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| # | cover | title | author | isbn | isbn13 | asin | num pages | avg rating | num ratings | date pub | date pub (ed.) | rating | my rating | review | notes | recommender | comments | votes | read count | date started | date read |
date
|
date purchased | owned | purchase location | condition | format | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0141325062
| 9780141325064
| 4.39
| 1,330
| Sep 15, 2011
| Apr 05, 2012
|
I have to admit, I wasn’t looking forward to reading this book. Well, I wasn’t not looking forward to it because it’s Charlie Higson and you know you’...more
I have to admit, I wasn’t looking forward to reading this book. Well, I wasn’t not looking forward to it because it’s Charlie Higson and you know you’re pretty much going to be left speechless after you’ve finished one of his books in this series but, from the synopsis I was a bit ‘meh’. I mean, there are only so many times you can read about a group of London misfits walking across the city finding other London misfits and fighting the occasional zombie. Do you get what I’m saying? And while the second book offered me a chance to find out more about the gang in the Tower of London, I wasn’t especially sold on an entire book about DogNut. Eh, he was a non-character to me in The Dead. I didn’t dislike him but…. Ehhhh. Oh Mr Higson, you are the King of the YA Castle and all the others are dirty rascals. And I am the fool for doubting that you knew exactly what you were doing. Because by the time I had finished this book, I was hopelessly devoted to DogNut and I would have followed him all across London in a heartbeat. Before I go into full on "RA RA RA HIGSON *high kick*" mode, and believe me it’s coming, I might as well get the bits I wasn’t too mithered about out of the way. Because even though I am, um, enthusiastic about these books… there were some parts that I could’ve done without. Like David. I just don’t get that character at all. And Paul. Actually, that whole…. situation is a bit odd. And Brooke… well, she’s interesting. I haven’t decided properly just yet about our Brooke. Except when she describes boys as “hunks”. I am very decided on that fact and I have come to the conclusion that no girl ever would describe a guy as a “hunk” without immediately cackling a moment later. But maybe I’m just being a bit picky because I am Team Courtney. I think the problem with having books like these that have so many characters within them is that you’re bound to get your favourites and I tended to get a bit cranky and impatient when we weren’t spending time with them. Also, and this is just me being stupid so this doesn’t count as a black mark against the book as such but I had somehow managed to convince myself that one of the story threads was the beginning of The Kid's story, but it wasn’t. At all. And this made me sad because I genuinely missed him. He’d better be in The Sacrifice or else…. or else. But soon those minor niggles flittered away because I got to the end and I was flabbergasted. And there aren’t many books I can say that about, which is a shame because I love the word flabbergasted and wish to use it more often. My favourite thing about this book was that it is so obvious that Mr Higson never ever runs out steam. Usually at this point in a series, the author has run out of things to say, lost their grip on their characters and run out of ideas and the plot is so thin it could get lost in your back teeth. But in this book, and let’s remember this is the third in the series, Higson’s story is still racing ahead and I have absolutely no idea how it’s going to end. I adore how these kids’ stories have been set in motion right from the beginning and Mr Higson has handed you all the pieces you need to fit them together and just leaves you to it. This actually makes it worse because when the pieces do come together and you’ve worked it all out, you can’t even blame him for all the feelings because he didn’t hide anything from you. He has obviously thought about every single detail in this series, interweaving the stories and the characters together and ensuring that if he started a character’s story in the first book, he sure as hell finishes it eventually. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, that’s my attempt at being cryptic and mysterious because I simply refuse to spoil the bit that got me so worked up. It made me leap across my room and play bookshelf Jenga to retrieve my copy of The Enemy and The Dead and shout “NO BLOODY WAY!”. Well, ok, I didn’t shout as such but I definitely whispered it in a shocked manner. Seriously, I have no idea what I’m going to do when this series is over. I’m almost tempted to dress as a zombie and lurch around a group of under 15 year olds in a terrorising manner just so I can feel like I’m back in this story. But I won’t. Because that would be odd. And there is a chance I would get scowled at and/or bottled. You can read this review and lots of other exciting things on my blog, Wear the Old Coat.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Sep 28, 2012
| Oct 2012
|
Sep 28, 2012
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 1471400042
| 9781471400049
| 4.05
| 555
| Jan 31, 2013
| Sep 06, 2012
|
What a bizarre little book. In a good way, though. I think. I'm going to have to ponder this one for a bit. | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Sep 17, 2012
| Sep 23, 2012
|
Sep 17, 2012
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 0552555703
| 9780552555708
| 4.23
| 11,638
| Jan 15, 2001
| Aug 08, 2006
|
You expect me to review this book? Me? You're surely new here. My reviews are... and this book is... OK fine. Let’s see. Well, for a start, I can’t say a...more You expect me to review this book? Me? You're surely new here. My reviews are... and this book is... OK fine. Let’s see. Well, for a start, I can’t say anything about the plot. I read this book not knowing anything more than what the synopsis told me and that is the best way to go into this book. The only thing you need to know about the plot is that it has one. And it’s absolutely outstanding. This book is so powerful and completely unforgettable. The writing is magnificent. The world-building is incredible. And the characters and the relationships between them are some of the most brilliantly constructed ones that I have ever read. And the plot twists… I can’t stop thinking about them. I honestly can’t remember another book I have recently that has given me the gut-wrenching “No…no….no, they’re not going to do that. They won’t. Will they? They can’t. Can they?’ feeling that this book gave me. I never saw it coming and I still don’t want to believe. Actually, I refuse to believe it. Yep. So there, Ms Blackman. I’m not doing a very good job here, am I? Are you convinced yet? Please just say yes and put me out of my misery so I can stop writing this review. I’m trying to be coherent and make intelligent observations but it’s difficult to make coherent and intelligent observations when all I want to do when I think of this book is sob into a chocolate cake. Yep, that’s right. I don’t want to even eat the chocolate cake. I want to sob into it. I still have the dodgy sunburn marks I gained from sitting in the garden on the weekend Manchester was hotter than Hawaii because I was so engrossed by this book. So yeah, you expected me to write a review for this book. I can’t. I pass. In an incredibly long-winded way, of course. Hey, you wouldn’t want it any other way, would you? But, I officially pass on reviewing this book. Why Malorie Blackman isn’t the name on everyone’s lips, I don’t know. Read this book and then come and talk to me. You bring the gin and I’ll bring the sun cream. You can read this and other exciting things (including proper reviews) on my blog, Wear the Old Coat.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| May 20, 2012
| May 27, 2012
|
May 20, 2012
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 1416912045
| 9781416912040
| 4.23
| 52,955
| Nov 06, 2007
| Nov 06, 2007
|
I don’t normally get scared by dystopian books. Yeah, sometimes they’re a bit..eeeehhh… but, usually, the ideas are so far-fetched and impossible that...more
I don’t normally get scared by dystopian books. Yeah, sometimes they’re a bit..eeeehhh… but, usually, the ideas are so far-fetched and impossible that I’m quite happy to shrug and think ‘Hey! Good fiction, author!”. I don’t know what it is about this book, where children can be ‘unwound’ and retroactively aborted when they reach a certain age, but it really haunted me. Just the idea of it was so unsettling and absolutely horrid. The way the story is told (third person, present tense) has this almost clinical style to it. Normally in dystopians, it’s all about the characters. It’s about their feeling and that’s where the drama comes into it. But in Unwind, there are no dramatic scenes where the characters throw themselves against a wall and cry and how in just it is… everyone kind of just accepts things. It is how it is. And that was the most unsettling part of this book*. I sometimes find that dystopian authors get so tangled up in a ridiculous plot and forget about the world building or get so giddy over the world building there is no plot. Of course, there are some authors that can juggle the two of them and find the right balance. But this idea got me thinking. What do you think is more important; the story or the world? I guess the world in Unwind isn’t overly different than ours, I mean there are hints that things are a bit futuristic but there certainly aren’t Districts or Factions or hover-boards. Maybe this was because Mr Shusterman didn’t think that the world was too important in the grand scale of things or maybe it was because Mr Shusterman wanted to create a world that was eerily similar to ours, to make it all the more frightening. Either way, I think Unwind is proof that if you’ve got a stellar, unique idea… you don’t need a convoluted world with complicated politics that show how clever you are to have a good story on your hands. The world he creates may be “basic”, but with the idea of unwinding embedded in my mind, I never once doubted Mr Shusterman’s imagination. Though, I think hover boards would have made this book just a little bit better. I’m not going to go into the higher ideas and morals of this book because I don’t think this review is the place to go into my views and opinions. But I do have my views and opinions on this matter and I’m sure you do too. I think no matter which side you’re on and what you believe in, this book will still be hard-hitting and fascinating. I think it’s the evidence of a real writer when you finish a book and you have absolutely no idea where the author stands on a matter. This book feels very removed, possibly by the style it’s been written it, and it doesn’t feel preachy or has some kind of sly agenda to make you change your mind. I like that it challenges you but, ultimately, it lets you make up your own mind. Anyway, let’s talk about the characters. I liked Connor, I loved Risa (Hurrah for a heroine is both feminine and strong!) but I absolutely adored Lev. And that’s who I’m going to talk about. Don’t get me wrong, I really liked Connor and I really liked Risa. I think dystopian books need characters like them. They’re strong, they’re leaders and they take charge. But they’re not completely original, are they? Sure these two stand out among all the other faceless Children of the Dystopian Revolution (CDR), but they’re still a CDR. Again, don’t get me wrong, this book wouldn’t have been the same without these two and I think dystopian books need characters like them. But Lev? He was the heart and the brains and the soul of this