This is a well written, interesting book that will definitly give you lots to think about. What if you could jump(teleport) anywhere that you'd been b...moreThis is a well written, interesting book that will definitly give you lots to think about. What if you could jump(teleport) anywhere that you'd been before just by thinking about it? Where would you go? What would you do? The possibilities are endless and that was the main reason I liked this book, it got me thinking.
Published in the early 90's Jumper is now slightly dated but this doesn't deter from a good story, you just have to try and remember a time before cell phones, computers and the internet. New York is still a crime infested, dangerous place before it was cleaned up during Rudy Giuliani's reign. Terrorism plays a huge role in this story and in one ominous moment David drops a terrorist off the deck of the World Trade Center.
One of my biggest problems with this story would have to be the way David is written. He is meant to be an 18 year old boy who has been abused by his father and isolated from life, spending his days reading books. After he learns that he can "Jump" he transforms into a Jason Bourne, Jack Bauer anti-terrorist type character while tricking the FBI and police along the way. I also found his character to be written more like a forty year old man than a teenager; interested in finding a decent high tea and wearing linen suits. His girlfriend Millie was particularly annoying and although she is meant to be a collage student and only a few years older, she reads more like his mother than his lover, always quick with the voice of reason. I think the author although writing a Young Adult book had trouble finding the voice of a YA and both characters read older to me.
I would give the first half of this book 5 stars and the second half 3 stars, having grown tierd of the Jason Bourne anti-terrorism trickery by the end. Still a fun, exciting read that I would recommend. (less)
~SO THIS IS WHAT ALL THE FUSS IS ABOUT~ THE HUNGER GAMES is a fantastic, breathless and somewhat brutal read that once you start you simply can’t put d...more~SO THIS IS WHAT ALL THE FUSS IS ABOUT~ THE HUNGER GAMES is a fantastic, breathless and somewhat brutal read that once you start you simply can’t put down again. Initially I had no idea what this book was about or what to expect in terms of YA writing, it had just been recommended to me by so many people and had such a buzz surrounding it that I had to find out for myself why. Well let me say I was not disappointed and have now joined the legions of Suzanne Collins fans in awaiting her next instalment.
Written along the lines of Stephen King’s The Long Walk or Orwell’s 1984 (I may be aging myself here) this story still feels very original and sucked me in completely with its modern day Survivor-esque retelling. The Hunger Games is the ultimate in reality TV, suspense, scripted realism, romance and survival that you should not miss.
Set in a post apocalyptic future (although we frustratingly never learn the why's, how’s or even when of this future.) This new communist-type America known as Panem has been divided into a Capital and its 12 districts. We follow 16 year old Katniss as she struggles to keep her starving family alive, hunting and gathering with her best friend Gale. Unbeknownst to her these are valuable skills as the annual hunger games are about to begin.
Each year these games require two children from each district who are chosen based on a lottery system for compulsory participation. These televised games are then broadcast throughout Panem (with mandatory viewing) as the 24 contestants fight each other to the death, leaving just one victor at its violent conclusion. It’s kind of like Survivor but instead of being voted off the island you have to kill your competitors. When Katniss’s younger sister is chosen as the female contestant from their district Katniss volunteers to take her place. Then together with Peeta the other lottery winner they travel to the capital and begin preparations for the opening ceremonies and ultimately their death in The Hunger Games.
Oddly this has been written without paragraph breaks and I have to admit the first part of it dragged for me, as Katniss is groomed, clothed, and schooled by her entourage within the capital. However as soon as the games begin, lookout! By this point in the story you have become attached to several key characters and its then that you realize things can’t end well as there will be only one winner. Over a period of about 2 weeks and against overwhelming odds we watch 24 victims dwindle as they struggle to survive. Simultaneously avoiding and hunting each other they form alliances, face hunger and mind numbing thirst, mutant animal attacks, friendship, love and ultimately a distrust of everyone as Big Brother raises the stakes to keep the audience interested.
