Life of Pi- Yann Martel

Publisger: Mariner books
Published: May 1, 2003
319 pages
Goodreads page

Life of Pi is a masterful and utterly original novel that is at once the story of a young castaway who faces immeasurable hardships on the high seas, and a meditation on religion, faith, art and life that is as witty as it is profound. Using the threads of all of our best stories, Yann Martel has woven a glorious spiritual adventure that makes us question what it means to be alive, and to believe.

Growing up in Pondicherry, India, Piscine Molitor Patel - known as Pi - has a rich life. Bookish by nature, young Pi acquires a broad knowledge of not only the great religious texts but of all literature, and has a great curiosity about how the world works. His family runs the local zoo, and he spends many of his days among goats, hippos, swans, and bears, developing his own theories about the nature of animals and how human nature conforms to it. Pi’s family life is quite happy, even though his brother picks on him and his parents aren’t quite sure how to accept his decision to simultaneously embrace and practise three religions - Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam.

But despite the lush and nurturing variety of Pi’s world, there are broad political changes afoot in India, and when Pi is sixteen, his parents decide that the family needs to escape to a better life. Choosing to move to Canada, they close the zoo, pack their belongings, and board a Japanese cargo ship called the Tsimtsum. Travelling with them are many of their animals, bound for zoos in North America. However, they have only just begun their journey when the ship sinks, taking the dreams of the Patel family down with it. Only Pi survives, cast adrift in a lifeboat with the unlikeliest oftravelling companions: a zebra, an orang-utan, a hyena, and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.

Thus begins Pi Patel’s epic, 227-day voyage across the Pacific, and the powerful story of faith and survival at the heart of Life of Pi. Worn and scared, oscillating between hope and despair, Pi is witness to the playing out of the food chain, quite aware of his new position within it. When only the tiger is left of the seafaring menagerie, Pi realizes that his survival depends on his ability to assert his own will, and sets upon a grand and ordered scheme to keep from being Richard Parker’s next meal.

As Yann Martel has said in one interview, “The theme of this novel can be summarized in three lines. Life is a story. You can choose your story. And a story with an imaginative overlay is the better story.” And for Martel, the greatest imaginative overlay is religion. “God is a shorthand for anything that is beyond the material - any greater pattern of meaning.” In Life of Pi, the question of stories, and of what stories to believe, is front and center from the beginning, when the author tells us how he was led to Pi Patel and to this novel: in an Indian coffee house, a gentleman told him, “I have a story that will make you believe in God.” And as this novel comes to its brilliant conclusion, Pi shows us that the story with the imaginative overlay is also the story that contains the most truth.

I want to start off by saying that this is the 50th book i read this year, which means i reached my goal! yay!

At first i didn't really get into this book, it was kind of slow at the start and i couldn't really see where it was going.

It wasn't until about halfway through that i actually started enjoying. 

I love the strength that Pi showed and even when there seemed to be no hope he never gave up. He was so strong willed and that's what is so inspiring.

There were a few slow bits and i had moments where i was like does it ever end? But the story really is fascinating.

The ending threw me off and then after a few minutes i realised it made perfect sense.You can tell its a really well thought out story and the author did a lot of research,

Overall it was a pretty interesting and well written story. I'm excited to see what the movie is like.

****

Four stars

Pushing the limits- Katie McGarry

Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Published: July 31, 2012
392 pages
Goodreads page

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty muchimpossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

We start off meeting Echo who went through a life changing event which kind of messed her up, the only thing is she cant remember what it was that happened. Then we meet Noah who also has his own issues that he is trying to sort through. They are both seeing the same councillor and they meet and the story kind of takes off from there..

This book kind of had highs and lows for me. There were times where i was really into it and then times where it was kind of just your regular teens with issues falling in love story.
I liked  the characters and the way we kind of go through Echos story with her learning as she learns what happened to her.
I also liked that it wasn't your typical insta-love story. I also liked the whole 'looking for normal' thing (those who have read it will get it), because in life i think a lot of people crave 'normal' but normal is what you make it. Its a good message to get out there.
I cant exactly pin point what the lows where for me but there were just times when i was easily distracted from the book. When i read i like to be fully absorbed and give it my full attention but there were times where i struggled.

Oh and i have to say that i really don't like this cover. Its just doesn't work for me.

