got the feeling that Joelle Anthony was just trying to show how dangerous the world was supposed to be without having anything really, really bad happen to Molly.
When I think of this book, the first word that comes to mind is "slow". The book itself wasn't slow-paced, but it wasn't as suspenseful as it could have been. I think I would have liked this much more if there was more tension, more of that quality that makes you sit on the edge of your seat (and slide off and fall on the floor, if you're me).
This review has been mostly negative, looking back, but I did enjoy parts of this. The romance was cute, and who doesn't like a girl who carries around a fiddle all the time? Molly is an amazing character, the kind of person I'd love to be friends with. She's kind and brave, but not all perfectly perfect like you sometimes see in YA.
(I'm going to try a new rating system, inspired by all the blogs I've seen on the hop.)
Plot - 2.5/5
Characters - 3.5/5
Writing - 3/5
Impact - 1/5
Overall - 50% = C
(Note: A "C" is similar to 3 stars, which is what I gave it on Goodreads.)
The Line: Review (and a blog award!)
Now, onto the book-butchering! I mean, book-reviewing. Heh... heh... *shifty eyes*
She can see the Line from the greenhouse windows, but she is forbidden to go near it. Across the Line is Away, and though Rachel has heard many whispers about the dangers there, she's never really believed the stories. Until the day she hears a recording that could only have come from across the Line.
It's a voice asking for help.
Who sent the message? What is her mother hiding? And to what lengths will Rachel go in order to do what she thinks is right?
Details: The Line by Teri Hall, 219 pages, 3.46 stars on Goodreads
My Thoughts: I wasn't as satisfied with this book as I thought it was. To be fair, I read this after about six hundred other dystopians, so I was getting a little sick of the genre (or sub-genre? what's it called?) anyway. As in, I had to go on a huge contemporary binge after finishing this book. So I'm going to start with all the things I liked about the book.
The style. The style was a big, big plus. It had this whole fairy-tale thing going on, with the third person and sort of distant narration. At that same time, it was a little creepy, too, like how you knew from the very beginning that this wasn't going to be a happy-sappy fairy tale. Although, come to think of it, most fairy tales are creepy. Anyway.
The characters were also spectacular. Each one was deep and had a lot of layers, especially Ms. Moore - she was by far my favorite character. The Line is the first book in a series, so I expect there will be a lot of character growth from Rachel, and that will be interesting to see.
For the things I didn't like, world building is probably the first one on the list. I personally didn't find the concept to be very original or shocking or thought-provoking. Basically, the government really sucks. And they made a line. And there are people trapped on the other side of the line. And Rachel decides to cross the line. (These aren't spoilers, by the way, don't worry!) What I really didn't like was that all this information was dumped on us through numerous pop quizzes. There has to be a better way the author could have conveyed what happened.
I didn't like the ending so much, either. I mean, the cliffhanger was okay, but this book was really short, so I don't see why, for example, the second and first book could be combined. Or even the third with the second with the first. The ending of The Line felt unnatural - the beginning was a little slow and there was a lot of building up, and just when something exciting finally happens, it ends.
All in all, this was an enjoyable read and definitely worth it if you're a huge fan of dystopians. If you're not into them so much - well, I wouldn't keep it at the top of the TBR list. 3 smilies out of 5.
The Unwritten Rule: Review
Sarah has had a crush on Ryan for years. He's easy to talk to, supersmart, and totally gets her. Lately it even seems like he's paying extra attention to her. Everything would be perfect except for two things: Ryan is Brianna's boyfriend, and Brianna is Sarah's best friend.
Sarah forces herself to avoid Ryan and tries to convince herself not to like him. She feels so guilty for wanting him, and the last thing she wants is to hurt her best friend. But when she's thrown together with Ryan one night, something happens. It's wonderful...and awful.
Sarah is torn apart by guilt, but what she feels is nothing short of addiction, and she can't stop herself from wanting more...
Details: The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott, 224 pages, 3.68 stars on Goodreads
My Thoughts: I thought this was going to be one of those light-hearted, beach-type reads. Yes, I've never read a book by Elizabeth Scott before. And yes, I quickly realized that nope, this is very, very far from one of those light-hearted, beach-type reads. The tone was dark and at points, I could really feel Sarah's intense longing, love, and lust for Ryan.
But most of the time, I kept feeling that the dark tone wasn't entirely appropriate for the story. I've read other reviews of this book and haven't come across any that agreed with this, but it was almost like parts were melodramatic. The other thing I didn't like was how simple this book was. There wasn't much complexity - the whole book was basically Sarah loving Ryan, and Ryan loving Sarah, but Brianna also loves Ryan, and Brianna is mean to Sarah, and Brianna's parents are stupid and cruel, etc.
