What can I say about this book? Not a whole lot, to be completely honest. The things that I can say, though, probably sound extremely fangirly. I just...moreWhat can I say about this book? Not a whole lot, to be completely honest. The things that I can say, though, probably sound extremely fangirly. I just really loved this book, ok?
I had heard nothing but good things about Gayle Forman's writing, and I have heard spectacular things about this book in particular. Seeing as I have recently come to love the contemporary genre, I decided to give this book a shot. I went into this book expecting it to have what I like to call, the "John Green Syndrome." What is the JGS, you ask? It's when a book is SO hyped up that, even if you absolutely loved the book, it was still a bit of a let down because of all the hype.
Luckily, though, this did not happen with Just One Day. I absolutely adored this book, you guys. The roller coaster of emotions this book sent me on had me laying in bed in a dazed state.
PLOT.
As I said earlier, I have recently come to love this genre. My favorite books of this genre always tend to revolve around the character(s) trying to discover themselves, so that's what first got me excited to read this.
I have always wanted to just travel the world on a whim, with no real planning involved, so that was one of my favorite parts of the plot. The whole adventure through Paris that Allyson takes with Willem is simply...magical, for lack of a better word. They experience a city in a way that most people aren't keen on.
CHARACTERS.
I. LOVED. THESE. CHARACTERS. You guys cannot even begin to understand the amount of love that I have for these characters. They were all so fleshed out to the point that you started to think that you actually knew them. Not only were Allyson and Willem developed, but the bigger side characters were even developed in some way.
Allyson is probably one of my favorite characters of all time. I'm sure that most, if not all, of us can related to the struggle of trying to figure out who we are and/or who we want to be. Her journey to figure that out is obviously not the most common of scenarios, but even with that, Gayle Forman made it so easy for the readers to put themselves in her shoes.
Willem. What can I say about Willem? The most obvious thing is that he is totally swoon-worthy. Who wouldn't want a Willem in their life? Aside from the shallow thoughts, I love what he gave to Allyson. I think that Allyson really needed someone like Willem to really push her. Allyson has always lived a quiet life, and I think Willem was the perfect person to come into her life and make her realize what she was missing.
Also, can I just make a comment about how much I loved Dee. Seriously. He was probably one of my favorite side-characters, and I just wanted to hug him.
WRITING.
Oh, the writing. I had no idea what to expect from Gayle's writing, but it wasn't what I read. She has one of the most beautiful writing styles that I have ever read. My favorite thing about her writing is her ability to describe a place in so much detail, while still keeping the reader entranced. I have read a couple stories where, authors with be detailed in their writing, but it's so detailed that it's boring. I have been to Paris, and her descriptions made me feel like I was actually there.
Overall, this book has become one of my all-time favorites, and Gayle Forman has become one of my all-time favorite authors. I cannot wait to get my hands on Just One Year, and I also can't wait to read her other work.(less)
When I first saw the trailer for the movie, I immediately knew that I had to pick this book up. For obvious reasons, these story put off a very quirky...moreWhen I first saw the trailer for the movie, I immediately knew that I had to pick this book up. For obvious reasons, these story put off a very quirky and interesting vibe. Due to all the hype of the book because of the movie, I made sure my hopes weren't TOO high going into this. Fortunately for me, this book could have easily blown my highest expectations out of the water!
The plot of this story isn't the most common one floating around, which is very unusual nowadays. Not only is it a zombie-human love story, but it's also told from the point of view of the zombie.
What I loved most about the plot is that the romance isn't cheesy. The relationship between R and Julie is very genuine, but at no point did I cringe because of tacky one liners or ridiculous acts of love. A lot of authors slather so much cheese on the romances in their stories, that I kinda want to puke in my mouth a little. I could see and feel why R fell for Julie, and why Julie fell for R.
The characters were definitely my favorite part of this book.
I thought that R was a fantastic character. Marion did an awesome job making you sympathize with R, even when he was eating people. I almost always get annoyed with the main character, no matter how much I love them, so I was really shocked when I finished the book and realized I never got annoyed or frustrated with R at any point throughout the book.
As for Julie...I don't have much to say. Don't get me wrong, I didn't have any issues with her. I think the only fault of this book is that you don't really get a chance to actually know her. You see R falling in love with her, and you can understand it, but you don't really know much else. Julie is a mystery, at least to me.