book. He really is a one of a kind character and I just loved what he brought to this story. He added so much more depth to it than any other character and the issues that he faced were the ones that affected me the most. I love characters that develop within the pages and seeing Lev’s journey was absolutely fantastic. For the first third of this book I thought I had him pegged. I didn’t like him because he annoyed me. I just wanted to get back to Connor and Risa. Next, OK, you have my attention Lev. I’m intrigued. And then at the end? BOOM. Consider my gob smacked. Also, I feel like I have to give a shout out to my new best-friend Cyfi. What an absolute treasure. But that’s all I’m saying. And before I read this book, I didn’t think anyone could make a character named Roland be sinister. HA. HA. HA. *nervous twitch* And that’s just what I think about the kids. Don’t get me started on the adults! Although I will say this- I enjoyed the nice, twisty surprise re: The Admiral. I didn’t expect that one coming at all. This book isn’t for the faint-hearted. Towards the end of the book there is one of the most horrifying scenes I’ve ever read in a YA book and just thinking about it gives me the chivvers. I know without a doubt that that will stay with me for a long time. But if you love dystopian books with brilliant characters with a unique and completely terrifying plot and one that makes you think… and, of course, if you think you’re up for the challenge… go on. *I know there are some characters who want to change things, but this ain't no Mockingjay**. The majority of the people in this book are quite happy with the way things are. So I’m sticking with that thought. **Mockingjaaaaaaay. *shakes fist* You can read this review and other exciting things on my blog, Wear the Old Coat.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Jun 10, 2012
| Jun 15, 2012
|
Mar 31, 2012
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 0312656742
| 9780312656744
| 3.98
| 4,099
| Jun 19, 2012
| Jun 19, 2012
|
"…I think it isn’t enough to survive for the sake of surviving…. Surviving should mean something like it means something to them. And if it doesn’t- I...more "…I think it isn’t enough to survive for the sake of surviving…. Surviving should mean something like it means something to them. And if it doesn’t- If it doesn’t." An Exchange of E-Mails between a friend and I. [Censored for spoilery badtimes] Last night. 10.49 pm. OMG THIS BOOK. THIS IS A BOOK THAT NEEDS TO BE TALKED ABOUT IN CAPITAL LETTERS. [blank] and then [blank] and omg [blank] !!! OMG CATIE. WHAT.... WHAT.... *head implodes* 11.06pm. [A reply from Catie, aka, President of Courtney Summers' Fan Club.] THIS BOOK. The title just kept passing through my head - THIS IS NOT A TEST. Too [blank]ing right it's not! She really pulled out all the stops I think. Her best. 11:20 pm. CATIE. A chav just threw a snowball at my window and I swear I literally just died for a split second. 11.31 pm. OMG WHEN HE [blank]. OMG I can’t even deal with this book now. I’ve actually had to stop reading for the night to calm down. Blarrgh. Next day. 11.45 am [Shh, I had a lie in. It was Sunday!] I hope [blank] doesn’t turn into a baddie. Or a zombie. Or a zombaddie. 11.48 am. A [blank]?!?! OH COME ON *gnaws off hand* 11.55 am. [At this point punctuation, never a strong point of mine, failed me completely.] the [blank] ??? !!!! omg what is with courtney summers she is an evil evil GENIUS woman 12.08pm. IS [blank] GOING TO BE A [blank]?!?! Don’t tell me. I don’t want to know. UNLESS [blank] and then they [blank] and then omg [blank] and [blank]. no… still don’t tell me. 12.22pm. OMFG. Are you kidding me?! ARE YOU ACTUALLY KIDDING ME?! 12.37pm [When I reached the end. Censored for my language because I could make a sailor blush with my muck mouth.] Holy [blank]-a-doodle-do. The above should give you an insight on what this review is going to be like. Manic? Possibly. Gushing? Probably. Incoherent? Pffft… you know me too well. ;-) Let’s just call it passionate, shall we? The above should also give you an insight on how brilliant it is to get an e-mail off me. High Points. In a perfect world. Survivors. Lockers. Notes. Sisters. Family. Pressure. “drenched in someone else’s life.” Book bags. Broken. Tina T. ”Thud.”. Saying good-bye. Safety in numbers. Bait. What comes next? Low Points. Trace and Grace…. Really? Are any parents that cruel?! Heroine. Sloane… crimeny. “I’m lying because I’m the only one that can say the things I need to hear.” Ms Summers sure knows how to create a broken heroine, doesn’t she? “I’m just waiting for the rest of me to catch up.” Gah. Supporting Cast. OMG [blank] AND WHEN THEY WERE IN THE [blank] and OMG [blank] OMG WHY DID [blank] JUST DO THAT?!?!?! Guh. The interactions between these characters in that last part? Literally made my mind implode. LITERALLY. .... OK, maybe not literally. Theme Tune. Seeing as I was still jibbering at the end of this book, I asked Catie to help me pick out a song for this book. I needed one bleak and horrifying and poignant and remarkably human. How to Disappear Completely- Radiohead. Strobe lights and broken speakers Fireworks and hurricanes I’m not here. This isn’t happening I’m not here. I’m not here. *shivers* I made two cups of tea while I was reading this book and both of them went cold. The moral of this story? Drink juice when reading Ms Summers. Or, like, a milkshake or something. You know that bit in a horror film when you see a shadow flick across the screen behind the doe-eyed heroine? And there’s the feeling in your stomach where you know terrible things are going to happen but you just don’t know when? Ms Summers has turned that feeling into a book and that book is called ‘This is Not a Test’. I think people who go into this book expecting it to be a zombook (“Braaaaains”) will be incredibly disappointed. Because, to me, this isn’t a zombie book. This book is a snapshot into suffering and despair and humanity and it’s one that’s blown up to such high-definition that it’s difficult to stomach because it’s honest and it’s brutal and it’s real and it’s so intense in its depiction of unbearable human emotions that you just want to gnaw on a pillow and curl up in the foetal position. Also, there are zombies. Zombies that eat braaaaaains. Recommended For. People who are ready to join the land of the living. People who are compelled to chase their nightmares. People who wonder what astronauts do when a zombie outbreak breaks…out. People who wonder what celebrities do in a zombie outbreak (Seriously Courtney Summers, get out of my mind! I always think of stuff like that!). People who wonder whether the zombies are the ones they should be worried about. People who could wield a crowbar without hitting themselves in the face with it. People who would stay on the side of zombie-infested side of the fence with me when they realise there is no chance in hell I’m going to be able to get over that because my upper body strength is non-existent. I mean we could try and find a loose slat or something but I might as well apologise to you now in the off-chance we find ourselves in that situation. I received an advanced copy from the publishers. You can read this review and lots of other exciting things on my blog here.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| not set
| Jan 29, 2012
|
Nov 14, 2011
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0062024027
| 9780062024022
| 4.39
| 298,399
| May 03, 2011
| May 03, 2011
|
3.5 stars. “But there is something wonderful about Dauntless chaos.” Initial Final Page Thoughts. Duh duh duuuh. High Points. Tris (occasionally). Chris...more 3.5 stars. “But there is something wonderful about Dauntless chaos.” Initial Final Page Thoughts. Duh duh duuuh. High Points. Tris (occasionally). Christina. Will. Uriah. Stiffs. Jumping off trains. Boys with piercings. Simulations. Ferris wheels. Zip-wires. Paintballing. Danger. The first to jump. Scoreboards. FIGHT.FIGHT.FIGHT. Blood and gore. Corrupt governments. Knife throwing. Boys with fingers so long that can span a girl’s ribcage….wait, what? Low Points. I’m always better reading this kind of book in one go because that way I can turn my brain off and just go with it. But, as I mentioned earlier, my Kindle broke and it was a disaster. And during the break I took from this book, my highly intellectual brain switched itself back on and started picking and asking questions that I couldn't ignore. Maybe this is because, if I were a character in this book, I would be factionless for I am neither brave, clever, truthful, caring or selfless. And, well, we all know how shifty those factionless are. Also, what was up with Creepy Fingers McGee as the love interest? *shudders* Heroine. I went through stages of absolutely loving Tris and then wanting to throttle her. My notes are as erratic as Tris’ emotions! I liked it when she was brutal and strong and selfish and resourceful and when she climbed Ferris Wheels. But then as the book progressed, poor Tris stumbled blindly into the trap that so often befalls our dystopian heroines: “I’m-special-therefore-I-simper”. Yack. Badass Tris next time, please. Love Interest. Besides my suspicions that Mr Four is in fact some kind of Creature from the Black Lagoon, I didn’t actually mind him. Although I am getting a bit tired of these love interests who scare our poor heroines. How can you be focussed on the swoon when you’re quaking in your boots? I think, though, that Four was more the “strong and silent” type as opposed to the “intimidating and douche” type. I much preferred both of these characters when they weren’t in luurve though. It says quite a bit that I was more taken the love lives of Tris’ friends, doesn’t it? Theme Tune. Fearless by Taylor Swift. OK, I have LOTS of reasons why I’ve picked this song. First-up, Ms Swift is my ultimate guilty pleasure and so, it seems, are dystopian YA novels. Secondly, it’s called Fearless... which is a synonym for Dauntless. BOOM. Also, this song is saccharine to the max like the love story in this book. And finally, it features the following line: You put your eyes on me. Um.... whaaa? You put your eyes on me? Surely that can’t be sanitary. But it reminded me of a scene in Divergent when our intrepid hero Four reaches up to Tris from below her on a ladder and grabs onto her hips. I tried to picture that for ten minutes until I remembered that, of course, Four is a mutant like the boy that Ms Swift is canoodling with, so it all made sense. Also, how awesome would it be to see T-Swift jump out of a moving train?! She’d land safely, of course! Sadness Scale. 4/10. This book was incredibly gruesome. High point. A lot of people died. Again, high point. My most beloved character died. Low point. This, ladies and gentlemen, is what I like to call “The Mockingjay Effect”. Why do authors feel the need to just hack at all the lovely characters and kill them in horrific brutal ways in the last chapter for NO REASON?! OK, OK… I’m being sensitive. It’s still a sore subject. If you’ve read this book you’ll know who I mean. IT WAS NOT NECESSARY. *sobs into copy of Mockingjay* Other than that, you’ll be fine. Recommended For. People who are looking for a book where you can just turn off your brain and enjoy. People who are more forgiving of heroines who change from being awesome to annoying. People who think that doors on trains are overrated. People who find mutants sexy, thank you very much. People who like to jump from great heights and just cross their fingers there is a safety net there. People who want to join my own faction- “Arty Folk”… um, I’m still working on the name. You can find this review and lots of other exciting stuff on my blog here.(less) | Notes are private!
