REVIEW: 'Catching Jordan' by Miranda Kenneally

What's it about?
"What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university.

But everything she's ever worked for is threatened when Ty Green moves to her school. Not only is he an amazing QB, but he's also amazingly hot. And for the first time, Jordan's feeling vulnerable. Can she keep her head in the game while her heart's on the line?" From goodreads.

What did I think of it?
This book fell flat for me.  I've been really enjoying romance books lately, making a change from dystopian, but this book did not deliver what I'd hoped. I'd read lots of positive reviews so I thought I'd give it ago.

The constant American football content did not help me enjoy this book. Perhaps its because I'm not sporty or that I know very little about American football, but I found the parts on the pitch and discussing tactics very dull.

I found Jordan quite irritating - she just seemed so stupid. The whole 'I have to go to that particular college or else' attitude seemed childish. Even when she knew the college didn't want her for her football skills! Argh.  The behaviour of all the characters felt stereotypical. The way that Jordan was a jock and so therefore couldn't have girly friends? What?  Then discovers that of course its okay to be sporty and be friends with girls. Oh dear lord!

The one thing I did like about this book was Henry- I did root for him and Jordan. He was such a sweetie, though even he had annoying moments. The new quarterback Ty,  I disliked from the start- he was so controlling. It didn't help that you know straight away that Jordan and Henry should be together so Ty just feels like an unwelcome distraction. 


Overall, I wouldn't recommend this book to my friends. It was simply 'OK'.  For me, it just didn't live up to the hype and after reading the wonderful 'Anna and the French Kiss' that afternoon it was no where in the same league.

Rating

REVIEW: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Sorry it's been awhile. I've been revising for exams and I have longs days at work, so time has been a little sparse lately.  I was also in a reading slump and this book brought me out of it. I read this book then Catching Jordan in the same day! I'm on target still with goodreads, having read 44/50. Need to get reviewing! 

What's it about?
"Anna is happy in Atlanta. She has a loyal best friend and a crush on her co worker at the movie theatre, who is just starting to return her affection. So she's not too pleased when her father decides to send her to a boarding school in Paris for her senior year. Despite not speaking a word of French, Anna meets some cool new friends, including the handsome Étienne St. Clair, who quickly becomes her best friend. Unfortunately he's taken- and Anna might be too. Will a year of romantic near misses end with the French kiss she's been waiting for?"  Blurb from the book cover.

What did I think of it?
I loved this book. I'd heard a lot of bloggers express their love for this book, but I never bothered to read it. Then I was in the mood for a good chick lit romance book and so I made a quick online order! I started reading this the moment it dropped through my door and didn't stop until I'd finished it. It was wonderful! I was completely swept into the story and the setting. I've never been to Paris, and never had a big urge to visit, but this book made me want to! I also love a boarding school book. I liked how the characters are always in the same place, I think it's an interesting concept, as there really is no escape from school. So boarding school, combined with Paris was a hit with me.

The main delight of this book is its characters. I found I could really relate to Anna and I dare you not to fall in love with St. Clair!! Anna's narration is a joy, and she made me laugh and dream along side her.  I really liked the supporting cast of characters though I wish some of them had a little more air time, so I could know them a little better. Especially Meredith- I felt that although she's the one who introduces Anna to her group of friends, you actually learn very little about her. Some more Josh would have been good too.  

The romance in this book is divine. The relationship between Anna and St Clair has so many twists and turns, but I loved how they interacted.  Their relationship is wonderful to watch develop through many iterations. There are a few moments of "Arghhh when will this happen already! St Clair you're an idiot!" type thoughts, but that's to be expected in a plot of this type. St Clair shows Paris to Anna, and makes her feel at home, whilst Anna helps St Clair when his world begins to crumble. 

One little thing that I really liked about this book was Anna's love for film. I love films, and I just really liked reading about her interest in it, and her desire to be a film critic.

So to sum up this slightly waffle-ly ramble, this book is a must read for a romance loving YA enthusiast. It's cute as well as serious, and it will warm you heart. 

Rating

Goodreads Reading Challenge
This book is number 14 out of 50

REVIEW: 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' by Stephen Chbosky

Since the film recently hit the cinemas I thought it would be timely to review The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. I haven't seen the film, but I do really want to. Please let me know in the comments what you thought of it if you've seen it.

What's it about?
The main character who calls himself Charlie is about to begin his first year of high school and feels apprehensive due to the recent suicide of his only good friend Michael. He doesn't feel he can talk to his parents or siblings, as the only person in the family who understood him was his Aunt Helen who died on Charlie's seventh birthday. At school he soon befriends two seniors- Sam and Patrick, who along with his English teacher, introduce Charlie to many new experiences.


