Foe by Iain Reid was a surprise. It was a surprise because it randomly This review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
Foe by Iain Reid was a surprise. It was a surprise because it randomly showed up in my mailbox (I never knew that it was going to be released, or even that Iain Reid was writing a second novel that'll be also a psychological thriller), and a surprise because it was amazing. If you're looking for another book that will mess with your mind just like I'm Thinking of Ending Things did, read this. I've been noticing that some of the other early reviews are skeptical of this book being classified as a 'psychological thriller,' however, I feel like it can be. THIS IS A THRILLER. It will absolutely thrill you to the core. Whatever you take away from the summary is not what the book's even close to being about. There's much more to the story, many more details and events that will scare the heck out of you, and make sure that you will not sleep at night, or trust the people around you.
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Without spoiling anything, Foe is about a happily married couple, Hen and Junior, who are living in the countryside, far away from any nearby homes or people. One night, they receive an unexpected visitor from an internationally famous company who states that Junior has been selected, through a random lottery system, to travel far away from their farm. In return, Hen would be taken care of while Junior sets off on this 'life-altering experience.' This book focuses on the journey towards Junior's 'instalment' into this new phase of his life, and the struggles he faces as he comes to terms with this new part of his life.
From the start of my reading experience, I was obsessed. I couldn't stop reading, and I knew that this is the kind of book that should be finished in a maximum of two sittings. And that's how I was able to complete my reading experience. This is an approximately 200-paged story that kept me intrigued in every moment. The chapters are relatively short, and the dialogue is written in a way that sends chills down my spine. There are so many hidden aspects in the story that, by the time your reading experience is over, will show you that they were added by Iain Reid for a reason. I love these kinds of books, because every part is important; there's no random junky writing that solely appears to take up pages. Iain Reid's writing is beautiful, and features important details that make the story even more terrifying than initially suspected.
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What I loved most about the story was its ending. If it had a mediocre ending, I would've probably given this book a 4-star rating. However, the ending did everything for me. It contained such a drastic plot twist that I felt my heart palpitate. If you're looking to be shook, please read this story and see what I'm talking about. I am in love, and this is one of the best books of the year.
Foe changed the way I look at psychological thrillers; it moved me, and introduced a new idea to my favourite book genre. Iain Reid, you are the master of scaring readers.
*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*...more
A Girl Like That was a shock. That is probably the mosThis review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
*4.5 star rating*
A Girl Like That was a shock. That is probably the most important sentence I will state in this entire review, as it's the complete and utter truth. I was really excited about reading it, as I heard about the book through a blogger event held by Raincoast Books, the book's Canadian publisher. However, when I began reading it, I automatically felt as if it would be disappointing. All of the perspectives got me really confused from the first few pages, and I didn't understand what the purpose of the story would be. From its summary, I was aware that this wouldn't be a typical contemporary story, and I was aware that it did produce a ton of emotions in readers. However, I was not ready for this story to showcase the struggles of females in the Middle East, due to the harshness of governments and laws. I did not expect to adore this as much as I did, either, as I was really confused for the first fifty pages or so. I expected this to be about the car accident in which the protagonist, Zarin, and the male character, Porus, end up in, however, Bhathena's story is really about what leads up to this accident. And, it really helps us answer the book's main question: who is Zarin Wadia? Who is she really?
So, as mentioned, this story follows Zarin Wadia, a sixteen-year-old girl living in Saudi Arabia. She is an orphan living with her strict aunt and uncle, and is not native to Saudi Arabia, as she is Parsi. Throughout the novel, we readers see her outlook on life as she encounters many relationships with boys, exploring her femininity and personality. However, when she meets Porus, who also comes from the same culture as Zarin, she is intrigued with him in a different way than most boys, which leads to them both being killed in a car accident. This story shows us readers what happened before this accident, and what major event stirred this.
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A day after I closed the book's spine, I still cannot get the characters and story out of my mind. I cannot help but wonder what happened next, and how each of the characters were doing in reality, as if they existed. Tanaz Bhathena did an outstanding job at creating three-dimensional characters who seemed so realistic. This rarely happens in novels, though Tanaz successfully achieved this, and I felt as if they were so real. I cannot wait to see what other ideas the author has in mind, and to see if her future stories will be similar to this one.
I found the book to be quite fresh, in the sense that I finally found a story which took place somewhere else other than America or Canada. (Though honestly, Canada's even difficult to find). I learned so much about the Saudi Arabian/Middle Eastern culture through this story, and I wish that more YA authors would pick up on this idea and continue the legacy which this author has begun.
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THIS BOOK JUST SCREAMS OUT FEMINISM. Our protagonist, Zarin, is a true advocate for women's rights, and based on the tragic event that happens to her in this story, there is no better way to build on feminism than the way Tanaz Bhathena did. Zarin was so kick-butt and memorable, unlike many of the weaker females I've read about who let boys take advantage of them. The relationship she developed with Porus was a rare one, that's for sure. How often are we readers truly able to see a relationship blossom through friendship? They usually form very quickly from characters seeing each other for the first time -> flirting -> dating. NOT IN THIS CASE. Thank you, astonishing author, for defying the stereotypes
It is time for more diverse books in the YA genre. Sure, we do get our fair bunch, but I find that those books usually fall under the fantasy/sci-fi genre. A Girl Like That was a difficult book to read, in that it messed with my emotions and really was devastating. It's an important read for everyone to pick up, as it touches upon many tough issues that need more addressing. Grab this one and love it with all of your heart.
*An advanced review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*...more
Bring Me Back was honestly the best book I've ever read. Before pickingThis review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
Bring Me Back was honestly the best book I've ever read. Before picking this up, I classified B.A. Paris' other two books, Behind Closed Doors and The Breakdown as my ultimate favourites, but this time around, this has stolen the prize. This was a book that kept me guessing and intrigued for the entire ride. It's the type of the book that leaves you making hundreds of predictions to find that you were completely wrong. Whatever I thought would occur did not. If it did, then I definitely would not be raving this much about the novel. I instantly fell in love with the book after the twentieth page or so, and felt that I wouldn't be able to put it down. I read this in a few sittings, but in the same day, from morning to night.
This isn't your typical missing persons case story. In fact, there's nothing typical about B.A. Paris' ideas and books; everything is as original as it can be. The story revolves around Finn, Layla, and Ellen, our three protagonists. Finn and Layla were together, in love, and on vacation skiing in France, and as they were returning back to England, they made a rest stop. Layla stayed in the car, and when Finn returned, she was gone. Ten years later, Finn is engaged to Ellen, Layla's sister, and Finn still struggles to let go of the past and the love he had for Layla. Suddenly, Finn gets a phone call from someone in his past saying that they saw Layla, and weird occurrences begin to escalate.
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Basically, the main questions surrounding this story were: is Layla alive? Is she back? Will Finn choose her over Ellen? Forget about that; there were millions of questions surrounding this complex story. I cannot even imagine how much work was put into deriving this story; there are so many clues and hints that all make sense in the end when everything is cleared up. Well, actually, the magic of B.A. Paris' stories is that everything is never perfectly cleared up. She always leaves readers off wanting more from the last few pages of suspense.
Although I mentioned that there are three main protagonists, Finn is the most prevalent in the story. We constantly learn almost everything from his perspective, and we as readers get to see what he was like ten years prior with Layla and in the present with Ellen. It sounds impossible, but even he, the character telling everything from his perspective, is hiding secrets. I was so shocked in how everything was revealed at the perfect moment. He was both a likeable and unlikeable character, depending on the moment and decision he made. But this was not a flaw whatsoever; it's important for thrillers to have characters who are the best of both worlds, if you know what I mean.