Overall this is a good read and i recommend it for any lover of YA contemporaries that deal with issues.


****
Four stars

End of year book survey!

End of year book survey is created by Jamie over at perpetual page turner, its just a survey to look back at the books we read this year.

I know the year isn't over yet but i have a feeling i wont be getting a whole lot more reading done between now and the end of the year so without further ado here is my survey for 2012!

1. Best Book You Read In 2012? (You can break it down by genre if you want)

So probably my most favourite book of the year is was Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver but i have so many that i might just break it up into genres:

Adult fiction: The Casual Vacancy- J.K.Rowling

Contemporary YA- Cracked up to be- Courtney Summers and The Fault in our stars- John Green

Dystopian YA- Mockingjay- Suzanne Collins

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

Anna and the french kiss- Stephanie Perkins, i didn't completely hate this but after all the hype i thought it would be a lot better and i was pretty disappointed. It was kind of like any other YA contemporary

 3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2012? 

The girls guide to homelessness- Brianna Karp, i didn't expect this book to touch me like it did. I really felt a lot of emotions while reading this and i really enjoyed it.

4. Book you recommended to people most in 2012?

I haven't really recommended any books to anyone because most the people around me don't read, but i did tell my mum she should read fifty shades of grey (not that she did).

 5. Best series you discovered in 2012?

The delirium series is so good! i loved the second book way more than the first but they were both great, its such a good concept. I also enjoyed the maze runner series (although i have only read the first two so far)

 6. Favourite new authors you discovered in 2012?

John Green , i read two books by him this year and really enjoyed them both.

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?

The red queen and The white queen by Phillipa Gregory, i don't usually read much historical fiction but i actually really enjoyed these books, although it took me a little bit to get into because you kind of have to think a lot while reading to remember who's who and everything.

 8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2012?

Well there was only one book i read in one sitting and that was The fault in our stars by John Green

 9. Book You Read In 2012 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year:

Probably pandemonium because when requiem comes out i will want to remember everything that happened

10. Favourite cover of a book you read in 2012?

Fallen- Lauren Kate

It wasn't the greatest read but it has such a pretty cover.

11. Most memorable character in 2012? 

Probably Ana from the fifty shades of grey trilogy, only because it was probably one of the weirdest books I've read so it stands out to me

 12. Most beautifully written book read in 2012?

The sky is everywhere- Jandy Nelson was really well written

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2012? 

Either A girls guide to homelessness- Brianna Karp or Unbearable lightness- Portia De Rossi, they were both great reads about real issues and they really make you feel.

 14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2012 to finally read? 

The Hobit-J.R.R.Tolkein, I've been wanting to read it for so long and i finally did it this year

 15. Favourite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2012? 

“You have to understand. I am no one special. I am just a single girl. I am five feet two inches tall and I am in-between in every way. But I have a secret. You can build walls all the way to the sky and I will find a way to fly above them. You can try to pin me down with a hundred thousand arms, but I will find a way to resist. And there are many of us out there, more than you think. People who refuse to stop believing. People who refuse to come to earth. People who love in a world without walls, people who love into hate, into refusal, against hope,and without fear. I love you. Remember. They cannot take it.” 
― Lauren Oliver, Delirium

there were a lot more but this is one of the many

 16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2012? 

shortest- Surviving the angel of death: the story of a mengele twin in auschwitz- Eva Mozes Kor

longest- A Game of Thrones- George R.R.Martin

 17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers!

the ending of delirium i was like WTF o.0 i wasn't exactly dying to talk to someone about it though

18. Favourite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2012 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).

I loved the relationship in What i didn't say-Keary Taylor, it was really great the way they communicated and discovered their love

19. Favourite Book You Read in 2012 From An Author You Read Previously

The casual vacancy- J.K.Rowling, i was so happy to be reading her writing again even if it was a completely different concept. She still has one of the best writing styles I've ever read.

20. Best Book You Read That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else:

I don't really get recommended books by people but i do get ideas from you tube and blogs. i cant really say one specific one though.

I'm looking forward to 2013 and all the books that come with it.

Thanks for reading!

