Monday 30 July 2012

The sky is everywhere- Jandy Nelson

Publisher: Dial
Published: Mar 9, 2010
288 pages
Goodreads page


Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to centre stage of her own life - and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide world exploding.

This remarkable debut is perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block. Just as much a celebration of love as it is a portrait of loss, Lennie's struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often hilarious, and ultimately unforgettable.





To start off i didn't think i was going to enjoy this book, i was kind of a little bored and didn't see it going anywhere.After about 100 pages it started to get really good and i ended up really enjoying it.
We go through the grieving process with Lennie who has just lost her sister and it shows how hard losing someone you love can be. There's a little bit of crazy, a bit of romance and a bit of everything really. By the end of the book i kind of felt like i had lost her sister too. It was very touching.
Losing a loved one is very hard and you see that people grieve in many different ways in this book. Death kind of has a ripple affect and a lot of people feel it. I enjoyed the way it was told and put out in a way that a lot of people could relate to and maybe even learn to deal with grief.
Jandy's writing style is great it has an awesome flow to it that made it an easy read and it only took me around two days to read it.
I'm not sure if all editions of this book are like this but i loved the way the ink was blue and there were pictures of the notes, it was such a nice touch. My book also had kind of like a canvas type cover with an elastic band type thing to hold the book closed (I'm not sure what the correct wording for one of those is :p).
Over all an amazing book i was super happy it came through in the end and impressed me.

*****
Five stars

Friday 27 July 2012

The carrier of the mark- Leigh Fallon

Publisher: Harper teen
Published: Oct 4, 2011
342 pages
Goodreads page
Their love was meant to be.

When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam DeRÍs.

But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction.




I didn't know a whole lot about this book going in because the synopsis doesn't give away too much.
We start off meeting Megan who has just moved to Ireland and is starting a new school and a new life there. She finds herself attracted to a mysterious boy, who's family have been a source of gossip in town for a long time. As we progress we learn about their secret and how Megan is tied into their family more than she knows.
Its a paranormal with some romance thrown in. I wasn't a fan of the romance because it kind felt like insta-love to me but the story line was decent and the characters where fairly well written and although they didn't really get super in depth with the characters it was still enjoyable.
I liked the idea of the elements, the way they are used and i hope we learn more about them in the books to come. I'm interested to see how they develop and what else they can do.
Its a very easy read that didn't require much thinking, which also made it a quick read. I did enjoy it but i wouldn't recommend it for someone looking for something that has a really deep/in depth story line or that requires a lot of thought.

****
Four stars

Monday 23 July 2012

Fifty shades freed- E.L.James


Publisher: The writers coffee shop publishing house
Published: Jan 19, 2012
579 pages
Goodreads page
When unworldly student Ana Steele first encountered the driven, damaged young entrepreneur Christian Grey, it sparked a sensual affair that changed both their lives irrevocably. Shocked, intrigued, and ultimately repelled by Christian's singular sexual tastes, Ana demanded a deeper commitment; determined to keep her, Christian agreed. Now, together, they have more -- love, passion, intimacy, wealth, and a world of infinite possibilities. But Ana always knew that loving her Fifty Shades would not be easy and being together poses challenges neither of them ever anticipated. Ana must somehow learn to share Christian's opulent lifestyle without sacrificing her own integrity, identity, or independence; Christian must somehow overcome his compulsion to control and lay to rest the horrors that blighted his past and haunt his present. Just when it seems that together their love can conquer any obstacle, tragedy, malice and fate combine to make Ana's worst nightmares come true.




Unfortunately i was kind of disappointed by this book. I cant really say too much without giving things away but i just felt like it was rushed.
I spent most of this book bored and for the small parts where something actually happened it was over before you could even get excited about something happening.
The characters didn't really develop all that much, although we did learn a little more about Christian it wasn't enough for me.
I think that this book was written quickly so they could slam another book out to keep everyone sucked in. I wish it had of had a better ending especially after the first two books were amazing.
I actually predicted what happened at the end at the very start too which is disappointing, i was hoping i would be wrong and the book would surprise me..but no.
I'm not exactly sure what i was expecting but this book definitely fell short of whatever my expectations were.

***
Three stars

Playing with your emotion TAG


So because i have been pretty inactive this month, its been a slow reading month for me because i have been super busy. I thought i would do a book tag from youtube which was created by www.youtube.com/padfootandprongs07. The TAG consists of choosing a book you have read that made you feel each emotion that was chosen. Enjoy :)


Happy:
Harry Potter and the order of the phoenix- J.K.Rowling

The whole Harry Potter series makes me happy but this one is the one i have read the most and as a result is the most battered from over use.
Everything about it makes me happy, and just thinking about it now makes me want to read it for the hundredth time.





Sad:
The fault in our stars- John Green

This was an obvious choice and pretty much everyone says this but aside from this the only book that has ever actually made me cry was Harry Potter and the Half blood prince and i didn't want to have two Harry Potter books on this list.
This book was extremely sad and yet extremely amazing. It has stayed with me and is one of my most memorable reads.