| 1
| Jan 11, 2012
| Jan 17, 2012
|
Oct 11, 2011
| Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||||
| 0230748643
| 9780230748644
| 3.92
| 3,814
| Aug 03, 2010
| 2010
|
This is probably going to be the vaguest, wishy-washiest review I’ve written. But I find that it’s imperative not to go into too much detail with this...more
This is probably going to be the vaguest, wishy-washiest review I’ve written. But I find that it’s imperative not to go into too much detail with this one. If you’ve read it or when you’ve read it, you’ll probably understand why I’m reluctant to go into too much detail. This book asks a lot of questions and doesn’t offer a lot of answers… and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Books are supposed to make you think and this one certainly does. If you do want a crack at some answers Lisa and Catie both do a great job on this reviews comments and it’s definitely worth checking their thoughts out. Of course, I get distracted by Idris Elba and contribute nothing. Because that’s how I roll. “She knew about the forces of things, and she understood about America the Beautiful, and she was unafraid, except of herself.” High Points. Language. Temple. Makes you think. Maury. The beauty in the world. Road trip. Slugs. Ambiguity. Grief. Guilt. Isolation. Companionship. Hope. Humanity. Survival. Allegory. Conscience. The now. [Please note that I haven’t mentioned the ‘z’ word here. I think it would do this book a great injustice to call it a zombie book. It’s about a lot more… zombies seem to be peripheral in this one.] Low Points. Do not go into this book thinking you can get away with just reading it and forgetting about it. It’s one of those niggly books that worms its way into your brain and takes root. I haven’t decided whether that’s a good thing or not. The reason why that is a low point is because if you read this book and take it at face value it probably won’t make any sense. So I’d advise you to read this book when you’ve got your thinking hat/bonnet/fedora/headdress on. I wasn’t a fan of Moses and his role in this book. I got it (I think), I just think there could have been a better away to get the point across. But don't ask me how, because I couldn't tell you. But that’s all I’m going to say because I’m being mysterious. Ditto with Millie. Heroine. Temple is one of the strongest and most memorable heroines that I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. She is resourceful, she is powerful, she is rational and she is only fifteen. Born into a world that was already in the grips of this ‘slug’ apocalypse, Temple had to grow up quickly and deal with things that are impossible to fathom. And all of that puts a lot of things in perspective.... And that’s all I’m saying. Theme Song. The Road- Frank Turner. I instantly thought of this song when I finished this book. To the east to the east The road beneath my feet To the west to the west I haven't got there yet And to the north to the north Never to be caught To the south to the south My time is running out. And I just believe Frank Turner is a lyrical master. And kinda cute in a London-boys-wear-plaid way. Sadness Scale. 5/10. I know this is going to sound strange, especially if you’ve read this book and know what happens in the story, but this book made me feel really happy. A lot of awful things happen in this book or have happened and are alluded to but there is a definite vein of hope that pulses through Temple’s story. That isn’t to say that every character is like that, far from it, but the characters that I will remember the most (Lee, for example, and Temple herself) had not given up and are still looking for beauty in a world where it would be easy to believe that everything is decayed and tainted. I really respected Temple's acceptance of her place in the world and how she never fails to see and make the most of her time on this world. It may not be perfect and it may not be what she would’ve chosen but it’s what she has and it’s her now and there’s no point looking backwards and she isn’t going to waste a minute of it. After all- “It never pays much to go backward to someplace you already been.” Recommended For. People who like to think after they’ve finished reading a book. People who like gorgeous prose. People who like strong female protagonists. Told you it was going to be wishy-washy! I’m going to end this review with a few of my favourite quotes from the book. ”The world, it treats you kind enough so long as you’re not fightin against it.” “They travel from place to place, living off the land and trying to see the lengths and breadths of this great nation of ours before it goes under for the last time. There are still majestical things to see.” “See, there’s a music to the world and you got to be listening otherwise you’ll miss it sure” You can read this review and other exciting things on my blog here. (less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Aug 18, 2011
| not set
|
Aug 18, 2011
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 1933718552
| 9781933718552
| 3.95
| 5,982
| Sep 27, 2011
| Oct 11, 2011
|
I decided to give this 3.5 stars, but rounded up to 4. “For the first time ever, I felt ashamed of my species. The volcano had taken our homes, our foo...more I decided to give this 3.5 stars, but rounded up to 4. “For the first time ever, I felt ashamed of my species. The volcano had taken our homes, our food, our automobiles, and our airplanes, but it hadn’t taken our humanity. No, we’d given that up on our own.” (I just realised this quote is the same one that Maja chose... but it's a good quote :-D) Initial Final Page Thoughts. And then….? What a random place to finish. High Point. SUPERVOLCANO. 10/10 for originality, Mr Mullin. Alex. Ash fights. Pancakes. Shot guns. Campfires. Igloos. Determination. Hope. Loyalty. Companionship. Family. Horrifying. Bunnies. Spooning. Ash in uncomfortable places Low Point. Where was the lavaaaa? *whinges* I thought this book was going to be less dystopian aftermathy and more ‘HOLY EFF THERE IS LITERALLY LAVA COMING AFTER US RUUUUN’. But that’s just me who watches Dante’s Peak every time it is shown on ITV2…. Which is surprisingly a lot. Also, one thing that struck me (mostly at the beginning, actually, it kind of calmed down as the book went on) was how much Mr Mullin really liked his dramatic chapter ending sentence. It seemed that every single chapter (and they are short chapters!) was like “It was such a normal and boring day… UNTIL THIS HAPPENED…” or “The seconds turned to minutes that then turned to hours and nothing happened. Well, that is until THE WORLD BEGAN TO END.” It all just got a bit too much.... Also… the ending bothered me... it just seemed really abrupt. Hero. Oh I loved Alex. Mullin created a great character with Alex and considering he found himself in the worst situation you could imagine, he remained strong and so resourceful (seriously, I’d have just parked myself on my drive to wait it out) and persistent in his quest to find his family. Alex didn’t try to be a badass or become broody/ whingey about his situation but he just got on with things, doing a fantastic job at looking after not only himself but other people around him. Mullin’s portrayal of Alex transforming from a moody teenager into a brave, courageous and moral adult was particularly well-written and moving. He was also hilarious and a typical boy at times that had me laughing out loud on many occasions. Oh and he knows taekwondo and can chop you into OBLIVION. Um, yeah. That’s right. Darla. Yeah, that’s right. She gets her own heading. None of this best friend/love interest nonsense for this lady. Darla is amazing.She’s no nonsense, feisty, sarcastic, vulnerable, sweet and she can skin a fricken rabbit and gut a pig without crying like a small child. And she has a toy boy and she wears the (albeit a little ashy) pants in that relationship. BOOM. Theme Tune. Surprisingly, there are not many songs about SUPER VOLCANOS. I know, weird, right? Sooooo…. Burn Baby Burn - Ash. Geddit? Also.. I’m pretty sure that the lava (that there was NO MENTION OF) would burn…baby, burn. Angst Level. 8/10. There is a section just after half-way in this book that absolutely trod on my heart. With heavy boots on. And then stilettos. But I want you guys to As I come from a place where the only real threatening weather/natural disaster is floods, it would normally have been difficult for me to imagine what it would be like in Alex’s shoes. But, with Mullins’ brilliant vision of what it would be like (even if it is just speculation) and the exploration of not just how geography would change but how humanity (or, lack thereof) would be affected was brutally realistic and, unfortunately, not that difficult to imagine actually happening. And that scared the living bejeesus out of me. Recommended For. People who are looking for a new take on dystopian fiction. People who love pancakes. People who can ski. People who like camping in the great outdoors…. Surrounding by mountains of ASH. People who have seen better equipment on goats. People who don’t like rabbits…. Or pigs. People who hate getting ash in their kecks. People who worry about where they’d get condoms from if there was a natural disaster People who always think of Pierce Brosnon in potentially life threatening situation, until Mama Mia... when his career became life threatening. I received an advanced copy of this book from the publishers. You can read this review and lots of other exciting stuff on my blog here.(less) | Notes are private!
| Maja
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1
| Jul 31, 2011
| Aug 2011
|
Jul 29, 2011
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 3.73
| 12,993
| Oct 04, 2011
| Oct 04, 2011
|
”He was a strange breed of man, part wild. Not the sophisticated kind who graced the pages of The Great Gatsby. Nor did he seem like the violent man I...more
”He was a strange breed of man, part wild. Not the sophisticated kind who graced the pages of The Great Gatsby. Nor did he seem like the violent man I’d encountered on my first day in the wild. He had saved me, at least. I could only hope that it wasn’t for some nefarious purpose.” High Points. The idea…. I know people will be like ‘B-b-but it’s exactly the same as The Handmaid’s Tale’… but I’ve never read it sooo… I think Ms Carey did a great job at setting up this idea and it was incredibly creepy. Arden. Caleb post-Eve. Ruby & Pip. Lief post-Eve. Low Points. Eve. This book would have been awesome if Eve had just called in sick. The representation of men. If you have a penis in this book you have to either be a leery sexual predator or a boy who goes all gooey when there is a girl in your vicinity. MAKE YOUR CHOICE, BOYS. Insta-love. Can you buy this in a can? I think it is only acceptable (ish) for authors to make their characters fall in love so quickly in stand-alone novels. If you know that your book is going to be a series… let it simmer for a bit. You’ll make your readers go mental. When they get together in like the fourth chapter, the mystery is gone and, unfortunately, so is my interest. I really hope this is one of those series that gets better, because this book does have potential but these creases need to be ironed out. Heroine. I have a lot in common with She’s also a complete and utter Annoying Female Protagonist. (AFP) I don’t want to be too cruel because it’s not entirely her fault. She’s had it pretty rough. She’s had to grow up without a mother in an all-girls school and a PLAGUE has killed everyone else, so her naivety and nervousness when it comes to the male species is understandable. Because all girls who go to an all-girls school get jumpy and skittish when people of the male disposition are nearby. I mean, when I went to sixth form and a boy sat down next to me I stabbed him in the thigh with my fountain pen because his foot touched mine. She’s never even seen a boy, so you can imagine what she’s like when Caleb and his glistening muscles and his whip (not joking) rides into her life (literally, on a stallion) after saving her from a bear (Yeah.. that happens). It doesn’t help that she also had to attend "Dangers of Boys and Men" seminars (Um, yeah… that happens too.) So I can let her off in that respect, albeit a little reluctantly. Because she has an excuse. What she doesn’t have an excuse for is sashaying around And neither does she have an excuse for going on about how amazing her best friends are/were. Um, well… if they’re so fun and amazing and always there for you even if you are annoying, then why did you leave them to get Atwood-ed?! Eh? Also, you’re a reet Moaning Minnie. But other than that….. Best Friend. I feel really sorry for Eve’s friends. They seem really sweet, funny and very patient with Eve’s AFP ways. One of them also sings my second favourite Beatles song in the shower. So that’s also fine. But yeah… I’m hoping Pip and Ruby get more air time in the other books because they were great and grossly under-used. I also am hankering for a show-down between them where they just beat Eve with a stick for leaving them high and dry and getting distracted by abs instead of helping them. Also, major love for Arden. She is rebellious and prickly and has a personality and cut her hair short because she doesn’t care what people think of her. I also thought that she was going to be the obstacle between Eve and Caleb’s undying love because she perved at him when she first saw him. And I got all excited because it’s far more likely for two girls to fight over a boy than two boys over a girl. And I thought “Wow, that’s different and exciting and unique”. But before I could say “CATFIGHT!!” it was made clear that Caleb only has eyes for Eve. So that was the end of that. Love Interest. It’s difficult to not to swoon over a boy like Caleb. He’s ripped as anything, he walks around topless, he has edgy and unique hair, he’s sweet, he doesn’t gawk at Eve’s boobs and he’s a bit feral. Perfect guy, right? Well. You know when someone tells you not to think of something and all you can do is think of that thing? This is how I pictured Caleb.  Now, don’t get me wrong. I love Rufio as much as the next girl and what happens to him always shocks me because I have selective memory with things like that and I pretend it doesn’t happen. But bringer of the swoon he is not. Caleb has potential to develop into a BotS in future books… if he drops the ball and chain…. Off a cliff. Also, unlike Eve, whose too polite and in love with you and describes your smell as ‘earthy’ and ‘smokey’ and ‘charcoaly’, I am not polite and in love with you so I substituted these pleasant adjective with my own phrase - "gross boy smell". Which is more likely because you’ve been living underground with other smelly boys for years. Also, it made these descriptions HILARIOUS.