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This was just such a complex story. The most complex I've ever read. There's a grand importance to every hint, secret and symbol laid out by Paris; when you read about some scenes or moments in the story, you may view them as unimportant, but surely they hold a great importance; every single word, sentence and moment in this story is important, which really shows that B.A. Paris is the master of psychological thriller writing. In fact, she is the master of modern day literature and entertainment. I really am eager to see films sprout from her fantastic story.
If I could possibly rate books with a ten-thousand star rating, this would be the only book to deserve all of those stars.Bring Me Back shocked me, especially with that UNBELIEVABLE ENDING I will never forget about, and with all of those mini shocks and revelations shown throughout the story. Every psychological thriller writer should look at these stories and see how it's done. And every single psychological thriller reader and lover such as myself should grab this instantly....more
Words in Deep Bluewas supposed to be a literal masterpiece. I mean, I This review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
Words in Deep Bluewas supposed to be a literal masterpiece. I mean, I always expected it to be. I wanted it to be WAAAAAY better than Cath Crowley's Graffiti Moon, which was a literal TERRIBLE piece of literature. However, this fell somewhere in the middle of my expectations. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't the best read of my life. I felt the poeticness in the writing, the fact that it was written about deep, dark topics like grief and heartbreak, but it lacked something. Crowley is a talented writer, however, I cannot understand the craze behind how her writing is so addicting yet beautiful. I recommend this for lovers of lyrical books, perhaps those written in prose. I really wish that IT COULD HAVE BEEN GOOD - because it looked so GOOD and the cover is gorgeous.
This was a good story with a good storyline. I just wish that it turned out to be more action-packed, more contemporary. It felt like I was watching a black-and-white movie for a long time, with some burst of colour in between (during the moments that had a strong romance). This can definitely be classified as a contemporary-romance story, don't get me wrong, but I just felt that the author was trying to get too philosophical with the story sometimes, that it just got annoying and tiring.
I read this a while ago, however, I felt that it was PRETTY MEMORABLE. This is a book in an Australian setting about a girl named Rachel, who moved away from her small town, leaving behind her crush and best friend, Henry Jones. Years later, Henry's girlfriend breaks up with him, and Rachel is back in town, with a new secret that she forbids herself to tell. And of course, with contemporary books' predictability, you can guess that a romance bloomed.
The romance was cute - I appreciated all of the giddy moments and cute stuff. This book had a cute vibe to it and it was definitely pleasing. It's just that I constantly found myself bored out of my mind. Maybe I needed a heart-racing thriller instead?
If you enjoyed Cath Crowley's other books and if you're willing to give a cute, deep romance a try, then go for this. But seriously - beware of the boredom that is involved!
*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*...more
Julie Buxbaum's What to Say Next looks as promising This review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
*3.5 star rating*
Julie Buxbaum's What to Say Next looks as promising a glass of iced, cold pink lemonade. No jokes. When I first saw its cover and read the summary, I discovered that this could be the cutest summer read ever. The word I can use to describe this book is "good." It surely was not amazing or phenomenal or *insert extremely positive adjective here* but hey — I enjoyed it. I loved the back-and-forth perspective change between the two protagonists, Kit and David, who were interesting, conflicted characters, who, by the end, I discovered were quite similar.
Buxbaum introduces us readers to this book by making it seem as if high school is like what we see it is in movies. That's acceptable; this is a chick-lit book, after all. However, learning who Kit and David really are helps us understand that everyone is conflicted in some sense - that we are all able to create different personalities that do not describe us well. Kit, the so-called popular girl at school who seems to be getting everything she wants in life, finds that her life completely changes when her father dies in a car accident. And everything starts crumbling. She finds that her friends are acting too fake, not wanting to address what actually happened, and that her mother is hiding more secrets about her and her father's relationship.
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Her life collapses until she starts to pay attention to the "weird" David Drucker. And I loved that David was Kit's remedy, and that she was his. That's the kind of love I want - the one that you do not expect and that fits so well in your life. Agh. I guess you can tell that I totally supported the characters' relationship and loved it.
But.
There's always a but.
It felt forced. I felt that Kit kind of moulded herself into David's arms without really wanting to. Buxbaum wanted to create a relationship that was unlike others, so she put the 'weirdo and popular girl' together. And of course that will cause audiences to go mad and excited, because it's different than all of the other contemporaries out there. Yay for that - but meh. In addition, I was bored every now and then, which made me take around two weeks to finish this. *frowns*
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What to Say Next makes me feel like I do not really know what to say next. It was DEFINITELY GOOD. I loved the concept and relationship, and aside from a few negative spots, I definitely recommend it.
*A review copy was provided by the author in exchange for a honest review. Thanks so much!*...more
I feel SO SO SO embarrassed that I am writing a review for this beautifThis review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
I feel SO SO SO embarrassed that I am writing a review for this beautiful, amazing, gorgeous book (I CAN'T HELP BUT RAVE ABOUT IT) right now, but I guess better late than never, right? Anna Pitoniak's The Futures is a memorable book that I urge so many overachievers like myself to purchase. Why overachievers, you ask? BECAUSE THIS IS AN ADULT BOOK ABOUT A COUPLE WHO ARE IN LOVE BUT ARE TRYING TO GET THEIR LIVES TOGETHER. This book is my dream book and life: I desire to live in New York City, to attend an Ivy League college, to make myself proud and fall in love. This book basically is the remnants of that. We have two characters who are partially similar and partially different. Julia and Evan both hold qualities that I can personally relate to, and I loved reading their two perspectives, sneaking peeks on what they think of each other.
The amazing thing about this book is that it is so damn real. It expresses the problems of growing up so well (even though I have personally never experienced these troubles yet). As I hold this book in my hands right now, I slowly am dying inside because I want to live all of those emotions again. I felt so much sadness, happiness, frustration—literally the hugest mix of emotions possible while reading. I literally want all of the writing pieces that Anna Pitoniak has produced in my hands. NOW. She made this whole story so descriptive and lively that I felt that I was actually living in New York City. I have visited the city of dreams twice and it IS the city of my dreams. It was described so elegantly, making me want to catch a plane and fly there instantly.
"What kept everyone going was the dream: store windows on Madison Avenue, brownstones lit golden in the night, town cars gliding across the park. Imagining what it would be like when you got there, someday. Manhattan felt like a dazzling life-size diorama. A motivation to work harder, stay later, wake earlier" (4).
This amazing piece of art (this is a hundred percent artistic work) is all about a couple who fell in love at Yale—Julia and Evan. Julia is from a rich family and has dreams that are immediately decided for her when her husband, Evan, decides to move them to New York City so he could work for a hedge fund. Immediately, his once-calm life is taken away from him and he has to live with long days and short amounts of time at home with Julia.
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THIS BOOK HURT ME SO MUCH BECAUSE I FELT SO BAD FOR JULIA. She had such a boring life for the majority of the book and she was BOUND to be happy again. Thankfully, I must say that the ending was pretty fabulous if you ask me. THIS WHOLE BOOK WAS PRETTY FABULOUS. I loved the pacing, plot, setting, romance—EVERYTHING. This does contain adult subject matter, but any YA contemporary lover would surely fall in love with Evan and all of this.
The Futures is the perfect read for a millennial. Reading about a couple's life in New York City really makes us appreciate the beauty of the city, though it also makes us become scared of the future. Many of us constantly wish for our lives to 'get together' faster, but in this case, moving on is quite scary as hey—WE'RE ALL ALONE. I'm in love with this beautiful read, and I'm sure everyone else will too.
