Saturday 22 September 2012

The Fault in our Stars by John Green



Why, John Green, why? Why do you take such touching, realistic, inspiring characters, make me want to be best friends with them, and then put them in this particular storyline?

My only complaint about this book? It was too well written. I actually felt the emotions. I cared for the characters. And I choked up when the rollercoaster started going downhill.

The plot itself is pretty simple. Hazel has terminal cancer in her lungs. She’s reliant on a machine to pump oxygen into her body, she doesn’t go to school anymore, and her days are occupied by being a Full Time Sick Person. Then, into her life bounces Augustus Waters, who is sexy, charming, quirky, and full of witty one-liners.

“You have a choice in this world, I believe, about how to tell sad stories. We made the funny choice.” Like Hazel and Augustus, John Green also decides to tell his heartbreaking story the funny way. One moment, you’re amused by the character’s antics, and the next, you feel like breaking down because everything is just so hopeless. The review on the cover really sums it up best- ‘filled with staccato bursts of humor and tragedy’. Honestly, how can I review a book when Jodi Picoulti has already done such a good job of it? Alas, I will still try.

I could go on forever about John Green’s amazing writing style and characters and all, but if you’ve read his other books/aren’t living in a hole, you already know about all that. What I wanted to highlight was how illuminating this book is about death. I mean, it’s a pretty central idea, seeing as Hazel has a terminal illness. So many questions are asked, like will they be remembered and how, will they leave their mark on the world and what’s the point of life if they don’t, what happens after death, and how to deal with pain. I’ve never seen, and I doubt I will ever see, a book that deals with deal in such a frank yet thoughtful way. It really stood out for me when Augustus says that the average kid with cancer, even though they’re supposed to be remembered as being “stoic and determined…who heroically fights her cancer with inhuman strength and never complains or stops smiling even at the very end”- they can be pitiful and mean. The book emphasized that a couple times. It sounds harsh, and I was totally taken aback by it.

Anyhow, this book will make you feel so lucky to have more time than the characters. It will make you want to live every moment to the fullest, like they do. But you’ll be persuaded in a less cliché and overdone way because it’s John Green writing this story, and the way he says it sounds much better than me.

(That’s part of the reason I used so many quotes in this review;)  

Tuesday 4 September 2012

Something Wicked by Alan Gratz


There are so few mystery books out there that I’ve really tucked into. I mean like real mystery, not just with ‘mysterious undertones’. But this book…it’s my favourite mystery out there.

The plot is sort of similar to Macbeth, but don't expect the thees and thous and wherefore art thou Romeos. Although there are some references to the play cleverly built in (characters Mac, his girlfriend Beth, and a dog called Spot that later is commanded to leave...see what I'm getting at?) Anyhow, a fortune teller prophesizes that Mac will one day rule the Scottish games. Beth, Mac's ambitious and gorgeous girlfriend, is especially interested by this news. One night, the head of the games, Duncan, is brutally murdered. Horatio Wilkes, Mac’s friend and the awesome main character of this story, has to solve the mystery.

If you haven't read Macbeth, you'll still enjoy this book, but you won't as much as if you had read the play. (Trust me, I speak from experience. I hadn't read Hamlet before I read the sequel to this book, Something Rotten, and I felt like I wasn't getting some of the references). If you've read the play, you'll snicker behind your hands at all the clever ways that Alan Gratz has adapted the storyline. Kind of like being in on an inside joke. That said, this is still a great stand alone book. It's super thrilling, and it had me doubting whether or not the book would follow the play.

The characters are all great, but I’ve gotta say, Megan is one of my all-time favourite female protagonists. She’s super sassy and strong and not about to let anyone walk all over her. She gets to do some serious butt-kicking during the book, too- OH YEAH!!!!

Another thing I’d like to point out is that I loved how the mystery was written. Not naming any names, but some mystery books don’t share all the important details when they happen. Like at the very end the character will suddenly remember a mysterious shadow lurking in the corner of the crime scene, or that the murder victim has a divorced wife who has a criminal record. Or they suddenly find a diary page with the killer’s intents on it. I feel SO CHEATED when books do that. No, every single detail that is ever referenced in this book did actually happen. I checked. I also like how every single end gets tied up, even the whole ‘familiar music’ thing, but you’ll have to read to the end of the book before you figure out what I mean. J

Loved this book? Then you’ll like:

Something Rotten by Alan Gratz
Getting the Girl by Susan Juby

Tuesday 21 August 2012

A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper

I've done a lot of glowing reviews on this blog, but no more Mr. Nice Guy.  


I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its title. But in the case of this one, you most definitely should. It's just as dull as its title- and in some ways I wish it was briefer.

I'm going to complain about everything, but we'll start with the format. It's written like a diary. Now, I don't mind diaries so much. It can- and has- been done with minimal casualties. But, as if to make this diary seem more authentic, random remarks are thrown in. It's like the author thought 'oh, I have to remind my reader that is isn't a book they foolishly spent their hard earned birthday money on. Oh no. It's a journal.For example, Sophie (the main character) spends half a page discussing whether or not to get another candle so she can see the words she's writing. Actually, she ends up mentioning the candle many times to start and end her diary entries, making me want to scream, "ENOUGH OF THE FREAKING CANDLE, GET ON WITH THE STORY!".

That leads me to another problem. The plot. Or rather, the lack thereof. I swear, nothing happens until two-thirds of the way in. Then, it gets exciting. But for the first two-thirds of the book, Sophie describes her life on a small island kingdom called Montmaray, where there are almost as many royalty as there are subjects. She talks about her beautiful and smart cousin Veronica, her tomboy sister Henry, and her crazy uncle King John. And then about her crush, Simon. These parts were utterly unbearable. She kept mooning over him, pages and pages of describing him, worse than a typical chicklit. And she does nothing through the course of the entire story to a) tell him how she feels, b) get to know him better, or c) say five straight words to him.This book does wonderful job of enforcing the stereotype that girls are stupid, weak, and self-centered. She also has this strange need to make witty comments here and then, as if she realises periodically that she a bore and that she should liven it up a bit with some weak attempt at injecting humour into her ramblings. I think the main problem was that I just really disliked her as a character, so it was hard relating to her or, to be honest, caring about her. Later in the book, I really wouldn't have minded if she got shot or drowned. Another annoying thing was all the history that came up. I don't mind a little bit, if it's relevant and subtly done, but here Toby was in his letter 'oh guess what monumental historical event just took place where I live!'. The incorporating of these events was just so obvious.