See? Baddie. Hmm… I’m reluctant to put Lief in this category because I’m guessing he’s going to swagger into the above category as the series continues. But yeah, he’s a massive douchebag and he can’t control his animal urges but he also has issues and a sensitive side. And he’s totally smokin’. Also we have the King. But we didn’t find much about him, except that he must have Eve. And then we have THE PLAGUE. But unless I missed the part that explains anything about what this PLAGUE is or why it killed 98% of the world’s population… we’re going to have to wait for book two to find out about this. I’m still holding out for the 98% of the world’s population to suddenly re-animate and eat everyone. And when I say everyone… I mostly mean Eve, because I was fond of all the other characters. Theme Tune. Dear Eve, This song is for you, Best Wishes, Everybody in New America. Also, this song is for Caleb to serenade Eve with when she realises she actually does fancy the hottie with the frisky hands in future books. This song is the only instant where love triangles are fun. And I think Caleb would suit one of those chunky knits. But I have a feeling that those aren’t diamonds in his pocket… Angst Level. 5/10. The reason why Eve escaped from school is really grim and terrifying to think of. But apart from that and the occasional Handy McGrabby boy, this book is pretty tame in the angst section. There are many pages where we get Eve whinging about the repercussions of the situations she got herself into. And, of course, boy angst. Because she’s stoopid. Recommended for. People who have hope that some series get better as they go on. People who love dystopian fiction in all its oppressive ways. People who ever thought “You know what? I wish this story had more boys who don’t know the meaning of ‘look don’t touch’” about Peter Pan. People who don’t read the word ‘plague’ and automatically get excited over the prospect of potential zombies. People who think Rufio has some kind of, allure. People who are going to have to watch Hook so they can make an informed decision. I received a copy of this book from the publishers, it will be available to buy later this year. You can read this review and a load more exciting stuff of my blog here.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Jul 20, 2011
| Jul 21, 2011
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Jul 20, 2011
| ebook
| |||||||||||||||||
| 1442429984
| 9781442429987
| 4.04
| 20,996
| Jun 07, 2011
| Jun 07, 2011
|
“If you know how to read the stars, you can read the story of people’s lives.”
Initial Final Page Thoughts. Blaaaahhh I had such high hopes for this bo...more “If you know how to read the stars, you can read the story of people’s lives.” Initial Final Page Thoughts. Blaaaahhh I had such high hopes for this book and I thought I was going to love it. And I did until about half way through… and then High Points. The first half. Emmi. Jack (and his hairless chest). Ike. Tommo. Nero. The setting, Ms Young certainly knows how to set up a story and build a world. Loved it. Written in the stars. Action-packed. The language (Everyone knows I’m a Nessochist… the language really reminded me of The Chaos Walking Trilogy.) Gladiators. Gauntlet. Nero. Skinny dipping. Gee-gees. Badass girls (Again… very Answer-like, no?). Bow and arrows. Boys with swagger. Nero. Low Point. Saba…. I’ll deal with you later. That effin’ heartstone. COME ON. Epiphanies? No thanks. I just really didn’t care about the characters enough to get sad when everything happened at the end. It should have been sad… but it wasn’t. The whole second part of the book, basically. It was just so random. All coherence seemed to go out of the window and shreds of plot was just thrown at me with giddy abandon. I’m probably just being too fussy and harsh but I’m so disappointed because I thought I was going to love this book. And I always get the angriest and show no mercy when I feel let down by a book that should’ve been amazing. Heroine. Sabby… can I call you Sabby? No? OK, fine I’ll just call you In the first half. Then what happened? Did someone slip you some chaal? And Tell you to have absolutely no common sense? Tell you to be as oblivious as…um, an oblivious thing? Tell you to constantly pick fights with your heart’s desire for no reason? Tell you to compare your heart’s desires naked body to your brother’s naked body? (Weird, btw, Saba… weird) Tell you to be a complete and utter little madam with your sister (who did nothing to warrant your hate)? Tell you to lead your heart’s desire on and then leave him in the lurch and then whinge when he started to lose interest? Tell you to keep making stupid decisions that would put everyone in jeopardy because you had to get your own way? Tell you to ignore what anyone had told you and keep asking why that bloody heart stone kept scorching you? (JUST THROW IT IN A RAVINE IF IT CONFUSES YOU TOO MUCH) Wait…someone did slip you some chaal and make you do all of that? That Nero has a funny sense of humour, doesn’t he? Love Interest. Jack, I really liked you. You’re a rebel. You lost the pony tail (Close call on that one). You were cheeky. You were rough around the edges. You could hold your own against a killer worm. You are exactly how I take my men…. But then you had to go and spoil it all, didn’t you? HA. For the record, I’m fully Team DeMalo. Just me? OK. Best Friend/Sister. I HAD SO MUCH LOVE FOR THE HAWKS AND EMMI. See? I am capable of being positive. Baddie. The King…. I just… WHAT. Why did he keep referring to himself in the third person? Why didn’t he die? I’m sorry… did I miss the bit where we were told he a psycho killer from a slasher film?! And if he was so obviously B.A.N.A.N.A.S then why did grown, fearsome men play his little games and believe his crazy ideas? I just didn’t understand. AT ALL. Theme Tune. All Sparks- Editors All sparks will burn out in the end. That really sums up my thoughts for this book. What a shame. Angst Level. 100/10. That’s right. And about 2% of that was genuine sadness… mostly in the first few chapters. And a tiny bit at the end. The rest, ladies and gentlemen, is 98% of complete and utter boy angst. Seriously. Seriously. We were told you were a warrior. A badass. You can shoot a bow and arrow. But when you are near someone of the male disposition you start spewing all this “I ‘ate him and his crooked grin”/ “But actually, he’s jest Jack. And this weird necklace thing is buzzin’ and burnin’ at me… but I don’t know why” *sexysexyflirtyflirtyleadthepoorboyon* “What nooo. I hate you. Yer annoyin’ and I can’t do this.” *silenttreatmentforafewchapters* “His silver moonlight eyes are lookin’ pretty fine right now.” “Maybe I do fancy ‘im. I just wish I had some way of knowing how I felt about Jack but alas, no. I just have this necklace that is melting into my skin whenever I’m near him. I’m sure that supposed to mean something…. Never mind. I hate you.” Saba, I don’t mean to be rude… but aren’t you supposed to be looking for Lugh? Y’know… saving your brother’s life. Not ogling the waxed-chest wonder with his swagger-boots and basically being ridiculous over your complicated feelings for him? Recommended For. Everyone who isn’t me and my friends who read this with me, apparently. Seriously. I think there is something wrong with my mind. I feel like I’m going to get shunned from the YA community and lynched and other terrible things. People who like dystopian books. People who like adventure books. People who like strong, kick ass heroines You can read this review and (slightly less angry) other exciting things on my blog here.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| not set
| Aug 16, 2011
|
Jul 10, 2011
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 1846059372
| 9781846059377
| 4.28
| 60,102
| Aug 16, 2011
| Aug 18, 2011
|
“Somewhere along the way I started to go overboard. I may, in fact, have started to go a little insane.” Initial Final Page Thoughts. I’m already recomm...more “Somewhere along the way I started to go overboard. I may, in fact, have started to go a little insane.” Initial Final Page Thoughts. I’m already recommending this to everyone I know. EVERYONE. High Points. *Deep Breath* Alternate Reality. Virtual Insanity.Scoreboards. Quests (More books should have quests).Good old fashioned competition. W-O-W. Aech. At3mis. Best friends forever. Corruption. Damn the Man. Eccentric Billionaires. Retro. Duran Duran. Matthew Broderick. Monty Python. Rush. John Hughes films. The most necessary game of Pac-Man in existence. Robots. Def Leppard. Spaced. I finally had a reason to spend half my night on YouTube. Originality. Easter Eggs. Rags to Riches. Commentary on human interaction. Cynicism. Avatars. I have honestly never read anything like this before and I loved every second of it. There is not a single doubt in my mind that this whole book is going to happen in the next 30 years….and I can’t WAIT. I’m coming up with my avatar name already. Low Point. The wonderful Maja (The one who is solely responsible for turning me into a rabid fangirl with this book!) raised a good point in regards to the genre of this book and it has got me thinking a lot about whether I would class this book as YA. Not because of the subject matter (it is deliciously dark!) but because of all the 80s references that make up a huge part of this story. I’ve only just left (kicking and screaming) the realm of the true YA audience and a lot of the references were completely lost on me. And, like Maja suggested, I’m not sure whether someone, say, born in 1994 would understand all and I think their enjoyment could be limited to what they know about the in-jokes. BUT, I feel we should give Mr Cline a chance to defend himself… so here is what he says in his acknowledgements:
I don’t mind saying that I read this book with Google open, not just because it would help me understand the story…. But because I wanted to find out about it. And also, hipsters are going to love this book. Sigh. Just because we have to tolerate them doesn’t mean we have to encourage them, guys! Hero. Wade Watts (called thus because his dad thought it “sounded like the secret identity of a superhero”) is an overweight eighteen year old from a trailer park who has an OASIS console permanently attached to his face. Kind of like this.  He’s a loser and he’s cynical and he’s completely obsessed with completing Halliday’s quests, so much so that he has basically downloaded everything to do with the 80s to his brain. For someone who has only ever played one absolutely fantastically spectacular computer game in my life, I often found it hard to relate to Wade’s obsession with OASIS. But, he is noble, insecure, loyal, highly intelligent, hysterical and, most importantly, he’s so determined to crawl out of the crap that he’s had to endure and truly make something of himself. And he also says things like this: “People who live in glass houses should shut the fuck up.” I think even if you don’t know a thing about computers, games, films or music… I think it’s impossible not to relate to and fall head over heels in love with Wade. Love Interest. Art3mis is the avatar that Wade has admired from afar across the artificially rendered plains of OASIS. Art3mis is cute, funny and a complete badass and gives a Wade a run for his money when it came to solving the quests. Which, of course, made me love them instantly. You all know I’m not a massive fan of irrelevant love interests and this almost fell into that category because this book had SO much else going on, there wasn’t really a need. But I liked the dynamic between the two of them and their exchanges often induced chuckling. Best Friends. I WANT AECH TO BE MY Baddie. CAPITALISM. Also, who do I write to to request for more baddies to say “Art thou ready?” before challenging protagonists to a due in books. Answers on a postcard, please. Theme Tune. Dead Man’s Party-Oingo Boingo. I’m totally being lazy with this one seeing as it’s one of the first songs that are mentioned in this book. But I don’t care because it not only proves the aforementioned point about how fun it was to discover new songs that I was too young to hear the first time round… but it is also a spectacular song from a ridiculously cool era that I missed being part of by the skin of my teeth. Although saying that, this entire book provided me with the best sound track to my impromptu dance parties that I I’m determined to compile a ‘Ready Player One’ playlist as soon as I have a spare week or so. Angst Level. 