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Showing posts from 2014

Dreams are powerful things and when the monster calls ...

Fantasy ( or low fantasy ) isn't a genre I'd normally go for but there was something about this book that made me willing to stray away from my more than comfortable genre of Young/New Adult fiction into the unfamiliar territory of Children's Fantasy. Due to the fact I had never read anything by either Siobhan Dowd (whose idea the story is based upon), or Patrick Ness (who I only realised was such an amazing author after seeing him on the news one morning, while promoting another book,   More Than This , which is on my must-read-soon list) , I began reading this book expecting nothing in particular but just to read another book, my oh my was I wrong. I think you can't fully appreciate this story until you realise how this story came to pass; Dowd died of breast cancer in 2007 leaving behind the characters, a detailed premise and a beginning and handed it over to the very capable hands of Patrick Ness. "You do not write your life with words ... Your write

The Fault In Our Stars

I wouldn't call this post a review because I haven't really reviewed anything, nor have I summarised or really critiqued in great detail  but  "that's the thing about pain ... it demands to be felt"  and sometimes you can't express the pain you feel when you read a book that breaks your heart up to the very last word. This is  "not a cancer book" . Sure, a lot of the characters in the book have cancer but it's a classic love story: boy meets girl - boy once had cancer lost a leg (maybe not so classic), girl still has cancer and carries her own tank of oxygen that keeps her alive - girl and boy do a book swap - boy hunts down author of book - boy and girl travel to Amsterdam in search of the infuriating author - boy and girl fall in love, make love, boy admits he's dying - boy dies - boy leaves girl a beautiful love letter. *floods of tears ensue* I think when you read a book that generates so much buzz about it, it's safe to say yo

"It's how we deal with things that hurt us the most that define us"

Nash One thing I particularly love about the Marked Men series is that with each new Marked Man comes a new all consuming story that wraps you up in an intense love story that is anything but straightforward. Jack London once said , "Show me a man with a tattoo, and I'll show you a man with an interesting past" with the ink Nashville Donovan is sporting he most definitely has an interesting past. A running theme throughout Crownover's work is her fixation with the past and why do we let the past determine our future and if we do why does it have to be that way? I revel in the way Crownover allows her characters to be both defined by their pasts and tattoos in an monumental tale of Love-Lust-Faith-Dreams {slight Thirty Seconds to Mars reference} that absolutely leaves a mark on you. Nash Donovan had a rocky start to life, abandoned by his father, pretty much disowned by his step father and made to feel worthless by his own mother and to top it all off his ment

"Perfectly Imperfect ... Sleep Exhausted and Smiling" The Third Book in the Marked Men Series: Rome

Rome  It's safe to say I have somewhat fallen for the Marked Men novels. The first installment Rule won me over instantly,   Jet was an intoxicating sequel that nearly trumped its predecessor (but not quite) " it was an amazing read nevertheless. Rome. Well, well, well Rome; what a book; what a captivating story, what great work yet again by Crownover. I didn't think there was enough space in my life for another adorably cute yet so polar opposite couple in my wonderful world of fiction - and then came along Cora Lewis and  Rome Archer, and all bets were, immediately off. Cora has been the feisty little firecracker in the first two books who works as body piercer at Marked, who's dedicated to always being there for her boys and girlfriends, but she's been heartbroken by someone she once thought loved her and now she's decided she will settle for nothing less than perfect. In other words she's every teenage girl. Little did she know "Love is

"We were just two people who were meant to be together and that was all there was to it."

Jet by Jay Crownover This  book contains boys in bands with some intriguing piercings, tattoo enthusiasts sporting some serious ink and a girl who will frustrate you; talk about young adult angst. I have to say I seem to be developing an idiosyncratic fondness for Jay Crownover's Marked Men Series and I've only read two of the six books so far. Crownover is amazing simply for the fact we share similar interests: tattoos, boys and bands and of course books; considering I've never found an author who's relatively similar to me (interests wise) I'm very optimistic for the rest of the series to see where it goes. Did I like this book? Yes and No.  Jet Keller made it very easy to enjoy this book; "Jet is sexy, like it-hurts-to-look-at-him sexy" , I had particularly envisioned him to be an Oli Sykes/ Andy Biersack type, both of whom I find very attractive, so my imagination didn't have a hard time getting into this plot. Jet's in a

Enjoying the Chase

*** Warning the following post contains the views held by a hopelessly hopeful romantic, if you are so cynical that you do not wish to entertain the idea of a happily ever after for a couple of moments, I suggest you read no further*** It goes without saying I think Kirsty Moseley is the  bomb diggity when it comes to writing books that leave you feeling all warm, fuzzy and generally happy, and why shouldn't you, you don't have to read the serious doom and gloom books and it's safe to say I am most definitely recommending Enjoying the Chase as the book to offer you much needed light relief. After reading Nothing Left to Lose you will love Moseley and all the characters you grow to care about and Enjoying the Chase is no exception. Undoubtedly it is a book in its own right but reading Nothing Left to Lose helps you establish a relationship with Nate, Ashton and Anna. Moseley is one of the few writers that I'm willing to stay up until sunrise just to finish

Thirteen Reasons Why ...