Finally, let me just say that I don't like historical fiction. And I don't like slow paced books. So this book was pretty much hung from the get-go. Redeeming features: it's a unique plot and the end bit is exciting.

Just to wrap this all up, though, I would say that this book is a cross between a socials textbook and a soap opera.

There we go. That's all the ranting you'll get for a while.

If you liked this book...

I've got some paint on my wall that you might enjoy watching as it dries.

Wednesday 15 August 2012

Paper Towns by John Green


“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together until all living humans read the book.”
-John Green, The Fault in our Stars

 I read this quite a while ago, but I’ve been too shy to blog about it because I wanted my review to reflect the awesomeness of this book. This was my very first John Green book, and it blew my head off. Emily Dickinson once said, “If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry.” Nope. That’s a John Green book. After I finished this book, I sat on the couch with it in my hands, thinking about how amazing it was.

But I digress.

Margo Roth Spiegelman is the admired, popular queen bee of Quentin Jacobsen's school. Everyone tells stories of her daring escapades, and the many times she ran away, leaving clues hinting to her whereabouts. Quentin is absolutely besotted with her, but she barely registers his existence. One night, completely out of the blue, Margo drags him along on an adventure of revenge, and he thinks that things might start to change for him. The next day, Margo disappears. As he searches for her, he realizes that she may not have had the perfect life he imagined she did. Through his journey, he learns about understanding and accepting not only her, but also himself and his friends.

This is a heartwarming story with great messages mixed in with killer humor. The interactions between characters are both hilarious and authentic. The boys are joke-cracking and raunchy, yet caring characters that you will remember. This book has the trademark John Green quirkiness added in by way of an extensive collection of black Santas and a kidney infection, just to name a few (how do those two things manage to exist in the same story? Hilariously.). The three metaphors for understanding others were so cleverly woven in, and I still think about them sometimes now. There are many subtle hints of profoundness (is that a word?) that made me- and I barely ever reread- read the bit again, to soak up the meaning conveyed in so few words. I also have to say that this book wins my award for best last line EVER (The Sweet Far Thing is second). I am totally OCD over last lines, so when I tell you this one is fantastic, you better believe it’s fantastic. This is the kind of book that, when finished, makes you want to cry not out of sadness but because they learned so much. A great read with a lasting impact, and definitely one of my all time favorites.

Loved this book? Then you’ll like:

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan
Looking for Alaska by John Green
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
The Fault in our Stars by John Green
Swim the Fly by Don Calame (and series)

Tuesday 7 August 2012

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Cassandra Clare has done it again: she's produced another book with a title that starts with C.

Just kidding. She's produced another book with dashing male characters, intricate mysteries, and a fierce heroine. (But seriously, after her 'City' series and all her 'Clockwork' books, she's gonna have about ten books all starting with C!)

After reading City of Fallen Angels, I was disappointed. It seemed like it was just tacked on, because the story finishes so nicely at the end of City of Glass. (I mean, bring the bad guy back from the dead? Really?) Anyway, my confidence in Cassandra Clare has been completely restored by this book. I picked it up while I was midway through another book which shall not be named at this time, and I was hooked. It starts off with a bang and never stops moving. The idea of the Shadowhunters and the Clave is the same as in the Mortal Instruments series, but the book is set in London. It is historical fiction, but it doesn't read like it; the only historical thing that stood out for me is that they have maids and they wear dresses. Tessa is rescued by Will (the equivalent of Jace in this series, I'm feeling) from two sisters who have trained her to use her powers and are planning to marry her off to a mysterious man called the Magister. Tessa has the power to Change, which means she can take on the form of other people. At the Institute, she meets girly Jessamine, secretive Jem, strong Charlotte, and head-in-the-clouds Henry (nice alliteration? Why thank you). She's determined to rescue her brother, who is imprisoned by the Magister. She has to learn to use her power to defeat the Magister and his automaton horde.

This book does require a bit of what my drama teacher calls 'suspension of disbelief'. Which means, you have to pretend you haven't read anything by Cassandra Clare before. I know that it bothers a couple people that the characters are pretty similar, but hey, she had a pretty darn good formula before so I don't mind if she more or less follows the same one! So suspend your disbelief, read this book like you don't now what else she's written, and devour the traditional Clare fare: hints of romance, lots of fighting, snarky comments, and an intriguing and terrifying enemy. The twists that the plot take left me wide-eyed and clutching the book for dear life- and the descriptions of the automatons (especially when they shred their fingers) are just chilling. (Yeah, that was a spoiler). What's really great is that even though there are enough loose ends to send me sprinting for the bookstore, the book doesn't seem like its only role is to set up the rest of the series; it's complete in itself. The one thing I'm going to complain about is the names. I mean, Mrs. Black and Mrs. Dark, the Dark sisters, the Dark House- really? Really?

If you like a light, fast paced read with lots of action and a plethora of secrets, Clockwork Angel won't disappoint.

Loved this book? Then you'll like:

Scepter of the Ancients by Derek Landy (and series)
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (and the rest of the Mortal Instruments series)
Stuff by Tamora Pierce
Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow (and series)
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Friday 20 July 2012

Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta


My relationship with this book is full of mixed feelings. On one hand, I love Froi almost as much as I love Melina Marchetta’s writing style. On the other, this book was just so…long.