The characters weren't very complex, either. Sarah let herself get walked over by Brianna over and over throughout the book, and Brianna was the typical mean rich girl with awful parents. I didn't feel like the book went very in depth with Ryan because I never quite understood why Sarah liked him so much. Yes, he's cute and smart, but why else? It wasn't so much that there weren't reasons for her loving him, but that I feel her love for him wasn't articulated so well.
I didn't dislike this book, but it wasn't quite enjoyable, either. Normally I would give something like this two smilies, but I feel like Elizabeth Scott is an amazing author and I've heard great things about her two other books, so 3 smilies out of 5.
North of Beautiful: Review
Details: North of Beautiful by Justin Chen Headley, 373 pages, 4.09 stars on Goodreads.
My Thoughts: Oh man. We're doing this "my thoughts" thing literally, right? Because as soon as I finished the book, that brilliant, eloquent thought popped up: "Oh man." Which, to be honest, is a lot more brilliant and eloquent than what I usually think ("OMG PUPPY SO CUTE. ME EAT COOKIE NOW.") In any case, this book is definitely worth of an "oh man". Also the five awards it won, but the "oh man", too.
The narrator, Terra Rose Cooper, has one of those voices that are so nice and easy and entertaining to read, but at the same time is somehow real and raw and emotional. From the hooking first sentence (because, oh yes, that is how you start a novel), the voice drags you in and in and in, and the next thing you know, you're crying for Terra and laughing for Terra, and after a while, you're pretty darn sure you are Terra.
When I first started reading about the countless (and futile) laser surgeries Terra has tried, and the thick make-up she has to wear, I didn't quite get that when she said birthmark, she meant a birthmark. I had to Google Image search "port wine stain" before I got it. If you're not familiar with those, do it now. And you can see why it really, really sucks for Terra.
But naturally, that's not enough. Terra's dad is controlling and abusive in a different way than in other books I've read, or families I've met. He doesn't physically yell, but he constantly makes thinly-veiled cutting remarks, attacking you verbally and shattering your resolve.
Enter Hot Boy. Every YA book should have one, in my opinion. More than one works too. But anyway, the Hot Boy is this book is a goth, adopted Chinese guy named Jacob. And he's sweet and sensitive and funny and cute and lovely and amazing. Plus? He totally understands her and her insecurities because he has to deal with similar ones as well.
All in all, this is a super amazing book that you absolutely must read. As in, right now. Five smilies out of five.
Face: Review
That's right, I'm reviewing your face, and you got one star. Just kidding.
Synopsis: Martin is a good-looking, self-assured boy who accepts a ride home from a drunken acquaintance and ends up in a horrible accident--badly burned, his face completely disfigured. Life as it was before is over...he loses his girlfriend and his friends, and finds that people are making judgements about him and how he feels without even knowing.
As Martin struggles through the reconstruction of his face, he is also working hard to reconstruct his life. His character, however, remains intact. There are startling truths in this story, written with clarity and insight, which make it utterly believable and impossible to read without heartfelt empathy. Parents, librarians, teachers and mostly children will be absorbed by the story. (Note: The phrase "mostly children" threw me off the first time I read it. I thought they meant, like, kids who were not fully human. Hmm.)
Details: Face by Benjamin Zephaniah, 208 pages, 3.64 stars on Goodreads
My Thoughts: I got this book from the library, and it came with an orange sticker that said: "Mature topics. Recommended for age 16 and older." Being under 16, I took this as a personal challenge and began reading it right away. 208 pages later, I still don't see what "mature topics" were involved. I mean, yes, his burns were gruesome and Martin went through a lot of bad stuff, but nothing anyone under sixteen would have a heart attack from reading.
In any case, I would hugely disappointed by this book. The intriguing synopsis and amazing cover made this seem like it would be great, but I had so much trouble connecting with the characters. I didn't dislike Martin, but I did feel pretty apathetic toward him. He seemed a bit cocky to me and just overall difficult to relate to. Even in the scene when he looked at his horribly burned and disfigured face for the first time, I was thinking more about how terrible that has to be for anyone rather than feeling especially bad that it happened to the main character, if that makes sense.
I also feel like this book didn't delve too deeply into the issues Martin's facing. The ending didn't really feel like an ending to me, and I would have liked to see this book expanded. I wanted to know more about Martin because I never felt like I got a good grasp of who he is and his personality. The writing itself felt a bit flat and dragged on in places, and sometimes I had trouble picking it up.
That said, this book did have its good points. I like that the author didn't shy away from anything, and it was an honest portrayal of what burn victims have to go through. It was both believable and sad when Martin's girlfriend no longer wanted anything to do with him and instead hooked up with some other guy, and the scene when he confronted her nearly brought tears to my eyes. And although his old friends melted away from him, I was glad that Martin was able to make other friends.