All in all, this book has made my "Absolute Favorites" list. The plot and writing were so well done, and the characters were beyond that. I have read that Marion is writing a prequel to this story, and I have to say that I will definitely be pre-ordering that one!(less)
This book was absolutely amazing. I had never read a high fantasy book before, and I have to say, this book was definitely a good book to start with.
I...moreThis book was absolutely amazing. I had never read a high fantasy book before, and I have to say, this book was definitely a good book to start with.
If you look at the basic plot, it's kind of predictable. There is a power hungry villain who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Fortunately, Alison Goodman is such a fantastic writer, that she turned that overdone plot into something original and interesting. The first 80 pages or so were a BIT slow for me due to all the world building, but after that it picked up. The pace of this book was very steady for the most part, but the last 100-150 pages were so crazy. If I hadn't held myself back, I probably would have torn the pages out from flipping the pages trying to see what would happen.
The characters were so fantastic. Some of the best characters I have ever read about, to be completely honest. Something that makes Alison Goodman a fantastic writer, is that not only does she make you care about the main characters, she makes you care about the side characters. A lot of authors have a hard enough time trying to create a relationship between the main character(s) and the reader, much less the side characters, too. I also thought the villain was so well written. I absolutely hate villains who are 50% villain/50% friend. I love my villains 100% evil, and that is exactly what the villain in this story was.
This story proved to me that Alison Goodman is a fantastic writer. I will most definitely be picking up Eona, and I will absolutely be picking up more of her work. I highly recommend this book!(less)
I had my eye on this book ever since I read the synopsis on the back. It seemed like such a creepy book, and I was dyin...moreThis book, you guys. THIS BOOK.
I had my eye on this book ever since I read the synopsis on the back. It seemed like such a creepy book, and I was dying to be creeped out! I kept putting it off, though, because after the fiasco with Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, I was in no rush to be disappointed once again by a supposed-to-be-creepy-but-actually-really-lame book. Yes, I thought that book was lame, but that is for another post.
I was a little worried when I first started reading this because I couldn't quite get into it until a few chapters in. Fortunately, once the story picked up, I couldn't put this book down. I finished it in only a couple of hours!
PLOT.
The plot of this book was truly creepy. It read so much like a horror film, but not like those shitty horror films that come out nowadays that focus on girls' boobs. There were times while I was reading this where I just wanted to hide under my covers, but then I would continue on and be afraid to do even that.
I love this was an actual horror story. It wasn't a book that claimed to be horror, but it's actually just a book about some girl hearing noises at night. If I had read this book at night, I probably would have had nightmares.
CHARACTERS.
I have to admit...the characters were kind of lackluster. I didn't dislike them, but I didn't really like them either. While I cared about what was going to happen to Reggie and Henry, I was never particularly attached to them. I think that so much focus was put on the plot, that the characters suffered a little bit.
With that said, I didn't really mind. While the characters and their development are my favorite part of a story, the plot was so well done that I didn't really care. Is that horrible to say? Probably, but oh well.
I must say, though, that Aaron (Reggie's best friend) was probably my favorite character in the entire story. He was funny, smart, and sometimes had the most common sense out of the two of them.
WRITING.
THE WRITING, DEAR HEAVENS.
Someone should bake Simon Holt a cake, because holy hell. I thought the writing in this book was phenomenal. In a genre where so many authors are afraid to push the limit with how disturbing they make a scene, Simon Holt kinda punched them all in the face. While the book wasn't blood and guts everywhere, he definitely did not leave much to the imagination. There were scenes where I was absolutely sure that my eyeballs were about to pop out of my skull from being so shocked.
I don't want to say too much and give away spoilers, so I will only say this: the carnival. If you have read this book, you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about. That carnival was scary enough to send me off to a mental institution for my own safety.
With all that said, I was obviously impressed with this book. I cannot wait to continue on with the series and see what's next for Reggie, Henry, and Aaron.
Random tidbit, but...who the heck is Simon Holt? Seriously. There is NOTHING written about him ANYWHERE, other than the same blurb that's written in the back of the book. Simon, are you out there?! Are you coming out with more books anytime soon?!(less)
I had some pretty high expectations before I started reading this book, and thankfully, those expectations were met.