Quick plot summary. Froi gets sent to Charyn to assassinate the king. Charyn is under a curse (similar to Lumatere’s) where all the women are barren and the men are infertile. The princess, Quintana, is totally crazy (not in a partying type way, in a random-prophecy-spewing, frequent-personality-swinging way). She claims that she will birth Charyn’s first child, and that it will be fathered by a last-born. Froi is ordered by his captain not to get mixed up in the affairs of Charyn, but since he is a disobedient little twerp, he does anyway. When chaos reigns in Charyn, he has to save Quintana and find out who he really is *insert dramatic trail-off here*.

The mysteries and intricate plot are similar to Finnikin of the Rock; if you didn’t like Finnikin, you’re weird, and don’t read this book. The writing is excellent, as per usual. The adventure, fighting, and betrayals were exciting. The romance was a break from the typical ones I see in teen books over and over again, mostly because the girl is utterly unattractive. So why, oh why, does this book fall flat?

It’s mainly because of the length. Some of the scenes just really aren’t necessary. I’m going to try and give an example without giving a huge spoiler. Froi leaves multiple times. And every time, I’m like yeah, you’re going to come right back. And then he thinks of the faces of the people he’s leaving behind and does just that. I mean, come on! We don’t need scene after scene after scene to show us how insecure and doubtful Froi is! The repetitiveness of other things, such as interactions with Quintana and all the betrayals, gets really annoying too. 

The other thing with the length was that things get more complicated than they need to be. I will admit: I found parts (small parts, mind you) confusing. There’s a lot of information given at the beginning that gets tied up at the end. But the end is so far away that you’ve forgotten the little hints that were dropped in the beginning so you’re mixed between Where the heck did that come from? and Okay, I really couldn’t care less.

There were good parts. Truly they were. But they were hidden by the sheer length and repetitiveness of the book. The ending was dynamite, though. I’m holding out for the third book- Quintana of Charyn. I feel like the ends may justify the means in this situation.

If you liked this book...
...see suggestions on the Finnikin of the Rock review 

Tuesday 17 July 2012

Porcupine by Meg Tilly


No author has been able to give me warm and fuzzy feelings like Meg Tilly. I’m pretty sure I was smiling as I read this book, which is weird for me, because I usually have a poker face when I read.

After Jack’s (her real name is Jacqueline, but she’s a tomboy) father dies while fighting in Afghanistan, she and her siblings Tessa and Simon move to live with their grandmother. But this isn’t a sweet old grandma who bakes cookies and knits 24/7. She’s tough as nails, hard on the kids, and makes them do all sorts of work. Jack’s mom totally breaks down, and through the story she becomes one of the most interesting characters.

While my plot summary doesn’t sound super exciting, the real beauty of this story doesn’t come from the action-packed, fast-paced-ness of it all; it comes from the interactions between the characters and how they grow to the end of the book. I loved Jack’s care for her siblings, and even though I don’t have siblings myself, that kind of fierce protective love rings true somewhere. And how her perception of her grandmother changes…oh, it’s just so good! There are so many truly sweet moments. Through pretty much the entire second half, I was beaming the entire time. It’s impossible not to. This is such a heartwarming book. 

If you loved this book, you'll like:

Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
The Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klager
Janey's Girl by Gayle Friesen
Men of Stone by Gayle Friesen
Losing Forever by Gayle Friesen (and sequel, For Now)
Criss Cross by Lyn Rae Perkins
Alice, I Think by Susan Juby (and series)
Getting the Girl by Susan Juby

Wednesday 11 July 2012

Matched by Ally Condie


People are calling this book ‘the next Twilight’ and ‘the new Hunger Games’. But it’s so much more than just a copy. It’s marketed as this superhot romance thingy, but honestly, it has a lot more depth than you might expect.

Cassia lives in a dystopian world where the Society pretty much controls everything. I actually found the descriptions of daily life very natural- they didn’t seem like they’d been conjured up to make the book ‘cool’. The Society decides where you work, what you eat and how much, and who you marry. During the Matching ceremony, Cassia is matched with her best friend/secret admirer Xander. Everything’s rosy until she opens a box full of information about her Match (this is really too complicated for me to explain), she sees another face: Ky. I know what you’re thinking, and to be fair I was kind of thinking it too: Okay, so now the rest of the book will be about how Cassia deliberates back and forth over these two guys and eventually she’ll decide she likes the danger/badboy aspect of Ky and run off with him into the sunset.

While I won’t reveal who she ends up with, I will say that the book is so much more than just a romance. And it has more shades than black and white. Though Cassia becomes increasingly disillusioned with the Society, I really like how the author included the other view, highlighting all the things that the Society was good for: the stronger people, the peaceful dying, and even the Matching. She painted her Society not to be some kind of dictatorial, oppressive regime that was clearly Bad with a capital B- most of the things the Society did…they just made sense, and that served to make the book feel more realistic and deep. This book subtly hints that absolute power and control corrupts, which is a pretty interesting and current topic. I mean, if I were to rule the world one day, I would probably do some of the same things, so it’s interesting to see the negative consequences of such good looking decisions. And speaking of good looking, I’ll talk about the romance, ‘cause it was like whoa. Not as scorching as reviews would have you believe, just kind of simmering there. There’s no screaming arguments or passionate love scenes or dramatic heartbreaks, but the gentle intimacy of some of the scenes was shiver-inducing. Another thing I really gotta give props to is the writing. WOW it’s good. There are so many metaphors in the writing, which, for a huge book/writing nerd like me, is amazing. I haven’t seen that kind of symbolism since A Great and Terrible Beauty. This book will absorb you, entrance you, and leave you on your library’s website, watching the number of holds go down until you can devour the second book, Crossed.

Loved this book? Then you’ll like:

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Uglies by Scott Westerfield (and series)
The Dirt Eaters by Dennis Foon (and series)

Friday 6 July 2012

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray


Judge this book by its cover. Seriously. Like the cover, this story is quirky, dangerous, and full of intriguing details if you look close enough.

