Book Review: The Perks of Being a Wall Flower by Stephen Chbosky

this book.

this is not a book you sit down and read for fun. it is not fluffy or light or silly. its one you read when you want to think and ponder and dissect human life. one you read when you want to feel and wonder.

the story follows Charlie, a Freshman in high school, who is looking to find his place in the world. its written in "letter format" (all letters are written to 'friend' from Charlie) and it was so beautifully simple yet so humanly complex that i couldn't put it down. i really loved all of the characters and connected with Charlie, the main character, almost immediately. he sounds like the type of kid i would try to be friends with. it was like he and i had an understanding throughout the whole book and it made my reading experience really great. there is no really story line, just bits and pieces of what happens to him in his life and how he deals with it. i looked up to him so much for a lot of what he did and cried for him when he was hurting or upset. he was just such a precious character that really, he made the whole book for me. i also loved the realistic side characters like Sam and Patrick and Bill. i loved who they were to Charlie and how things played out between them.

the pace of the book was great. i didn't ever find myself getting bored but also could put it down for a couple of days if i didn't have time to read and pick up right where i left off.

if you're looking for something different and are in the mood to just take a weekend and read a book, i'd recommend this one.

also, can i just say, i think the cast for this upcoming film is perfect? i couldn't get Logan Lerman (who plays Charlie) out of my head the entire time i was reading the book (not a bad thing!!).

{source. via google images.}

*reader's digression is advised. there is cussing in this book. words such as the "f-word" are used a couple of times. it also discusses things that may be for a more mature audience such as child molestation, homosexuality and mental disorders. shortly put, the movie adaptation of this book is rated R.

xx

Book Review: Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Synopsis: Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug. When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po’s friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

My review: In short, I thought this book was beautiful. I immediately fell in love with the story and the seven kingdoms it takes place in. While in the beginning, it was a little difficult to keep track of which character was who, i quickly became acquainted with everyone and their place in Katsa's, the main character, life.
There was really only one part of the book that I felt I could have done without as I didn't feel it really had any relevance to the story, but other than that, I remained interested in the story the entire time I was reading. I appreciated the twists and turns the plot took and had a hard time putting the book down every time I had to stop reading. The thought of  a Graceling (someone who is "graced" since childhood with a special skill) in and of itself made for such an interesting topic but the way Kristin built a story around it just made for an all around excellent book.
Aside from the story, I think my favorite part of this book were the characters. I had no problem rooting for the heroes and hating the enemies and I felt each character was very strong and all were very relevant to the story line. Katsa quickly became one of my all time favorite heroines. (Which is saying something because I'm super picky about my heroines.) And Po. Oh, Po! I think the world would be a better place with a real-life Po in its midst. But even the sub-characters, Raffin, Bitterblue, Oll - all were likable and easily found a place in my book-loving heart.
As far as the writing goes, I really loved Kristin Cashore's "voice". She kept things fairly simple even though the story had some complexity to it. She also did a great job with making the characters relatable (I'm saying that's a word!) even though they live in a different time and place. Her writing is very easy to read but I felt still had a certain level of maturity to it that helped keep up its YA categorization. And there's a little bit of everything in this book: romance, struggle, heartbreak, suspense, action, and growth. It really is a great story.

If you're looking for a meaty book to snag your attention, I'd recommend this one. (Some parts of this book may not be suitable for younger readers).

Happy reading.

Book Review: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Book overview: Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie’s always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she's falling for a shape-shifter, and she's the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours, but still. Normal.
Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie's dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.
So much for normal.