This book is so satire ridden, and...moreI had some pretty high expectations before I started reading this book, and thankfully, those expectations were met.
This book is so satire ridden, and it really makes the book what it is. Bray isn't afraid to go completely crazy with the events that happened in this book, and trust me, there are some pretty crazy things. She pokes fun at society in this day and age, which is absolutely hilarious. You can't take this book TOO seriously, otherwise you're not going to enjoy the story at all.
There is some mention of a couple LGBT lifestyles, as well as racism. I have read a couple reviews saying that it came off as preachy, but in all honesty, I have no idea what they're talking about. There was never a point where I thought the author was trying to force me to believe in certain things.
'Beauty Queens' was laid out in a TV show style. There were commercial breaks and footnotes. I thought this was a unique way of writing the book, but eventually all the footnotes and commercial breaks just got tedious. I ended up skipping them in the last half of the book because I wanted to get on with the story. Like I said, at first they were pretty funny and interesting, but eventually I just got bored of them. There were just so many!
As for characters, you really only focus on a few of the 13 girls, which I really appreciated. Because Bray didn't focus on ALL 13 girls, she was able to give background stories on the focused characters. You get to see why these girls joined the pageant, and how they really feel about it. Going along with the satire, some of the girls personalities were so crazy, and it made for really great dialogue.
This book was definitely an experience, and I am so glad that I picked it up. I will definitely be picking up other works by Bray, because she is such a fantastic writer and storyteller.
I would definitely recommend picking up this book, even if only for the experience. It's something you won't want to miss out on!(less)
I was so excited and anxious to read this book, especially since this is THE John Green book that everyone said I needed to read.
The thing I love abou...moreI was so excited and anxious to read this book, especially since this is THE John Green book that everyone said I needed to read.
The thing I love about this story is that it's not a typical story about cancer patients. In a lot of books the characters are either overly depressed, or overly happy. This story focused on the highs AND the lows that happen in the life of a cancer patient, rather than one or the other.
With all that said, the ending was a bit underwhelming. Everyone kept raving about how the end was the most heartbreaking ending ever, and while it made me sad, it wasn't as heart wrenching as I expected. This is a problem that I think I will have with all of John Green's books. Everyone always puts them on such high pedestals, that it's nearly impossible to go in with any other expectation.
Hazel and Augustus were the best characters that I have probably ever read. Hazel was so realistic and funny. She never moped around, and she never acted like she was untouchable - she tried her best to be like everyone else, all while understanding that she DOES have limits. In this world, there is no Hazel without Augustus, and there is no Augustus without Hazel. They fed off each other SO WELL.
This was an absolutely beautiful book, and John Green definitely outdid his other books when it came to the writing.(less)
I absolutely LOVED this book. It has on-stop action from beginning to end. Also, this book is hysterical. Nick, as well as everyone else's dialogue, i...moreI absolutely LOVED this book. It has on-stop action from beginning to end. Also, this book is hysterical. Nick, as well as everyone else's dialogue, is one of the best parts of the book. It's all very sarcastic, which is the best kind. From the size of the book you'd think that this happens over a span of a few days, but it's actually one night. Which is great, considering how much material there is. This is definitely one of my favorite books, and I can't wait to pick up the sequel.(less)
All I can say about this book is "wow." I told myself I was only going to read one chapter before I went to bed, but before I knew it I had read almos...moreAll I can say about this book is "wow." I told myself I was only going to read one chapter before I went to bed, but before I knew it I had read almost half of the book.
A majority of the book is told in the form of Hannah's tapes, with Clay saying things here and there. In my opinion, this both helped the book, AND hurt it.
Help: Because you hear so much from Hannah, you really get an understanding of her as a character, and why she felt like she needed to take her own life.
Hurt: There is absolutely no character development for Clay. He stays the same from beginning to end: confused. I also found him quite annoying at the beginning. His "why am I on here, I shouldn't be on here" statements every few passages was just obnoxious.
Overall I was pleased with this book, but I wish that Clay would have had some more development.(less)
I absolutely ADORED this book. I am not a huge romance buff, because a lot of times it's too in-your-face and overwhelming. The romance in this book,...moreI absolutely ADORED this book. I am not a huge romance buff, because a lot of times it's too in-your-face and overwhelming. The romance in this book, though, was very subtle and sweet.