*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thanks so much!*...more
Listen friends: Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 seriouThis review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
*3.5 star rating*
Listen friends: Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 seriously is the DYSTOPIAN of dystopia. Of the dystopian genre specifically. This is the book that began it all, that began the sudden influx and creation of hundreds—no thousands of dystopian novels like Divergent. I'm sure that somewhere, somehow, the topic of a deteriorating world, a somewhat 'utopian' society first originated from this story. This was, in fact, the first book that I read for my junior year English class, and it was the worst out of the six we read. I feel that my twelve-year-old self would have appreciated Bradbury's writing so much more, perhaps to the extent that I would've given this a five star rating. This isn't the right kind of book for me. I truly truly TRULY appreciate the fact that there is a big focus on books and literature (YAY) though the whole concept that Bradbury tried to get at—showing how one person rebelled against his society and was influenced by someone who saw the truth, was weak. I feel that so many books rely on the same topic or theme. Fahrenheit 451 definitely is a classic novel, as it was written during the Cold War era and was basically made to show fear, specifically nuclear fear and fear in the world when things are falling apart.
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The major thing that annoyed me was the fact that this was written weirdly. I appreciate beautiful writing that incorporates a lot of imagery and whatnot, though this was written awkwardly. I felt the awkwardness as I read; I wasn't intrigued and many of my classmates weren't, either. This could have been because we were basically *forced* to read this book twice. Bradbury divvied up the protagonist, Guy Montag's story into three sections, and we had to read each section twice. Once for the actual content and understanding the story, and the second time for paying attention to themes, characterization and literary devices. Yay me. I was annoyed because I feel that the imagery I *paid attention to* was not really there for a reason. Yes, I put on my special English cap and pretended that the four walls represented the isolation of society. Yeah, I could see that, but I do not believe that Ray Bradbury wrote this novel, specifically implying that the four walls represented that. It was boring and really vague. Montag's world was the same; bland and vague, though I'm pretty sure that his novel wasn't supposed to feel that way. It did, however.
I love the concept of books and book burning. Bradbury played with the whole concept of firefighters and instead of them saving people's lives from hazardous fires, in this world, they actually start the fires. You might be thinking that I'm losing my mind or something, but honestly? They set fires to get rid of any books that people have, like the Bible for example. It's complete propaganda and censorship, and this highly reflects the issues Bradbury dealt with during the time he wrote this book. When reading this, we readers are immediately put into a situation where we are more conscious of our surroundings, or at least: I was more conscious. I realized that technology is deteriorating our society and that there is much more to life than our phones, or the computer I am using to type this up.Fahrenheit 451 has such a powerful message. I think it's always going to stick with me.
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I especially loved Montag's character in the novel. You see, this middle-aged man is different from the rest of his society. For the longest time, he acted as if he fit in with everything: his job (he was a firefighter) and the technology around him. After he meets his neighbour, Clarisse, who is a young teenager who actually understands the world around her and its problems, Montag is influenced by this girl's views and realizes that he has always had it wrong: the world is imperfect. It's so interesting to see how an idea can stick in all of society's minds, and how quickly one can actually be influenced by a new idea. If you rarely read dystopian fiction, then this could certainly be for you.
Fahrenheit 451 is absolutely interesting and riveting, though it lacked some uniqueness that I haven't seen in other stories. I was bored for a big chunk of it and felt that it lacked a "WOW factor." You can easily, however, fall in love with the characters, like Montag, our protagonist, Clarisse, his neighbour and the 'villains' who make us realize that technology has the capability to influence people to the extent that they do not really feel that they have an identity. It makes me scared about what our society might turn into if we do not realize what is important in life....more
You can call me the world's biggest All the Bright Places fan ever. WheThis review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
You can call me the world's biggest All the Bright Places fan ever. When I discovered the beautiful Jennifer Niven's debut novel last year, I went on a huge expedition to purchase it. I did, and my world fell apart in the best way ever. I cried like a maniac or psycho person, unable to contain my feelings and just making all of my blanket wet. Looking back, that was a chaotic, beautiful day. It still stands as my most favourite book (alongside some, because you can NEVER have ONE favourite book), and then I discovered Holding Up the Universe. I NEEDED MORE OF JENNIFER'S WRITING, and hearing that this would be her second novel made the world a better place, for sure. I then was so fortunate to meet Jennifer at BEA and have her sign a copy of this beauty to me, and I knew that I wanted to read this book during a special time. I decided that I would pick it up on the plane back home from an amazing trip of a lifetime, and boy, that was the best time to pick this up. I devoured it pretty instantly.
Holding Up the Universe was in no way similar to ATBP, and it was nowhere as good as the book that stole my heart. The same thing happened with a similar's writer's work, Nicola Yoon. (Fact: I didn't enjoy her second novel.) I really enjoyed this one, minus the fact that ATBP was perfection. Written in a similar style to All the Bright Places, with alternating perspectives of a boy and girl who are obviously destined to fall in love (with so many heartbreaking and amazing moments in between), I could definitely glue the similarities together. But then, at the same time, there are so many differences, especially when you look at the characters and their own struggles. I love how Jennifer wrote this for her fans who are struggling in similar ways that our two protagonists, Libby and Jack, are, and I love how she based some of the struggles off of her own struggles in the past. Every person who reads this could definitely relate to one thing or another in this magnificent story.
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Libby and Jack seemed like polar opposites of each other, when I first began reading this. Libby has been labelled as "America's Fattest Teen," but over the years, she has gotten better with her excessive eating. She has lost so much weight after working hard and limiting herself to cravings. Since fifth grade, she has been homeschooled, and since then, crazy things have happened that she never wants to look back at. She has been cut out of her house by firefighters, has made imaginary friends with the boys who lived across the street, she has mourned her mother, who died of cancer, but most importantly, she has put a goal for herself: to be ready to go back to high school. Once there, she constantly gets laughed at, but she's so strong. Strong enough to hold her feelings inside until she meets Jack, who also has his own secret (he has prosopagnosia, where he doesn't recognize the faces of people who he should recognize), in the weirdest way. She punches him, but they both end up getting in trouble, but this is just the start of a friendship/relationship (whatever you like to call the initial phases) that readers will never forget about.
For the second time in a row, Jennifer Niven writes about subjects that readers rarely (or never) get the chance to read about. We have two contrasting characters—Libby and Jack, who I completely adored. My favourite thing about the whole story is learning about Jack's prosopagnosia. Prior to reading, I have never heard of this direct term, and have never heard/read about someone who has it. It has never been brought to my attention. Most likely, somewhere in my head, I believed that some condition like that existed, but it never really hit me. Reading Jack's perspective was something absolutely new and I know that I will never get an experience like that ever again. There is also so much diversity throughout the whole story. Jack is African-American (or half, I think) and I just appreciated that so much. There are so many different things about this book that most contemporaries never touch upon.
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(The only thing I didn't really enjoy was the slow moments of the plot where I kind of got bored. That could be because of my flight's distracting entertainment options, too. Just kidding, Jen Niven's writing is always more entertaining than anything else. Am not kidding about the occasional boredom I experienced.)
What I don't get is the whole craze that previously went up over this story. People labelled Jennifer as being offensive to overweight people, but I never saw anything wrong as I read through the story. Sure, I disliked moments of this book where EVERYTHING was geared towards Libby being overweight, but that just came from Libby's character and her occasional insecurity. There is nothing offensive, period. Why would someone even think that about Jennifer's writing? As always, she puts her heart and soul into the whole story, making it the most beautiful, emotional and moving possible. The thing we have to remember is that this is for her fans. This book is for everyone who has ever struggled, and I completely felt that dedication as I was reading.