Thirteen Reasons Why is a book about life, not death; it reveals just how fragile and complicated life can be. Once I'd finished reading this book I had so many thoughts and feelings running through my head but somehow I couldn't quite manage to articulate the words to encapsulate how life affirming this book really was. Normally I would say what great book this was and how everyone should read it and only halfheartedly mean it, but if you only read one book I post about, I can honestly think of no book better. Books like Thirteen Reasons Why are few and far between in this life; there aren't many books that make you question the way you behave on a day to day behaviour or make you question life itself and the fragility of everything revealed at last. Even if you're not a fan of the plot you cannot deny the impact it has on you as a reader, even if you weren't a fan of Asher's style it would be ignorant to say you took nothing worthwhile from it. 

Before I Fall ... and realise how complex and connected everything is.

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver ... into the submission of melancholic turmoil, or was it a never ending reflective narrative that left me refreshed? It's safe to say that when I began reading this book I was not head over heels with excitement or expecting to take any meaningful sentiments away from it. In fact I hated it when I first started reading it I despised the narrator so much I put it down for 3 months before deciding to try and tackle it again. It took me two very trying attempts to finish reading this book. Perhaps it was the monotonous fact that you know this whole book is going to be about Samantha's last day, from the get go I had taken an  instant disliking to Sam. But eventually I did it, and I was so glad I did when I read the last page. I loved this book, hated this book, refused to read it at one time: it's annoying; cruel; honest; heart breaking; real. High School is supposed to be the best years of your life but teenage girls can b

"Sometimes opposites don't just attract - they catch fire and burn the city down"

Rule by Jay Crownover To be brutally honest I expected very little from this book. Did I think it was going to be a book of substance? No. Did I think I would learn anything of great value. No, but I did. Any author who is able to incorporate my three favourite things: boys, bands and tattoos into a book can have me as a loyal reader any day of the week. I may have been slightly superficial when I one clicked this book because of the blue eyed tattooed man on the front cover, but I’m happy to say that the book was anything but shallow. You could assume that Rule Archer is just like any other bad boy in fiction trying to lead the good girl down a dark path but you would look mighty foolish in doing so. What sets this book aside from any other book mildly similar is that there are many aspects to the plot that keep you engrossed from the get go. Rule Archer appears to be your  stereotypical bad boy with piercings, tattoos and an attitude to match. However it is what lies be

The Boy who Sneaks in My Bedroom Window by Kirsty Moseley

After Nothing Left to Lose Kirsty Moseley definitely put herself on my must read list, she is  probably one of my favourite Young Adut A uthors; I  say  tha t because I enjoy reading her work recreationally, it doesn’t have to be super realistic and scrutinised just simply enjoyed and appreciated, both of which I did ...  for the most part. I’m not one to rip a book to shreds so I merely state my opinion in the most constructive and polite manner and hope I don’t get end up being sued. Brief Summary Amber has an abusive father, he attempts to rape her, and Amber’s brother J ake and his best friend Liam kick their dad out of the hous e. Ever since Liam has slept in Amber’s bed with her because she has nightmares. Now would be a good time to mention Amber and Jake’s mum works a lot so she’s home maybe one week out of a month which would explain how a 16 year old girl and an 18 year old boy have been sleeping together for eight years. In true YA style Amber begins to deve

Jessica Sorensen presents New Adult Fiction

Books should be cherished; a good book will make you think about things for a little while, a great book will make you feel such raw intense emotions you didn’t even know could exist until you read such a book. With that being said, thank you Jessica Sorensen for writing a great book. Jessica Sorensen played a fundamental role in the creation of a new wave of New Adult fiction that has captivated many mature young readers {myself included}. The main difference between Young Adult {YA} and New Adult {NA} fiction is the scope of the protagonist's life experience that usually tends to involve rather serious issues {i.e. sexuality, depression, alcohol abuse, self mutilation, familial struggles and bullying} as well as personal development milestones in the lives of 18-25 year olds {i.e. independence, first jobs, starting college, moving away from home, loss of innocence and fear of failure on a grand scale}. The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden is yet again one of the bo

Bye Bye Virginity by Krissy Snifeld

This modern day read could leave you feeling confused, conflicted or rather bemusedly unimpressed but in my case slightly envious that I didn't write it myself. Don't be fooled by the title, Bye Bye Virginity is not the teen answer to Fifty Shades Of Grey and thank God for that; I think the world of fiction has become inundated with authors trying to match the not so critical acclaim Fifty Shades received. Yet again t'was the wonderful world of Wattpad that led me to this story so now I want to share my two cents of it with you. The novel does appear to be a bit of a cliche in the sense that a "shy, quiet teenage girl" [talk about a YA archetypal character] who just happens to be loner falls in love with her brother's best friend who also just happens to be the "hottest" guy in school. [Obviously not predictable at all] As light and fluffy as the novel appears it does cover very important issues that concern many teenagers and