The plot is so simple and realistic, that it really makes you believe that this can actually happen to you. I, myself, would absolutely love to find a random notebook filled with dares while I browse for books!
The biggest driving force for this book, though, is its characters. Both Dash and Lily have such distinct voices and personalities, that you never lose track of whose point of view you're reading things from. They're such different people, and that's what makes this such a fun story. It's both sweet and entertaining, seeing how the both of them interact with each other.
If you want a light and fluffy read, definitely give this book a try.(less)
I absolutely loved this book, and I knew that within the first few chapters. I was expecting a total scare-fest that would creep me out, but instead,...moreI absolutely loved this book, and I knew that within the first few chapters. I was expecting a total scare-fest that would creep me out, but instead, I got a suspenseful story that had a lot of focus on the characters. Coming from someone whose favorite aspect of a book is the characters, I couldn't have been more pleased.
The plot takes off pretty quickly, which really helps suck the reader in. For a majority of the book you are seeing the story from the points of view of Connor, Risa, and Lev. I finished this book in about two days, because the plot was so gripping. I just had to find out what would happen! There are plenty of twists and turns in the book, and you never really know what will happen to these kids.
I have to commend Shusterman on the character development. You really did take a journey with the three main characters, but on top of that, there was even development for some of the smaller side characters. Lev had some of the biggest development, especially when it came to his beliefs. He transitions from believing that his purpose is to be unwound, to not really knowing what to think, to completely hating the idea of unwinding.
From what I have heard, Unwind was originally going to be a standalone, but Shusterman decided to turn it into a trilogy. You can tell it was supposed to be a standalone by the very finished ending, so it'll be interesting to see how he carries on. He did leave open a story that he could explore, and I can't wait to see how it unfolds.(less)
Because I loved Rot & Ruin so much, I went into this book with some seriously high expectations. I can honestly tell you, though, that Jonathan Ma...moreBecause I loved Rot & Ruin so much, I went into this book with some seriously high expectations. I can honestly tell you, though, that Jonathan Maberry definitely delivered. This book had double the action, and double the characters. There were no low-points at all in this book.
The story kicks off right away, and it just gets crazier as the story goes on. I've always been impressed with Maberry's pacing skills, because in books this lengthy, there are almost always dull points that make you say, "Ugh, just get on with it." This book didn't have those moments. I found it very difficult to put down at times, because something insane is almost always happening.
My favorite thing about these books are the characters. Maberry has a knack for writing characters that you feel so close to, that you would probably risk your life for them. We were introduced to so many new characters this time around, and I loved them all. Most authors have a difficult time trying to keep them all separate, but Maberry is so great at giving each of these characters their own distinct voices.
Because none of my favorite characters died in Rot & Ruin, I sort of assumed that someone was going to die this time around. I was right. While I am upset at this character's departure, Maberry handled it very gracefully. No other could have done it any better.
Overall, this book is proving this to be one of my favorite series of all time. Jonathan Maberry is such a talented author, and I can't wait to pick up Flesh & Bone, as well as his other works outside of the series. (less)
This book was not at all what I expected. I expected a humorous zombie story, but what I got was a book that really makes you think about what humanit...moreThis book was not at all what I expected. I expected a humorous zombie story, but what I got was a book that really makes you think about what humanity really is. This book made me cry on numerous occasions, but not for the reasons you might expect.
I honestly don't even know how to review this, because it was such a different and beautiful book.
The character development in this story is phenomenal. Benny takes an emotional and mental journey throughout this book, and the really great thing is that you, as a reader, take that journey with him. He starts out completely hating zombies and everything that they are, but as the story comes to a close, he starts to realize that sometimes the humans that are still living are the dangerous and disgusting ones.
I don't want to say too much, because this is one of those books that you really need to read in order to understand.
I will say this, though: you will not regret picking this book up. It is funny, sad, and thrilling. In fact, it is everything you could ever ask for in a novel.(less)
I was a bit hesitant when I started this book, due to the fact that I find a lot of paranormal romance books to be really cheesy. I was pleasantly sur...moreI was a bit hesitant when I started this book, due to the fact that I find a lot of paranormal romance books to be really cheesy. I was pleasantly surprised, though, because I absolutely loved this book!