All in all, this book wasn't really bad, but I didn't enjoy it too much either. Face got some great reviews on Goodreads so perhaps I'm among the minority in not recommending it. Either way, I give it 2 smilies out of 5.
As Martin struggles through the reconstruction of his face, he is also working hard to reconstruct his life. His character, however, remains intact. There are startling truths in this story, written with clarity and insight, which make it utterly believable and impossible to read without heartfelt empathy. Parents, librarians, teachers and mostly children will be absorbed by the story. (Note: The phrase "mostly children" threw me off the first time I read it. I thought they meant, like, kids who were not fully human. Hmm.)
Details: Face by Benjamin Zephaniah, 208 pages, 3.64 stars on Goodreads
My Thoughts: I got this book from the library, and it came with an orange sticker that said: "Mature topics. Recommended for age 16 and older." Being under 16, I took this as a personal challenge and began reading it right away. 208 pages later, I still don't see what "mature topics" were involved. I mean, yes, his burns were gruesome and Martin went through a lot of bad stuff, but nothing anyone under sixteen would have a heart attack from reading.
In any case, I would hugely disappointed by this book. The intriguing synopsis and amazing cover made this seem like it would be great, but I had so much trouble connecting with the characters. I didn't dislike Martin, but I did feel pretty apathetic toward him. He seemed a bit cocky to me and just overall difficult to relate to. Even in the scene when he looked at his horribly burned and disfigured face for the first time, I was thinking more about how terrible that has to be for anyone rather than feeling especially bad that it happened to the main character, if that makes sense.
I also feel like this book didn't delve too deeply into the issues Martin's facing. The ending didn't really feel like an ending to me, and I would have liked to see this book expanded. I wanted to know more about Martin because I never felt like I got a good grasp of who he is and his personality. The writing itself felt a bit flat and dragged on in places, and sometimes I had trouble picking it up.
That said, this book did have its good points. I like that the author didn't shy away from anything, and it was an honest portrayal of what burn victims have to go through. It was both believable and sad when Martin's girlfriend no longer wanted anything to do with him and instead hooked up with some other guy, and the scene when he confronted her nearly brought tears to my eyes. And although his old friends melted away from him, I was glad that Martin was able to make other friends.
All in all, this book wasn't really bad, but I didn't enjoy it too much either. Face got some great reviews on Goodreads so perhaps I'm among the minority in not recommending it. Either way, I give it 2 smilies out of 5.
Mr. Was: Review
Details: "Mr. Was" by Pete Hautman, 256 pages, 3.83 stars on Goodreads
My Thoughts: First off, I love this cover! It's intriguing and matches the somewhat creepy and definitely suspenseful tone of the book. Normally, I don't really give my own synopses for books because I suck at writing them (you should see my first-draft query letters), but the Goodreads synopsis doesn't actually tell you much about the book. I'll do my best to summarize this accurately, but it's been nearly a month since I read this, so don't be surprised if I make a few mistakes here and there. If you've read the book and you notice an error I made, please do point it out!
The format of the book starts off as something being written in a notebook, switches to a series of letters, and then goes back to a notebook (if I recall correctly). The protagonist, thirteen-year-old Jack Lund, has a less-than-stable family. When his grandfather (on his mom's side) dies, they go live in his old house, which is big, old, and creepy. Jack starts having dreams of a small door, and one night, he finds it. Up to this point, the book had me on the edge of my seat, and I even got chills at some points. After it's revealed that the door takes him back in time, I was a little disappointed, but the book was still good. He went back to his present time and tried to forget about the door.
Three years later, his dad came home drunk and killed his mom. Jack was horrified and promised himself that he would go back in time and wait as long as he had to until it was the 90s again, and then rescue his mom just before she died.
I loved the ending of "Mr. Was". Even though it was rather sad, it fit perfectly and I can't imagine any ending would work better, because they would be rather paradoxical. At points the book got a little confusing and there's still one part I don't really understand, but it's definitely worth it. 4 smilies out of 5.
Nomansland: Review
Details: "Nomansland" by Lesley Hauge, 256 pages, 3.47 stars on Goodreads.
My Thoughts: I've been excited to read this since I first read a review of it, and I wasn't disappointed at all! Even though I was getting a bit tired of dystopians, the idea of a society completely made up of women was fascinating. When I was a kid, I read this book about the Amazons and thought it was really neat (despite the fact that there was an incredible amount of gore), and this book sort of reminded me of that. Except there wasn't a lot of gore in Nomansland, luckily.