Angry:
Thirteen reasons why- Jay Asher

Oh my god did this book make me mad. I am so surprised i made it the whole way through. I think the writer of this book did not at all take into account the seriousness of suicide at all and the 'reasons' were just ridiculous. I personally have had family member commit suicide so it is a very touchy subject with me and it probably was not the best book to pick up but i think what Hannah did to Clay was just cruel and if shes supposed to know what its like to feel all these feeling why would she put it on him and make him feel that way? Suicide is serious and i really don't think that if this girl was so desperate to do it she would have gone through all the trouble to make the tapes just to be cruel, its ridiculous. There was literally nothing about this book that did not make me mad.

Nostalgic:
Goosebumps- R.L.Stine

Any of these books are nostalgic for me. I absolutely loved them growing up and i still have a large collection of them. I loved the tv series as well it scared the crap out of me but i loved it.
These books just remind of being young and they started my love of horror movies and being scared.





Scared:
The girls guide to homelessness- Brianna Karp

This book is not what you would expect for scared but this book scared me in a different way. It opened my eyes to homelessness and how it can happen to anyone. Brianna was just a normal girl with a job and them bam she was homeless. It scared me because it must have been so hard for her and i couldn't even imagine how she must have felt. I would never want to be in that situation myself and that's why it scared me.




Surprised:
Beauty Queens- Libba Bray

This book surprised me but not in a good way. I had heard every one go on about how good it was so i went in with high hopes. I was surprised because it was absolutely ridiculous and it was not at all what i expected. I cant say i enjoyed it that much and i was surprised by that.






Disappointed:
Fifty shades freed- E.L.James

Ok so technically i haven't finished this book yet but I'm about ten pages away and i know that my opinion wont change in the next ten pages. I was so disappointed with this book. The first two books in the trilogy where amazing but in this book the story line just fell flat and i found myself bored for most of it.





Distressed:

I actually don't have a book for this one because i couldn't think of a book that would fit it.

Confused:
Its kind of a funny story- Ned Vizzini

I'm not what exactly confused me about this book i think it was just the book as a whole and i didn't really get what the point that was trying to be made was, or maybe it was the ending? I really don't know i was just confused..

Saturday 14 July 2012

Fifty shades darker- E.L.James


Publisher: The writers coffee shop publishing house
Published: Sep 15, 2011
532 pages
Goodreads page
Daunted by the singular sexual tastes and dark secrets of the beautiful, tormented young entrepreneur Christian Grey, Anastasia Steele has broken off their relationship to start a new career with a Seattle publishing house. 

But desire for Christian still dominates her every waking thought, and when he proposes a new arrangement, Anastasia cannot resist. They rekindle their searing sensual affair, and Anastasia learns more about the harrowing past of her damaged, driven and demanding Fifty Shades. 

While Christian wrestles with his inner demons, Anastasia must confront the anger and envy of the women who came before her, and make the most important decision of her life





There's not a lot i can say about this book without ruining the first book, but i will say it was just as good if not better than the first!
The story line gets so much more involved in this book and i just could not put it down. You learn so much more about Christian and his life before Anna and you also get to know Anna a little more.
Around halfway through the sex scenes do get a bit old but the story line makes up for it.
An amazing read

*****
Five stars

Saturday 7 July 2012

Fifty Shades of Grey- E.L.James


Publisher: Vintage
Published: May 26, 2011
540 pages
Goodreads page
When literature student Anastasia Steele is drafted to interview the successful young entrepreneur Christian Grey for her campus magazine, she finds him attractive, enigmatic and intimidating. Convinced their meeting went badly, she tries to put Grey out of her mind - until he happens to turn up at the out-of-town hardware store where she works part-time. 

The unworldly, innocent Ana is shocked to realize she wants this man, and when he warns her to keep her distance it only makes her more desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her - but on his own terms. 

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey's singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success – his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving adoptive family – Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a passionate, physical and daring affair, Ana learns more about her own dark desires, as well as the Christian Grey hidden away from public scrutiny.

Can their relationship transcend physical passion? Will Ana find it in herself to submit to the self-indulgent Master? And if she does, will she still love what she finds?

Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.


Well i want to start off this review by saying this book is not for anyone under the age of at least 16.
I was actually so impressed with this book, I had heard all the hype and that it was pretty much a porno in book form but when you actually read it the explicit stuff in this book is written in a kind of classy way that doesn't gross you out or make you want to put the book down. Its detailed but not to the point where its too much.
The characters are so well written, i feel like i could actually be Anastasia  (the main character). Christen, who is the love interest in this book is hot, steamy, rich, complicated and just so delicious. The love that you can see blossoming between them is sweet but complicated and very addictive. You find out there's more to Christian than just what he appears and he's actually very deep.
It is not at all what i expected for erotica and i loved every minute of it. Don't be put off by the fact that its erotica because there really is so much more to it and i am so excited to get into the next one.

*****
Five stars


Sunday 1 July 2012

June wrap up


*****
Five stars


*****
Five stars


*****
Five stars


**
Two stars


*****
Five stars


***
Three stars


Had a really good month with some great books. I am currently reading Fifty shades of grey by E.L.James, i started The night circus by Erin Morgenstern but wasn't really feeling it. I think i was just in the mood for something else but i do plan to go back to it.
Happy reading :)