While there wasn't a whole lot that made up the plot, it was still intriguing. I thought the mystery of what Kylie actually was really helped push the story along. I found myself as intrigued as Kylie was when it came to that aspect. There was also a scene in this book that completely kept me on the edge of my seat. There was so much action during this one part, and I couldn't put the book down.
The dialogue between the characters was my favorite part of this story. The witty banter really made this book what it was. I also loved that you got to know the characters in this book. There are definitely side characters, but it's almost like you know them as well as you know the main characters.
To my surprise, I actually really loved the romance in this book. I didn't find it to be cheesy, and I liked that Kylie actually struggled with it, rather than just leading both of the boys on for her benefit. She truly felt bad and didn't want to hurt either of them.
I will definitely be picking up the rest of the series!(less)
Oh. My. GOD. The Hunger Games trilogy is my all time favorite series, and I shit you not, this book came SOCLOSE to knocking THG out of that top spot....moreOh. My. GOD. The Hunger Games trilogy is my all time favorite series, and I shit you not, this book came SOCLOSE to knocking THG out of that top spot.
First of all, while there are some similarities to The Hunger Games, these two authors put a whole new twist on it by making the story take place in a high school. The entire time I was reading this book, I was thinking to myself that I'm glad that I have already graduated high school, because I could totally see something like this happening. (OK, so maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but still.)
PLOT. One thing that I really enjoyed about this book, was that it was consistent. From what I read, there were no plot holes or anything like that. Everything flowed so well, that there was never a point that I thought, "Wait? What just happened? That doesn't make any sense."
There was also the perfect amount of description. The way McKinley ran after the accident, and the way the school looked, is very specific. The authors did a perfect job at painting a vivid picture in your head, all without overdoing it with all these descriptions. I honestly can't remember ever thinking, "Ugh, just get on with the story." I was seriously impressed with this aspect of the book.
CHARACTERS. The characters, no surprise, were my favorite part of this book. One thing I noticed was that, the authors made me hate a character so much, that I subconsciously started to care about him. I thought Will was such an arrogant jerk towards the beginning, but when something happened to him, I found myself feeling really heartbroken for him. If that's not the sign of a well written character, I don't know what is!
I am so in love with this book, and I don't think I can wait until Summer 2013 for the sequel! This author duo has definitely gained a new super-fan!(less)
This book blew my expectations out of the water. Unlike Divergent, this book takes no time at all to get into the main plot and action. There are so m...moreThis book blew my expectations out of the water. Unlike Divergent, this book takes no time at all to get into the main plot and action. There are so many twists and turns, and you never know what is going to happen next. I also think the ending of this was brilliant and left you with a proper cliff hanger. It's the kind of ending that makes you want to buy the third book, rather than frustrating you because the ending was so ridiculous.(less)
Considering how much I loved Hex Hall, I had some seriously high expectations for this sequel. I am happy to say that, not only did it meet those expe...moreConsidering how much I loved Hex Hall, I had some seriously high expectations for this sequel. I am happy to say that, not only did it meet those expectations, but it completely blew them out of the water! I finished it in one day, for goodness sake!
I thought the plot for this book was really exciting. A lot of times, the second book in a series suffers from a lot of meaningless filler, but this was exciting and was actually relevant to what is happening throughout the series. There were so many things in this book that made my jaw drop, and kept me flipping the pages.
Along with all the shock factors, there were so many hilarious moments in this book. The one thing I really love about these books is that, not only are these intense reads, but they're also entertaining! The best part of this book, as was with Hex Hall, was the dialogue between the characters. The constant sarcastic and witty banter between the characters will always be the highlight of these books.
I really loved that we are introduced to Sophie's father in this book. One thing I noticed and loved, was the development in their relationship. It started off with Sophie wanting nothing to do with her father, to her throwing herself in danger in order to save him.
Once again, Rachel Hawkins has proved to me that she is a fantastic author. I can't wait for the final book in this trilogy!(less)
My favorite thing about the synopsis of this book is that it only covers the first two or three chapters; the rest is a total surprise! A lot of times...moreMy favorite thing about the synopsis of this book is that it only covers the first two or three chapters; the rest is a total surprise! A lot of times the synopsis gives the entire book away, but I literally had NO idea what was going to happen.