Life in Foundland is fascinating. No one is allowed to have a fancy first name, or have hair longer than a certain length, or wear anything designed to look nice or flattering. There are strict rules regarding the "Seven Pitfalls" (things like vanity), and the society was basically feminism to the extreme. Men were referred to as the enemy, and many of the girls and women believed that men are dangerous. If you're wondering, women got pregnant by artificial insemination, but what was interesting was how horrifying pregnancy was. First, there's the fact that being artificially inseminated isn't really all that fun, and since the women don't get to keep the baby in the end, they have none of the motherly love that makes pregnancy worth it for modern-day women.
Keller is a multi-dimensional character, and throughout the book I admired her strength. She struggles to do the right thing, but that can be so hard when everything is confusing and you don't know who's good and who's not. I felt at times she could a little apathetic to what was going on, but overall, I definitely liked her.
The only thing I didn't like so much about Nomansland was that after I finished it, I still wanted to know more. Why, for example, did the genders separate in the first place? How long has it been since the Time Before? Who came up with the Seven Pitfalls? Other than that, this was a great book, and absolutely worth a read! 4 smilies out of 5.
Mockingbird: Review
In Caitlin’s world, everything is black or white. Things are good or bad. Anything in between is confusing. That’s the stuff Caitlin’s older brother, Devon, has always explained. But now Devon’s dead and Dad is no help at all. Caitlin wants to get over it, but as an eleven-year-old girl with Asperger’s, she doesn’t know how. When she reads the definition of closure, she realizes that is what she needs. In her search for it, Caitlin discovers that not everything is black and white—the world is full of colors—messy and beautiful.
Details: "Mockingbird" by Kathryn Erskine, 224 pages, 3.98 stars on Goodreads
My Thoughts: Even though I usually review young adult books on this blog, the synopsis of this upper middle grade novel intrigued me. I know someone with Asperger's (although I don't know her very well, but she goes to my school), so I was interested in reading a book from the point of view of a girl with Asperger's. Kathryn Erskine did an excellent job of portraying how Caitlin thinks differently from others and has difficulty understanding how to socially interact, but how she's by no means any less intelligent because of it.
Caitlin's older brother, Devon, was always the one who helped her. He told her when it was okay to say certain things and when it wasn't, and whenever she was sad, he would make her feel better. Prior to the start of the book, there was a school shooting and Devon was killed. Her father is racked by grief, and Caitlin feels alone in the world. Time and time again through the book, my eyes watered, and I didn't even realize it until several minutes later. The book completely engrossed me, far beyond what I expected.
"Mockingbird" was powerful and honest. No matter how old you are, it's still a moving read, and definitely worth being picked up. It's really eye-opening to see the world through Caitlin's eyes, how she doesn't always understand idioms or why when people smile they're not always happy. Some people found her affinity for art to be cliché, but I thought it added a nice touch to the story even if it is used a lot. 5 smilies out of 5.
City of Bones: Review
This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know....
Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.
Details: "City of Bones" by Cassandra Clare, 485 pages, 4.16 stars on Goodreads
My Thoughts: I know, I know, where have I been? I was going to read this, like, four hundred years ago, but then a certain friend of mine was telling me how this was exactly like Harry Potter and how utterly obnoxious that stupid Jace was and how horribly cliché Jace and Clary's relationship was. So I thought, well, gee, I don't want to read a book exactly like Harry Potter with an obnoxious love interest and a cliché relationship. And I didn't. But then on someone's blog, there was a page filled with quotes from this book, and they were hilarious (cuckoo bird, anyone? yeah, yeah, I know, that's from "City of Ashes").
Twelve pages into the book, I emailed that certain friend.
This book was absolutely amazing. I mean, okay, there were some small similarities to Harry Potter, like the Valentine <-> Voldemort and Hodge <-> Dumbledore, but **spoiler alert** Valentine turns out to be Clary and Jace's father (which is so incredibly cruel of the author), and Hodge is more like that turbaned guy from the first Harry Potter book than Dumbledore and so **end spoiler alert** it's different.
And maybe Jace is a little bit obnoxious here and there, but it's all part of his uber-hot charm. Oh, yes, he's uber-uber-uber-hot. He's the embodiment of hotness. Squared. I love his clever comments (especially that cuckoo thing - I can't get over the awesomeness of that) and his witty remarks. They make great comic relief without getting in the way of the story. The only thing I didn't like so much about him was towards the end in that one scene with Valentine. I felt like he transformed way too drastically, but that was okay because he soon became uber-hot again.
Jace and Clary may have a somewhat cliché relationship, but I dare you to write a romance that isn't cliché in the least. It's impossible, right? Right. Besides, they're so insanely perfect for each other. The only relationship that could possibly be better is Jace and me. Hmm? No, why would I be kidding? Why are you LAUGHING? Hmph!