What did I think of it?
This is an extremely popular and well loved novel, but it fell a bit flat for me. I found the idea that a rather weird and shy freshman had become such good friends with seniors rather unrealistic, and I think that disconnected me from the novel a little. Also it reminds me of The Catcher in the Rye which I hated, and Before I Die which I wasn't blown away by either. It's a genre that I don't seem to get on with too well.  Despite this, I did like The Perks of Being a Wallflower, there is something special about this book, and I can understand why it is a favourite book for a lot of people. 

The novel is presented in form of letters from Charlie to an anonymous friend, who he hears the girls at school talking about fondly.  I thought the epistolary form of the novel worked very well, and I soon felt I was the 'Friend' that these letters were addressed to.  In these letters you learn about the personal growth of Charlie through the many new things he experiences, leading to him feeling that he doesn't have to be a wallflower. The letters document all all Charlie's observations, feelings and activities. The letters are jammed pack with popular culture, with songs, films and literature playing a large part. I really liked the use of literature and songs in the book. The letters also deal with friendship, suicide, abuse, sex, drugs and depression. From the letters you can see the development of Charlie's relationships with the other characters in the novel. I particularly liked seeing the relationship he had with his sister change and develop, and gradually learning about his past. I'm still unsure how I felt about his relationships with Sam and Patrick. I enjoyed the scenes between them but in the back of my head I constantly had that nagging feeling that in real life it would never happen. 

It's is a very commonly quoted novel, and I understand why. It contains lots of beautiful and sometimes quite deep quotes. Charlie's voice is very striking, and is a highlight of the novel for me. It is child-like yet at the same time wise and adult. Charlie makes observations which we often take for granted and it is quite moving to hear his remarks on these occasions. For instance: 

"The fact that one of these ladies was my mom made me particularly sad because my mom is beautiful. And she’s always on a diet. Sometimes, my dad calls her beautiful, but she cannot hear him."

This quote rings incredibly true for a lot of women and I know it frustrates and saddens me. Probably the most common quotes  from Perks are : “We accept the love we think we deserve.” and  “And in that moment, I swear we were infinite." 

Chobosky's writing is excellent. The humour is very dry, and the whole novel is incredibly touching. I found the second half of the book far more enjoyable than the first. It took awhile to get used to Charlie and let my doubts go, but by the end I was definitely moved, and feeling rather emotional!  I think this is a novel that requires a re-read to appreciate fully.

I think everyone should read this book, you may not love it (I didn't) but I think it is an experience that one should have, especially adolescents.

Rating

Goodreads Reading Challenge
This book is number 13 out of 50

REVIEW: 'The Casual Vacancy' by J. K. Rowling

One fact you probably don't know about me is that I'm a gigantic Harry Potter fan. I would say I was part of the original HP generation, aging at a similar rate to Harry and his friends, as the books were released. Since I am such a huge fan of Harry Potter, there was no way I would be able to resist reading The Casual Vacancy. Part of me wanted to resist but I was curious and I was going to see J.K Rowling at the Cheltenham Literary Festival read from The Casual Vacancy, talk about the book and answer audience questions. I had to read it!


I had a wonderful time at the Cheltenham Literary Festival, meeting J.K. Rowling and having my book signed was a dream come true, and it was fascinating to hear her talk about her book. Whilst I was there I also saw Benedict Cumberbatch talk about making BBC Sherlock. A great event, and I recommend the Cheltenham Literary Festival to all book enthusiasts.

What's it about?
When Barry Fairbrother suddenly dies in his early forties, the outwardly idyllic village of Pagford is shocked. Behind closed doors of Pagford, there is always a war going on between husbands and wives, parents and teenagers, teachers and pupils. Barry's death leaves a casual vacancy on the parish council, which causes the largest war that Pagford has ever seen. 

What did I think of it?
I had no idea what to expect with this book. I simply read it because it was written by J. K. Rowling. I knew it would be nothing like Harry Potter and I was proved correct. The foul language was one of the greatest surprises.  I didn't expect so many F words or C words!

At first I wasn't sure if I'd get into it, but after awhile I was sucked into it all. There were some characters' storylines that I preferred, and some I struggled to care about (Gavin). I thought the book brought to light some challenging issues, for instance one character is the troubled daughter of a drug addict, trying desperately to prevent her younger brother being taken into care, whilst another teenage character is struggling with self harm. There are also some very unpleasant family relationships and the old mother-in-law issues. I didn't expect any of that but gave the book a bit of grit.

In essence this book is a character study similar to old nineteenth century literature. There isn't much in the way of plot other than the election of a new councillor and the debate over who should be responsible for the council estate on the edge of Pagford called the Fields and it's addiction clinic. The novel focuses on around 17 or 18 characters of several different generations and upbringings. It examines the theme of responsibility, and the impact each action has on others and the character themselves.