Outside In- Maria V.Snyder

Published: July 2011
Publisher: Mira
326 pages
Goodreads page

Me? A Leader? Okay, I did prove that there's more to Inside than we knew. That a whole world exists beyond this cube we live in. And finding that led to a major rebellion - between worker scrubs like me and the snobby uppers who rule our world. Make that ruled. Because of me, we're free. I thought that meant I was off the hook, and could go off on my own again - while still touching base with Riley, of course. He's the one upper I think I can trust. But then we learnt that there's outside and then there is Outside. And something from Outside wants In

Well to start off i didn't really enjoy this one as much as the first. I found that it was little bit repetitive and up until probably the last quarter of the book i kind of felt like it was the same as the first.

I still enjoyed all the characters, Trella is such a kick butt character. I love her determination. Riley sounds adorable, like a person you just want to hug.

I was hoping there would be a bit more action and drama in this book, and while there was stuff happening i wasn't really kept on my toes. It was kind of just ok.

I cant really say too much more because i don't want to ruin the first for those that haven't read it. Apologies for the short review.

Overall it was worth reading to see what happened after Inside out, but it didn't meet my expectations.

***
Three stars

Inside out - Maria V.Snyder

Published: April 1, 2011
Publisher: Mira
315 pages
Goodreads page

Keep Your Head Down.

Don't Get Noticed.

Or Else.

I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? The only neck at risk is my own…until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution.

Its been a while since I've done a review so i may be a little rusty but i will do my best!

We start this book off meeting Trella and learning about this place she lives in. She is one of thousands of scrubs who live in the bottom half of this four storied place. In the upper half live the uppers and as far as Trella knows the uppers have a great life while the scrubs are pretty much made to be slaves and all they do is work, eat and sleep. Trella however is kind of a rebel and spends her time exploring through the pipes of all the levels. Trella meets this prophet named Broken Man and the story takes off from there..

I really, really enjoyed this. Trella is such a strong character and you just end up rooting for her throughout the whole book.
I love the world that has been created, its kind of a dystopian/sci fi and its such and good concept. The description was done so well i had a really clear picture in my head of how everything would look.

There is so many twists and turns and just when you think its going to go one way it turns around and goes different to what you  were expecting.

I think this book would make an awesome movie. I cant wait to read the second (Outside in), which i have sitting there just waiting for me to finish writing this.
I recommend this for any lover of dystopian. Any Hunger Games fan would love this.

*****
Five stars

Im back!

Hi there!
So i haven't posted in quite a while i have had a lot going on recently, sorry about that.
I am back however and hopefully i can get back into it and get regular posts happening again. With Christmas and new year coming up i will be busy but hopefully i can still get some stuff done.

Since my last post i have only read two books which were
The casual vacancy by J.K Rowling, which i gave 5 stars
and Amy and Rogers epic detour by Morgan Matson, which i gave 4 stars.
I probably wont be doing reviews on these only because they aren't fresh in my mind anymore so i wouldn't be able to as good of a review as id like. But i did enjoy them both very much and was super happy to be reading J.K.Rowling's writing again.

So any who hopefully things will slow down and get back to normal so i can continue doing what i love,
reading!

happy reading guys
xo

Beautiful Disaster- Jamie McGuire

Published: August 14, 2012
Publisher: Simon and schuster
432 pages
Goodreads page

The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate percentage of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance between her and the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University's Walking One-Night Stand. 

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby needs—and wants—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match

I'm a little late uploading this review, i actually finished this book before September ended but as with the rest of last month i have had a lot going on. Unfortunately my absence will probably continue into October because this is my birthday month and i have a lot of other things happening this month, but i will try and do reviews when i can (if i get any books read, which hopefully i will).

Any who onto the review..
I think I'm a little bit on the fence with this book. I enjoyed the characters and the writing style was really great but i didn't really enjoy the love story that this book was based around.
I felt frustrated because it was so all over the place (the relationship) and i kind of just wanted them to pull it together.
There was a little bit of content in this book that may be for the older young adult and that was unexpected for me eg. violence and a little bit of sex. Although the sex isn't full on or anything its just there so i though id warn you if your not into that stuff in your books this probably isn't for you. I'm not against books that have all the good stuff but i just thought this was more of a girly innocent contemporary going in i guess haha.
I wasn't really down with Abby's 'secret past'. I cant really describe why it just to me didn't fit in with Abby and just made it fake. I don't know if that makes sense but i cant really articulate why i didn't like this part of the book.

