BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS.

BEAUTIFUL CREATURES

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 23:09:35 +0100

As always, I have wanted to read this for a short time. So to avoid revision I dug myself into this! And it’s such a lovely thorough story, and that’s because of the joint effort from the authors! There writing put together just made such a beautiful and enlightening story! Shockingly it only took me a few days to read it, considering the size of it!

Beautiful creatures is about Ethan, a boy who starts to have strange dreams which always resolve around one person; a girl. When he finally meets this girl, Lena, it seems things start to fall into place and I don’t mean in a good way!

The thing with this book is you’re not sure if you want to read it because it’s just so big! You know that it’s going to take a long time. However, there is so much in this book it would be a crime to chop it down! It needs the pages otherwise it would be seen as a weak story! I also loved how it was set in a small town, which made it so much more interesting! Well, it made it more interesting for me because I live in a small town as well and completely understand that ‘everybody knows everybody’ kind of way.

One thing that was disappointing was that at some points during the book it seemed to go off of the main storyline, or what I thought it was because of the blurb I had read, all though blurbs can be misleading!

I think this book is brilliant. It’s a read that just calms you, and make you want to read more! And what makes it even better; it’s currently being made into a film! And from what I can see it’s looking pretty damn’ good.

THIS IS NOT FORGIVENESS.

Sun, 27 May 2012 17:42:55 +0100

I found this book in my local Waterstones. I mainly saw it because of how colourful and vibrant the cover is. And when I read the blurb I was definitely interested. However, with being poor at the time, I could not buy it! Although a trip to my local library came in very useful as a found a copy there! So fear not, if your skint just go to the next best thing; the library.

This is not forgiveness – It says it all in the title. Jamie can’t believe that dangerous and beautiful Caro has chosen him to be with her. Although Caro has other ideas about what her relationship with Jamie is. And then Jamie’s brother Rob gets thrown into the mix and that’s when things start to get technical!

I love how the three main characters were all linked together. Well you knew they were all linked in some way, but it was more interesting and had lots of twists due to how they were linked. That was good!

The overall idea I got from this book was that the cover made the book seem very mature, however when reading it the writing style didn’t seem to match up to it. It just seemed very childish, and was definitely different to what I’m used to. Also, the ending seemed to make the book a lot better, because of how shocking it was, even though we got a glimpse of it at the beginning.

Overall, I feel this is a good book, but I didn’t like it too much. It’s mainly because I have such a love for series or lengthier book. It just didn’t really what I liked! However, you may enjoy it! Just because it wasn’t my cup of tea doesn’t mean it’s yours!

UGLIES

Sun, 13 May 2012 20:38:37 +0100

When I first saw this book in my local library I was 11 years old, and I avoided it. Mainly because of the front cover – it freaked me out a bit. 4 years on and I can’t believe I didn’t read it. It’s a pretty good book, considering the theme’s it surrounds itself with. This book should be the endorsement for ‘It’s okay to be who you are!’ Or that how I saw it!

Uglies is about a futuristic world, where when you turn 16 you get to turn ‘Pretty’. When Tally’s friend Shay runs off to avoid the operation, Tally gets given a choice by the government; Turn her in and you get to turn pretty. If she doesn’t, she is to remain ugly forever. Will Tally given in to idea of being beautiful? Or remain loyal to her friends?

I absolutely love how Westerfeld created such different characters. When reading a book you obviously expect to see different characters, but with the concept of ‘Uglies’ and ‘Pretties’ you could just tell the difference between them. I also loved how simple the book is, but it’s got an effective and different idea behind it such as Uglies.

When I first started reading this it didn’t feel like a dystopian novel. There was some sort of essence which made it seem too normal. Another thing that was worrying was how could they make such a large book on such a small blurb? It just seemed that I had read the entire book within the first few chapters. However, that view was changed after I got a bit further into the book. Scott Westerfeld certainly had a few tricks up his sleeve.