This is an exciting book that will keep you up late into the night and resonate with you long after you’ve finished. Cheers(less)
Opening Line: "I'd been waiting a year for this moment"
4.5~ I don’t generally read much YA stuff but Caleb and Maggie’s forbidden coming of age romanc...moreOpening Line: "I'd been waiting a year for this moment"
4.5~ I don’t generally read much YA stuff but Caleb and Maggie’s forbidden coming of age romance got to me and I found myself quite wrapped up in all their teenaged angst. I guess it was the unique story idea that first piqued my interest; that of a romance developing between the offender and his victim was too good to pass up. And once you get into it the reasoning’s as to why they get together it felt realistic. I mean they‘ve both been away for a year and things have changed, they‘ve changed and none of their friends “get” them anymore. Throw in some majorly screwed up family members, a big secret and super cool old lady and you’ve got yourselves a great story.
Told with alternating POV’s for each chapter, this was a fast read and I enjoyed getting into both Maggie and Caleb’s heads, seeing what each of them thought of the same situation. We begin with our hero Caleb being released from jail. He’s just spent a year locked up in juvenile detention for hitting a girl with his car while drunk and then leaving the scene. He’s paid his dues though and is no longer the carefree popular teen that went away. All he wants now is to go home and resume his life, -well that and turn back time. With getting released comes a few rules though, like 150 hours of community service, meeting with a transition counsellor and staying out of trouble. It’s all easier said then done.
Switching to Maggie we join her in physical therapy exercising her shattered leg and preparing to go back to school. The only thing that gets her through the day now is her scholarship to Spain. It seems since the accident she’s no longer one of the popular kids, they all think she’s a freak and Maggie can’t wait to get out of this town and away from their whispers and stares.
Through circumstance Maggie takes a job as a companion for old Mrs Reynolds (who turned out to be one of my favourite characters) Coincidentally she’s also just hired Caleb through his community service. I guess in a town as small as Paradise they should have expected to run into each other but what neither had expected was that it would only be the other that could truly understand what they’re going through. Caleb’s family is really messed up; his sister is a Goth ghost, his mother acts like nothing has happened and his father is just gone. And then there's his ex-girlfriend, beautiful, seductive and full of poison. Maggie’s days of playing tennis are over and her overprotective Mum (eek) is dating her boss. What an embarrassment.
Bound together by the tragedy yet forbidden by their parents and a court order to be together a tentative friendship begins, quickly developing into something neither of them had expected or can stop. A bittersweet, moving love story, now I only wish I had Return to Paradise because the ending here leaves you hanging. I’ll definitely be reading more from Simone Elkeles. Cheers (less)
This was just the perfect Valentine’s Day read. In the style of (The Notebook), a heartbreaker with flashbacks to the 2nd World War, religious underto...moreThis was just the perfect Valentine’s Day read. In the style of (The Notebook), a heartbreaker with flashbacks to the 2nd World War, religious undertones and a love story that knows no bounds.
Betty White starred in the Hallmark movie version of this which is how I first became aware of the story. I liked the book even better though, even if it did jump around a lot with different time periods and up to 10 POV's including some very minor secondary characters. The battle scenes from the Philippians were particularly well done.
As well as the main 1940’s war time romance we’re also given a modern day older man/younger woman second chance romance (as the son of our couple tells his parents love story to a TV reporter) I enjoyed it equally as much.
The Last Valentine is just an all-round, beautiful, albeit bittersweet love story that left me believing in magic, requiring some tissues and unable to forget. Cheers ~4.5~ 350jb45(less)
“Imagine if Bridget Jones fell into A million little pieces, flew over the cuckoo’s nest and befriended Lindsey Lohan along the way.” Okay I might hav...more“Imagine if Bridget Jones fell into A million little pieces, flew over the cuckoo’s nest and befriended Lindsey Lohan along the way.” Okay I might have stolen that quote from the back of the book but it does describe Spin perfectly, so I couldn’t help myself.