The premise isn’t difficult to wrap your mind around. A plane full of Teen Dream beauty pageant contestants crashes, stranding a group of them on the island with few resources. While this may sound like a cheesy mashup of Survivor and Miss America, the story is pulled off seamlessly. Without the pressures that they face back home, the girls open up, reveal their secrets, and learn something about themselves.

This book is hilarious, in a witty and satirical way. Product placement, clueless blondes, and crazy pop culture references (with no possible inspiration from our pop culture nowadays, of course) make this book an original and refreshing read. It attacks the perceptions that our society has about the ways girls should act, think, and look with a lighthearted and sardonic tone. As you get into the heads of different girls each chapter, you get a unique look at what drove them to compete in a pageant, their insecurities, and the things that they’re hiding. There are more than enough surprises and mysteries to keep things interesting! While some people will complain the dialogue can be sappy, the realizations forced, and the storyline unbelievable, I think this book is like its characters: you shouldn’t take it too seriously, but it definitely has something special to share with you. At the end, you’ll feel tears prick your eyes- proud tears, because you will have watched a group of girls grow in so many ways and you won’t want them to let them go. An enjoyable, empowering, and unforgettable story.  

Loved this book? Then you'll like:

Alice, I Think by Susan Juby (and series)
Books by John Green
...yeesh, I don't know. I can't think of another book that matches the randomness and off-the-wall humour of this one.

To give you a sense of the writing style, here's the opening few lines. "This book begins with a plane crash. We do not want you to worry about this. According to the U.S. Department of Unnecessary Statistics, your chances of dying in a plane crash are one in half a million. Whereas your chances of losing your bathing suit bottoms to a strong tide are two to one. So, all in all, it's safer to fly than to go to the beach." -Libba Bray, Beauty Queens


It goes on like that, but a little more on topic, don't worry!

Monday 2 July 2012

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt


Okay, so this isn’t technically a teen book. But I think everyone should read it, so I’m going to ignore that right now.

The Underneath is a touching tale about the love between a dog and a small calico cat and her kittens (cue Awwwwwww!). When the calico cat, with kittens in her belly, hears the mournful baying of Ranger, the bloodhound, she seeks him out. In spite of their many differences, she befriends him. Ranger names one of the kittens Sabine, and the calico cat names her other kitten, a boy, Puck. Sabine and Puck grow up together in the Underneath, the dark and holy Underneath, a space under the porch. This sounds nice and rosy, but the cuteness ends here. The reason they must hide in the Underneath is because there, they are safe from Gar-Face, a man who would use a cat for bait to try and catch the Alligator King. He had previously shot his dog- Ranger- in the leg and chained him up (cue gasp). But one day, Puck ventures out of the Underneath, and the series of events that follows are not what he expected, wanted, or meant…

Meanwhile, there is another story going on- that of Grandmother Moccasin, a large snake, who is consumed by hatred for everything. She remembers all those who betrayed her as she is trapped in a jar, waiting for a chance to escape.

While the storyline may sound childish, it has a lot to offer for anyone reading it. First things first though, I really gotta pay homage to the writing. The poetic writing style of this book is to die for. I’ve never seen an author who uses words to lull the reader down the river of her story, and while that sounds overly metaphorical, that’s what it feels like. Sometimes I had to read a few lines over again, whispering the words, because it was just so delicious. If you’re a writer, you have to read this book for at least research purposes. (This story will change my writing style dramatically, I’m sure of it). The story itself was suspenseful, though it’s not one of the breakneck-pace thrillers crowding our bookstores today. I looooooved the ending because it tied up everything, down to the hummingbird. Without giving too much away, the power of love reaches it’s climax point and everything’s just so sweet and sad at the same time. This is the kind of book you read slowly, and then you read parts over again, just to savour every bit of it. 

If you loved this book...

You're an awesome person. Yes, I'm using compliments to cover the fact that after years of searching, I still haven't found another book quite like this one. 

Saturday 30 June 2012

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr



Take the simple formula boy meets girl, boy loves girl, boy loses girl.


Repeat it for a few hundred years, and add in a faerie curse, shifting allegiances, and a Winter Queen bent on killing her son.

This is the life of Keenan, the Summer King whose powers have been bound. To break the curse, he must find his Summer Queen. The catch? She has to risk her life for him, either taking on Winter’s Chill and living alone filled with cold, or becoming a Summer Girl and spending the rest of her life with the Summer Court.

Keenan thinks he’s finally found his Summer Queen. The problem is, she doesn’t love him, and she doesn’t want to become part of the fairy world. Meanwhile, Keenan is torn between his true love and his duty, and the Winter is getting longer and longer.

This book is set apart from other typical romance novels because the descriptions of the faerie world are so vivid. They can be brutal, capricious, or sensitive, but they’re all full of life. The romance isn’t the standard love triangle that has infected most teen books these days; it’s full of sacrifice and yearning. The story is very intricate, hurtling along with plenty of twists and turns. By the time you reach the ending you’ll want to read it again. 

Loved this book? Then you'll like:

City of Bones (and series) by Cassandra Clare
Hush, Hush (and series) by Becca Fitzpatrick

Thursday 21 June 2012

Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman

I adore this series. To start off with, I love dragons, so this book already has my heart. But the characters…and the plot…and the pace…wow, it’s really incredible.

What’s really cool is that it focuses on a more Asian-centered world. I mean, I’m always reading about the US and about European countries and historical fiction in English courts, so it’s nice to have a change. The main character is called Eon, but he’s secretly a girl in disguise (pretty awesome, right?). She’s trying to become a Dragoneye, which means that she has a special bond to one of the twelve dragons (fun fact: the 12 dragons are based on the Chinese zodiac). Once she’s a Dragoneye, she has to deal with, for lack of a better term, court-like intrigue and complex politics in the Dragoneye world. Eon(a) has to deal with the sinister Lord Ido, who’s determined to seize power in the typical villainous-lord way. There are also a whole bunch of mysteries brought up, such as the fabled Mirror Dragon and the legendary black and red folios (books, basically) that contain powerful magic.