Overall, this book is a fantastic read, and you should definitely give it a go. I wish I could say more, but the book says it all honestly.

BEFORE I DIE.

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 22:08:28 +0100

I’ve wanted to read this book for ages mainly because my friend kept going on and on about it and when I asked ‘Can I borrow it?’ She said ‘No, it’s on my Kindle.’ That’s another reason that I should never buy one of those. However, I’ve only really got round to it, because it turns out my local library isn’t that bad, It just lacks material.

When Tessa finds out she’s only got so many months left to live, she makes a list of things she wants to do and on the top of it is sex. We see her in the upcoming months doing the things she wants, but really is it all worth it in the end?

I absolutely loved how when I started reading this book, I felt I was in Jenny’s world. I could see that, through her writing. It was just very different and exciting compared to other people. It made me stop and think about everything. That’s what she does to you! Even though it was Jenny’s world, she made a fantastic Tessa. Her Point Of View of things was beautiful. The way she just went for everything, screamed exactly how I imagined the book through the blurb. Also, I loved the ending. It was just slow and subtle and just perfect. The letter as well just made you think ‘How would you leave things?’

The one thing I couldn’t really understand was that the entire plot of the book (or what the blurb suggested the book was about) happened within the first chapter. That was something that put me off when I started reading it. It just simply said ‘What are we going to fill the rest of the book with now?’

Overall, I found this book to be a great read. It’s funny, insightful and beautiful. It’s definitely brilliant for a debut novel. It’s even got a film release soon starring Dakota Fanning and Jeremy Irvine, so check out the book! Who knows, it might be different to the film? Most likely.

UPDATE!

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 23:22:01 +0100

Okay so, I haven’t exactly been posting much so I have a bunch of reviews waiting for you guys! Things have been a little bit hectic, but don’t worry I’ve been keeping up with my reading! Here’s a list of reviews soon to come:

This is not forgiveness - Celia Rees

Before I die - Jenny Downham

Uglies - Scott Westerfeld

I also have a special review on a book that isn’t due to be published until May! I had the luck of reading it back in March!

Black Heart Blue - Louisa Reid

Look out for some more posts soon! I promise I haven’t deserted you!

ENTANGLED.

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 23:11:00 +0100

I came across this book when me and my friends were doing a Waterstones rummage. We basically sit on the floor of the store, and look at the books on the bottom of the shelves, and see what looks good. That’s where I came across Entangled. It looked like an interesting read, and it had me wondering, why is this book so small? It’s only 372 pages, and yet it holds so much. How can that be possible?

Entangled tells the story of Grace, a girl who wakes up in a white room to find a load of paper and pens on a desk, and that writing everything down will help her understand why she is there. But by doing so she remembers all the pain and sadness she went through. Is it really worth it to learn the truth?

I think this book was an interesting read. It made me want to keep reading with its plot twists and constant mystery. I also loved how we only ever got to hear Grace’s past when she was writing it down. That really kept the suspense going. I also loved the ending. It was very simple, and interesting to read. However, I didn’t really understand the concept of the character Ethan. That was very confusing for me.

Overall, it’s a good and yet very strange read. I will recommend it to you, but be prepared for the confusion you will have once you’ve finished it.

CURRENTLY READING!

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 20:51:00 +0100

THE HUNGER GAMES.

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 22:08:24 +0100

I first heard about these books many months ago, due to all the excitement about finding out who our Katniss was. And after I did a little research and found out what the fuss was all about, I was hooked! And that was before I had even read the books. I then bought them as a little birthday gift for myself, and read them all in a space of a week. And what the best week of my life that was!

When Katniss’s sister Prim, gets reaped for The Hunger Games; a televised game where children aged 12-18 fight till the death, she takes her place and sees it as a death sentence. But she must fight with every strength inside her because of the promise she made to her sister. But there are no runners up for these games. Will she survive?

Firstly, I love Suzanne Collins for producing such a gripping, and beautiful book series. Why aren’t there any more books like these? I can tell you; and it’s called talent! And that’s something that’s rare! I mean, there are many talented writers out there in the world, but I believe when you can produce a book, that can actually change you once you read it, it’s incredible.