Jennifer's writing, as usual, added light humour here and there that occasionally made me laugh out loud and feel like I'm enjoying this so much. I enjoyed all of it. Some people are against romanticizing people with mental illnesses, but this is exactly what Jennifer Niven is amazing at. That is why her books are special and different. I would seriously be dying right now if I wasn't able to read this yet. WHAT AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY.
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Libby and Jack are completely beautiful together. Jibby? Lack? They are the best. I love how they are together and how they have an even better connection because of their personal demons. I now just want to know how they are doing after the book, if you know what I mean.
Holding Up the Universe is a beautiful story that has still left me breathless. It's like a prized possession for me, and its message is extremely powerful. With beautiful characters, diversity, real-life issues (some that we have never heard/read about, ever), a beautiful ending and attachment to the characters, leaving us wondering what they are doing at this very moment, this is just unforgettable. Thank you, Jennifer!
*A review copy was provided by the publisher via BookExpo America in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*...more
Afterward by Jennifer Mathieu is a story I am so grateful to have finalThis review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
Afterward by Jennifer Mathieu is a story I am so grateful to have finally read. I loved everything that it was about, everything that it was inspiring and trying to tell readers. The author did a fabulous job at writing this story as if the main characters, Caroline and Ethan, were real, and if the kidnappings of Ethan and Caroline's brother actually did occur. As the title suggests, this story takes place as the aftermath of the kidnappings. Instead of the mystery part that every kidnapping story seems to deal with (the victims trying to escape), this focuses on the emotions the characters are enduring and how they feel they can strengthen.
This is a beautiful story that I cannot forget about. Once I began reading, I was not able to stop and it became so addictive. And although I would normally not be the biggest fan of a book involving a romance between two characters who are both dealing with some kind of personal issues, this somehow worked. Mathieu used her brilliant writing skills to create a balance between remedy (of Ethan's), acceptance (Caroline's acceptance of what occurred to her brother), and love. It just shows that everyone is meant to recover from many of the traumas they experience.
READ THIS NOW. It's an underrated story that has so much potential to please readers. I enjoyed its characters, premise, writing style - all of it. By the end, I was completely pleased and ready to read more like it.
*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*...more
Baby Doll was absolutely mind-blowing. It was not youThis review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
*4.5 star rating*
Baby Doll was absolutely mind-blowing. It was not your typical story about a kidnapper/kidnapper victim situation; it was more than that. This was about the aftermath of a woman being kidnapped and what happens next as she strives to prove who her kidnapper was. At the same time, she is left stranded and abandoned in the real world with her daughter, Sky, who was born and held captive. This was definitely a novel full of emotions and is written and full of emotions and EVERYTHING SAD. However, I must admit that it was a really quick read that I got through in a day because it was just so amazing. At the moment of reading, I constantly had shivers rolling down my spine, and it was just a traumatizing read in its entirety. But at the same time, it was a gorgeous read I would recommend to everyone. If you're a teen, this is for you - if you're an adult, this is also for you.
The writing and premise which Overton showcased in Baby Doll was unique and absolutely memorable. Although I don't remember every portion of the plot, I can tell you that I will remember the emotions this book gave me forever. *heart eyes*
READ THIS. I promise you it's not like Room. It's different, more thrilling, and even features protagonists who are twins!
*A review copy was provided by the publisher via BookExpo America in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*...more
Holy gumballs and watermelons. (Excuse me, but I'm currently chewing onThis review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
Holy gumballs and watermelons. (Excuse me, but I'm currently chewing on a piece of watermelon gum, so don't mind me) I'm trying not to sob and break down all over again in front of my computer again, so let's just get this started once more. Never did I ever expect to adore Lara Avery's The Memory Book as much as I did. Seriously? It is the best 2016-published book I have read, yet. It is one of my most favourite books ever. Why? Because it changed my life and made me want to write, aspire to follow my dreams, fall in love, appreciate life and appreciate memories, because they don't always last. And I'm not referencing diseases necessarily. Yes, our heroine, Sammie (who I adore and want to be my best friend and antisocial activist), does have a disease, also known as Niemann-Pick Type C, but not every person needs to lose their memories like that. I love books that are researched, raw, real and emotional. Lara Avery just explained Sammie's story well, and not in a 50-50 scientific-emotional split for YA readers. It was more than that, perhaps more emotional or more scientific and I can't even imagine how this was all constructed.
I rarely (okay, occasionally) say this, but this book is perfection. There is not a single thing wrong with it, there are no flaws. Okay, perhaps I missed a grammar mistake, but even though I read an uncorrected proof, I saw no flaws. The Memory Book left me aching for something more, something to turn to the next day (I finished this at midnight) when I felt sad. Okay, this book was already sad, so I don't think things can get sadder.
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This book is a teenager's worst nightmare. Or at least, my worst nightmare. We have a protagonist (Sammie) who has her whole future planned out, kind of like I do. She wants to go to NYU (well, it's happening), become a lawyer and live in New York City. She's valedictorian, has worked so hard for that role, and things are becoming the way she wants. Most of all, she wants to leave her small town outside of Hanover, New Hampshire. (DARTMOUTH, GUYS!) It's our worst nightmare when something gets out of hand and your life automatically changes and heads in the worst direction. I felt so much pity, guilt for Sammie, knowing that her future is at stake, that things that she wants to happen won't ever happen because of her condition.
This book is what you think it is: it is a memory book of Sammie's. She unexpectedly discovers that she has Niemann-Pick Type C after being unable to move her eyes up, and this book is written from her perspective where she records her daily life in a document in her computer. She falls in love with her longtime crush, Stuart, and becomes friends with her old friend again, Cooper. THERE IS SO MUCH MORE, THOUGH. The plot was fast-moving and things couldn't stop happening. There were moments where I had to take a breather and actually calm down after what was happening all the time. I read this in a sitting or two (because of interruptions), GUYS. THIS IS A GOOD SIGN.
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"Sometimes life is really terrible. Sometimes life gives you a weird disease. Sometimes life is really good, but never in a simple sort of way. And when I look back, I will know I have tried" (70).
So yeah, there's a love triangle: Sammie is torn between Coop and Stuart. I kind of saw what occurred coming, but I wasn't sure. I WOULD BE TORN, MY FRIENDS. Coop is the adventurous, hot, caring guy who will always be there to give you a ride somewhere and make out with you on the way there. *twiddles eyebrows* Stuart is the mysterious writer (who I also love) and he's so smart, philosophical and agh, I'm in love.
The Memory Book is written so lyrically and so realistically. I felt Sammie's strong voice speaking to us readers. Avery informed us about Sammie's condition in such a way that is not like reading an article on the internet; it's coming out of a victim's heart/mouth, being written with so much realism. I also loved the setting of this whole story—it makes me want to go to Vermont/New Hampshire even MORE. I've always been thinking about Dartmouth University, and this is the best experience of reading about a university—in a YA novel.
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We see this transition of Sammie's condition throughout the book. She undergoes these scares that literally scares us readers too, because we know that the worst is yet to come. Things became drastic, and my feels went out of control. I was so intrigued/tired by the time that I finished this book that I couldn't cry even when I really was in the mood for. MY LIFE WAS OVER. I COULDN'T DO IT ANYMORE.
"It's like, take my body, fine. I wasn't really using it anyway. I've got this enormous butt on ostrich legs, the hair of a "before" picture, and weird milky brown eyes like a Frappuccino. But not my brain. My true connection to the world" (12).