The storyline is fantastic. The pacing matched with the attention to detail is wonderful, and all the characters are well developed. I loved Eona because she was so strong, struggling to best the guys even with a lame leg. I love how feisty she was; not once did she ever stop fighting. While reading the book, I wanted to totally immerse myself in the world! What more can I say? Read it!

And then read the second one, because it’s even better. Why, you ask? Well, it introduces, along with more danger, more mysteries, and more powers for Eona: romance. That’s right. You finally get your typical love triangle, except there’s lots more going on. Trust me, neither of the guys is your average boy-next-door type. Both have secrets and neither of them trust each other, but seeing Eona’s relationship grow with one of them in particular is really interesting. To give you an idea of how addicted I was to this book, I couldn’t put it down even on a long, twisty car ride. I’m very prone to getting motion sickness. ‘Nuff said.

Loved this book? Then you'll like:


Scepter of the Ancients by Derek Landy (and series)
Anything that Tamora Pierce wrote
Eragon by Christopher Paolini (and series)
Fablehaven by Brandon Mull (and series)
Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta
Cry of the Icemark by Stuart Hill

Sunday 10 June 2012

Swim the Fly by Don Calame

Now here's a book your guy friends don't want you to read! Raunchy, hilarious, sharp, and did I say raunchy, this is one of the most entertaining reads I've ever come across.

Each summer, Matt, Sean, and Cooper set themselves a goal. This year, it's to see a naked girl. (Need I say more? Your interest is already piqued!) This might be easy for some guys, but not these ones- they're all, well let's just say their not ladies' men. Matt is also trying to impress a girl on his swim team, Kelly, by swimming the butterfly, an insanely difficult event. To complicate things, she has a boyfriend, who is huge and terrifying. The boys' exploits to see a naked girl get funnier and funnier, and gradually more ridiculous. Each thing leads to another and soon the boys are knee deep in...problems.

Their banter is as hilarious as it is realistic, and I enjoyed reading about their friendship. Certain scenes had me laughing for minutes,like the bathroom one, and That's What She Said Day. I found it very...interesting...to find out what guys are thinking about most of the time. The book feels a lot like a comedy movie: great dialogue, plenty of action, and good pace. A perfect summertime adventure.

The sequel, Beat the Band, dishes up the same humor, with more of a serious aspect added in. While Swim the Fly is all laughs, this book is laughs with some meaning. Essentially, Cooper is manipulated by the four most popular girls in the school to hurt Hot Dog Helen, who he's paired with for Health class (discussing contraceptives- fun times). He's dealing with this as well as trying to shape up for the Beat the Band competition, which he and his friends entered. (They SUCK). Personally, I liked this one even better than the first.

The third book, Call the Shots, is told from Sean's point of view. It's going to come out this fall. Can't wait!

If you loved this book, you'll like:

Into the Ravine by Richard Scrimger
Paper Towns by John Green
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
Spud by John van de Ruit
Looking for Alaska by John Green

Wednesday 23 May 2012

Life is Funny by E.R. Frank

I've always wanted to be able to peer inside stranger's minds and know their story. Okay, that sounds a little creepy, but don't tell me you've never wondered what's going on in the lives of that woman screaming at someone through her phone, or that friendly homeless man, or that group of kids smoking beside the park. This book is the closest I've ever come to experiencing that.

Each of the chapters holds a different story about characters in the same neighbourhood, kind of like a whole collection of memoirs. The cool part is that names come up that you recognize; it's a bit like hearing a story from a friend and they mention someone you know from somewhere else, all the time. All the teens have issues in this book, but the interesting thing is that the author never tries to pass judgement. She never says 'This is what's happening and it's wrong. This person should instead do...'. She simply says 'This is what's happening' and leaves the reader to come to their own decision. I've never seen such a wide range of characters portrayed so realistically. My favourite chapters are Monique, Molly, Drew, and Grace. This is a very unique book- read it!

If you loved this book, you'll like:

Junk by Melvin Burgess
Perfect by Ellen Hopkins 
Identical by Ellen Hopkins  

Sunday 8 April 2012

On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta



Don't judge a book by its cover! Yes, this does look like a cheap crime novel in which a girl gets brutally killed and thrown into a ditch by the side of the highway. It's not like that at all (thankfully)!

No one can write compelling, secret-filled stories like Melina Marchetta can. I started this book before a long road trip and read it all the way through winding roads- I commanded my carsickness to subside so I could finish the book!

The way the mysteries are set up in this book remind me a lot of Finnikin of the Rock. It starts off with an incomplete story in the beginning, and through the course of the book builds the full picture. The way all the different clues come together at the end is just so goregeous, and I've never seen it done the same in any other book. That said, it is a realistic fiction novel, so it does have the friendship aspects of Saving Francesca.

Have I got you intruiged yet? Good. Now for some plot summary.

Taylor Markham has just been appointed the school captain of her boarding school on the Jellicoe Road (yes, all the events in this book take place near the Jellicoe Road, hence the title). This means that not only does she have a House to take care of, she also has to lead the territory wars that have been going on for as long as she can remember. She has to negotiate with the Townies and the Cadets to win more territory for her school. However, this process is complicated by the fact that she has some...ahem...history with the leader of the Cadets, Jonah Griggs. When she tried to run away and find her mother, he was there too.

And then there's this whole issue of who her parents are. Her mother left her at a 7-11, and less than five minutes later, Hannah picked her up and brought her to the school. It wasn't a coincidence. After Hannah disappears, she leaves behind a manuscript with a story of five children, three of which were victims of a horrific car crash, all of whom have many memories on the Jellicoe Road.

Yeah, the plot is pretty complicated, but I really like that. Different mysteries weave in and out of your mind, only to pop back later, answered. The parts where Taylor is negotiating had me cheering inside my head. (GO! FIGHT! KILL!) She's such a wonderful and strong character, playing the complex politics of this war. I was almost disappointed when the wars took a less prominent role in the later half of the book, but I've gotta say, the romance between her and (I won't spoil this for you) is very, very cute.