I love the simple idea of The Hunger Games, and that when you’re reading it, you can actually think ‘Maybe one day this will be us’ Just because that is the kind of world we live in, and we thrive for entertainment. I also love the characters and how they all fit together. For example, Prim and Katniss are complete opposites but, when there put together there just the perfect mix. I also love the setting for the book. The idea of 12 different districts, makes it a lot easier to picture and also shows how captured the people of Panem really are.

I could go on and on, about this book but that would take years because I love it so much! It’s a gripping read that will keep you wanting more, and also make you want to kill the author because of the misery she puts us through! If you haven’t read this yet what have you been doing with your life? Go out and get a copy today!

CURRENTLY READING!

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 21:59:43 +0000

As celebration for The Hunger Games being released on the 23rd March, I am re-reading the book to get myself in The Hunger Games spirit! I’ll post my review on the release day so join me then! Oh, and Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour!

DIVERGENT

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 21:54:50 +0000

Divergent is something that has been in my head on my ‘need to read list’ for a while. I think that’s due to the Spotify adverts they used to play constantly advertising the book. I’m glad they did though, or I wouldn’t have pushed myself to go out and get it! I was a bit unsure at first because of the amount of adverts. It just made me think that either this book was really bad and needed a lot of press to get its attention or really good and that it needed a lot of press to get its attention. Either way it was a 50/50 chance…

Divergent tells the story of Tris, a girl who has to make the biggest decision of her life based on a test. When the test tells her she is divergent, and that she must tell no one, things start to get a bit dangerous for Tris. Even though she manages to get through everything they throw at her, she still doesn’t know what Divergent means. Will see ever?

The beginning of the book was very hard to follow. I’m not sure whether it was just me not being able to process it well, or the fact that the story line wasn’t made very clear. It was that little thing that made me want to give up on it. Thankfully, I didn’t and can’t believe what a great read I almost threw out the window. It was difficult at first, but when you get past the first few chapters, you see how it is such a gripping and interesting story. You want to read on and see where it ends up, as this book is definitely unpredictable. There’s action and romance within this book, but overall it was just so different compared to any dystopian novel I have read.

Finally I really loved this book. It had everything I needed to love it and more. Also seeing that there is another book just made it even better! This is a series to watch out for! However don’t let the beginning set you back, or you will definitely be missing out!

CURRENTLY READING!

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 22:23:00 +0000

SKIN DEEP

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 21:50:00 +0000

I love Waterstones. I have to say since joining their read for free club I have found so many great new books that haven’t even been published yet. One of my newest finds is Skin Deep by Laura Jarratt. It get’s released 5^th March of this year, and is the first novel by Jarratt, and I have to say it’s brilliant.

Skin Deep is the story of Jenna, a girl who gets into a car accident which kills two of her friends, but leaves her scarred; inside and out. She then meets Ryan who’s a traveller, the one boy who makes her feel normal again. But then they find the body of the boy who caused her scarring, and all the fingers are pointed at Ryan.

It’s such a realistic story which gets you thinking over how would deal with the situation that Jenna goes through. I love the simplicity of it and how easy it is too fall in love with everything Jarratt says. Also, as said before it’s brilliant for a first novel! If this doesn’t get her noticed I will be shocked and very disappointed. I also loved how the chapters were set up with the two different points of views. It made it more interesting, especially to get a different perspective on how Ryan views Jenna.

Unfortunately I didn’t like how the main plot of the story didn’t happen till right at the end of the book. It dragged it on, and because I was waiting for it to happen, it made the book even longer than what it is.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and can’t wait for everyone else to read it! I also look forward to reading more of Jarratt’s work. So keep your eyes peeled, she’s a keeper!

CURRENTLY READING!