The Memory Book has been anticipated by me for a long time, and I can see why everyone is awing over the emotion. This is simply gorgeous, perhaps the most gorgeously written book ever. It's poetic, and has this vibe that many emotional books struggle to maintain. John Green and his lookalike authors (by means of writing, I mean) need to take a few tips by my new favourite, Lara Avery. I need to read A Million Miles Away. STILL SOBBING HERE.
*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*...more
I had extremely high hopes for Alice Adams' InvincibThis review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
DNF @ 60 pages
I had extremely high hopes for Alice Adams' Invincible Summer. I expected a read that would be the perfect beach and summer story that would never leave my head. I couldn't wait to get my hands on the story, even though it took me over a year to actually pick it up. I must admit that I'm a sucker for friendship stories, and what's better than reading a story about a group of friends who are continuing their friendships (romantic or not) after college? The 90s setting also captivated me, and I heard many good things about the progression of the story, showcasing how the characters' lives change throughout.
However, once I began reading, I was the opposite of captivated or intrigued. This was just plain boring and meaningless. I found that I wasn't able to form a connection with any of the characters - even though they were supposed to act a little more mature because of their age (they are adults, away from their college years, come on!), they were too crazy. This seemed like a teenage romance novel gone wrong. I love YA, and I find that there are thousands of books that have left a major impact on me instead of this... catastrophe. I just didn't enjoy it.
I gave up on reading it at sixty pages because I couldn't care less about what was going to happen. It was just nothing special, and I really am now looking for adult books that are cute and heartwarming... featuring a nice set of characters. This lacked all of that and more.
Meh. Invincible Summer has ruined the summer I was supposed to call invincible. Okay, I'm over-exaggerating, but it was an unimpressive read that I don't recommend. *cringes a little*
*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*...more
Time for a letter to one of the books that changed my life forever, guyThis review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
Time for a letter to one of the books that changed my life forever, guys! I only tend to write "letters" to books that have affected me as a person and as a whole. Yann Martel's Life of Pi is one of those books. I can see why the world went crazy.
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Dear My One and Only Special Book,
I expected much worse from you. When I began reading Young Adult Fiction, I was introduced to you and your movie (which was fabulous as well), but I had doubts. A book about a boy and a tiger, both stranded on a float-boat-thing in the middle of the Pacific where there are fantasy aspects? That didn't seem like quite my cup of tea. And then, tenth grade rolled around and my friends, who had English first semester, couldn't stop raving about you. I began to anticipate your arrival into my heart more and more. (That also couldn't sound even more cheesier). They kept telling me about how there is a big shocker at the end of you and how our teacher explained it amazingly. I COULDN'T WAIT.
I read you almost in a night, in a sitting. I finished you before the rest of my class did, and I couldn't stop squealing with my best friend about the ending and everything. I would like to share your plot with the rest of Goodreads and the blogging community, if you don't mind.
"Richard Parker has stayed with me. I've never forgotten him. Dare I say I miss him? I do. I miss him. I still see him in my dreams. They are nightmares mostly, but nightmares tinged with love. Such is the strangeness of the human heart. I still cannot understand how he could abandon me so unceremoniously, without any sort of goodbye, without looking back even once. That pain is like an axe that chops at my heart."
People. Life of Pi is just absolutely beautiful, remarkable and it changed my life. It carries such a powerful message of hope and realism, stuck in a story that focuses on animals and how we humans act like them constantly. We've seen this animalistic comparison in other classics (because I would certainly call this gorgeous thing a classic, but not in an old, rusty kind of way) like William Golding's Lord of the Flies, but this was just completely different and intriguing. Honestly, I prefer books that present a specific concept in a more modern setting that is relatable for me. I rather have an instant connection with a character than a wicked setting. Pi Patel is our amazing hero, who definitely represents the characteristics of a hero well. He is living a normal-ish life, living in Pondicherry, India, where his father owns the Pondicherry Zoo. Pi has always had this connection with animals, and he is immediately torn apart when his father announces that their family is moving to Canada.
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This is where the craziness occurs. The family heads onto a ship, which sinks, and Pi is the sole survivor. He spends days at sea, with three animals: a monkey, a hyena, and Richard Parker, a tiger who Pi has an amazing relationship with as the book progresses. Agh, how I wish I could endure the same feelings as I did while reading.
I did not read this book because I was required to at school. I know many people personally who actually did not even finish this book because we discussed it (at little too much) at school. YOU'RE NUTS. If you are thinking of putting this one aside and not reading it, then I'm not talking to you, my friend.
Life of Pi is mesmerizing, I honestly felt like it was a dream after I finished it. What's amazing is that we have one sole protagonist, and we never get tired of him. Yann Martel also plays with the format of the book he's writing, occasionally telling the story from his own author perspective, and moving on to Pi's perspective. It's like a diary, though there is also more to it. Martel also experiments with splitting the book into three parts, one being a retelling of Pi's past and future, while the other two being the "Better Story" and the other as "Dry Yeastless Factuality." You will understand that better while reading the book. One story is more imaginative than the other, though the ending of this story seriously gives readers a good finish, a satisfying finish where we will not be asking any more questions. Everything will be answered for us, and somehow, we will be believing in God more than ever. Or at least, I found myself in that position.
"Life will defend itself no matter how small it is. Every animal is ferocious and dangerous. It may not kill you, but it will certainly injure you. It will scratch you and bite you, and you can look forward to a swollen, pus-filled infection, a high fever and a ten-day stay in the hospital."
Yann Martel's use of imagery in inexplainable. It's impossible for me to describe how he does it. Every word, every sentence, every paragraph, we find ourselves seeing that there is a background story to it all, and that Martel utilizes specific words for specific reasons, to show something. My English teacher occasionally over-analyzed things which got me a little frustrated (specifically sentences that reference colours and whatnot) but I must admit that this is the book that has the most depth in it.
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YOU HAVE TO WATCH THE MOVIE TOO. A big applause to the directors, producers, screenwriters, media workers and actors for doing a stellar job on making this gorgeous story come to life. I honestly didn't have any complaints, except for the obvious taking-away of specific details from the plot. You cannot even guess how the imagery looks in the movie. It's exactly how I pictured it, funny when looking at the fact that most films that are based on films are horrible. (*cough* Divergent *cough*)
I adore you, Life of Pi. I have so many friends that adore you too, and I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND YOU TO THE WHOLE WORLD. Everyone, grab a copy of this and the movie, and spend a few days (or binge it all into one) and enjoy. Thank you, Yann Martel and the publisher....more
I always do love me some abduction stories. Obviously, not because of tThis review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
I always do love me some abduction stories. Obviously, not because of the fact that I would want anyone (or any character) to experience what Amanda in the book had, but because my emotions plummet like a waterfall. They seriously do. And for once, an author has experimented the kidnapping/abduction theme by not focusing the story on what happened during the parts where the character was hidden from the rest of the world or the fact that they escaped, but focused on the aftermath instead. Just as the tagline reads, "Love is the greatest escape," Stacey Kade, a new favourite author of mine, focuses this new adult novel on the romance, for sure.
738 Days' title is basically the number of days that Amanda Grace, our heroine, was abducted for. She came back, escaped, and she says that the reason she kept calm was because of the celebrity poster of Chase Henry in her room of where she stayed. Her story went viral. Even though he has had a bad reputation, Chase Henry, TV show superstar is now famous again because of Amanda's story. His publicist makes him give Amanda a surprise, and she freaks out. The world freaks out. And as they spend more time together... you got it: romance blooms.