Clary was a good protagonist, but I didn't like how quickly she abandoned Simon. It was like, "Oh, look, uber-hot guy! Let's forget I ever had a life long best friend who needs me!" I kept feeling really bad for Simon, because Clary was abandoning him and everyone else was being so mean. And the kicker was when he had to watch the girl he's loved forever kiss the guy he hates most in the world. Poor Simon. I hope things improve for him in the third book.
Overall, this was a super amazing book! I'm probably the last person in the world who hadn't read it, but if you haven't, you must. It's not an option. 5 smilies out of 5!
Birthmarked: Review
Badly scarred since childhood, Gaia is a strong, resourceful loner who begins to question her society. As Gaia’s efforts to save her parents take her within the wall, she herself is arrested and imprisoned.
Fraught with difficult moral choices and rich with intricate layers of codes, BIRTHMARKED explores a colorful, cruel, eerily familiar world where one girl can make all the difference, and a real hero makes her own moral code.
Details: "Birthmarked" by Caragh M. O'Brien, 362 pages, 4.06 stars on Goodreads
My Thoughts: Um, first? That cover? It's beyond gorgeous. It has to be one of my favorite covers ever. Recently almost all of the books I've been reading have come from blog reviews, but if I saw that in a bookstore, I would buy it on the spot, even without a gift card. (Guess what? I've never in my life bought a book with my own money, always from the gift cards I get from relatives on birthdays and holidays. 'Cause, yeah, I'm stingy that way. Libraries for the win?) The cover fits the book absolutely perfectly - it's dark and beautiful and mysterious, all at once.
The book itself was great as well! I'm not usually the hugest fan of third person (it's okay but I tend to prefer first person because you can get closer to the characters), but I think it worked really well here. Gaia is mature and brave for a sixteen-year-old, and time and time again throughout the book I was admiring her strength. Personally, I don't like her name because I kept thinking it was pronounced "gay-a", but then at the very end, she mentioned it rhymes with Maya, so is it really "guy-a"? I'm so confused! I like "gay-a" better. She's "gay-a" in my mind.
The other - and less superficial - thing I didn't like so much about Gaia was she really was quick to decide the Enclave was bad. I mean, since her parents were arrested, I understand her eventually concluding that there's icky stuff going on, but she came to this conclusion about 0.2 seconds after she heard the news. Think of it this way: say one day you came home from school/work/whatever to find out that your parents/spouse/whatever has been arrested for reasons they won't reveal to you, and you know for a fact that your parents/spouse/whatever would never do anything bad. Is your first conclusion going to be that the judicial system is evil and biased and conspiring?
That was the only thing I found a bit iffy. All the characters were great - no one was pure evil or pure good, so everything was really multi-dimensional. And, oh, I love Leon! Leon + Gaia = <3. I really like that it took Gaia a while to fall in love with him and that she wasn't attracted to just his physical appearance like the other girls. I think the best part, though, was that she recognized he was a very attractive person instead of "not noticing" like some books.
In the beginning it was a little hard for me to get fully involved with the characters, but by the end, it was definitely worth it. The writing style was fantastic for this book, and I'd recommend it for anyone who likes post-apocalyptic stories! 4 smilies out of 5.
The Carbon Diaries 2015: Review
Will her mother become one with her inner wolf? Will her sister give up her weekends in Ibiza? Does her father love the pig more than her? Can her band the dirty angels make it big? And will Ravi Datta ever notice her?
In these dark days, Laura deals with the issues that really matter: love, floods and pigs. The Carbon Diaries 2015 is one girl s drastic bid to stay sane in a world unravelling at the seams.
Details: "The Carbon Diaries 2015" by Saci Lloyd, 384 pages, 3.43 stars on Goodreads
My Thoughts: I picked this up because I loved Life As We Knew It and I thought this would be similar. Although I still liked Carbon Diaries 2015, I must admit I was rather disappointed by it. While bad things certainly happened to Laura and I liked her as a character, the book wasn't very dark. It didn't provoke much emotion in me at all, other than wondering what I would do if I was Laura. Perhaps it was just me, but I really felt like I was merely reading her story rather than getting emotionally involved with it and the characters. At times I admit that I was a little bored and my attention kept drifting.
However, this is not to say I didn't enjoy the book. Laura's voice sounded like an authentic teenager (I don't know many British schoolgirls so I can't say whether or not she's authentically British), and I appreciate that her diary entries did actually sound like entries and not an excuse to narrate through a different format. I liked that she remained strong throughout all the bad stuff that was happening, and the romance could be really sweet at times.
