Book Review: The Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Title: The hate list 
Author: Jennifer Brown

Series: N/A Stand Alone
Publication Date: October 5th 2010
Publisher: Little, brown books for younger readers

Length: 432 pages
Genre: Contemporary, young adult
RATING: 5/5 *

Links: Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US |The Book depository

Synopsis (From Goodreads)

Five months ago, Valerie Leftman's boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saved the life of a classmate, but was implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things she and Nick hated. The list he used to pick his targets.

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.

Review:

A beautifully written and compelling book about letting go of the past and moving on. I loved this book so, so much! This was such an interesting, different concept and had me hooked from the very first page. It is not about a shooting. But about the aftermath caused by it and the recovery of all the victims.

One of the most interesting things about this book was all the flashbacks we had about Nick. We meet him as a funny, good humoured, witty teenage boy before we read about him as a shooter and murderer. This helped me really understand why valerie found it so hard to let go of Nick, to get over this catastrophe. It was because the Nick she knew was not a killer. But a loving boyfriend and best friend. 

The way this book was written, i cant evan describe. Valerie's voice as a character was so strong, that sometimes it was hard to believe that she wasn't a real person. Her thoughts were just so real, so alive that i felt like i was her. Like i was in her head, feeling what she felt and thinking what she thought. It was just so compelling! If you have read The Hate List, you will know exactly what i mean.

Valerie went through a lot of struggles in this book. Struggle with finding herself, struggle with finding out why nick did what he did and struggle with letting go all the grief and guilt that engulfs her after the tragedy. I felt as though Valerie was a strong character, even if their were times when she would run away from the obstacles she had to face. But that didn't matter, she faced so many fears, questions, people and obstacles in this book, hit them head on, that even if it took time for her to do so she was still, for me anyways, a very strong character. Jennifer Brown made her so easy to sympathise with, that my heart warmed to Valerie and everything she went through.

The one thing i have to point out is the lack of character development with all the other characters. Personally i would of liked it if Jennifer went into much more depth, concerning everyone else. But i do understand that this book was much more a character driven book than a plot driven one so i am happy to let this one point slide!

Overall this is an amazing book, and one i would highly recommend it!t So if you haven't GO PICK IT UP! 5 stars!

Feature and Follow Friday! #6

This weekly meme is hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee. It is a great way to make new blogger friends whilst promoting your blog! If you want to join in then head over to there blog for more details! 

This weeks Question: What hyped up book do you not think was worth all the talk?

This one is pretty easy for me, if you have read my review on it then you will know how much this book annoyed me. I am not going to say much about why because i will probably go into a full blown rant about it! Anyways this book is Between the lines by Samantha van leer and Jodi Picoult! For many reasons i don't think this book deserves the hype it has received which i why i have picked it!

What about you? Put a link in the comments below and i shall be hopping around! ^.^

Feature and Follow Friday #5

This weekly meme is hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee. It is a great way to make new blogger friends whilst promoting your blog! If you want to join in then head over to there blog for more details! 

This weeks Question:
What are you reading right now? how do you like it?
I just finished reading The Hate List by Jennifer Brown which was AMAZING, (Review coming soon) I highly recommend it! 

I only begun reading The Scorch Trails By James Dashner, Second book in the maze runner trilogy two days ago. Im not sure why but I'm not really into it right now, maybe its because I'm in a contemporary mood? whatever the reason i might put it down and pick it up later! 

What about you? What are you reading this month? leave a link in the comments below and i will be hopping around! 

Book Review: Between the lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer

Title: Between the lines

Author: Jodi picoult & Samantha Van Leer
Series: N/A Stand Alone
Publication Date: Jul 5th 2012
Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton 

Length: 384 pages
Genre: Fantasy/fairy tale, Childrens
RATING: 2/5 *

Links: Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US |The Book depository

Synopsis(From Goodreads) 

What happens when happily ever after... isn’t?

Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book—one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah.

And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He’s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He’s sure there’s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom.

Delilah and Oliver work together to attempt to get Oliver out of his book, a challenging task that forces them to examine their perceptions of fate, the world, and their places in it. And as their attraction to each other grows along the way, a romance blossoms that is anything but a fairy tale.

Review:

When i heard that Jodi Picoult had written a YA book i was very excited! I love her work and was really interested to see what she would bring to the YA genre. Admittedly i had high hopes, but was almost certain that those expectations would be reached, if not surpassed. When i found out it was written also by her daughter, this just added to my excitement! Because if her mother can write with so much depth and detail, then why can't she? And both of them writing together? I was very excited and truly expecting something quite special. Unfortunately, i was very disappointed. 