6/10. Unless you are the type of person who gets emotionally involved in computer games, you’ll probably find this book quite tame in the angst levels. Sure there are some nail-biting moments but once you remember that it’s not even real within the book you’re reading… you’ll be fine. But, one of the parts that I really loved was the whole idea of human relationships vs relationships formed through avatars. In a world where most of the human race spend their time in an alternative reality, forming bonds with people who they don’t even know their real name/age/gender/race/occupation, the lines of who a person really is were continually blurred. I loved how Cline explored this idea of identity, human interactions and forming relationships based on how you want to be seen rather than who you actually are and all the insecurities you feel when you make that initial connection, whether online or offline. Anyway, I really loved this quote: “We’d known each other years, in the most intimate way possible. We’d connected on a purely mental level.” Recommended For. Anyone who has ever watched an 80s movie….and enjoyed it. People who think Matthew Broderick is a grossly underrated actor. People who could quite happily go without seeing another real person for days on end. People who like microwave food and things that come in a can. People who think Duran Duran/ Rush/Def Leppard/Oingo Boingo/Mellancamp’s songs were written solely for you (I still maintain that Rio is all about me). People who love discovering new bands/films/books/comics. People who will always be jealous of people who have cool initials. People who find scoreboards oddly unnerving (Thanks for that Hunger Games.) People who wonder what happened to Robot Wars. People who find eccentric billionaires endearing. People who often wonder what they would like if they were pixelated. People who think that Dungeons and Dragons is a legitimate sport. People who have ever picked up a coconut and, after checking they’re alone in the house, galloped around the kitchen with them while wearing a helmet out of an empty Cocoa Pops box. I also found this. It is not only the coolest book site I have ever seen… but also maybe, definitely the coolest site I have seen in a long time. There are rankings of sideburns. Sideburns. I received a copy of this book from the publishers. You can also read the review for this book and others and a whole lot of other exciting stuff on my blog here.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Jul 10, 2011
| Jul 12, 2011
|
Jun 26, 2011
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 1439192316
| 9781439192313
| 3.99
| 31,401
| Oct 28, 2010
| Apr 26, 2011
|
4 1/2 stars. I only read this book because I was expecting blood, gore and mild necrophilia. Instead, I got a beautifully poetic book full of immaculate...more 4 1/2 stars. I only read this book because I was expecting blood, gore and mild necrophilia. Instead, I got a beautifully poetic book full of immaculately developed characters and gorgeous prose that demolished the well-worn cliches of zombie literature and everything I thought I knew about those old shufflers. Man I hate it when I don't get what I want. Pfft.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Jun 23, 2011
| Jun 26, 2011
|
Jun 20, 2011
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 1406326127
| 9781406326123
| 4.31
| 14,929
| May 03, 2010
| Oct 01, 2010
|
This review is going to be one huge spoiler if you haven't read the first two books.... just a heads up. (view spoiler)[ Initial Final Page Thoughts Fla...more This review is going to be one huge spoiler if you haven't read the first two books.... just a heads up. (view spoiler)[ Initial Final Page Thoughts Flabbergasted. Emotionally drained. But damn happy with the ending. High Point. THE RETURN OF TODD AND VIOLA! Radiohead epigraph .Map at the beginning- I find their always full of promise and adventure. Ridiculously amazing writing, as per. The Return- WOW. The settlers. Sympathy for the devil (again!). Twistier than a Hank Ballard & The Midnighters' song. One in particular. Heart stopping action in true Nessian style. Metaphor (my greatest weakness) And… begrudgingly, Angharrad.. OK, she got cuter in this book. She’s still no Manchee. *Mumbles* Low Point. Since reading this book I have coined a phrase to describe my relationship with Patrick Ness and his work: Nessochistic. Seriously, I know what’s going to happen to my emotions when I pick up one of his books… but I keep going back and putting myself through them. The major low point for me is that this book is the last one and I’ll never get to see Todd and Viola and Wilf again… emotionally invested. Also… it’s been said before… but I wish the Mayor had gone out with a bit of a bigger bang. Hero/Heroine/Love Interest. I’ve said everything about Todd and Viola in my earlier reviews so it would be redundant for me to go on about them again. I just love them. Everything about them. And I’m so so so happy that Ness didn’t character assassination-y with them which so often happens in epic trilogies. These two kids not only stay pure, brave and good-hearted… they also grow with the story and learn from their mistakes. Perfection. And on the love aspect. BOOM. But an honourable mention to Lee, who put up a good fight and I genuinely got sad when what happened to you happened. Thank Ness for Noise, eh? Baddie. Sigh. The only quibble I had with this book was the depiction and the character development of the Mayor, who is possibly one of the most well-thought out and creeeeeepiest villains I’ve ever read. It seemed the whole book was leading up to some huge, mind-blowing ending that would challenge everything that I had ever thought about not only his character and the fine line between good and evil… but also LIFE (shut up)… but when it came to the crunch, it kinda fell a bit flat. And then we have Mistress Coyle… Waaaah. I don’t know why but whenever she was in a scene I couldn’t help but think of Nurse Ratched. Terrifying but also absolutely fascinating and definitely one of the most important characters in the whole trilogy. Supporting Characters. The Return was the most surprising aspect of this book and, even though I knew he was probably going to feature, I didn’t think he would have such an impact on the story and the characters. I thought the addition of his narrative was perfect and added even more emotional depth to this story. It really opened my eyes to the idea that things aren’t always black and white and it is in the shades of grey in between where things really get interesting. Also WILF. Man, I love this guy. He should have his own book called ‘Wilf Walking’ which consists of chapter upon chapter of him and his oxes in a field. You know you’d all read it. And The Source. YES. Fist pumps may (read: did) have happened. Theme Tune. Zola Jesus- Manifest Destiny I needed an epic song to end this series on and after the final few pages (*breathes deeply*), I immediately thought of this because the lyrics and the message of the song are so accurate and this song makes me feel tingly. I don't have a reason to go back home So what am I supposed to do? I only know one place where I have to be And it's gotta be with you I'm on my way now So you gotta help me out You gotta make it out for me Angst Scale. 10/10. This book practically gave me a heart attack. From the combination of the break-neck speed the narration shifts between the three characters, the effed-up things that happen ALL THE TIME and the way Ness makes you question everything you’ve ever learnt, this book did not let up from the first page until the last. And it’s a long book. But even though I did feel overwhelmed and racked with emotion, I never felt it was too much and because the characters never panicked and went mental (If I was a character in this series I would have spiralled in the first book, I’d be staring at padded cells in the second one and in the third I would be merrily chatting to a friendly dog that no one else can see). Recommended For. Everyone, seriously. I am this close to buying this series in bulk and handing them out to the hooded youths who hang around in bus stops…. Well, OK, maybe not. But these books need to be read and it makes me so sad that there isn’t a copy in my local library (unless aforementioned hooded youths have already taken it out and are devouring it feverishly). (hide spoiler)] You can also read the review for this book and others and a whole lot of other exciting stuff on my blog here.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Jun 11, 2011
| Jun 12, 2011
|
Jun 11, 2011
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 031608106X
| 9780316081061
| 4.16
| 7,399
| Jun 01, 2011
| Jun 01, 2011
|
This review is relatively spoiler free.. but if you don't want to know ANYTHING about this or Feed... look away now. Initial Thoughts. WHAT IS WITH THE...more This review is relatively spoiler free.. but if you don't want to know ANYTHING about this or Feed... look away now. Initial Thoughts. WHAT IS WITH THE ENDINGS OF MIRA GRANT’S BOOKS? And, what was that? We have to wait for months until the next book comes out?! COME ON. High points. Shaun. (S)He’s hearing voices. Less of the technical jargon for simpletons like me. More zombie action. Things are rotten in the state of… um, America. Underground scientists. The Academy Award for Best Supporting Cast goes to… Low points. I have one major low point…. But I can’t tell you what it is because it will spoil everything. I’m such an advocate for not spoiling books and films because finding out what happens at the end of something you’ve wanted to read/watch really is the second worst thing that can happen (first is when someone pokes you in the side when you’re mid-stretch.) I believe it should be Forbidden. Hero. Shaun is just as HOT as he was in the first book, but now he’s narrator we get to see a lot more of him and the depths that Grant adds to his character just makes me love him even more. Even though I was sort of won over by George as narrator in the final few chapters of Feed, I thought Shaun was a better narrator and injected a bit more character into the series. I just really loved how Grant created a completely other side to Shaun in this book. I want to say soooo much more but I won’t. Supporting Cast. YES. The minor characters in Feed take a step forward in Deadline and become much more prominent and I loved it. They all added so much to the story and the feel of the book and I think they all had great chemistry with each other. Loved this aspect of the book because I think it kind of opened the world up a bit so we could learn a bit more how the Rising affected other people. Also… I have to mention Mahir, the bumbling, long-suffering English gent who loves tea and whose complaints about the things that he has to do go ignored. Pfft, Americans and their stereotypes. *snorts into her cup of tea while complaining about the weather and reading ridiculous tabloid stories about Kate Middleton’s fashion sense* Baddie. *zips mouth* Theme Tune. Zombie- The Cranberries. OK, we get it…there are zombies in this book and this is perhaps the most obvious song and also… the troubles in Ireland have NOTHING to do with this book. BUT- I chose this song for three reasons. 1)OK, it’s called Zombie. 2) If you’ve read this book you will know the chorus is particularly important. Sob. 3) The soothing vocal chords of Dolores O’Riordan will help you get through the emotional anguish this book puts you through. Angst Scale. 16/10. That’s right. THIS BOOK DEFIES THE RULES OF MATHEMATICS. But as to why… *locks mouth and throws away key* Recommended For. People who have read Feed. Basically. And also people who thought anyone who was shocked at the ending of Feed was for sissies. TRY THIS ONE ON FOR SIZE. I literally can’t believe we have to wait a year…. A WHOLE YEAR… for the next book to come out. Why? WHY DO YOU HATE US, MIRA GRANT? *twitches* You can also read more of my reviews on my blog here.(less) | Notes are private!