To be honest, though, the main reason I like the book is the concept. It's definitely worth a read if only for the ideas introduced regarding what may happen to use in the dismayingly near future if we don't shape us soon. 3 smilies out of five.
The Chosen One: Review
Details: "The Chosen One" by Carol Lynch Williams, 213 pages, 4.5 stars on Amazon
My Thoughts: First, the cover is pretty, but to me, it makes it seem like the kind of book it isn't. I thought the cover seemed sort of chick-lit-y and not as dark as the story was. If I saw it in a bookstore without knowing anything about it, I probably would walk by it.
The cover might not be perfect, but the story itself was pretty darn close! A week or so before I read the story, I stumbled across an article in TIME magazine about polygamy in America. I have always been vaguely aware that there are some people in the US that do stuff like that, but it was a real eye-opener for me. When the reporters interviewed the women, they all seemed so docile and obedient, insisting that they're perfectly happy. It appeared rather barbaric to me, that men would have three or more wives with a crazy amount of kids. So when I read the book, it was a great complement to the article.
I love how real Kyra is as a character. We can feel her pain and her longing to be like a normal person. At the same time, she is so strong. I can't imagine how hard it has to be to take everything you have - your religion, your family, your culture - and just turn your back on it. What confuses me about her is that she seems very quick to rebel, with the books and having a relationship with Joshua.
I also wish the author chose to explore some of the other issues related to polygamy. The abuse is horrifying, of course, but I would have liked to also read about jealousy among sister wives and that sort of thing. Overall, though, I really loved this book! I would recommend it to everyone, except if you're very easily disturbed. 4 out of 5 smilies.
Diary of a Witness: Review
Ernie doesn't have a lot of friends at school. Just Will. They have stuff in common—like fishing. But more important, they have common enemies: the school jocks, who seem to find bullying just another sport.
For the most part, Ernie and Will take life at high school in stride. Until Will has one very bad day. Now nothing is remotely funny. Ernie finds himself a witness—to loss, to humiliation, and to Will’s anger—an anger that’s building each and every moment.
Ernie doesn’t want to believe his best friend is changing, but he can’t deny the truth. Soon he has a choice: join or die. Or can he find another way?
Details: "Diary of a Witness" by Catherine Ryan Hyde, 208 pages, an average of 5 stars on Amazon
My Thoughts: I was really disappointed with this book. Before I started reading, I heard great things about it - about what a touching story it was, what a tearjerker, that sort of thing - so I was excited to get to it. And even though I didn't like this book that much, I do have to say that the story itself was interesting.
I liked that Ernie was sort of a "sideline" character, because it was really his best friend Will who was going through most of the crap. Ernie had trouble too with the bullies (in one scene they even stuck a fishing hook in his scalp, which sounds extremely painful), but at least he didn't have much trouble at home. It was horrific how even though everyone knew that Will's little brother died recently and that his father was in jail because of it, the bullies kept screwing with him and hurting him. Will completely deteriorated until that final scene. I won't give it away, but I do have to say it was pretty obvious (for me, at least) that it was coming.
The book was also well-written. It was easy to read and at times, I had trouble putting it down. I think the only reason I was disappointed by this book wasn't the story or the characters or the writing, but just the fact that I feel the author could have done so much more. The book wasn't particularly wrenching (although sad in places) and that final scene could have been so much more powerful. I also feel like Ernie would have been just a little more real if he really had second thoughts before stopping Will, rather than going straight ahead without a split second of self-doubt. I've never liked straight-out heroes.
Diary of a Witness is worth a read, but I do think it could have been more compelling. Two smilies out of five.
Hate List: Review
Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.
Details: "Hate List" by Jennifer Brown, 405 pages, an average of a whopping 5 stars on Amazon
My Thoughts: I originally picked this up because someone recommended it on a blog, and the synopsis just sounded good. Plus, there's the fact that it had great ratings on Amazon, and on Goodreads as well (4.16 stars over there). I've read books where the narrator is the shooter (like Endgame, which was an excellent book) and books where the narrator is a victim (although I can't think of any titles off the top of my head). However, I've never read a book where the narrator was someone who technically did nothing wrong but is still a little guilty, and has to face all the other victims at her school.
In general, it's hard to make me cry during books. Movies, I'll cry, no matter how many times I watch them. (I mean, I've seen A.I. five times, and I cried during each and every one.) But Hate List made me tear up a total of five times throughout those 405 pages. It was such a wrenching book. I can't even imagine what it has to be like when everyone thinks you're guilty, including yourself.
I love that Valerie is so real. At times she can border on whiny, and I did find her pre-shooting morbidness a little disconcerting, but in the end, she's just a flawed person. And yes, she was rather selfish throughout the book, but it's one of the things she comes to realize.