I have no idea why this book is for the YA audience when it is most definitely much more a middle grade novel, if not for children much younger. I found the storyline predictable and the writing childish and i know it is harsh but i honestly don't think it would of got very far in the publishing world, if Jodi Picoult's name had not been plastered on it.

Not only this but I found the whole plot totally unbelievable and the two main characters, Delilah and Oliver, i didn't relate to at all. I found them extremely hard to invest in and would describe them as cardboard cut outs. The book also lacked a lot of depth, failing to captivate me, i evan found myself skipping to the end and skimming the pages, something i hardly ever do and only when a book has lost all of my interest.

I understand that this book is popular, but as much as i tried to like this book, i just really couldn't. I know there will be many people out there who will disagree with me, who will acclaim Between the lines to be a 'work of literature' but unfortunately I'm not a part of that group. Maybe its because I'm too old for fairytales or maybe its because what i have to say is true. Whatever the reason, please don't hate me. I tried extremely hard to enjoy this book but just couldn't do it.

All of that aside though, admittedly this book could be popular for a much younger audience. For those not ready for teen angst and for those who desire a very 2-dimensional easy read. 

For the time being however, i shall be sticking to Jodi Picoult's adult books. Two stars!

Feature and Follow Friday #4

This weekly meme is hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee. It is a great way to make new blogger friends whilst promoting your blog! If you want to join in then head over to there blog for more details! 

This weeks Question:
Best cover? What is the best cover of a book you have read and didn't like?
There are sooo many gorgeous covers! But i think ALL the covers in the Halo series, US and English are absolutely Beautiful! I love everything about these covers! Especially the light and wings of the angel! 

I only read the first book in this series and if I'm honest found it very cliche and boring, evan if the cover is pretty i wont be buying the next few! 
What about you? Put a link below so i can see what you think and i will be hopping around!:)

Showcase Sunday #2

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted  by Books, Biscuits and Tea. For more information about how this feature works and how to join, click here.
This week i got two books out of the library:

Synopsis (From Goodreads) 

BE WARNED, SECOND BOOK IN A SERIES IF YOU DONT WANT SPOILERS DO NOT THIS SYNOPSIS. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.There's been no sign of the Beautiful Dead for weeks. Darina achingly misses Phoenix all over again. But surely he will return with the rest of the Beautiful Dead as so much still remains unresolved. It's been ten months since Arizona drowned in Hartmann Lake. Suicide, it would seem. But something doesn't add up.

Drowning herself in a hidden - away lake does not sound like strong, confident, Arizona: Ellerton High School's high-maintenance drama queen. Darina needs to help Arizona the way she helped Jonas. But time is running out...

Synopsis (From Goodreads)

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she’s returned—to her old life, her family, her friends—before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can’t find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists. Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there’s a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he’ll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen. As Nikki’s time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she’s forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole’s...

Beautiful Dead, Arizona  I read the first book in the beautiful dead series ages ago, but i didn't like it enough to buy the rest so i thought i might as well give the second book a go if its free!

Everneath I have seen this book everywhere recently, but was hesitant to buy it because it sounds very similar to abandoned by Meg Cabot, but i decided to try it out. No harm in that!

What about you? Leave a link in the comments below and is shall check out what you got this week! happy Reading!

Book Review: Second Chance Summer By morgan Matson

Title: Second Chance Summer

Author: Morgan Matson
Series: N/A Stand Alone
Publication Date: May 8th 2012
Publisher: Simon and Schuster 

Length: 468 pages
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult

Links: Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US |The Book depository

Synopsis(Goodreads)

From the Flying Start author of Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour, a powerful novel about hope in the face of heartbreak. Taylor Edwards’ family might not be the closest-knit—everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled—but for the most part, they get along just fine. Then Taylor’s dad gets devastating news, and her parents decide that the family will spend one last summer all together at their old lake house in the Pocono Mountains.

     Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven’t actually gone anywhere. Her former best friend is still around, as is her first boyfriend…and he’s much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve.

     As the summer progresses and the Edwards become more of a family, they’re more aware than ever that they’re battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance—with family, with friends, and with love.

Review:

This is one of those books which makes you feel everything. While reading this book i felt all the feels. I cried, laughed, smiled, got angry and all within the space of 468 pages. I was a huge fan of Amy and Rogers Epic detour, Morgan's first book, but i was worried that Second Chance Summer wouldn't be as good in comparison or would be ver similar. But i was wrong because this book blew me away.

The Synopsis definitely doesn't do the book justice. It makes it out that Second Chance Summer is just a fluffy, romantic read when its so much more than that, so much deeper. There were so many issues brought up in this book, family, confronting your past, friends, romance and hard devastating news.  