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 14:07:00 +0000

PANDEMONIUM

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 10:02:00 +0000

Pandemonium follows the story of Delirium in a brilliant way, which makes it the perfect sequel and it’s even better than the first! It’s even more dangerous and darker than before, and you can’t help fall in love with it. It still has the themes of romance, sadness, action, and adventure, but now adds a sense of normality to it, which gives it the darker feeling. I managed to get myself a copy before it was released thanks to the Waterstones read for free program!

Unfortunately, I can’t give away much of the plot, since there would be too many spoilers for people who have yet to read the first book! But I will say we follow Lena in a new light, and see how she deals with what has happened since the last book.

I love how the chapters are set out. The titles ‘then’ and ‘now’ makes you ask questions, and wonder what has happened in the time since we left Lena. It also made it more exciting to read, as I desperately wanted to know what had gone on in the past, so I kept on reading!

However, I think a certain story line was a little bit too predictable, and I had even guessed with myself over what had happened, and managed to get it right!

Overall, I think this is a fantastic sequel to Delirium, and look forward to the final chapter of this story. However, I am slightly sad that I now have to wait over a year for it, but maybe by then I can grab myself a proof copy and read it before everyone else! I hope so!

CURRENTLY READING!

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 23:01:00 +0000

DELIRIUM

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 16:21:00 +0000

I can’t even put into words how much I love this book and the fact that there are two more books too come, makes me love it even more! I found this book through Goodreads and also because I have read one of Lauren Oliver’s novels and I have to say this is one of my favourites of hers. Her story is beyond beautiful, and one the most heart breaking stories I have read in ages.

Delirium tells the story of Lena, a girl who lives in a world where Love is not allowed and when you turn 18, you receive the cure, which prevents you from ever feeling love again. When she meets Alex her view on everything changes, but will she be able to save them both from the dangers ahead?

I absolutely love this book. It has to be one of the most exciting and beautiful books I have read this year! It has romance, action, and a sense of forbiddingness, that makes you long for more! However, at some points you think Oliver’s going to rip your heart out and other times smother you with love, and yet I love it.

I honestly can’t say anything wrong with this book, because it’s just so amazing.

As I’ve said many times, I love this book. I have high, high hopes for this book and really hope it does well! Also, I am definitely excited to read the next book, and see what Oliver comes up with next! Check this out, because you will not be disappointed!

CURRENTLY READING!

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 19:55:00 +0000

THE DESCENDANTS.

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 18:49:00 +0000

The Descendants is a brilliant novel to read. It turns something that people see or have to deal with every day and make it seem much more real; gives it more emotion. I had heard about this book through the TV adverts they had been playing constantly, and thought I would give it a go. (Also, it was in my local ASDA store for £3.99 so that gave me the extra push!)

The Descendants is about Matt, a man who has to deal with his wife going into a coma and how he has to raise to his daughters by himself. In the mist of that chaos he then learns that his wife was having an affair, and he wants to find the man it was with!

This book is brilliant. As I said, it turns the simple idea (a coma, an affair) into something more complicated. It shows the emotions behind it and from the many different points of view of the characters, even though it is only written in the first person. I also loved the simple humour behind it and also for the drama the novel contained.

The only problem I had was I couldn’t fully enjoy the book. It was mainly because of not having enough time to read it, or to really appreciate it. That’s something you should always do when reading; make time!

You should definitely check this book out, so you can compare it when you go and see the film! But overall, I did enjoy the book and would highly suggest reading it for the humour and drama!

Waterstones Read For Free!

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:53:02 +0000

From going to my local Waterstones store, I have found this new and exciting way to read books which is completely free!

Read for Free, is a proof reading club, which allows you to read new titles before they’ve been published! In return you have to write a short review for the book just to let other people of your thoughts! It’s so simple!

There’s a variety of choice, and what makes it exciting for me is knowing that I get to read the next in my favourite series before everyone else! I think this is a brilliant idea and you should definitely check it out! I’ve already bagged myself a book and can’t wait to get stuck in!

CURRENTLY READING!

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 16:48:00 +0000