Overall i think its an ok read and a lot of people would enjoy it but it didn't really blow me away.

***
Three stars

Passion- Lauren Kate

Publisher: Delacorte press
Published: 14 June, 2011
420 pages
Goodreads page

Luce would die for Daniel.

And she has. Over and over again. Throughout time, Luce and Daniel have found each other, only to be painfully torn apart: Luce dead, Daniel left broken and alone. But perhaps it doesn't need to be that way....

Luce is certain that something - or someone - in a past life can help her in her present one. So she begins the most important journey of thislifetime...going back eternities to witness firsthand her romances with Daniel...and finally unlock the key to making their love last.

Cam and the legions of angels and Outcasts are desperate to catch Luce, but none are as frantic as Daniel. He chases Luce through their shared pasts, terrified of what might happen if she rewrites history. Because their romance for the ages could go up in flames...forever.

Sweeping across centuries, PASSION is the third novel in the unforgettably epic FALLEN series.

So let me start off by saying that i have barely had a chance to read this month, I've been super busy and i think I'm in a little bit of a reading slump. This book wasn't helping that much.

This book is the third in the FALLEN series and it was pretty average. I cant say i was disappointed because the only book i have really enjoyed in this series was the first but i had hoped it would pick up after the second one was such a disappointment.
I found that it was kind of slow and i was extremely frustrated throughout reading this because i didn't understand the point of the 'quest' Luce goes on. It seemed like she was doing all this stuff and still getting none of the information she was looking for.
Although it kind of explains it at the end i still felt like we didn't necessarily have to go through all that to find out what we did.
The history aspect of it was a good idea but i think that maybe if there were more actual historical events intertwined into the story it would have been great. I love reading about history but it just wasn't done right for me.

Overall i think this series is lost for me, i will only be reading the last book (Rapture) out of curiosity to find out how it all ends.

**
Two stars

Surviving the angel of death- Eva Mozes Kor, Lisa Rojany Buccieri

Publisher: Tanglewood Press
Published: Oct 14, 2009
141 pages
Goodreads page

Eva Mozes Kor was 10 years old when she arrived in Auschwitz. While her parents and two older sisters were taken to the gas chambers, she and her twin, Miriam, were herded into the care of the man known as the Angel of Death, Dr. Josef Mengele. Mengele's twins were granted the privileges of keeping their own clothes and hair, but they were also subjected to sadistic medical experiments and forced to fight daily for their own survival, as most of the twins died as a result of the experiements or from the disease and hunger pervasive in the camp. In a narrative told with emotion and restraint, readers will learn of a child's endurance and survival in the face of truly extraordinary evil. The book also includes an epilogue on Eva's recovery from this experience and her remarkable decision to publicly forgive the Nazis. Through her museum and her lectures, she has dedicated her life to giving testimony on the Holocaust, providing a message of hope for people who have suffered, and working toward goals of forgiveness, peace, and the elimination of hatred and prejudice in the world.

I love reading/learning about history so this book was right up my alley.
This book is Eva's story about her experience in a German concentration camp, where because she was a twin she had to endure cruel experiments.
I'm always blown away by the strength of people who went through this experience. I cant imagine how awful it would have been, and to stay strong and still want to fight to live is amazing.
The Nazis did horrible horrible things and Eva could still forgive for all she went through and that is so admiral to me, i have so much respect for her.

It was a quick read but a very moving one. I definitely recommend it.

****
Four stars

Torment- Lauren Kate

Publisher: Delacorte Press
Published: Sep 28, 2010
452 pages
Goodreads page

Hell on earth.

That's what it's like for Luce to be apart from her fallen angel boyfriend, Daniel.

It took them an eternity to find one another, but now he has told her he must go away. Just long enough to hunt down the Outcasts - immortals who want to kill Luce. Daniel hides Luce at Shoreline, a school on the rocky California coast with unusually gifted students: Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans.

At Shoreline, Luce learns what the Shadows are, and how she can use them as windows to her previous lives. Yet the more Luce learns, the more she suspects that Daniel hasn't told her everything. He's hiding something - something dangerous.

What if Daniel's version of the past isn't actually true? What if Luce is really meant to be with someone else?