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This was the third book I picked up to read that was from BEA this year, and I seriously wanted to love it so much. It turns out that I did. There has been such good word being spread out about this new adult novel of Stacey Kade's, and I was sure that I would love it just as much. Readers spend the whole 432 pages focused on Amanda's PTSD, her personal inner demons, the fact that she is in love with Chase, and even Chase's personal demons. The thing I adored the most was that Stacey focused the story on both of their perspectives because they were equally important characters. Without the other, the book wouldn't have been the same and I cannot imagine what else it could have turned into.
738 Days is raw, explicit with the amount of details and facts given about each of the characters' personalities and how they need each other. I ADORE THE "NEEDING EACH OTHER" PART OF THE STORY. It made my heart skip a beat because the relationship between Chase and Amanda was so strong that I admit, I have never read about such a relationship for a long time. These characters are mature, knowing what they are in for if they decide to take risks, and the maturity makes a stronger relationships. I loved the steamy parts of the story as well; 'twas very entertaining, my romance fans.
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"One of the side effects of surviving the worst possible thing to happen to you is that you're left with this new awareness of the world. There's no control, no true safety; it's all random chance. Anything can happen at any time, to you, to the people you love. The world is full of sharp edges, just waiting to hurt you, one way or another" (22-23).
What I truly had mixed feelings about was the drama itself. Fellow readers, Stacey Kade does add this extra dose of drama that could be criticized: everything that had to do with Chase's publicist and how she played a role in the book. I didn't like that Amanda had to undergo an additional situation where she had to look behind her shoulders everywhere she went because of this publicist's envy. Yes, I do get that Chase is famous and all, but it wasn't needed. This wasn't necessary for entertainment. This was a minor fault that showed up once in a while and reminded readers that Chase and Amanda's romance isn't perfect, but flawed instead because there are people in the way of them accomplishing further stages in their relationship.
This is more than just the romance as well. It taught us so much about life, how overcoming difficult times in your life isn't easy for anyone. Chase, of course, didn't have a past similar to Amanda's, dealing with abduction and that personal fear, but he did have a past filled with drugs, isolation, alcohol and reminders that he isn't that person who everyone speculates he is. Their stories intertwined so perfectly that I could just squeal forever and ever. (It's been more than a month since I've read this and I'm still freaking out!)
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738 Days is not your ordinary, fluffy, contemporary romance that I would prefer to call "chick-lit." It certainly does not fit any of those descriptions a hundred percent. Instead, it's a story about overcoming your personal demons, looking towards the future and having someone by your side to help you do that. Chase and Amanda both are stunning protagonists who each lead the book in their two directions, intertwining at one point and having all of us want more. The ending was so satisfying, so sweet, and all of our questions were answered, because seriously: this story is not a walk in the park. It's complex, beautiful and everlasting. I feel like Chase and Amanda are still in my head, maturing and continuing their relationship forever.
*A review copy was provided by the publisher via BookExpo America in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*...more
Wow. It's rare for me to get hit by a book so much and feel so bad thatThis review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
Wow. It's rare for me to get hit by a book so much and feel so bad that I just want to hop on a plane to the country and help everyone out. But that's only because there are not many books out there like A Long Way Gone, not many books out there about child soldiers or children in Africa who are being affected by poverty, dehydration, violence and abuse constantly. We are so hidden from the rest of the world in our big suburban communities, in our huge cities with blazing lights, billboards that show the newest music, restaurants with the most exotic foods, and most of all, we are hidden from people like Ishmael Beah, and there are probably hundreds of thousands of Ishmael Beahs in countries like Sierra Leone. It just hurts me so bad, and this book really did hurt me. A Long Way Gone seems so fictional because it is so difficult for us readers to put ourselves in the shoes of our protagonist, Ishmael, who writes about his personal demons and battles as a child, being taken by foreign people, thrown into a truck with an AK-47 and being taught to kill, taking drugs and losing his family. There is so much that this book contains that is unimaginable, although Ishmael gives us the chance to believe that this is reality, for many young children and people who are constantly struggling, without the rest of the world knowing.
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We are always told that we could make a difference. I don't know if I'll ever get the chance to visit these poor African countries. I don't know if I'll ever make it to the United Nations and speak for them (most likely, not). But because of all that Beah had done and conquered in his life in Sierra Leone, I'm going to state a very cheesy point here: our dreams could most definitely come true. This memoir, this novel, from all of the books that I have ever read, has given me the chance to have hope. Because when we look at all that Ishmael had to deal with and how he ended up where he is now, speaking for the United Nations in the best city in the world, New York City, writing a book and becoming famous for his courage, we can only have hope that all who are suffering will eventually not suffer anymore.
It's hard to retell Ishmael's story as a summary, because it all occurred, it is all true. I am not summarizing a story, but his life. Life in Ishmael's small village was normal when he was ten years old, until his village got attacked and he and his brother were on the run for it. They didn't know where, but they were on the run. Eventually, they get separated and Ishmael meets a new group of friends, and they all undergo struggles for food and clean water. Ishmael's story expresses all of the troubles that children and people in Africa undergo all in a year or so, or perhaps, a little more than that.
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There were moments where I felt that I was being forced to read this book, and others where I just enjoyed it so much that I couldn't stop. I had to read this book for school, and I was supposed to compare it to other works I read in that semester, like Life of Pi. Both differ, this being a solemnly true story, while Yann Martel's being fiction, but they compare at the same time. I enjoyed this because my emotions kept exploding all over the place. I was happy when Ishmael was safe, being helped by the United Nations Peacekeepers, but then remembering that Ishmael lost his whole family in a few days.
I just have a warning for you readers: this is a really harsh read. You see, I never have issues with gore or blood, so I was okay with the vivid imagery. It certainly wasn't pleasing, but that didn't leave me enjoying the book less. Many reviewers did not enjoy the book for the fact that the goriness was very harsh. So, I would advise to keep caution, but honestly people? This is non-fiction. The book wouldn't be the same without this realness. We readers would not be able to feel what Ishmael had gone through, you know?
A Long Way Gone literally took me a long way away to Sierra Leone, and this book seriously is energetic, heart-breaking, raw and full of feelings that many books have difficulty providing readers with. Ishmael Beah is the kind of person who will inspire you and make you so interested with the culture that he is writing about in the novel. After reading, I had to do a presentation on Sierra Leone, and I immediately felt so comfortable with its facts and information that this book felt like home. I just wish it had that extra push in the beginning—I had no knowledge of where Beah was going to take us....more
New adults with some deep meaning to them are my remedy.The Sea of TraThis review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
New adults with some deep meaning to them are my remedy.The Sea of Tranquility and its beautiful cover (that I had not really noticed until I picked it up) has been on my eye for ages, ages since before it was released and after. The romance is deep, meaningful, and the whole subject matter is different than anything else I have read in a long time. I cannot get this out of my head, to be purely honest. It has truly been a while since a book has touched me like this had.
There is more to this story than readers know. Katja Millay starts us off with us getting to know Nastya, who is torn apart by some tragic event that she keeps mentioning. Readers get to figure out that she is continuously trying to overcome her demons and something that has traumatized her. We honestly did not figure this out until the very end when Josh gets to know her really well and all is revealed. This all turned out to have so much meaning to it after all! *smiles*
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The Sea of Tranquility features subjects that are rough—not wanting to be mentioned greatly about in YA fiction especially. This could be classified as both YA or new adult, depending on the reader's take. There is a mature subject matter, especially when Nastya gets her flashbacks. No twelve year old would be ready to read about what the young girl had dealt with in the past. Josh, a lovely, lovely fictional boyfriend for Nastya and I, was able to get it out of her. This seemed to be like a mystery in itself, actually. Though you may be asking, you should definitely not turn to the last page and discover the truth. Millay adds so much detail and beauty to the story that you could just not turn back and forget about this.