This was a fantastic read and from a new Canadian author no less. Totally relatable, addictive and hilarious, I had trouble putting this one down. It's written along the lines of Sophia Kinsley’s Confessions of a Shopaholic series or as I mentioned Bridget Jones's Diary, I also had flashes of Girl, Interrupted (if the loony bin were rehab) And yet despite all the comparisons Spin still manages to have a unique feel to it.
Peppered with pop culture references from movies, TV and music there's even a chapter by chapter playlist included at the end. I also just love books that are written the way we girls actually think, you know with random disjointed thoughts and crazy insecurities. And how much fun is it to follow a heroine who isn’t perfect? Kate, well she’s a mess so it was an absolute blast stumbling along with her while she finds herself.
Kate,(Katie, whatever) Sanford has just landed the job interview she’s been dreaming about her entire adult life, (other than writing for Rolling Stone that is.) It’s an interview with her favourite music magazine The Line. It’s also Katie’s 30th birthday which is all the more reason to celebrate, right? I mean what harm can meeting her friend Greer and having one little drink do? She’ll still get home early enough to be clear headed and fresh for the big interview tomorrow. Well as most of us know there’s no such thing as one drink (especially with friends like Greer.)
Katie’s botched interview is hilarious, she’s late arriving, still a bit drunk and concludes the meeting by excusing herself to throw up and lie on the restroom floor. Needless to say she doesn’t get the job. She is however just perfect for another assignment they have in mind; entering a 30 day stint in rehab to spy on the new “it” girl of the moment and writing a 5,000 word expose for their subsidiary gossip magazine. (Should she succeed the job she actually wants will also be waiting for her.) It’s a no brainer really, at this point Katie has burned almost every bridge she can and has nothing left to loose, besides its only for 30 days.
Kate’s observations from rehab while somewhat heartbreaking still retain the comedy. Her experiments with jogging had me laughing out loud as did the descriptions of her dog obsessed counsellor. Of course there’s a romance in bloom and hey what do you know she might just have a drinking issue after all. At the very least Katie needs to grow up and stop telling people she’s still in college or at least partying with college kids. The rehab section of the story is predictable but that doesn’t make it any less fun to watch the train wreck and cheer from the sidelines. The ending reads like a Hugh Grant movie and I loved it. Cheers 284jb5(less)
Based on several rave reviews I was intrigued by the very idea of this story. Two strangers meet on a train and a seduction of words takes place. I lo...moreBased on several rave reviews I was intrigued by the very idea of this story. Two strangers meet on a train and a seduction of words takes place. I love the romance of trains, the whole idea of this is sexy to me, I love the idea of meeting someone and living for the moment, where the past and the future don’t matter. I guess that’s what I expected to get from this story –and maybe a bit of s-e-x. But that’s not what this is about, this is about words, and seduction and mystery and it didn’t entirely work for me.
I will say that the writing is wonderful -lots of quote-worthy passages and in all honesty if I’d had more experience with short stories I probably would have enjoyed this more, as it was though I just came away frustrated –what, that’s it!?
In writing this review though I’m realizing that if I’m left wanting more and have nagging questions about the story –who is this woman? Why is she riding around endlessly on trains with a cup and saucer (actually I love that sound too) seducing random men to the point where they want her but not acting on it then moving on. This sounds lonely to me not sexy. I suppose for her it’s all in the hunt, not in the act. If I'm left with all these questions though, left wanting more, than this story was probably better then I first realized.
So yes, a beautiful piece of writing, maybe not for everyone but worth the time it will take to read and reach your own conclusion. Cheers.
Thanks James **A copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
An observation The heroine is like a spider spinning a web enticing her man in but once she gets him, once he’s under her spell she realizes she’s not hungry and releases him leaving him with the memory and the mystery.(less)
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