Evan though there were some sad moments Morgan Matson managed to balance these with happy ones. The characters were fun and quirky, individual and complicated in a good way. Creating much more depth to the story and providing interesting relationships. I really liked that a main theme of this book was second chances. About mending mistakes, re-building friendships and re-kindling love. I also loved how Morgan made a point of showing that rebuilding all these relationships would take time and that it wasn't something to happen quickly. 

The character development in this novel was also terrific, there was nothing fake or unbelievable about this book and something i want to emphasis a lot is how well Morgan showed the growth of every character gradually, through baby steps. Each character would progress, slowly to become better people and to learn lots of things about themselves.

It was little things in this book, details, which made it special, like the author had thought out everything about the characters in this book. Down to why Taylor loves her favourite stuffed toy so much, to why she runs away when thing get tough. Everything had been thought out.

It will make you cry, laugh and compel you to tell your family that you love them. I cannot praise it enough, a definite 5 stars.

Feature and Follow Friday #3

This weekly meme is hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee. It is a great way to make new blogger friends whilst promoting your blog! If you want to join in then head over to there blog for more details! 

This weeks questions:
Worst cover? What is the worst cover of a book that you've read and loved?

Okay so this one should be obvious right? But i actually found it hard to find a cover i didn't like, i just love them all and if the book is good then it normally improves my judgment of the cover anyway. 

But in the end i did find one and that is:

 

The UK cover of Angel (Angel Burn in the US) By L.A Weatherly 

I really don't like this cover..i love the background and the font but then theres the girl and if i am honest she looks pretty damn creepy and scary. So when i saw the US cover i was pretty annoyed because that is infact gorgeous. 

What about you? Put a link below so i can check out what you think!

Showcase Sunday #1

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted  by Books, Biscuits and Tea. For more information about how this feature works and how to join, click here.This week i only bought a few books, here they are

-Second chance summer by morgan Matson
I adored Amy and Rogers Epic detour, so i was so excited to pick this up! I have already started reading this and HOLY MOLY its amazing so far, i cannot put it down.




-Angel Fire By LA Weatherly
I loved, loved, loved Angel so i am really excited to read it! And Alex..i cannot wait to read more about him *swoon*, evan though the size of it is HUGE.

As i am on a book buying ban i shouldn't of bought any books at all! But they looked so lonely..and pretty on the shelf they were on so i just couldn't resist! 
Hope you had a good week, post a link to your showcase sunday below and i will check it out! Happy Reading!

Book Review: Shiver By Maggie Stiefvater

Title: Shiver
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Series: #1 The wolves of mercy falls trilogy
Publication Date: August 1st 2009
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Format: Paperback
ISBN:  0545123267

Length: 392 pages
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Age group: Young Adult
Source: Bought
Links: Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US |The Book depository

Synopsis(From Goodreads)

Grace and Sam share a kinship so close they could be lovers or siblings. But they also share a problem. When the temperature slips towards freezing, Sam reverts to his wolf identity and must retreat into the woods to protect his pack. He worries that eventually his human side will fade away and he will be left howling alone at the lonely moon. A stirring supernatural teen romance.

Review:

This was my first ever 'wolf' book and i had my doubts. First off, it seemed very similar to 'Twilight'...there was the girl absolutely fascinated with the supernatural being (in this case a wolf) and the guy who seemed completely entranced..slightly stalkerish, towards the girl. So obviously i was unsure about reading this book, i just didn't want it to be another copy of twilight, which luckily it wasn't.

There were times when the whole 'i would rather die than never love you' thing annoyed me, but thankfully Maggie Stiefvater didn't mention this too often and so i did begin to rather enjoy Shiver. There was much more to it than just a love story which i was glad to find out. 

One of the great things about this book is Maggie Stiefvater's writing style. I found it a breath of fresh air for some reason and i think the varying POV's helped that. I especially loved the POV of the wolf, it was so interesting to read something i hadn't seen done before and the way Maggie wrote it was just so descriptive and expressive that it constantly had my attention.

Something which i did not expect was grace's family and friends involvement in the plot line. I loved how Maggie focused on Grace's family in some parts and the issues surrounding them. Making this more than just a love story. When we find out that Grace's father is helping kill the wolves this really adds a plot twist and another hurdle within the story.  She also included her life with friends which i liked a lot, as i was excepting her to just ignore them how Bella did in Twilight. 

