Refreshing Read

Thursday, 18 July 2013

Flashback Friday #4

Flashback Friday is a weekly meme i created where we can take a look back at books we loved when we were younger. Being someone who has loved reading my whole life its fun to look back at the books that you once enjoyed. If you want to join the fun link up below and share you favorites!

This weeks book is:

The baby sitters club- Ann M.Martin
First published: 1986
153 pages

Kristy thinks the Baby-sitters Club is a great idea. She and her friends Claudia, Stacey and Mary Anne all love taking care of kids. A club will give them the chance to have lots of fun-and make tons of money.

But nobody counted on crank calls, uncontrollable two-year-olds, wild pets, and parents who don't always tell the truth. And then there's Stacey, who's acting more and more mysterious. Having a baby-sitters club isn't easy, but Kristy and her friends aren't giving up until they get it right!

I loved this whole series but i thought i would just put the first on here. There was so many of these books i dont think i ever got round to reading them all but i loved all the ones i did read.
They had the best adventures and the friendship in this book was really great.

Looking for Alaska- John Green

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Published: Jan 1, 2005
221 Pages
Goodreads page

Before. Miles "Pudge" Halter's whole existence has been one big nonevent, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the "Great Perhaps" (François Rabelais, poet) even more. Then he heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.

After. Nothing is ever the same.

This book really disappointed me. I have heard so many good things about it but i actually really had to push myself to get through it. I don't know if its because Ive been sick and maybe just not in the mood for it but i just really didn't find myself interested.
I didn't feel particularly attached to the characters and i felt like the story line had nothing going for it.
Maybe I'm missing the deeper meaning to this book but it just felt like it was trying too hard to be 'deep' and missed out on actually creating a good story.

I think it is definitely way over hyped. I do like John Greens writing style though, because i have read The Fault In Our Stars and loved it. I wont be giving up on him just yet i do plan on reading his other work but this one just wasn't my cup of tea i think.

***
Three stars

Friday, 12 July 2013

A million suns (across the universe #2)-Beth Revis

Publisher: Razorbill
Published: Jan 10,2012
386 Pages
Goodreads page

Godspeed was once fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.

It’s been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. Everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceshipGodspeed.

But there may be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to act on his vision—no more Phydus, no more lies.

But when Elder learns shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a mystery that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier. Their success—or failure—will determine the fate of the 2,298 passengers aboard Godspeed. But with each step, the journey becomes more perilous, the ship more chaotic, and the love between them more impossible to fight.

Beth Revis catapulted readers into the far reaches of space with her New York Times bestselling debut, Across the Universe. In A Million Suns, Beth deepens the mystery with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship.

I think i may have actually enjoyed this more than Across the Universe! It was so action packed and there was a bigger element of mystery in this book that kept you guessing the whole time.
I love Elder and seeing him grow as a character was really great.

The only problem i had was that i didn't really like Amy in this book. She seems so arrogant and selfish and it really bugged me. She acted like her opinions were the only that mattered and she only seemed to care about her people and not the people of the ship.

I don't want to give away any spoilers so i will leave it at that but it was a really exciting read and i could not put it down!

*****
Five stars

Flashback Friday #3

This weeks book is:

The Gizmo- Paul Jennings
Published: 2005
72 pages

Goodreads page

Stephen's bra is starting to slip. His pantyhose are sagging. His knickers keep falling down. Oh, the shame of it. He stole a gizmo-and now it's paying him back. Another crazy yarn from Australia's master of madness. The Paul Jennings phenomenon began with the publication ofUnreal in 1985. Since then, his stories have been devoured all around the world.

Just looking at this cover brings back fond memories. This was a quick but querky read and i loved it!

I loved the sequel too.

Friday, 5 July 2013

Pretty Little Liars #1- Sara Sheppard

Publisher: Harper Collins
Published: Oct 1, 2006
286 Pages
Goodreads page

Three years ago, Alison disappeared after a slumber party, not to be seen since. Her friends at the elite Pennsylvania school mourned her, but they also breathed secret sighs of relief. Each of them guarded a secret that only Alison had known. Now they have other dirty little secrets, secrets that could sink them in their gossip-hungry world. When each of them begins receiving anonymous emails and text messages, panic sets in. Are they being betrayed by some one in their circle? Worse yet: Is Alison back?

I should start off by saying that i am absolutely in love with the tv show they made from these books and i was just as in love with this book.

The whole time i was reading i had so much fun picking out what was the same and different between the book and the show.

I love the characters and the mystery and even though i kind of know what happens (although i obviously don't know who A is yet) its still such an enjoyable read!

There isn't really a whole lot i can say about this book just that if you love the tv show or even if you haven't seen it and love a good mystery then definitely pick this one up. You wont be disappointed.

*****
Five stars

Thursday, 4 July 2013

Flashback Friday #2

This weeks book is:

Matilda- Roald Dahl

Published: 1988

231 Pages

Goodreads page

Matilda is a little girl who is far too good to be true. At age five-and-a-half she's knocking off double-digit multiplication problems and blitz-reading Dickens. Even more remarkably, her classmates love her even though she's a super-nerd and the teacher's pet. But everything is not perfect in Matilda's world. For starters she has two of the most idiotic, self-centered parents who ever lived. Then there's the large, busty nightmare of a school principal, Mrs. ("The") Trunchbull, a former hammer-throwing champion who flings children at will and is approximately as sympathetic as a bulldozer. Fortunately for Matilda, she has the inner resources to deal with such annoyances: astonishing intelligence, saintly patience, and an innate predilection for revenge.

This is definitely one of my most beloved childhood books. I have read this countless times and my copy is so incredibly beaten up and loved that i need to invest in a new one.
I always felt i could relate to Matilda because i shared her love of reading.

Wednesday, 3 July 2013

The perks of being a wallflower- Stephen Chbosky

Publisher: Mtv Books
Published: Feb 1. 1999
213 Pages
Goodreads page

Charlie is a freshman.

And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it.

Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But he can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

I had heard a lot of great things about this book so going in i had pretty high expectations. Unfortunately i think they were a little too high..

The whole time i was reading this book i felt like there was something i wasn't getting, like i was missing something. You find out at the end that there is something that happened but to me that didn't take away that feeling. I couldn't understand why he talked and acted the way he did like i actually thought he might be 'slow'.

I feel like the author was writing from the perspective of a 10 year old rather than a teenager just starting high school. I also didn't understand why these older kids where hanging out with this weird young kid who seems slow, like to me in real life that wouldn't really happen, but i guess that's just my point of view.

It was an ok story but it really just didn't wow me.
I plan on watching the movie in the hope that i will understand this book better but i just don't get what the hype is about.

***
Three stars