The second novel in the addictive FALLEN series...where love never dies.

I have been super busy this past week so this book took longer for me to read than it should have.
Obviously i don't want to say too much about it but i can definitely say i did not enjoy it as much as the first.
It wasn't all bad to the point where i didn't want to read it but not a whole lot happened. There was a thing at the end and that was about it. The rest was kind of just a filler.
They also created  a NEW love triangle.. gah why? As if one in a series isn't bad enough, they create a new one. Hope that's not a spoiler but that just frustrated me a bit especially when you know that its pointless anyway, i wanted to see more of the actual love story or learn more about the angels but we didn't really get that.
I wouldn't say not to read it and I'm sure its all necessary to go on to the next book but it was somewhat of a disappointment.
Hopefully the next book will make up for it.
Oh and i didn't dig this cover like i did the first.

**
Two stars

Fallen - Lauren Kate

Publisher: Delacorte Press
Published: Dec 8, 2009
452 pages
Goodreads page

There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce – he goes out of his way to make that very clear. But she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, Luce has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret...even if it kills her.

Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, FALLEN is a page-turning thriller and the ultimate love story.

To start off we meet Luce who has been sent to a reform school because of an incident that even she doesn't know the details of. Here she meets Daniel who wants nothing to do with her and yet she is still drawn to him. The plot pretty much takes off from there.
I don't think i had actually read an angel book before this one so i didn't really have any expectations but i really enjoyed this book. I have seen a lot of mixed reviews on this book but i thought it was really well done.

I loved the setting, the way the school was written made it sound so creepy and it just really set the scene for a good story.
The storyline was great, there were a couple of slow bits but i think there generally is in every book.
The only thing that bugged me a bit was that there was a love triangle, but it wasn't done in a way that it was super annoying. Kind of just the whole idea of a love triangle is a bit blah for me.
I liked the ending but was still left a little confused about how Luce tied into it all but i guess i will find out more in the next books.
Oh and can i just say i think this cover is beautiful, i love it!
Overall i thought it was a great book, very well written, great characters, definitely worth a read.

****
Four stars

August wrap up

The weepers, the other life-

Susanne Winnacker
Goodreads page

The lovely bones-

Alice Sebold

Goodreads page

Confessions of an angry girl-
Louise Rozett
Goodreads page

You against me-

Jenny Downham

Goodreads page

Divergent-
Veronica Roth
Goodreads page

Insurgent-

Veronica Roth

Goodreads page

6 books this month :) did pretty well. Just managed to squeeze Insurgent in there. Enjoyed most of them so it was a pretty good month for reading i think!

Insurgent- veronica Roth

Publisher: Harper Teen
Published: May 1, 2012
525 pages
Goodreads page

One choice can transform you--or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves--and herself--while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable--and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

"New York Times" bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian "Divergent" series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

So i cant really say too much about this book because i don't want to spoil the first one for those very few who haven't read it.
I will just skip to my opinions..
I was quite disappointed with this book, it seemed to me to be a filler book (a book that is necessary to take the story line into the next book). No questions were answered it only created more, and i feel like we should have got at least some answers.
Also there was still no real back story. I want to know how and why their society is like this, and although they did touch on it at the end it just wasn't enough for me.
It was just kind of bland and i had little motivation while reading it.
Things did happen in this book but it wasn't the gripping story line we got in Divergent.
Oh and the romance fell extremely flat for me, it was pretty much non-existent, like it was hardly a focus at all and i was hoping to see things blossom a little more. If you know what i mean ;)
Overall pretty disappointed, hopefully the next book can pull it together and rescue this series for me.

***
Three stars

Divergent- Veronica Roth

Publisher: Harper Collins
Published: May 3, 2011
487 pages
Goodreads page

In a future Chicago, 16-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomaly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all.

So this was actually a re-read because i have had Insurgent sitting there since the day it came out but have been putting off re-reading this just because i have so many books in my TBR pile.
The first time i read this was before i started this blog so i thought i would do a review anyway.

Can i just say that the first time i read this i actually wasn't that into it, like it was good but i didn't understand the hype about it. I think its because i read it so fast that i didn't take time to enjoy it. By the time insurgent came out i had completely forgotten what happened, which is why i had to re-read.