My Review:
Well, I didn't read this very quickly but I did enjoy it (I judge how much I enjoy a book by how quickly I read it.) Towards the end is when I really was able to get into it and now I'm excited about the series and anxious to learn what happens next.
As far as the writing goes: Kiersten isn't the most eloquent writer I've ever read in my life but she's also not the worst. I enjoyed the humor she peppered the book with and how consistent it was throughout the whole story no matter what was going on. Her writing was simple and to the point which was very opposite from the story: complex and mysterious. I liked the combination.
The characters were fun. I didn't mind being inside Evie's head at all. I felt the way she told the story from her pov was entertaining and light. It gave the whole book a more solid feel as if I was just reading the pages of her journal. While she is definitely a typical teenager with crushes and a love for pink she made no excuses about it. I loved her take-me-as-I-am attitude and how she could kick butt while still looking "hot". Very Isabel Lightwood of her. While Lend was a great character it was Reth that intrigued me. All of his poetry and vague comments had me writhing to know what in the world was going on inside his head and furthermore what was going on inside the faerie realms.
I cannot wait to start the next one!
If you're looking for an easy and fun read, I'd recommend this book. Its simplistic in its writing but deep in plot which, if you ask me makes for a great relationship.

♥ ♥

book reveiw: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Well, the bad news is I don't have pictures from a few years of my life (1994 & 1995). I mean, I have them. But I can't find them... so my golden birthday is being interrupted for a few days. The good news is, I'm doing a book review instead! Lucky you.

Thirteen Reasons Why

by Jay Asher

Synopsis: Hannah Baker, a seemingly normal teen aged high-school student has just taken her own life. Left behind is a shoebox full of cassette tapes explaining who and what had a part to play in the her decision. When Clay, a boy at Hannah's school, receives the tapes and begins listening to them he realizes he was given the tapes for a reason: his name is on those tapes. Torn between having to know and not wanting to know, the story follows Clay as he listens to the tapes and comes to realize who and what it was that made Hannah Baker want to give up.

Review: This book talks about some serious issues. Ones that are scary, hard to discuss and sometimes even looked down upon but ones that are very much an issue in the world today. At first this made me skeptical about reading the book. I don't like dwelling on those sorts of issues. Deciding I didn't want to be an ostrich standing around with my head in the dirt while things like suicide, rape and peer pressure go on in the world, I finally opened the book.
In one word, this story was: riveting. Literally, I couldn't put it down. I read it in less than 24 hours because I absolutely HAD to know how things would turn out. But not in a "did the butler do it again?" sort of way in an "what was her breaking point" sort of way. And honestly? I still don't know that I know what it was for her. But I think that's how it is for most of us, isn't it? Sometimes our breaking point, the straw that breaks the camel's back, is lost to us in the most poignant moments of our lives. Sometimes we look back at what we've become and try to pinpoint a solitary moment that marked the turning point for where we are at at that time but in the blur of life, we cannot find it.
That's how this story came off to me. The 'snowball effect' is what Hannah called it. One thing leads to another and so on and so forth until one day you realize your life is "Like driving along a bumpy road and losing control of the steering wheel, tossing you-just a tad-off the road. The wheels kick up some dirt, but you're able to pull it back. Yet no matter how tightly you grip the wheel, no matter how hard you try to drive straight, something keeps jerking you to the side. You have so little control over anything anymore. And at some point, the struggle becomes too much-too tiring-and you consider letting go. Allowing tragedy...or whatever...to happen." (Hannah Baker, Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher)
Each person or reason that Hannah named, to her, had a part to play in her death. Whether they knew it or not. Which is such a striking matter all in its own. We really have absolutely no idea what kind of effect we have on other's lives. Good or bad. We have no idea what a smile or a snicker can do to someone. Maybe in that exact moment in time it doesn't seem like a big deal but we cannot even begin to guess what's going on in others lives that might cause them to take the smile or snicker one way or another. That warm smile or that snide snicker could be some one's shining beacon of hope or their last straw. If we as humans could comprehend that fact I just know we'd all analyze more seriously the way we are to others.
This book. It compelled me. It compelled me to deal with what's going on in my life in a more serious manner. It compelled me to just take some extra time and notice people. Simply notice them. Regardless of what you think of the plot or characters or double-first-person-narrative, I'd recommend you take a day and read this book. Allow the theme of the book into your life and pay close attention to what you get out of it. This book isn't about a girl who took her own life because life got too hard. Its about a girl who made a decision based on the way she was treated by others and what's more the way others were treated by others. I love that although Hannah is the one who is dead in this story and she's the one telling what happened to her she is not always portrayed as an innocent victim. Clay recognizes at multiple points that Hannah should never have given up, should have pushed herself harder to allow someone, anyone to help her; and Hannah recognizes that taking her own life was initially her choice no matter what her life was like. That was something I felt was important in the story. Hannah wasn't exactly victimized even though she was the victim.
Basically this book was perfect. It was concrete and simple. Not light and fluffy, just simple.