The drawbacks after looking back is the boringness. Things were wild, going well, and the romance was taking such a dramatic turn, and then everything fell apart at some times. It was honestly going back and forth repeatedly. I kept feeling like the story was not going anywhere, though the emotions were real. Heartfelt. Precious. Those are two words that could perfectly describe the tone of this novel. And I totally get why people are going crazy. Written with a YA flair to it, taking place in a high school from a perspective of a girl who is very insecure and sensitive with her own feelings after bearing such horrendous things in the past, we love it. I loved it. I feel that this is a much-needed story to be stuck on everyone's shelves. Just look at the daring title. TRANQUILITY? That word just makes me feel calm all the same from when I read it.
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This is a complete match made in heaven for readers who enjoy teenage angst and stories about girls who self-pity and need help. Angst is the biggest thing that I witnessed in this story, and I do like some of it to make me enjoy it more. Katja Millay created some of the most beautiful characters that I have ever read about, and the two of them—Josh and Nastya I mean—just click, like two puzzle pieces that are meant to be. I would not have this book change into something any other way. It was pretty hectic with drama, if you ask me.
The Sea of Tranquility could definitely compare to riding on a wave. You feel the adrenaline, the vibe pushing you to go further, but there are those splashes in the face that make you feel a little hesitant at times. But for the most part, you enjoy riding and feeling the rush. Nastya and Josh equal the perfect couple and seriously? The emotions could just help you give this book a positive rating. I am still jittery after reading this a few weeks ago. Take a deep breath and feel the beauty of this story....more
Discovering that I was able to review this book was This review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
*3.5 star rating*
Discovering that I was able to review this book was a dream come true. This, the lovely Places No One Knows, is the first book I have ever read by Brenna Yovanoff, and after hearing mixed reviews about her novels and method of writing, I had mixed feelings myself. But I must say that my feelings/anticipation was more on the hopeful side.Places No One Knows was not the best book in the world, but this story does have every single thing that every contemporary novel needs, and even a little bit more: SASS. FLAIR. LOVE. Those three words can describe my feelings, honestly. And that's a good thing. I normally have a difficult time deciding on what my opinion of a novel will look like, but this, the first work I have reviewed by Yovanoff, is a perfect example of what a good book looks like. Minus my dislike of the dreaming theme, of course.
From what I expected (especially from the cover), I expected an ordinary contemporary built with some coming-of-age theme. Don't get me wrong: this book is solemnly written about Waverly's difficulty of herself coming of age, but I must set a disclaimer straight: I was fooled yet again. Again. The last time this occurred was with Siobhan Vivian's newest, The Last Boy and Girl in the World. Listen, friends: I don't really like to read synopses thoroughly before I read a book, and this occurred with both of these two cases. There is nothing majorly wrong with these two books. Who knows, maybe the authors wouldn't have done such a good job with my original thought? Brenna Yovonoff captured the light and darkness of dreams and romance, whipped together as if they were created a secret recipe of a cake. We have two love interests, Waverly and Marshall, who legitimately have foil personalities (making the story even more scandalous), and I really enjoyed their love story that came together because of the unusual. THEY ARE SO CUTE.
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"Let me tell you about blisters: they are irrelevant. They tear, they weep, they scar, but they do not keep you from getting to the finish line. Pain is a series of impulses. It helps from your nerve endings to your brain, telling you to move your hand off the burner, to get that gash stitched up. It's an evolutionary function, a language of survival. Pain as a concrete, factual thing does not exist." (45)
This is a witty story that seems legit. We have an intelligent protagonist, who, makes the right decisions and does not spend all of the pages of the novel thinking about makeup. Boys, maybe, but I really admired Waverly's sense-of-self throughout the story. It never changed, or deteriorated. Waverly simply had, and continued to gain her coming-of-age as she matured and overcame new experiences. Marshall was her exact foil, and the cheesy love quote of opposites attracting really does make sense when we compare these two love interests together. Marshall is your stereotypical guy who drinks, smokes, and doesn't care about school. Stereotypical. No opinions added, I promise. But he does have a dark side to his story that most people do not expect. This just shows how judgmental and prejudicial our society is. Another problem that leaves me for another blog post and another time. I admired his cycle of gaining positivity very highly.
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I had major issues with the formatting. This book was written so absurdly, more weirdly than anything else I have read for years. Brenna Yovonoff has that unique style to her writing, absolutely, but, the way it was written just kind of made me dissatisfied and hesitant to continue. I've seen that this is also a big problem to other reviewers as well. We have a back-and-forth rotation of perspectives between Waverly and Marshall, but at the same time, the narration was completely confusing. This book was confusing itself. From the synopsis to the moment I flipped the last page, something was... off. It could have been just me, don't get me wrong. But Places No One Knows is a little too eerie for my liking. That was the only con, to be honest, but I was kind of laid off and a little tinkered with a bit too much by this.
The funny thing is as I was reading, I felt that everything was going downhill. I was on page 100 when I realized that this was not going to well. And something just switched. I grew to like Waverly even more than I initially had, and the romance and everything was put together beautifully. The dream thing... I cannot really still comprehend it, but whatever.
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There are books that we will find in life that are just not for us and we end up a little hesitant with the outcome. Places No One Knows was kind of like that, but I felt more, much more satisfied than dissatisfied. If you like complex stories, then great. If you enjoy a novel with a good base of characters and romance, then great as well. Even if you normally do not pick up plain contemporary, for sure there are elements of other great authors such as John Green or Lauren Oliver that give us the vibe to absolute enjoyment.
*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*...more
You see—I cannot reconcile this book; I cannot remember anything about This review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
You see—I cannot reconcile this book; I cannot remember anything about it, to be honest. After being introduced to the Canada Reads debate by my English teacher, I decided that I wanted to read a majority of these Canadian novels. Minister Without Portfolio was one of them. I wanted to read one of those books that are comical, but come with a point. Maybe this is because I'm a teenager; I just do not get these "adult concepts." By concepts, I simply mean adult situations. I have not been tormented in the way that Henry has, or have had marriage issues. I just could not relate to this book or the author's writing. This story seemed like a chore, not a book that I read just for enjoyment. If you are older than I am and enjoy these simple, philosophical stories, this could simply could go well for you. I am not saying that a teen cannot like this—no. There is a large possibility, but everyone always has their different opinions on books.
But hey—there are positives. There are things that I actually enjoyed about Michael Winter's story. He must be a popular author for those reasons. Winter creates a character who acts like he's in his mid-life crisis, which seems comical but is completely serious. Henry deals with some kind of PTSD, stress disorder that takes him out of living his normal, ordinary life. He walks around, but as I could tell, there was no meaning in his footsteps. He moved through the story being quite depressed, which demonstrated a completely depressing mood for the whole story. I am still confused to this moment if that was what the book was supposed to provide; I could just not tell.
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Minister Without Portfolio is a story where the readers endure. They endure all of the plot's events and how Henry goes on his own personal journey of his life. Once again, I am unable to relate to Henry's character in any way, which is something I usually rave about a character after reading a great book. This seemed a little too boring for my liking. If you expect some serious action, this is not the right story for you. Instead, we have a slow-moving continuation of a man's life and how he himself cannot contemplate his own feelings.