The second time round i actually took the time to enjoy it and let everything sink in and i can actually understand the hype now. It really was great.
I don't think i need to explain what its about because I'm sure you have all read it so i will just skip to my opinion.
I love the world building, although i would like to learn more about the other factions (fingers crossed insurgent!). It was written in such a way that it felt so real.
And Tobias, oh man he is like the perfect guy. He is by far my favorite character.
The action in this book is so good. I pretty much read the last half of the book in one sitting because i couldn't put it down i just wanted to know what happened. Even when i had things to do i would tell myself 'just one more chapter' and five chapters later i was still sitting there.
A really great read and i recommend this for any dystopian lovers, or pretty much anybody should really give it a go

*****
Five stars

You against me- jenny Downham

Publisher: David Fickling
Published: Dec 2, 2010
413 pages
Goodreads page

If someone hurts your sister and you're any kind of man, you seek revenge, right? If your brother's been accused of a terrible crime and you're the main witness, then you banish all doubt and defend him. Isn't that what families do? When Mikey's sister claims a boy assaulted her at a party, his world of work and girls begins to fall apart. When Ellie's brother is charged with the crime, but says he didn't do it, her world of revision, exams and fitting in at a new school begins to unravel. When Mikey and Ellie meet, two worlds collide. Brave and unflinching, this is a novel of extraordinary skillfulness and almost unbearable tension. It's a book about loyalty and the choices that come with it. But above all it's a book about love - for ones family and for another.

Well to start off we meet Mikey and Ellie who are both on different sides of something bad that happened. Their fighting to help their siblings and when they meet their two worlds collide. They both have to decide what is right and what is wrong.
I loved both Mikey's and Ellie's characters they were both so well written and even though Ive never been through anything like this i felt like i could relate to them.
I enjoyed the story line, i found myself taking sides and really wanting to find out who did what. You do find out who was wrong and who was right and what really happened. The story is based more on Mikey and Ellie's relationship but i still was super into the story of what happened to these people.
I loved how Mikey's life was written and even though it wasn't a great life it seemed so real.
It was really touching to see that good can come from bad,
I don't have really have anything bad to say about this book, it kind of got a little slow in some parts but it didn't last long and it didn't bother me at all.
I really enjoyed this book, it was deep and meaningful and just a really great read. I recommend this for anyone looking for something that will hook you in, make you ask questions and make you think.

*****
Five stars

Confessions of an angry girl- Louise Rozett

Publisher: Harlequin teen
Published: Aug 28, 2012
272 pages
Goodreads page

Rose Zarelli, self-proclaimed word geek and angry girl, has some confessions to make:

…1. I'm livid all the time. Why? My dad died. My mom barely talks. My brother abandoned us. I think I'm allowed to be irate, don't you?

2. I make people furious regularly. Want an example? I kissed Jamie Forta, a badass guy who might be dating a cheerleader. She is nowenraged and out for blood. Mine.

3. High school might as well be Mars. My best friend has been replaced by an alien, and I see red all the time. (Mars is red and "seeing red" means being angry—get it?)

Here are some other vocab words that describe my life: Inadequate. Insufferable. Intolerable.

(Don't know what they mean? Look them up yourself.)

(Sorry. That was rude.)

To start off we meet Rose whose dad has died over the summer and she is starting high school. We follow her trying to go through the struggles of high school while dealing with her fathers death.
Well i did enjoy most of this book, but unfortunately the ending just wasn't what i was looking for. It pretty much just ended without warning and i was left thinking 'ugh, what??'
There is a second book coming in 2013 called Confessions of an almost girlfriend, which I'm assuming will answer my questions but i just didn't like it. It wasn't what you would call a cliffhanger because I'm not desperate to know what happens I'm just more confused. Maybe this is what the author was going for? I'm not sure.
Other than that the writing style is great and i love Rose's character, she has such an entertaining personality. I wish they could have gone a little deeper with the other characters.
The 'evil cheerleader' thing is a little cliche but it was pulled off pretty well in this book and i actually enjoyed all the bitchiness.
Overall a pretty good read, just hoping when the next book comes along it will leave me less confused and get a little deeper.
Oh and also i really love the cover of this book, I'm not sure why because its nothing all that different but i just think its nicely done.

***
Three stars