A beautiful, intricate, fantastic read that'll leave you thinking and rereading for weeks.

If you loved this book, you'll like:

Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta
Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
Protector of the Small, the Immortals, and the Lioness quartets by Tamora Pierce

Sunday 18 March 2012

A Step from Heaven by An Na

This is such a beautiful book. The voice is so clear, and it really puts you into the head of a small child who's confused about her move to America. The title of this book comes from a cute scene where Young Ju is convinced that America is Heaven and she is told that it's not quite Heaven, but a step from it. She tries very hard to fit in once she's in America, which is difficult because she doesn't speak much English. Not only that, but her family is very poor and her father sometimes beats her mother. The way her character grows from the first chapter to the last would make me cry, if I was a crier. Some parts of the book are just so simply profound you just want to sit there and think about the last few sentences you read. The book is short, but a perfect length for the story it wants to convey. There are no filler scenes- I can promise you that! Each chapter has a wonderful title. My favourite (chapter, not title, but the title's nice too!) is Strong Like a Man, featuring Young Ju's brother trying to follow his father's example of what it means to be strong. This is a wonderful read that won't take you very long to get through, but you'll end up rereading it many times just to glean some more of it's moving messages.

If you loved this book, you'll like:

Pretty much anything. I can't see how you wouldn't like this book, to be honest. But there's no book that I've read so far that's like it.

Friday 2 March 2012

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

This book pulled me through it in record time. Just like the first book of this series, Hush, Hush, it's intense, thrilling, and moves at a breakneck speed.

Nora is now dating Patch and she thinks her life is just about perfect, but after a mysterious turn of events, she starts seeing him more and more with Marcie. They fight about it, and Nora dumps him. Now without the protection of her guardian angel, she has to figure out what's happening in her life. She keeps hearing her dad beckoning her, but she's not sure whether to believe her ears. One thing's for sure, though- his death had something to do with this world of angels and Nephilim. And then there's Scott, dangerous and secretive, who has recently moved to Coldwater- to escape his past.

When I read the book, I accepted everything wholeheartedly. But now that I think back on it, there were some things that irked me. First of all, Nora got mopey. It wasn't that bad, but it got a little Twilight-y when she started doing reckless things just to get his attention. Also, she was unreasonable and stupid at times, and I kind of resented how a lot of the book seemed to be about her getting over the breakup. That aside, I think Becca Fitzpatrick missed out on developing some characters in this book. She kept hinting that perhaps there was another side to Marcie, but then she'd destroy it by making Marcie do something cruel. I wanted to see the reason why Marcie is so insecure, and why she takes it out on Vee and Nora, but I never did. But the biggest problem with the characters is the way Nora treats Vee. In the first book it was okay, but in this one Vee is portrayed as dumb and girly. Their dialogue is mainly Nora whining and Vee talking about bikinis or her newest diet. Vee looked, quite frankly, pathetic. And Nora treated her like someone who was just there to give her rides, not like a friend. She was condescending at times, drifting off during Vee's stories about her dieting, like she was so special and mature just because she's involved with the angels. At one point, she 'forgives' Vee in her mind for being annoying because she's still a good friend. Annoying? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!

Now for what I liked about the book. Characters aside, the plot was really gripping. I would say even more so than the first book. Lots of different questions were brought up, which I really liked. The suspense was masterfully done and I got chills at some of the scenes.

All in all, this book is darker than Hush, Hush. It's not quite as funny, and Patch isn't as charming (I always prefer the part where boy wins girl rather than boy loses girl). But the plot, suspense, and mystery is better, and it ends with a thunderclap. Silence, here I come!

If you loved this book, you'll like:

Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare
Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr
Gemma Doyle Trilogy by Libba Bray

Friday 24 February 2012

The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta


This is book is like one of those movies where at the beginning you're like OMG this character is a !#@$%!$ but at the end you're like OMG this guy is awesome. The path from one to the other is achieved with Melina Marchetta flair and gorgeous writing style.

A sequel to Saving Francesca, this book is a grown up version of that one, in every sense of the word. For starters, it's about Thomas Mackee, and they're all university age. He's also got much more serious problems, like drug addiction, and immense grief over his uncle who has recentletc. The book switches perspective between him and his aunt, Georgie. She's dealing with being pregnant by a man who is her on and off boyfriend. To complicate things, he has a child by another woman that she has to come to terms with. So: definitely more grown up topics here!

Okay, I'll say it: I found the beginning very depressing. I know that the book was set up so at the beginning they were miserable and at the end they were all happy, but the first bit of the book just felt a little heavy. The change was more gradual in this book than in Francesca, mostly because they started off so much more messed up than Francesca did. Speaking of Francesca, I really liked how she was brought back- it was nice to see her character all grown up after I spent so much time in her head! The jokes and snarky comments are similar to Francesca, but it's not quite as funny. The best thing about this book is how both Thomas and Georgie start out with nothing and end up with a loving community. Good book, but a tearjerker!

If you loved this book, you'll like:

Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
Men of Stone by Gayle Friesen
On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
Paper Towns by John Green
Janey's Girl by Gayle Friesen
Losing Forever by Gayle Friesen
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Friday 17 February 2012

The Beckoners by Carrie Mac

I don't think anyone can honestly say they've never seen someone being bullied or teased. That's why this book is so important- it addresses the issues right at the heart of bullying. When Zoe, the main character, moves to a new town, she is accepted into an infamous group of girls called the Beckoners. (They're named after the leader of the group, Beck) Soon she's smoking with them, partying with them, and pranking with them. She doesn't really set out to be in the most popular clique; she just wants to fit in. But she's uncomfortable bullying the Beckoners' most frequent target: April, or Dog, as she is called. She wants out of the Beckoners group, but she can't imagine the consequences of her actions.