| 1
| Jun 04, 2011
| Jun 06, 2011
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Jun 04, 2011
| Mass Market Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| 0316081051
| 9780316081054
| 3.94
| 15,364
| May 01, 2010
| May 01, 2010
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Initial Thoughts I’m sorry, I can’t actually read this last page BECAUSE OF THE TEARS. Or at least the metaphorical ones… because I don’t cry at books…...more Initial Thoughts I’m sorry, I can’t actually read this last page BECAUSE OF THE TEARS. Or at least the metaphorical ones… because I don’t cry at books… but you get what I mean. This book is horrifically sad. High points. ZOMBIES. I am a huge fan of zombies… and I always thought that everyone else was too, but from reading reviews of this a main reason why people were unsure about this was because of the zombies. Zombies were the reason why I picked up these books. More than zombies- even though I am all for zombies, they only have a cameo appearance in this story. It is about so much more and it’s a shame that this book is being described as a ‘zombie book’ because there is like a million other things that go on as well. Great depiction of siblings… very realistic but also hilarious and poignant *sob*. The setting- so much thought has gone into this and the back story is amazing. Also… LOVE the fact that variations of George (Romero) are the popular names of the time because that would actually happen. News and journalism- what a fascinating speculation of the future of the news and the rise of the importance blogs… I’m pretty sure Ms Grant saw into the future with that one. Hopefully not about the evil Rising and gnashing zombies though… TENSION. Man, this book was tense I practically have no nails left. Red light green light red light green light red… ARGH. Subtle but effective writing that feeds (sorry… couldn’t think of a better word) little clue snippets into the dialogue so you’re left guessing write up until the end. And speaking of the end…in the great words of Bony M…. oh ma looooord. This book was totally not what I was expecting and it always left me guessing. I don’t mean to sound big headed, but I quite often predict what is going to happen in things…not because they are necessarily flimsy plots, but because I’ve watched a lot of television and read a lot of books. So even though I had some pretty major quibbles with this book, I loved this book so much, not only for having an interesting story, exploring fascinating concepts and ideas but for proving that actually, Jo… you’re not as smart as you think. Because damn, I did NOT expect this book to go the way it did. Flabbergasted. Low points. This book really started off sooooo slow and it took quite a while for things to happen. There was also a lot of politics and even though it was interesting to get the back story and why what was happening was happening, I found it to be unnecessarily in depth and it became quite repetitive. I understand that it was important for the reader to get understand the big ideas (especially when you read Deadline, the second book of the trilogy)… but it did become a bit tedious. The blogging/technical side of things. Gosh there was a lot of technical jargon in this book (which is probably a high point for a lot of people, but I am a geek but not a computer geek) and a lot of it went over my head. This is probably my fault for my eyes glazing over whenever big bro tried to explain computer things to me… but about 60% of this was lost on my poor English Literature/Film Studying brain. I loved Georgia as a character- she is intelligent, resourceful, dedicated to her profession and the search for truth and she’s caring but she’s not a simpering girly girl, which was great because I don’t think I could have handled romangst in this book. BUT… I really didn’t like her as a narrator. I like to connect with my narrators and I’m not saying George was heartless or anything, but… I think the only thing I had in common with her is how I take my caffeine: Cold. Heroine/Hero/ Best friend. I briefly mentioned George in the low points section… so I won’t go on too much about her. I’ll focus on my positive feelings towards her. I thought she was such an original character… a girl who runs a blog documenting the world post- zombie rising, who surpasses all the boys with her mad computer skills and can kill zombies? YES PLEASE. And also, she’s a writer looking for the truth. Aren’t we all, George? Aren’t we all? What I loved about her was that even though George is a complete tom boy and perhaps the furthest away from loving material things as you can get (except for the hair dye, of course!)… she wasn’t really aggressive with it. She is different than all the other girls but she accepts this and just gets on with it and gets on with her job. I’m so glad that Grant wasn’t like ‘LOOK HOW ORIGINAL THIS TOMBOY CHARACTER WHO DOESN’T LIKE FASHIONABLE CLOTHES AND DOESN’T UNDERSTAND BOYS IS’ all the time, because in a lot of dystopian novels (*cough* Mockingjay *cough*) this happens and it’s so off-putting and amazing characters (*cough* Mockingjay *cough*) are ruined by this. Even though I didn’t have much in common with George and didn’t relate to her as much as I have narrators in other books I’ve read… I appreciated that it was her telling the story because in hindsight (which, of course, is 20:20) I don’t think this book would have worked if it hadn’t been told from how she saw it from behind her aviators. Which leads me nicely to Shaun (and yes, I immediately thought of this and this) but no offense to Simon Pegg, who does have some kind of nerdy British charm and an understandable fondness for Cornettos… this Shaun was muuuuuuch cuter and yes, I have a crush on him. He is George’s brother, co-worker and best friend. But unlike George, he's kinda glad there are zombies everywhere because his job is to go into the field and report on the zombies from up-close. And, of course, poke them with sticks. Shaun is such a great character: he’s hilarious, he’s stupid, he’s a typical boy, he's dangerous, he walks around in his underwear (BOOM.), he’s reckless but he has such a good heart and he's so honorable and just a massive cutie in cargo pants. I also love the relationship between George and Shaun, it’s such an interesting dynamic because normally with sibling relationships in books it seems so forced and ‘Ohh my brother/sister is soo annoying’. But G & S really care for each other, they rib each other but they seem to slot perfectly together, their relationship was my favourite part of this book. Sigh. Baddie. Ignoring the fact that the flesh-eating zombies are kinda baddies… I was a little disappointed with the main, main baddie. I like my evil characters with a bit of mystery and intrigue but this one seemed to just stroll up on the page and be like ‘HI JO, I’M EVIL AND I’M GOING TO CAUSE PROBLEMS. MUHAHAHA’ as he twiddled his moustache. BUT BUT… I’m writing this book after I read Deadline and like I said about hindsight being great, even though the baddie in Feed wasn't the best…Grant did an amazing job at setting up the baddies for book numero deux. The bigger picture ‘n’ all. Theme Tune. They Are Night Zombies!- Sufjan Stevens. I was going to choose a very literal song for this book… but I decided against it when I found this gem by Sufjan Stevens. When I first saw the title, I was expecting it to be a funny song and then was surprised at the sense of melancholy, the lack of permanence and the poignancy that it evoked. Like how I felt with this book, when my preconceptions were challenged. The song is all about the resurrection and how the mistakes of the past can shape the future which makes it particularly relevant to the message of the book. Also… it has possibly the best title ever. (The full title is “They are Night Zombies! They are Neighbours! They Have Come Back from the Dead! Aaaah”) Angst Level. 10/10. GOD. This book. I finished this book a few days ago but I literally couldn’t bring myself to write about it because the ending shocked me and affected me so much. I keep thinking about it and nearly drown in the emotion that it brings. There are a lot of deaths in this book, some are pretty obvious and easily to predict, but they are dealt with such raw emotion that even though you may have guessed it was coming, you still feel your heart ripped out and mourn with the characters. Recommended For. People who think zombies are better than unicorns. People who like adventure books. People who like dystopian books that have a bit more ‘ooomph’ to them. People who don’t mind their stories lacking in romance. People who like strong, original and unflappable female narrators. People who are interested in journalism and the way news is presented. People who like conspiracies. People who are scientifically inclined. People who saw 28 Days Later and thought “I want to go to there”. People who believe in exposing the truth, no matter what. People who have a brother/sister. People who would quite happily tolerate their boyfriend poking rabid dead people with sticks because he’s super cute. People who have nerves of steel. People who have no tear ducts and/or emotions.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Jun 03, 2011
| Jun 04, 2011
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Jun 03, 2011
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0316134023
| 9780316134026
| 4.09
| 53,230
| Sep 27, 2011
| Sep 27, 2011
|
“She had been innocent once, a little girl playing with feathers on the floor of the devil’s lair. She wasn’t innocent now, but she didn’t know what...more
“She had been innocent once, a little girl playing with feathers on the floor of the devil’s lair. She wasn’t innocent now, but she didn’t know what to do about it. This was her life: magic and shame and secrets and teeth and a deep, nagging hollow at the centre of herself where something was most certainly missing.”
Initial Final Page Thoughts. Oh hey jaw, have you met the floor? You have? Oh good. High Points. Epic love (and not a single eye-roll in sight). Prague/Marrakesh. Breath-taking prose- Ms Taylor has such an intricate way of twisting humour, history, magic and mythology together to produce some of the spectacular prose I’ve ever read. Myths and legends. Karou. Madrigal. Akiva. Brimstone. Smoke. Teeth. Masquerades balls. Sister moons. Betrayal. Secret trysts. Sun blood. Moon tears. Heartbreak. Zuzana. Marionettes. Breakfast at the cathedral. Ghost tours (I know we’re not supposed to like Kaz, but I would definitely go on one of his tours). Inessential penises. Life drawing. Scuppies. Hamsas. Elsewhere. Battles. Wishes. Infinite Patience. Papilos Stomachus. Rainwater and daydreams. Pre-order. Pre-order. Pre-order. Low Points. I’ve wanted to get a tattoo for so long now but I have been being good and resisting because I have no money… yeah, this book didn’t help at all. To be continued?! You have got to be kidding me. GAH. This final low point is all for me: The one thing that I was dreading the most in the beginning of this book happened and it became my favourite part. The moral of this story: Trust Laini Taylor. She knows what she’s doing. Heroine. Dear Karou, You will not believe the astronomical cost I had to pay the Royal Mail to get this letter to you. Get it? Astronomical? Because you... at the end… you are…Never mind. Please consider this letter as an official invitation to join the elite group of ladies known as The League of Soul Sisters. You have been chosen for one of these coveted positions because you are strong, brave, hilarious, resilient, Please await further instructions. Yours Faithfully, - J ps. You should probably go ahead and bring some of those beaded necklaces with you… we could have fun with those. Love Interest.
I… I just can’t even think never mind write a sentence, because my heart is breaking so much. ps. You’re totally smokin’. Best Friend. I want a bohemian puppeteer as my best friend. And I’m going to whinge until I have one. Zuzanna was possibly my favourite character in this book and she wasn’t even in it that much! I loved the flawlessly realistic dialogue between her and Karou. Their conversations are so similar to the ones I have with my friends (“Nice fiddling, handsome man!”/ Guinea pig s’mores/ “I met an angel in Morocco and all I got were these lousy scars”) and I couldn’t help but laugh. Their friendship provided a lot of comic relief that saved this book from being too heavy going. “Oh, hell. Must. Mate. Immediately.” HAHA. My thoughts exactly, Zuzana. Theme Tune. In my mind there are two stories told in this book… so I’m allowed two songs. The first song is for the first story, the one that features in the second half of the book. I realise that makes no sense… but I promise you, it’s not nearly as confusing as I make it out to be. Harvest Moon- Neil Young. “When we were strangers I watched you from afar When we were lovers I loved you with all my heart.” Sob. And the second song, pairing with the tale that starts and finishes our book, the one that tore my heart into little pieces so much so I wanted to use a whole handful of scuppies so I could wish myself a basket full of kittens to cuddle in vain hope that my grief would be alleviated. Or… you know… something like that. Whatever. Roads- Portishead. That’s right. Portishead. I’m bringing the big guns out for this book. This is for you, Karou. *wails* Angst Level. 10/10. Even if I ignore the ANGST that Ms Taylor just inflicted on me in those final chapters, this book still gets a solid 10. Whether it is the beautiful prose, the heart-wrenching story or the characters that I fell in love with (Literally in some cases… HI AKIVA), this book hit me hard. To explain more will breach the barricade topped with spoilery barbed wire and I’m not going to do that. Just trust me on this one, yeah? Recommended For. Everyone. People who believe in hope. People who like prose that will take your breath away. People who wish they would have gone to Prague when they had a friend who was doing a TEFL course there *grumble*. People who wish they had gone to Marrakesh when their uncle lived there *double grumble*. People who believe that it isn’t breakfast without chocolate (Honestly, it’s like Zuzana can see into my soul.) People who have always wondered what the tooth fairy does with those teeth. People who think fingerless gloves are not just for homeless people. People who are willing to rummage around in a chicken carcass for a wishbone… just in case. People who are going to take their Shreddies to their nearest cathedral tomorrow morning and trespass and sit on the roof and wait patiently…. just in case. You can read this review and other exciting things on my blog here.(less) | Notes are private!