There is also a theme of redemption. J.K. Rowling herself said that she thought only two of the characters beyond redemption- Simon and Obbo. The others all have some sort of goodness in them. Her favourite character is Fats, who is a rather unpleasant teenage boy trying to deal with the fact his father possibly hates him. I was somewhat surprised as I disliked Fats- I felt sorry for him, but not enough to like him as a character. My favourite character in the book is Krystal, who is a teenage girl living in the Fields, with a heroin addicted mother.

The novel is fairly heartbreaking in places but there are definitely plenty of funny and comical moments.

This book is very much for those who enjoy delving into characters and are not plot driven readers. If you like a linear fast moving plot with a few central characters (much like Harry Potter), then this is not the book for you. If however you do like a slower book that examines characters more intimately then you'll probably enjoy it.  

Rating

Goodreads Reading Challenge
This book is number 12 out of 50

REVIEW: 'Pushing the Limits' by Kate McGarry

I know I said that the next post would be reviewing the 'Song of Ice and Fire' series but that is taking longer to put together than I expected. Instead I thought I'd review some less epic books for you.

Today's review is Pushing the Limits by Kate McGarry which I was inspired to read after hearing so much praise from the blogging community.

What's it about?
No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with all the right friends and the jock boyfriend, to being the outsider with scars on her arms. Echo doesn't remember the truth of what happened that night and is desperate to remember. She hates her stepmother and her father is controlling- Echo just wants to be normal again. When Noah Hutchins, the foster kid with issues, is thrust into her life by her guidance counsellor, things begin to change for them both. Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk to be normal again.

What did I think of it? 
I loved it!!! It's the first contemporary young adult book I've read in awhile, and it reminded me just how much I like them. I also bawled like a baby during this book- so be prepared that it's does tug on the heartstrings a lot. The book is written in alternate point of views of Echo and Noah, which I thought worked very well. Both characters were well rounded and  very well written.  It was probably the two lead characters that made this book for me. I fell instantly in love with them both, and their relationship.

Noah! I loved Noah. I thought he was realistically written, and believable. I thought he had an interesting back story, and I felt the desperate desire he had to be with his brothers again. 

Echo. Echo is desperately wanting to be normal, she is changed from the incident which leaves her unable to work out where she belongs and what she truly wants.  She was an interesting character to follow as she had quite a few issues to sort out.

There were times where both characters frustrated me, but their actions weren't out of character, just designed to frustrate the reader as part of the plot. I loved the relationship that McGarry creates between the two lead characters. I thought it was great that she was realistic about teenage boys sexual desires and that she made Echo decide to wait, unlike many other YA books. Their relationship was the highlight of the book and it was what kept me reading, more so that the mystery of Echo's forgotten night.

The mystery of Echo's traumatic night gradually unfolds throughout the book, though its possible to have a good guess fairly early on from the information you receive but Echo takes awhile to put the pieces together. This was in no way a bad thing. I did want to know the truth as there are so parts that still need clarifying, that I was intrigued to continue reading. I thought Echo's reaction to the truth was realistic and well done. 

Bad points?  Well the overuse of cutesy nicknames annoyed me (nymph etc) and but other than that I can't think of anything I disliked. I thoroughly recommend this book!!!

Rating 

Goodreads Reading Challenge
This book is number 9 out of 50

'The Summer I Turned Pretty' by Jenny Han

The third book I read for the Goodreads challenge was 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' by Jenny Han. This is part of a trilogy, though when I read the first two books, the third wasn't released yet. It is now out, but I haven't the funds to buy it. Perhaps by the end of the year, as it would be nice to review all the books in the trilogy.

What's it about?
Fifteen year old Isabel (or Belly) measures her life in summers, always willing the winter months away so she can go to the beach house that her mother's best friend, Susannah, owns. Susannah's has two sons, eighteen year old Conrad who Belly's been in love with since she was ten, and sixteen year old Jeremiah, is full of jokes and like a brother to Belly. After spending every summer with Conrad and Jeremiah always doing things with her older brother Steven and leaving her out - Belly is finally a included, and the boys aren't looking at her like a little sister any more.

What did I think of it?
This book is very much a quick and easy beach read, but one that is surprisingly touching. The author switches back and forth from the present to past summers which helps you to understand the relationship between all the characters. It is written in the first person from the perspective of Belly (Isabel), which is one of the things I disliked about the book. I do really like first person narration, but Belly is an irritating and whiny character. It's her personality which really lets this book down. The plot line itself is decent enough, with enough love triangle and some other intrigues to keep you interested but I did find myself tiring of Belly's commentary. It wasn't quite enough to make me dislike the book but I think the book would have been much more enjoyable if Belly was more likeable. I understand she's supposed to be flawed and in the process of growing up, but I feel that other books manage to have a childish character maturing in a far less annoying way.