Now, I'll admit it: the writing in this book isn't fantastic. Especially in the beginning, I felt like 'wow, that probably should've been said a different way'. (I am a picky reader, though, if you hadn't noticed:) However, I've never seen a book capture bullying in such a perceptive and unflinching way. How it starts off small, and then escalates. Why bystanders are afraid to do anything. The motives of the bullies themselves. And why it is that it's so hard to stand up for someone else. Like Zoe, at the beginning of the book, I thought, 'Well, the bullying is pretty bad, but no one could really make a difference. No point in two people getting bullied. Besides, she is kind of bringing on herself.' But by the end of the book, I was absolutely sickened. I actually couldn't get to sleep because my mind kept replaying the scene at the park. This book definitely left an impact.

There are some great things to be discussed in this book. Some I already mentioned, but others include child abuse, neglect, religion, homosexuality, and rape (though very minor). I really like how the characters are multifaceted: April isn't totally innocent; she's very homophobic and does certain things that encourage the bullies. Zoe, of course, is like any normal person: flip flopping between the lure of popularity and blaming April for her own fate, and realizing that she needs to stand up for both herself and April. Even Beck has many sides; is it really her fault she ended up being so power hungry?

After reading this book, I will never look at any case of bullying, however small it might seem to be, the same ever again.

Saturday 4 February 2012

Perfect by Ellen Hopkins

The best thing about this book is that it's written in poetry. It's nothing like huge Shakespeare sonnets,  but even nonbibliophiles will appreciate how the author artistically arranges her phrases. What I love is that the first page of a new viewpoint (this book has four characters and the perspectives switch) has a hidden message running down the single words at the side. It's hard to explain without seeing the book, but when you read it you'll know what I mean. This book is so beautifully written, I ended up reading bits over again just to soak in the meaning. It addresses a plethora of issues: anorexia, modeling, homosexuality, alcohol addiction, cheating, suicide, drug abuse, high expectations. BUT- before you freak out- the book doesn't feel like it's about these issues with some characters thrown in, it feels like the story of four teenagers' lives and their problems. This book is more, ah, optimistic than a few other teenage problem books I've read. It talks a lot about outer beauty vs. inner beauty, love, and finding a place in the world. Which all sounds very cliche, I know, but trust me, this is definitely worth a read.

A quick plot summary: Cara's brother (Conner, who is featured in the book Impulse) has recently attempted suicide, throwing doubts into her mind about her parents. Her mother pushes her to be an overachiever and to be 'perfect' (hence the title of the book) by any means, without really caring how Cara feels. Cara's boyfriend, Sean, takes steroids to get a sports scholarship to Stanford, where he knows Cara is going. His life revolves around her and he wants to marry her someday, and he goes of the deep end majorly when things don't work out the way he wanted them to. Kendra is missing love in her life since Conner broke up with her. She desperately wants to become a model and will do whatever it takes to reach her dreams- plastic surgery, not eating, taking pills. Andre is a dancer whose parents also put pressure on him to go to a good university and go a more conventional route. He falls in love with Jenna, Kendra's sister. Jenna is, quite simply, a train wreck. She's not anorexic, but she's always drunk and flirts to get what she wants (attention and alcohol). The changing viewpoint is never confusing, as it is in many books; it just builds the book in a very three-dimensional (or four-dimensional:) way.

If you loved this book, you'll like:

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Identical by Ellen Hopkins
Life is Funny by E.R. Frank
Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Skud by Dennis Foon
Ms. Zephyr's Notebook by KC Dyer

Friday 6 January 2012

Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta



For me, this book is the ultimate fantasy. Adventure, romance, magic- it's got it all in one gorgeously wrapped package. The way it gives you a line drawing of a story at the beginning and then fills it in and fleshes it out as the book goes on is very similar to On the Jellicoe Road.

Speaking of fleshing things out, this is what it's about. Finninkin lives a perfect life in Lumatere, with loyal friends, a respected father, and a clear destiny. Within five days, it's torn apart. In a mysterious turn of events, the entire royal family is slaughtered and an impostor becomes the king. Worse, a barrier around Lumatere forms, trapping some people inside to endure the brutality of the new king and leaving others exiled with no homes. Finnikin journeys with his mentor Sir Topher, trying to find land for the exiles. Their journey changes when they meet Evanjalin, who is determined to get back to Lumatere, no matter what the cost. As they follow her troubling dreams and search for allies, they begin to realize Evanjalin has many dark secrets. Then again, no one is who they seem to be in this intensely fast paced novel.

The plot is incredibly complex, with key information revealed at just the right time. The enigma surrounding the five days of unspeakable kept me flipping pages, frantic to find out what really happened. The characters are all multifaceted, with plenty to discover about each. As the author peels away the layers of mystery of the events, she also exposes the different characters' roles during that time and how it changed the way they lived the rest of their lives. The relationships are realistic, and in some cases heartwarming; the banter between stubborn Finninkin and strong-willed Evanjalin is entertaining and lightens the sometimes heavy mood. I like how strong Evanjalin is, and how she actually turned out to be the bravest of them all (no matter what the men thought). There are many lessons that the characters learn, such as how to deal with overwhelming tragedy and keep hope. Though this book is set in a fantasy world, the messages about protecting those who are weaker and not hating what we do not understand can be applied to many conflict situations in our own world. All in all, this was an extraordinary book- you'll enjoy collecting pieces of the puzzle until the final picture is so beautifully intricate you never want to let it go.



If you loved this book, you'll like:

On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Fire by Kristin Cashore
The Attolia series by Meghan Whalen Turner (The Thief, The Queen of Attolia, The King of Attolia)
Mimus by Lili Thall


Wednesday 4 January 2012

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley


A quirky title for a quirky book! After reading it, I still have no idea what it means. It doesn't really have a lot to do with the story, except for a quote that gets brought up a few times, 'Unless some sweetness at the bottom lie, who cares for the crinkling of the pie?'. I looked it up and found out that it means however nice something's outward appearance is (the 'crinkling', or decoration), it's what's on the inside that counts (the 'sweetness at the bottom' ie the filling). Anyway. Food for thought. (No pun intended).