The relationship between Val and Nick was very well-developed. It's easy to see why, even after everything that happened, Valerie was still grieving for him. The one thing I didn't like about their relationship, though, was that I don't see how she could be so blind as to how disturbed he was. If someone I knew started talking about suicide and death all the time, and not even as a joke, alarm bells would definitely start ringing.
Other than that, this harrowing and raw book is something I really would recommend to everyone. Five smilies out of five!
Books vs. Movies
No, this isn't a post declaring how God-awful the movie version of Eclipse was, or how smexcellent the Harry Potter movies are. (Both are facts, by the way. Not opinions. Facts.)
I was thinking about this last night because, you see, I watched a horror movie about a month ago. I will not reveal the name of this horror movie because it's rather embarrassing in its, er, non-scariness. But if you know me in real life, you know that I don't do horror movies so well.
Case in point: That horror movie I saw a month ago? I still make my dog come with me anywhere around the house when it's dark outside.
The interesting thing is, I can handle books way better than movies. For example, I read The Shining all at once in my basement (it was really hot and the air conditioning was broken) at night by myself, in seventh grade. When I was done, I was a little creeped out, but I was pretty much fine. (No, Firefox, I was not "crept out".)
Or another example. In sixth grade, I read every single Dean Koontz book the library had to offer. This included violent scenes involving the rearrangement of limbs, rapes, weird... things, and so on. Apart from making me a stranger person, I was more or less unaffected.
And I've written fairly violent things, too. I don't go into very gory detail because I write YA, but I've had to read articles that were extremely gory (with pictures of blood so fake I had to laugh) for research, and the details I leave out, I still have to imagine.
But show me a movie where there's a drop of blood and I'll have to look away. In the first Twilight movie, that scene where Bella was bleeding or something? (She "fell down the stairs".) I looked away.
Why is it that movies are more powerful than books? Is it because we can see it and hear it more directly? But if this is the case, then why do many people prefer reading to watching movies?
I was thinking about this last night because, you see, I watched a horror movie about a month ago. I will not reveal the name of this horror movie because it's rather embarrassing in its, er, non-scariness. But if you know me in real life, you know that I don't do horror movies so well.
Case in point: That horror movie I saw a month ago? I still make my dog come with me anywhere around the house when it's dark outside.
The interesting thing is, I can handle books way better than movies. For example, I read The Shining all at once in my basement (it was really hot and the air conditioning was broken) at night by myself, in seventh grade. When I was done, I was a little creeped out, but I was pretty much fine. (No, Firefox, I was not "crept out".)
Or another example. In sixth grade, I read every single Dean Koontz book the library had to offer. This included violent scenes involving the rearrangement of limbs, rapes, weird... things, and so on. Apart from making me a stranger person, I was more or less unaffected.
And I've written fairly violent things, too. I don't go into very gory detail because I write YA, but I've had to read articles that were extremely gory (with pictures of blood so fake I had to laugh) for research, and the details I leave out, I still have to imagine.
But show me a movie where there's a drop of blood and I'll have to look away. In the first Twilight movie, that scene where Bella was bleeding or something? (She "fell down the stairs".) I looked away.
Why is it that movies are more powerful than books? Is it because we can see it and hear it more directly? But if this is the case, then why do many people prefer reading to watching movies?
New Favorite Book
Also, a contest! Not mine. I don't have the money for that. But this guy is giving away crap, and it's really awesome crap, so you shouldn't enter so I can maybe win.
So you're probably thinking, "Wow. Izzy has a new favorite book. I worship Izzy and the ground she walks on, so clearly this is a super amazing book and I will put it at the top of my TBR list. Maybe if I read the book, I can inherit some of Izzy's awesomeness. But only some. Of course."
The book is called "Leftovers" and it's by Laura Wiess. I'm not going to review it because I honestly don't think I'm capable of writing coherent sentences about how good it is. Even now I want to gush and gush and gush and gush. I will tell you, however, that I give 6 smilies out of five. SIX. That's how super-cool-awesome it is. Like, I reread the last line about five hundred times because it was absolutely beyond amazing. It was SO GOOD.
When I finished the book, I ran around the house and found my parents, and I started blabbering about the book and the plot.
Me: Mom! Look, there's this book, and I just finished reading it, and oh my God, it is soooo good. See, it's about these two girls, Blair and Ardith, right, and they have such messed up families but they're really good friends but then what happens [...]
[6 hours later]
And like, can you believe that plot twist? I wish I could write a book like this! This is one of those books where you think, "Oh my God, if I even could come up with this premise, I would never ever ever ever be able to end up with this." You know? And it's sooooo good, oh my God, it's so good. Do you believe that ending?
Mom: That's nice, sweetie.
Now. Go read it. Seriously. NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW.