Grace's character was headstrong and independent, something i admired a lot. She didn't just suddenly give everything to Sam, who she hardly knows and was her own person. Sam i just loved, he wasn't as obsessive as excepted and i could tell he had a kind heart. He's got his own issues and i liked that he had a more vulnerable side to him, rather than him just being the hero all the time. The side characters were described really well, i felt that they really meant something to the book and that they all had there part to play. Which each character Maggie intertwined there backstory, which helped you get to know them more and meant you weren't just focusing on Sam and Grace all the time. 

Overall this was a great book and much more than i expected. I your looking for a werewolf book, with some love, mystery and drama then this is for you.  I would be lying if i said i didn't love it so Four Stars!

Feature and Follow Friday #2

 This weekly meme is hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee. It is a great way to make new blogger friends whilst promoting your blog! If you want to join in then head over to there blog for more details! 

This weeks question:
What Bloggers inspire you? I can be any kind, it doesn't have to be a book blog.

Lets start with the non book bloggers first, these include Zoe from Zoella and Louise from Sprinkle of Glitter. They seem such lovely,sweet girls and if you watch their videos you will know what i mean when i say they are hilarious too. Plus their fashion/beauty blogs are inspiring in every way. There friendship is something that also makes me seriously jealous because i wish i could have something as special as that. One day i would love to meet them, because evan though I'm not a beauty blogger, hell do i want to be one of their friends.

Now on to book bloggers, there are thousands of blogs i want to mention but have had to narrow it down to these beauties:

1. Joy from Joie De Lire. Her book blog inspired me to keep going with mine when i nearly gave up on starting one. She has helped me and given me advice on this book blogging world, when I'm sure she could be doing other things and just seems so bubbly and lovely that i really wish she was my friend. 

2.Danni from Pen to paper. It's always nice to find a fellow English book blogger, so when i found one of her 'showcase sunday' videos on youtube i immediately went to her blog, which might i add is just gorgeous, and has now become one of my many inspirations. My goal is for my blog to become like hers, her being older than me she is the blog i look up too. I just wish i had the guts to say hi! 

3. Finally Kristi from The Story Siren. This was the first ever book blog i found and i am constantly going back to her blog for some sort of guidance and inspiration. Her ever-growing bookshelf is something i set out to have one day myself and her opinions on books are ones i consider highly. 

What about you? Leave me a link so i can check out what you think!

Book Review: Looking for Alaska By John Green

Title: Looking For Alaska
Author: John Green
Series: N/A Stand Alone 
Publication Date: March 3rd 2005
Publisher: Speak/Harper Collins Children's books
Format: Paperback
ISBN:  0142402516 
Length: 221 pages
Genre: Contemporary
Age group: Young Adult
Source: Bought
Links: Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US |The Book depository



Synopsis (from goodreads)

Miles Halter is fascinated by famous last words and tired of his safe life at home. He leaves for boarding school to seek what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the "Great Perhaps." Much awaits Miles at Culver Creek, including Alaska Young. Clever, funny, screwed-up, and dead sexy, Alaska will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps.

Looking for Alaska brilliantly chronicles the indelible impact one life can have on another. A stunning debut, it marks John Green's arrival as an important new voice in contemporary fiction.

Review:

I had a love/hate relationship with this book. It made me cry, it made me smile and it made me shout. As a debut novel for John Green it was exceptionally good, but at times whilst reading i would ask myself: Where is the plot in this book? Now i wonder if it really was a book just to question some philosophical debates and to portray modern culture in honesty.

But John Greens writing really was brilliant. Witty, dynamic and full of sarcasm, his writing still managed to hold undertones of seriousness in it which really made you think. Some passages i would read and be so overwhelmed by their brilliance that i would just stop and think "John really is an utter genius." 

I think part of the reason i had a love/hate relationship with this book, was down to the fact that Pudge or 'miles' really did annoy me at some points. Partly to the fact i didn't relate to him at all and partly because i found his character a bit boring or 2-dimensional compared to The Colonel and Alaska. The Colonel and Alaska i thought were so alive and vibrant  compared to Pudge who i found a bit dull. Maybe that was purposely done or maybe I'm just being picky, but whatever the reason it made it damn hard to read the 200 or so pages in the head of someone i didn't really like. 

What made up for this however was the complete honesty of how the world is today. Im not saying everyone drinks, smokes and has sex but it is certainly a big part of culture and this really made the book real for me. There was no sugar covered literature but just the raw, however gritty,good old truth and it really sent this book in the right direction.

After thinking about it for a long time, i have come to the conclusion that, for me, its faults add to the raw honesty of this book and that with its imperfections it strides to brilliance. It made me laugh and cry at the same time and i think its safe to say, that evan with my doubts, it would be a crime not to read this book. Four stars!