This book is a mystery, one of the few classic who-done-it mysteries there are for teens that I've seen. After a dead bird with a postage stamp stuck on its beak appears at the doorstep, murder takes place in the garden of the De Luce house. Flavia, an eleven year old girl who's obsessed with chemistry, is the first one to see the dying man. Now I know your hackles just went up when I said 'eleven year old' and 'chemistry', but don't worry. Keep reading, I'll get to that later (promise!). Her father is the most obvious suspect, so he is arrested. However, Flavia is convinced of his innocence- but she has to prove it to Inspector Hewitt. So off she goes sleuthing around town, picking up clues of her father's past. She uses her extensive knowledge of lockpicking, chemistry, and charming people to achieve these ends. Mixed in with all this is her constant battle with her two older sisters, Ophelia and Daphne, cheeky descriptions of life around her, and obscure facts about chemists.

The fact that she was an eleven year old didn't bother me so much. She was sassy enough to keep me thoroughly entertained, though sometimes I found her blathering commentary a little too long. Similarly, her stories about the chemists were interesting at first, but after a while I started to get an urge to shake her by the shoulders and yell 'get on with it, for crying out loud!'. The book is quite slow paced, but I guess most mysteries are, since they can't just reveal the facts that are important. Still, I found this quite a roundabout read, and it was easy for me to put down. I'd say it would make for an excellent rainy-day read, when you have nothing to do but read snuggled on your couch. Not terribly exciting or intense, it's a pleasant, meandering read. I've heard many people say that his portayal of the times is spot on, and while I don't really appreciate historical fiction, I did notice a lot of detailed desctiption that I'm sure would delight readers who do enjoy historical fiction.The character is cute and orignial, if a little rambly here and there.

All in all, it wasn't my favourite book, since I like more fast-paced stories.  But I liked reading it to get to meet Flavia, who is one of the most lovable characters I've read about.

If you loved this book, you'll like:

Eye of the Crow by Shane Peacock
Something Wicked by Alan Gratz
Something Rotten by Alan Gratz

Tuesday 3 January 2012

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

This is a unique book about an issue that’s not commonly talked about. Parts are hilarious, parts are illuminating, and parts are so profound you want to just sit there and think about it before you continue reading.

Junior lives on a 'rez' for Spokane Indians. He was born with ‘water on the brain’, some very complicated medical thing that I don’t really want to explain right now. What it means is that he stutters, has a massive head, and has to wear big glasses. Needless to say, he gets bullied. A lot. He gets beaten up quite often- but the rez community is pretty brutal like that. Many are alcoholics and druggies, and they’re all very poor. After Junior moves to a ‘white’ school, his prospects begin to brighten. However, there are still many problems in his life. Like Rowdy, his best friend from the reserve, who refuses to talk to him after he changes schools. And Penelope, a white girl who he’s hopelessly in love with- but she may not be as perfect as he thinks she is. Not to mention his family. His sister lives in the basement writing novels and his uncle is an alcoholic.

As you can probably tell, this book is chock full of discussion topics. Racism, friendship, alcohol addiction, bullying, First Nations people and poverty, with a touch of bulimia thrown in just to spice things up. But the narrator’s voice is just so funny (and at times, unbelievably dirty) that you can’t help but grow to care for him. He tells the story in a ‘hey, guess what happened today’ kind of voice- friendly, open, and honest. He describes all the details of his sometimes miserable life without moping about it; he says it in a matter-of-fact way and leaves the reader to go ‘oh, that’s awful’. The illustrations in this book are fun and give it a less formal kind of feel, kind of like- well- a diary.

So. Writing style and voice: check. Discussion topics: check. Pacing and interest level: check. Memorableness (and yes I know that’s not technically a word): triple check.

A fascinating and eye-opening, yet lighthearted, read. 


If you loved this book, you'll like:

Ooh, this is pretty tough. But:

Swim the Fly (and series) by Don Calame
Paper Towns by John Green
The Fault in our Stars by John Green
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green

Monday 2 January 2012

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Books by John Green have a lot in common. They're always very intellectual, have some hidden philosophical message, and have killer humour. They feature a nerdy (is that politically correct?) boy who chases after an unattainable, beautiful, sexy girl and learns something through all this unrequited love.

Looking for Alaska is exactly this. The main character, Miles- nicknamed Pudge as an irony because of his gawky build- has an obsession with last words (here's where the intellectual mentions come in). He moves to a boarding school and meets the crazy, gorgeous Alaska Young, who he instantly falls in love with. Unfourtunately for him, she has boyfriend who she's devoted to. But this doesn't stop her (along with some other unforgettable friends like Takumi and the Colonel) from catapulting Pudge into the Great Perhaps: a world filled with covert smokes, lots of booze, and well-planned pranks. When a terrible event happens, Pudge has to overcome his grief and re-examine his thoughts on one of the saddest aspects of life (that's it, no more spoilers!).

What I will say now is that if you haven't read anything by John Green, read Paper Towns. That was by far his best. Then read An Abundance of Katherines. It's still pretty good. But after reading those two, I've gotta say, this book falls a little flat. It's not that it's horrible- it isn't by a long shot. It just doesn't stand up to the other two books. The rapping scene is funny, but other than that there wasn't much hilarity. The messages were good, but without the aforementioned hilarity they feel a little heavy. I think the main problem with this book is that it's just too short. After the climactic event, there isn't a lot of time given for Pudge to puzzle through his feelings. His conclusion seems a little abrupt, because in less than half the book he goes from a blubbering mess to a person with concrete resolve who is ready to face the world. Even with this abrupt change, the book (especially after the central event) is a bit slow at times; it was easy for me to put down.

That said, this book is still worth a read because of its unique subject matter. This review may seem really negative but don't get me wrong- it's still a great book. The end was still tear-inducing and the characters were still quirky. It's just not as wonderful as John Green's other books.

If you loved this book, you'll like:

Paper Towns by John Green
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
Getting the Girl by Susan Juby