So you're probably thinking, "Wow. Izzy has a new favorite book. I worship Izzy and the ground she walks on, so clearly this is a super amazing book and I will put it at the top of my TBR list. Maybe if I read the book, I can inherit some of Izzy's awesomeness. But only some. Of course."
The book is called "Leftovers" and it's by Laura Wiess. I'm not going to review it because I honestly don't think I'm capable of writing coherent sentences about how good it is. Even now I want to gush and gush and gush and gush. I will tell you, however, that I give 6 smilies out of five. SIX. That's how super-cool-awesome it is. Like, I reread the last line about five hundred times because it was absolutely beyond amazing. It was SO GOOD.
When I finished the book, I ran around the house and found my parents, and I started blabbering about the book and the plot.
Me: Mom! Look, there's this book, and I just finished reading it, and oh my God, it is soooo good. See, it's about these two girls, Blair and Ardith, right, and they have such messed up families but they're really good friends but then what happens [...]
[6 hours later]
And like, can you believe that plot twist? I wish I could write a book like this! This is one of those books where you think, "Oh my God, if I even could come up with this premise, I would never ever ever ever be able to end up with this." You know? And it's sooooo good, oh my God, it's so good. Do you believe that ending?
Mom: That's nice, sweetie.
Now. Go read it. Seriously. NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW.
The Blue Girl: Review
Details: "The Blue Girl" by Charles de Lint, 384 pages, 4.5 stars on Amazon, 3.86 on Goodreads
My Thoughts: I originally picked this up because I heard of Charles de Lint on someone's blog. I know, I know, how did I not find out who Charles de Lint is before? You know, I'm wondering the exact same question. In any case, I was utterly blown away by it.
The blurb made me wary at first. A tough girl from the streets who wants to reform herself? A nerdy girl with no friends? That weird cheerleaders-date-football-team thing where they're all evil bullies? A ghost? And... faeries? Despite my less-than-high expectations, this was an incredible book. What really impressed me was how well-developed the characters were.
Imogene is a spunky, strong female protagonist, and I am such a sucker for those. She's tough and rebellious, and when she moves to Newford, she decides to bury her less-than-pristine past (it involves knives) and, without changing her punk image, wants to be a little tamer. I admired her strength countless times throughout the book; she was fearless in the face of both the bullies and the faeries, yet still unflawed.
Maxine was interesting, too. At first sight, she's a demure nerd, but Imogene befriends her and finds out her mother is incredibly controlling. For instance, Maxine isn't allowed to wear shirts that go below the collarbone (really), and she can't wear... are you ready?... pants. However, some of Maxine's "goodness" rubs off on Imogene, just as some of Imogene's independence rubs off on Maxine, and both end up the better for it.
And then, of course, there's Adrian: a lonely ghost who was bullied in high school. He develops a crush on Imogene (one that, thankfully, does not blossom into a passionate romance) and finally reveals himself to her. When she believes in him but not the faeries... well, that's when things start to go bad.
The only thing I really would complain about is that de Lint mentions Imogene gets a boyfriend, who does later help her with the faeries and everything, but it just happened really suddenly. We never even got to meet the guy until she abruptly becomes his girlfriend.
All in all, this was a spectacular book. I would recommend it to everyone who likes urban fantasy, and also those who don't! Five smilies out of five!
Gimme A Call: Review
Not even her stupid cell phone—she dropped it in the mall fountain. Now it only calls one number . . . hers. At age fourteen, three years ago!
Once Devi gets over the shock—and convinces her younger self that she isn't some wacko—she realizes that she's been given an awesome gift. She can tell herself all the right things to do . . . because she's already done all the wrong ones! Who better to take advice from than your future self?
Except . . .what if getting what you think you want changes everything?
Fans of Sarah Mlynowski's Magic in Manhattan series will love this hilarious new novel with a high-concept premise.
Details: "Gimme A Call" by Sarah Mlynowski, 320 pages, 4.5 stars on Amazon
My Thoughts: I loved this book a whole lot more than I thought I would. I originally got it from the library because the concept just sounded sort of neat, but I ended up reading this every spare chance I got. This was such a fun read, and it captivated me from beginning to end.
There were so many places where I just had to laugh, and it was really fascinating how the future was affected by the smallest things. I don't think anyone can forget what happened when Devi convinced her older self to give her the lottery numbers! It was also interesting to see how the older Devi's college acceptance letter kept changing from the original bad state school she had first gotten into.
I liked learning about Devi's relationship with Bryan, but I do think at points there was a little too much "let's all learn how to balance your life" that sort of irritated me. Other than that, I really didn't have any complaints regarding this book. Great for a nice, funny, light read! 4 smilies out of 5!