If you saw my Top Ten Tuesday from this week, you know that I am in absolute love with this series. Whenever I read a series, there's almost always that one book that is weaker than all the rest. This is the third book in the series, and none of them have disappointed me thus far.
PLOT.
I bow down to Rick Riordan. This man is an absolute genius, and he knows exactly what he's doing. Like I said earlier, the synopsis only covered the first two or three chapters, so the rest of the book comes as a total shock to you. (There was one part that I predicted, but it didn't affect my enjoyment of the book.)
I always love picking up the next book in this series, because the story is always so breathtaking. I'm almost always on the edge of my seat, or losing sleep because I have to read just ONE more chapter...until I finish the book. This book was no different.
CHARACTERS.
These goddamn characters. They always make me feel all the feels.
Annabeth isn't as present in this book, so you don't really get to see the three of them together until the end. With this lack of Annabeth, though, we are introduced to quite a few new characters. One thing that really stood out to me is that Riordan really puts a lot of work into his characters. When introducing that many new characters, you run the risk of there being a disconnect between them and the reader. Fortunately, Riordan is beyond talented. He was able to focus on Percy and Grover, as well as develop the new characters. I found myself being so emotionally invested in these new characters, and there were parts where I actually cried for them. (Yes, I cried while reading a middle-grade novel.)
As per usual with these books, the interaction between all the characters is the highlight. It is for me, at least. The dialogue is always so entertaining, and I always find myself chuckling to myself at some of the things that they say. My favorite part of any book is the characters, and the characters in this book are just so awesome.
WRITING.
I am in love with Riordan's writing. I have only read three books by him, but already I adore his style. He just has a way with words that makes everything flow so easily, even if it's during a crazy battle scene. There's never a point where scenes feel disjointed, and that's pretty impressive in my book.
OVERALL.
Rick Riordan has, once again, blown be away with another PJO book. I will (obviously) be continuing on with the series, and I will most definitely be reading the companion series' when I'm finished this one. Rick Riordan will forever be one of my favorite authors, and I can't wait to read more of his work.(less)
I had some really high expectations for this book, and I'm glad to say that it didn't disappoint. The book sucks you in at the very first sentence, wh...moreI had some really high expectations for this book, and I'm glad to say that it didn't disappoint. The book sucks you in at the very first sentence, whereas in most books, it takes a chapter or two. I only had one issue with this book, and it was the romance between Sam and Astrid. Every time it was brought up, all I could think was, "You're 14-years old, the world has gone to hell, and the two of you are still focused on each other?" It was just annoying. Especially at the end when while so many people are getting hurt, all Sam could focus on was Astrid. Other than that, I absolutely loved every part of this book, and I can't wait to pick up the sequel!(less)
This has to be one of my favorite books I've read all year. The loss of sleep that occurred while reading this book was totally worth it....moreVideo Review
This has to be one of my favorite books I've read all year. The loss of sleep that occurred while reading this book was totally worth it. I went into this book with some pretty high expectations, and not only were those expectations met, they were completely blown out of the water.
The first thing that you notice while reading this book is the writing style. Grammar and spelling have been thrown out the window, but for good reason. In this world, education has been completely obliterated from the lives of these people. To them, trying to survive is far more important than learning to read and write. Don't fret, though, because eventually the writing style won't even bother you.
My favorite thing about the plot, was that it kept you on the edge of your seat. It calmed down just long enough for your heartbeat to return to normal, then BAM, your heart is racing again. This happened, basically, throughout the entire plot. There was never a part where I got bored and wanted to skim read. I had so much trouble putting this book down, and to me, that is a sign of an amazing book.
I adored the characters in this book. Todd was such a strong character, but he still had his moments of vulnerability, which I liked to see. It wouldn't have been believable if this 12-year old boy went through all this without a breakdown or two. Manchee, the dog, had to have been my favorite character. Yes, a dog was my favorite character. Manchee was so loyal to Todd, and took so much abuse trying to protect him, how could you not absolutely adore him? As for the villains, they were just how I like them - evil. I don't just mean evil, though. They were evil with a huge pile of crazy caked on to it.
Overall, I think this has to be one of the best books I've read all year. I can't wait to pick up the sequel, The Ask and the Answer, as I'm sure I will love that book just as much as I loved this one. I highly recommend you guys pick up this book. I'm pretty sure you won't regret it!(less)