Enough about Belly, what about the other characters? Well Conrad is aloof, moody and the silent type struggling with a few issues, whilst his brother Jeremiah is the opposite- friendly, ready for fun and smiling. I enjoyed the relationship between the brothers but I felt that you didn't learn too much about them in this book, but it is the first of the trilogy. Although I feel that the book could have benefited from exploring the brothers characters a little more, as I felt I was supposed to like Conrad, but I couldn't because not much is given away about his personality. If I were Belly, I'd choose Jeremiah!

I did enjoy this book despite my grumblings about Belly, and although the secondary characters aren't as well developed as I'd have liked, and it hasn't got much in the way of a traditional plot as such, it kept me interested, and intrigued enough to buy the sequel. The blurb makes it sound like a summer of unrequited love and love triangles but there are other plot points ticking away in the background and revealed in the last few chapters. It's definitely a mixed bag, but I can imagine tweens adoring it. It won't be everyone's cup of tea. If whiny, self absorbed teenagers aren't your thing, stay well clear!

Rating

Goodreads Reading Challenge
This book is number 3 out of 50

'The Fault In Our Stars' by John Green

The first book I read this year was 'The Fault In Our Stars' by John Green. I had this pre-ordered about a year in advance, so when it turned up on my door step I eagerly devoured it. 

For those who don't know, John Green writes young adult (YA) novels, and they are all excellent. His previous novels include - 'Looking For Alaska', 'Will Grayson, Will Grayson', 'An Abundance of Katherines' and 'Paper Towns'. John Green has a youtube channel which he shares with his brother called the vlogbrothers. It is incredibly popular and has spawned a group of people called 'Nerdfighters'. John is a lovely guy, he signed all 150,000 pre-orders of 'The Fault In Our Stars'! Mine has a lovely blue Jsquiggle in it.

Ok, enough about John, what about the book?? 

Photocredit- Gemsmaquillage

What is it about? 

A 16 year old girl called Hazel, has terminal cancer, but the tumours have shrunk, thanks to a new miracle drug. She has to carry an oxygen tank with her at all times. She is forced to attend a cancer support club which is where she meets Augustus. The two of them very quickly form a bond, and Hazel forces Gus to read her favourite book and it quickly becomes his favourite and it becomes a large part of the story line. Being with Augustus pushes Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death will define her. 

What did I think of it?

Oh my days, I found it absolutely breathtaking!  

It's not the cheeriest topic- it's about teenagers with cancer- but there is something special about this book. This book is about cancer, but it is not the cancer that is important in the novel. It never suffers from cancer book clichés, it shows the truth, and doesn't gloss over it. More than cancer, this book is about the meaning of life, living with death, the effect you have on the world and love. It will make you sob, and feel like your heart has been torn out, but somehow it also manages to make you laugh, even in the saddest parts. Not just a little smile to yourself, but a proper, out loud laugh! It just shows how brilliant John Green's writing is- the whole novel is beautifully written.  The characters are incredibly likeable and well portrayed. I know John has suffered some criticisms for the fact his teenage characters speak so cleverly and with great intelligence, but I don't think that should be an issue at all. It's a joy to read the dialogue in the book, it's like a breath of fresh air.

Once I'd finished the book, I physically felt different inside. It was so strange. It was a very emotional few hours (I read it in one sitting) and I actually felt worn out afterwards but in a good way. My mind was just blown away by it. I sat there in the early hours of the morning, quietly just taking it all in, and coming to terms with what I had experienced.

Rating

If you have read it,  please let me know in the comments, I'd love to hear your opinions on it.

What other people have to say

Green’s best and most ambitious novel to date. In its every aspect, The Fault in Our Stars is a triumph.” -Booklist, starred review

“A smartly crafted intellectual explosion of a romance.” -Kirkus, starred review

A blend of melancholy, sweet, philosophical, and funny. Green shows us true love…and it is far more romantic than any sunset on the beach.” -New York Times Book Review

“One doesn’t like to throw around phrases like “instant classic” lightly, but I can see The Fault in Our Stars taking its place alongside Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret in the young-adult canon. Green’s book is also a good example of why so many adult readers are turning to young-adult literature for the pleasures and consolations they used to get from conventional literary fiction.” -Time

“Green writes books for young adults, but his voice is so compulsively readable that it defies categorization. The Fault in Our Stars proves that the hype surrounding Green is not overblown.” -NPR

#1 New York Times bestseller
#1 Wall Street Journal bestseller
#9 The Bookseller (UK) bestseller
#1 Indiebound bestseller
New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice

Goodreads Reading Challenge
This book is number 1 out of 50