| 1
| Aug 2011
| Aug 03, 2011
|
Jun 02, 2011
| Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||||
| 1406322474
| 9781406322477
| 4.23
| 17,694
| May 04, 2009
| 2009
|
SOUND THE ALARM: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SLIGHT SPOILERS FOR THIS BOOK AND ALSO 'THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO'. You have been warned. Initial Final Page...more SOUND THE ALARM: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SLIGHT SPOILERS FOR THIS BOOK AND ALSO 'THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO'. You have been warned. Initial Final Page Thoughts. SPACKLEARGH. High Point. THE RETURN OF TODD. Seriously, I missed him in like the two days between finished the first one and starting this one. Low Point. OK, it’s no secret how much I love this series, so I’m not even going to pretend these low points are actually serious. These books just seem to be getting better and better and I am soooo excited for the final one. So, I’m scraping at the bottom of the barrel here… STOP WITH THE CLIFF HANGER, YOU’RE KILLING ME, NESS! And yeah ok, Angharrad was kind of cute… but she’s no Manchee *sniff* so, don't even try. See, clutching at straws here. Hero/Heroine/Best Friend annnnnd LOVE INTEREST. One of the things I loved the most about this book was the dual narrative because we finally got to see things from Viola’s perspective. Her chapters are articulate, educated, compassionate and they confirmed my suspicions from the first book… she really is as cute as a button. I loved that Ness chose to show us Viola because her story and development into main character allowed her to come out of Todd’s shadow and I felt her thoughts and, most importantly, actions really added to the whole message of the book. It’s so difficult to write about this series without spoiling it and I really don’t want to do that because if you haven’t read it before- it’s amazing reading it and being permanently on edge because you really don’t know what is coming when Ness is behind the wheel. But Viola’s perspective was brilliant and I’m glad she no longer had to be supporting role. Which leads me nicely to my main man. Todd. I’m so glad that Ness kept him as he was in the first book, because it would have been so easy to turn him into this huge, unrealistic macho guy. I love that Todd is real, he’s just a kid, he’s in a world that he doesn’t understand, he’s at a loss as to what to do… but he never complains. And I’m glad Ness kept this kind of… innocence about him, but also developed him and allowed him to grow as a character. This book added a lot of depth to Todd without being too overwhelming and I think the situations Todd is placed in (in true Nessian form… CRAZY ONES) allow Ness to blur the lines of what actually is evil, which is one of the major themes of this series. And it is this whole study of moral ambiguity that I find so fascinating about this series and that makes it stand so far apart from a lot of YA series that I have read for a while. OK, now to the love… my suspicions from the first one are still very much there… if not more. Even though Viola and Todd spend half the book apart you can tell they are still in friends-against-all-odds mode and it’s a great place to be. Especially because they are so young… but I still think something could change. Unless LEE gets involved. Argh. My loyalties were stretched with this one because Viola turns into such a girl when she’s with him (“I laughed, too hard.”) Awww. But hot damn, I was a fan of Lee. I JUST DON’T KNOW. I hope MoM will go back to this because… arrrgh. I’ll say no more. Except...holy moly, unexpected friendships (one of the best parts of this books… so beautiful and nearly moved me, no-soul-Jo, to tears) and unlikely alliances! Baddie. ARGH I can’t even begin to fathom this subject. But… Ness is the master at making you question everything you’ve ever believed in. EVER. OK, maybe not. But…. The lines are blurred, man. They are blurred. Theme Tunes. The Man Comes Around by Johnny Cash I am loving the jaunty juxtaposition between deep lyrics and the upbeat tempo when it comes to Ness, aren’t I? But Johnny Cash’s masterpiece really captures the tone of the book, the issues that are touched upon and THE ENDING. Creepycreepyapocalypsenow….butminusthefatmentalmarlonbrandoanddancinglawrencefishburne. And now for something that has never been done before.. I have chosen another song for this book. Because I couldn’t choose between the two of them. This song doesn’t actually have anything to do with the book… except the last couple of chapters… and THE ENDING. (I feel it needs capitals, OK?!) Sympathy for the Devil by The Rolling Stones. Angst Scale. 9/10. I kind of wanted this to be higher than The Knife of Never Letting Go, which I also gave a 9, because Ness really pumped up his game (that’s not even an expression… see what this book does to me?!) with this one and it is a lot more complex and deeper than the first book. With the perspective of Viola, the subject matter, the ambiguous baddies, the journey of Todd, the unexpected friendships (which was soo heartbreaking) and THE ENDING, this book has a higher angst factor than the first. But it never goes into whiny mode, which is strange because I think Viola and Todd are the only two characters in YA fiction I would be OK with if they just had a whole chapter that they just whinged… because, seriously, they deserve it. I don’t want to give it a 10… because I’m guessing (and secretly hoping) that Monsters of Men will steal that title and rip out my heart. Don’t let me down, Ness. Recommended For. People who have read the first one, obviously… it would not make ANY sense if you haven’t read the first one. This is really difficult… because I don’t want to spoil anything. So I’ll give you two: People who love it when sisters do it for themselves. People who were thinking that it was being a bit quiet and were on tenderhooks because they just knew that something horrifying was about to happen. AND, BOY, DOES IT. I’M SO EXCITED FOR THE FINAL BOOK. I really hope Ness doesn’t pull a Mockingjay and ruin my life*. *slight exaggeration. ** **Actually no, a part of my soul did die with that book. You can read this review and lots of other exciting stuff on my blog here(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| May 28, 2011
| May 31, 2011
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May 28, 2011
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 1407109375
| 9781407109374
| 4.03
| 844,704
| Aug 24, 2010
| Aug 25, 2010
|
None
| Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| not set
| not set
|
May 16, 2011
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 1406320757
| 9781406320756
| 3.97
| 37,624
| May 05, 2008
| Oct 22, 2008
|
Initial Final Page Thoughts. OMFG. Proceeded by a scramble to buy the next book. I think this book had a more intense cliff hanger than The Italian Job...more Initial Final Page Thoughts. OMFG. Proceeded by a scramble to buy the next book. I think this book had a more intense cliff hanger than The Italian Job. High Point. This could also be a low point… but I’m going to class it as a high point, for I have found a series that grabbed me as much (maybe more… WOAH) as The Hunger Games. And yes, I may become a hermit and forget to eat while I read these books, but that’s a risk I’m willing to take. Manchee! I LOVE the writing style, it was annoying at first, but it really compliment the fast pace and the ‘OMG’ of the story. No romance! Blood and guts! Manchee! A true, terrifying baddie. A great spin on the dystopian genre. Friendship! Did I mention Manchee? Low Point. It took a while to find out what the eff (see what I did there? If not, just read the book, dammit!) was going on. BUT… it was good because Todd had no idea what was going on either so you found out together. Also, the style that Ness writes in is how Todd would write, ie not very well. It’s a bit disorientating at first, especially when the Noise comes. But it all adds to the feel of this book. SO GOOD. I mentioned the cliffhanger… which was amazing… BUT COME ON, PATRICK NESS. I made myself a deal not to buy any more books until I’ve read the ones I have got… and now my soul is tormented. What shall I do? Oh, who am I kidding? They’re already in my postman’s bag. Hero. Oh Todd Hewitt. TODD HEWITT!! I love you and, even though for some weird reason I keep trying to picture you older, you are such a great character. I would have loved to be your best friend when I was twelve. Heck, I would love to be your best friend NOW. I’ve read a few reviews that have expressed annoyance with Todd, but I think they’re forgetting that Todd is a lot younger than most people think he is. Which explains why he is angry and confused and self-doubting and a bit of loose cannon. Considering he is so young and has been through so much, it is understandable and that’s why I love him. He’s realistic and honest and just because he doesn’t walk around with the whole ‘I’m special and therefore I am a martyr and must mope and be really annoying’ and makes mistakes and loses his temper, doesn’t make him a bad character. His reactions to the things he has to deal with are spot on for a twelve year old boy and they are the perfect combination of twelve year old boy indifference and ‘Whaaaat the hell?’ Also, he is a great great great friend. Sigh. Love Interest. N/A. Although, I have thoughts that this could change in the next books… *ahem* and I would be OK with it. I think. Best friend. Oooooh Manchee. Seriously, in the past couple of weeks I have found myself wanting a best friend who comes in the form of a talking animal. Remember Taggle? Yeah he was great and funny and all.. but Manchee. He takes the biscuit, and I love biscuits. The thing is, the germ that is making everyone’s loud and clear and, well it also works on animals too. And as Todd says in the first page “The first thing you find out when yer dog learns to talk is that dogs don’t got nothing much to say. About anything.” To which Manchee replies “Need a poo, Todd.” That is where the magic of Manchee starts. And I will leave you with that… I will say only three things about t’other best friend because I feel like I’m already treading on spoilery egg shells… 1) She’s cute as a button. 2) She has a kickass backstory. 3) I can’t wait to find out more about her. That is all. Baddie. This category is an interesting one because there are so many people who could technically be classed as a ‘baddie’ because of the situation they’re in and the whole belief system. Again, I don’t want to go into it for fear of spoiling it for you guys. But it is interesting, lot of debate could arise from some of the secondary characters who may at first seem evil, but all is not as it seems. However, one person is definitely a baddie…. Oh my god. Aaron. Ugh... shudder. So so so creepy. Again, don’t want to go too deep into my description, but I’ll leave you with a little note that I wrote on my Kindle about him : “What is he? The terminator?” There’s one chapter that… ugh, not going to think about that this close to going to bed. Theme Tune. Ordinary World by Duran Duran. I know when you think of Duran Duran you think of 80s GODS who provided the world with some gems as ‘Wild Boys’, ‘Rio’ and ‘Girls on Film’ and their music is probably as far as you can get from the tone of this book. But I think the lyrics to this are very apt for Todd and the journey he is on. And I know Red did a respectable cover which probably goes with the book more but I feel like I would have betrayed my undying love for Simon Le Bon if I had gone with that choice. And I simply refuse to do that. Angst scale. 9/10. Ness is gruesome. Seriously, his descriptions are vile and gross and amazing and creepy as hell. There is a lot of violence in this book which probably explains why this series did so well with boys (which is great, more YA aged boys should read!) and girls who, like me, were raised on Tarantino. YEAH. But, I think the most brutal aspect of this book was not the bloody violence but just the idea of everything. It’s hard to describe what I mean without ruining the story and I don’t want to do that, because this book is like a rollercoaster of twisting turns. But… let me just say this, the New World really is effed up and that’s why this book gets such a high angst rating because this angst will stick with you long after you are left teetering on the edge of that blasted cliff! Recommended for. EVERYONE. But also BOYS who think reading is for simpering girls who like sparkly vampires and hate blood unless it’s theirs and it’s around the mouth of said sparkly vampires. People who want a book that offers a fresh take on the dystopian genre. People who love adventure books. People who are a bit sick of forced YA romance. People who have always wondered what it would be like to hear people’s thoughts. People who have always wanted a dog that could not only understand your thoughts, but talk to you about them… and who also chases squirrels. SQUIRREL. People who aren’t afraid to read a book with so many twists and turns that you may need to reach for the car-sickness tablets… but in a good way. People who have been blindly searching for another dystopian series to get obsessed with post-The Hunger Games. This one will do nicely, I assure you. You can read this review and lots of other exciting stuff on my blog here.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| May 16, 2011