What are the great things about this story? It's written by a Canadian author in a Canadian setting, it's extremely comical, and you feel bad if you put it down. I endured some kind of sympathy for Henry, for a man who is stereotypically supposed to undergo his feelings and save himself. I found myself giggling from time to time, and you seriously cannot take this book seriously. Everything was meant to be placed into this book for a reason, but there are only a few readers who understand why, and see the positivity; I am not one of them. There, I have said it. I am not the biggest fan, whoop dee-doo.
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Minister Without Portfolio could be seen as the most boring adult drama you have ever read. Meh. But if you look at this from another perspective, you see an interesting view of adulthood. You see, as a teenager, we do not know about the hardships that our parents or family members experience with jobs, love, all of that crazy stuff. This is it, except a little into the extreme. There is a bunch of romance drama, which is extremely interesting to read from the perspective of a grown man, and everything clicks together in the end. There is a possibility for you to enjoy this, especially if you are a teen....more
The Chrysalidskind of changed my life. Kind of. I cannot stress too muThis review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
The Chrysalidskind of changed my life. Kind of. I cannot stress too much on it other than the fact that it was literally a success and the true meaning is so relatable to our modern world today, but I could say that it is a pure dystopian classic. Imagine the book that Lois Lowry's The Giver was originally based on. John Wyndham threw this concept to life and into readers' hands, showing a book (with a horrible, hideous cover) that has so much meaning to it and relates to discrimination in society today. With Petra, Rosalind, David, Michael and the bunch of memorable characters, I would not ever change my experience with this story.
It all began with English class. A semester before, I had friends who read this. You know what this means. Friends who do not normally read (only when they are required to) usually have mixed feelings about a book. They could seriously adore everything my province's curriculum has chosen because they never experienced anything like it, or they could find it horrible and so utterly boring that they refuse to analyze it and look for similes and whatnot. Y'all are expecting me to say that I heard great things about this book. My friends hated this novel. I bet that they felt this way because teachers spend so much time on books and we have to do millions of presentations to make sure that we completely understand it all.
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Although I have spent a month on this novel now (as I am counting), I have enjoyed every second of reading it. John Wyndham knew how to throw suspense in his writing, even better than many modern-day authors do. I never knew what to expect with every chapter going by. Everything made so much sense and it all clicked together as the plot unfolded. Seventeen chapters, so many shocking moments and parts where I wanted to scream. This is the true unfolding of an utter fangirl.
"Once we allow things that we know are not right, there's no telling where it will ends. A god-fearing community doesn't have to deny its faith just because there's been pressure brought to bear in a government licensing office."
To sum it up in a paragraph, John Wyndham's classic tale is about discrimination and friendship, mainly. David Strorm is our main character, who lives in a post-apocalyptic world after "The Tribulation." This Tribulation essentially refers to a nuclear disaster where all of the land is left radioactive and has caused humans to never see the real image again. Those who are mutants are killed, burned, and so on. Vegetables have to be a certain colour and people have to follow the certain rules. David, his sister Petra and the others all live in a society that has been run down, also known as Labrador. David discovers that he also has a secret that others must not discover, especially his father who preaches against the blasphemies.
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This novel showcases to what extent humanity can become horrible. Discrimination comes in all ways and forms, and in this case, it was disability. Against it, in fact. It is an interesting story that is a lesson for many. I adore this, it could touch many hearts, and knowing that the main characters themselves who are stuck in a strict society could experience what it is like to be discriminated.
The themes that are showcased here could depend on the reader's perspective. Anyone can infer or predict anything about this story. There are eerie relationships (cousins? Really?) but it is an eerie novel at a whole. In a good way, obviously.
"The inspector was the inspector, and an important person; all the same I could not believe that the Devil sent Sophie. I found it hard to see how the very small toe on each foot could make much difference either." (55)
It truly is the best when a book makes you feel light, happy and completely satisfied. I absolutely recommend this to all. Your inner book obsessed self will be thankful for it afterwards. Oh, how I wish we got to experience more. *dreams* *awes*...more
I'm kind of dreading to put this review up into the big, scary world riThis review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
I'm kind of dreading to put this review up into the big, scary world right now. Every review I have read for this book, Nicola Yoon's newest contemporary romance that was supposed to be better than her debut, Everything, Everything, which completely stole my heart last year and made it onto my top ten favourite books of 2015, The Sun is Also a Star, was positive. Everyone is giving this a big fat five star rating, but to be honest, I'm just not feeling all of this "diverse romance." I appreciate it so much, though. Seeing two beautiful characters who each have their flaws and who each have struggled in different ways in the second biggest city in the world, New York City, seeing them fall in love is gorgeous. I love how Nicola Yoon based the romance of Daniel and Natasha off her own marriage with her husband. I love how much potential this book had. But now, I was completely disappointed with the outcome of this one.The Sun is Also a Star has proved that the sun is also a star, but nothing more, to be quite clear.
Nicola Yoon is a talented author and I adore her writing completely. Something just fell apart when I read The Sun is Also a Star. I found the romance to be too good to be true, too much relied on fate (especially on those random appearances where they would find each other in the middle of a huge city) and I just didn't feel like fangirling or shipping Daniel and Natasha, because obviously, this is a contemporary romance, and they are bound to end up together. Bound to be together. This might have been my reaction because (A) I have been reading better contemporary-romances lately and (B) when I picked this up, I was on the plane heading on vacation. I might have been too distracted and excited that this ended up seeming... well, bland. I'm hoping that that was not the case at all, because I don't want to pick this one up again.
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The thing is that I just didn't feel the romance. It didn't seem powerful, or rooted by something or a relationship that has been sewn together for a longer period of time. Daniel and Natasha meet, Natasha initially thinks that she's not ready for a relationship, and they end up making out and throw away all of their life's desires. It happened so suddenly, and I just don't get why anyone isn't commenting on the fact that this kind of was an instant romance, in a way. I love Yoon's writing most definitely because she easily transports readers into another world for a few hours, or at least, until we finish the book or decide to give reading a rest.
"Rob says I don't believe in true love. And he's right. I don't. But I might want to."
I adored Daniel and Natasha both as separate characters. They are so similar in so many ways and I loved how Yoon compared their struggles and made them stick together during their hardships. Daniel is used to be the son of Korean parents who has to be perfect, who has to go to an Ivy League school, who has to be a doctor, who will not disappoint his harsh parents, and remind them of his Harvard-dropout brother. Natasha, on the other hand, also has family struggles, but different ones. Her family is on the urge of possibility of being deported back to Jamaica, where they came from, and Natasha doesn't want anything to do with her father, who ruined their family.
The setting of this book couldn't be in a better place: NYC. I have such a huge connection to NYC, after visiting it twice and adoring everything about the busy life. There are so many landmarks included here where I have personally visited, and I loved the city lifestyle incorporated into these characters' lives. It's so... personal. I feel like comparing this whole book to Everything, Everything, and if I seriously did that—everything would change here. Everything, Everything had things that this surely did not have. We had a real story that we have never read about before. This is nothing special, though I did fairly enjoy it either way because I like romance. We had a believable romance that makes me jealous because I'm nearly the same age as the characters in Yoon's books.
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For some positives, I adored the ending and Natasha's obsession with science and stars. It makes us think, you know, that the title has so much meaning to it, unlike some books we read today, those books that make us sit and wonder why the title even exists.
One word I would use to describe The Sun is Also a Star is "meh." It was interesting enough to make me want to read and discover what is going to happen to the characters by the end of it (because we all know that relationships don't always last), but it lacked a lot of things that the author's debut definitely had (and had an overdose of). That gorgeous cover just wants to make me cry. I WANTED THIS TO BE 1000 STARS AMAZING.
*A review copy was provided by the publisher via BookExpo America in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*...more
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