| May 18, 2011
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Apr 21, 2011
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0525421580
| 9780525421580
| 4.01
| 51,576
| Apr 06, 2010
| Apr 06, 2010
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Initial Final Page Thoughts. Awww, YES. High point. Oh there are so many. So I’m just going to try and list them quickly; indie boy nerds, ridiculously...more Initial Final Page Thoughts. Awww, YES. High point. Oh there are so many. So I’m just going to try and list them quickly; indie boy nerds, ridiculously gay men, self-deprecating laugh out loud humour, porn shops, internet crushes, heterosexual crushes, homosexual crushes, awesome families, cool girls, realistic butterflies, locker combinations, A GAY MUSICAL. And there are so much more but you just need to read it. Low point. I wasn’t a huge fan of the immediate ending… it was a bit too cheesy for me, but other than that. No low point. Unless you count nearly sobbing on a sun bed beside the pool at a hotel in the Costa Brava because I was so heartbroken at one point… but it’s best not to count that. Hero. Both Will Graysons stole my heart. It’s weird because I’ve never read a book that has two authors (although, I probably have… nothing springs to mind) so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. Both David Levithan and John Green created two wholly different characters who happen to meet after a few fateful mishaps and they discover they have the same name. Green’s Will Grayson probably pipped Levithan’s Will Grayson to my favourite hero… possibly because I fancied him (he spoke to my inner indie-geek, OK?!)… but I honestly loved them both. Both writers created realistic, warts ‘n’ all characters that you could imagine walking down your corridors at school (well, maybe not mine… there would have been an outcry and fans would have been… fanned… because I went to an all girls school…but you know what I mean!) and the dialogue was spot on. Especially one bit where Levithan’s Will Grayson is talking about text speak… “<3 you think that looks like a heart?” PERFECT. Love Interest. I can’t really write about this section for Levithan’s WG because it would be like walking on spoilery eggshells. But oh ma lord, there’s one section that tugs at your heart strings. I love how obvious it is that both authors know what teenagers are like, how they act and how they talk. There is nothing cliché about these characters. Jane is Green’s WG and she’s the kind of girl you’d see in a gig and be really intimidated to talk to but you’d always want to. She seems nice enough, but nothing really grabbing. Green’s WG however, comes very close to being included in my VIP list of fictional crushes and he makes me wish even more that I went to school in America… and that I had a locker combo. SWOON. Best Friend. Tiny Cooper. Tiny Cooper. Tiny Cooper… um. OK, I was hoping that the big TC would be a kind of Beetlejuice figure and if I said his name out loud (which I may or may not have actually done) he would have appeared in my room. Seriously, this guy is amazing. I love how he his described differently by Levithan and Green and you get this amazing, vivid, fantastically gay picture in your head. Tiny Cooper definitely steps out of the supporting actor shadow and takes the spotlight, truly. If Tiny Cooper’s musical Tiny Dancer was a real musical I would be there every night. EVERY NIGHT. As for Levithan’s WG… we don’t mention Maura. EVER. Theme Tune. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel. This one was an easy one… I didn’t even have to come up with it. Neutral Milk Hotel are a prominent part of Green’s WG (he says that they basically changed his life) and I think this song (and the band) kind of embodies the whole feel of the book and the fleeting moments of youth. And one day we will die And our ashes will fly From the aeroplane over the sea But for now we are young Let us lay in the sun And count every beautiful thing we can see. Angst scale. 7/10. There is quite a lot of angst in this (poolwhimpering) but the characters deal with it in a very realistic way which is great because the issues that are covered could have opened major ‘omg-my-life-is-awful-and-difficult-and-obviously-life-ends-with-high-school-so-I’m-going-to-have-my-inner-monologue-discuss-cliché-feelings-my-character-should-probably-have’ but both Levithan and Green really stayed clear of this. I find it so refreshing when characters deal with problems in believable ways and I can’t wait to read more from both of these guys. Recommended for. EVERYONE. People who appreciate great, realistic writing. People who want to read a book that deals with homosexuality in an honest and not-always sugar coated but still very fabulous way. People who always root for the underdog. People who have always craved for a gay best friend. People who love indie music. People who think that swinging on swing sets can solve pretty much every problem. People who get inappropriate fictional crushes easily. People who like musicals.(less) | Notes are private!
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| not set
| Apr 27, 2011
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Apr 21, 2011
| Hardcover
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| 0439023491
| 9780439023498
| 4.30
| 928,534
| Jan 01, 2009
| Sep 01, 2009
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I need to emotionally/physically prepare for Mockingjay. Hunger Games breather. My review will come eventually. But.... I dunno, I might just get lazy...more I need to emotionally/physically prepare for Mockingjay. Hunger Games breather. My review will come eventually. But.... I dunno, I might just get lazy and write some letters. *whistles*(less) | Notes are private!
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| Mar 20, 2011
| Mar 20, 2011
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Mar 20, 2011
| Hardcover
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| 0439023483
| 9780439023481
| 4.44
| 1,590,257
| 2008
| Sep 14, 2008
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Re-read: 21/03/2012 to.... oh who am I kidding? I read this book in a day. -------------------------------------------- Dear Ms Collins, I think I speak...more Re-read: 21/03/2012 to.... oh who am I kidding? I read this book in a day. -------------------------------------------- Dear Ms Collins, I think I speak on behalf of most young adult readers when I say thank you for writing a series that allows us to say “I told you so” when every single person we recommend the book to devours it within a day and adores it. I may be speaking for myself here but when I say “I read the books before I saw the film” about the Hunger Games, I will say it loud and proud Thank you for showing everyone that it’s OK to be a Katniss kinda gal. Forever a fan, Jo. x ------------------------------------------ Dear Katniss, Compassionate. Brutal. Awkward. Strong. Loyal. Looks good with a side plait. [It’s a difficult look to pull off, believe you me.] It’s all been said before and I hope it gets said again and again. With you, we readers finally got a heroine who wasn’t afraid to stand up for what they believe in. And also, a heroine who didn’t just believe in boys and kissing. You are the ultimate. Yours always, Jo. xxx ps. I have also been keeping track of the boy with the bread. When I say ‘keep track of’ I mean ‘fancied the pants off’…. ------------------------------------ Dear Peeta, It struck me when I read Anyway, I think I have done you a great disservice by describing you as the ‘nice’ guy when I have been recommending this book to my family and my friends and that weird woman who wouldn’t leave me alone when I was waiting at the train station. So, for that, I apologise. I mean, you are nice but you also have an incredibly dry humour which I adore so much. “You here to finish me off, sweetheart?” “Yes, frosting. The final defence of the dying.” “Remember, we’re madly in love, so it’s all right to kiss me any time you feel like it.” You’re also so incredibly swoony and I would like to cuddle in a cave with you while you whisper sweet nothings into my ear. And when I say ‘cuddle in a cave’ I mean in a fancy restaurant where an oddly attractive psychopath isn’t out for our blood. And there would probably be profiteroles. And when I say ‘sweet nothings’ I mean recipes for delicious cakes... It will be a cold day in hell when I don’t fancy a boy who can provide me with regular baked products. I LOVE BREAD AND I LOVE YOU. Lots of love, Jo. xxx -------------------------- G- I always root for the underdog. “Catnip” *sigh* Also, I always root for the tall, fit hunter-gatherer type who would always be there to protect the heroine but lets her protect herself because he knows she could do it just as well, if not better, than he could and he respects that and encourages her strength. Probs just me. -------------------------- Haymitch, mate, you need to ring me. You left your phone at my house and god it’s been ringing off the hook. Effie really wanted to speak to you, dunno what about. I listened to some of the messages (God, she’s shrill, isn’t she?) and all I got from it was that Katniss needed you to get her something. Something about Katniss not being able to find water and needing you to send her some? Or else she was gonna die? Ha. Effie is such a drama queen, isn’t she? Does that make any sense to you? Nah, I didn’t get it either. Anyway, last Friday was BRILLIANT. Remember? We got really drunk and we ended up on that pedalo? And then we were in that club and you requested Mysterious Girl by Peter Andre from the DJ and I was like “THIS SONG IS ALL ABOUT ME!” and you were like “OMG THIS SONG REALLY IS ALL ABOUT YOU!! ….. You really don’t remember? Anyway, we need to do that again because us two, H? We’re in it for the long haul. I know what happens in the Capitol stays in the Capitol but I guess it’s also the law… ‘Til Sambuca do us part, Jo. xxx ps. Do you have my left shoe? I’ve looked all over Panem and I can’t find it. ----------------------------- Dearest Cin, Can I call you Cin? You never replied to my other letter so I’m guessing it’s OK. Anyway, Cin… speaking of those other letters, do you have an answer for me? Would you be willing to be my Life Coach? I know it would be a bit of a task because, well, I’m pretty much failing at all things life-related but this is where you come in. Just picture it, we could go shopping. We could talk about make-up. You could diagnose what the hell is going on with my hair. We could talk about politics. Me and Katniss are practically best friends too, so you could go ahead and book is in on the same session. It’ll be glorious and just think how satisfying it would be to succeed. We could do a Before and After kind of thing. Or make it into a reality TV show?!?! We could be the next Audrey and Rex! Anyway, I’ve included a self-addressed envelope just in case you lost my address. Can’t wait to hear back from you! xoxoxo ps. I spent about three hours in Boots looking at gold eye-liner last weekend. I just couldn’t decide whether I would suit it or not. I think it takes a certain kind of person to wear that colour, you know? So instead I went to get a meal deal but the woman on the til said I couldn’t have two brownies and a Diet Coke instead of a sandwich, a brownie and a Diet Coke. So I glowered at her for a bit and bought the two brownies anyway and then added another one to my basket IN PROTEST. And I refused to get an advantage card. TO SPITE HER. pps. See? Life failing, thy name is Jo. HELP. ---------------------------- Dear Rue, You know when you’re trying to sleep in in the mornings and there’s that bloody annoying bird outside your window that is just screeching and squawking and you’re just like “HOLY MOCKINGJAY WOULD YOU SHUT UP?!?!?” That was me trying to send you a message via a wood pigeon. I learnt too late that they are not Mockingjays and they do not have the ability to send messages. So… um.. sorry for the squawking and disturbing your Sunday lie-ins. Basically, I just wanted to say that you’re a wonderful little girl and if I think about it really hard, you’re the starting point for everything that happens in this book. Love you, Jo. xxx ---------------------------- Dearest Finnick, Yes, I know you’re not in this book but I wanted to just let you know that I will be reading Catching Fire again in the near future and I am SO EXCITED because you are one of my favourite Also, I have missed it when you take off your top randomly and show your abs. KISSES AND ETERNAL LOVE FOREVER AND EVER, Jo. xxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxx xx x --------------------------------- Dear Jennifer Lawrence, I can’t decide whether I am more in love with your boyfriend or you. Who am I kidding? It's totally you. I don’t know what this means. Best wishes, Jo. xxx ps. You don’t happen to still have Michael Fassbender’s number, do you? You can read this review and lots of other exciting things on Wear the Old Coat.(less) | Notes are private!
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| Mar 2011
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Mar 20, 2011
| Hardcover
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