*I would not recommend this book for a younger audience. It involves some intense topics and adult situations that may be a lot to understand.

♥ ♥

Book Review: The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (Book One) by Cassandra Clare

Ugh. Where to begin.

First of all, the synopsis: Clary Fray's world is turned upside down after witnessing a murder and then finding out she's more like those murderers than she ever imagined. She soon learns that everything she thought she knew isn't quite as it seems.

And now, what I thought:

I loved this book, I hated this book. I wanted to keep reading, I wanted to throw it across the room. Clare seriously knows how to tease her readers and keep them hanging on until the very. last. word. And she kept my emotions very stirred up throughout the entire book. Smart woman.

As a narrative voice, Clare used a lot of description. Especially when it came to smells. That made the book very tangible for me, which i liked. I had no trouble at all envisioning the way the scenes looked or what the characters looked like thanks to her excellent ability to create an image. Her characters were well developed and I felt a different connection with each one. I felt for Alec, I laughed at Jace, I cheered on Isabelle etc. Her story/plot was compelling and the situations were intense and page turning. Although I still have a few questions about the story line, I still have 2 other books to read in the series, so those might be addressed in City of Ashes or City of Glass.

In concerning the actual story itself, I loved it. Up until page 371. That's when it all went downhill for me. I actually had to force myself to finish because a certain character was missing. A character that had kept me bound to the book throughout the earlier pages. Then it just got more frustrating from there! (Really Ms. Clare, didja have to?!) I'm hoping in the next books things will work out the way I want them to because right now I'm absolutely dying inside because of certain circumstances. Yeah, I did not like the ending. Not at all.

I'm anxious to read the next one. And the next one and the next after that and the next after that. (There will be 6 books in all. You can read more about that here.)

That being said, can I just insert some swoonage here? Its necessary. Really.
Two words: Jace Wayland. YES PLEASE! I love, love, LOVE everything about his character. And the way Cassandra Clare wrote him was great. I loved getting to know him through [mostly] Clary's perspective and I was dying right along with her to know what makes him tick. Besides the fact that I'm sure the tangible Jace Wayland will probably trigger drooling upon sight, he is witty too! There were so many one liners that had me literally laughing (and swooning) out loud. I seriously appreciated that. Observe:

My Favorite Jace Wayland Quotes:

There was an intent look on Simon's face. "and there are vampires, too? Werewolves, warlocks, all that stuff?"
Clary gnawed on her lower lip. "So I hear."
"And you kill them, too?" Simon asked, directing the question to Jace, who had put the stele back in his pocket and was examining his flawless nails for defects.
"Only when they've been naughty."

"Is this when you start tearing strips off your t-shirt to bind up my wound?" she joked. She hated the sight of blood, especially her own.
"If you wanted me to rip my clothes off, you should have just asked." he dug into his pocket and brought out his stele. "It would have been a lot less painful."

"Don't order any of the faerie food," said Jace, looking at her over the top of his menu.
It tends to make humans a little crazy. One minute you're munching a faerie plum, the next minute you're running naked down Madison Avenue with antlers on your head. Not," he added hastily, "that this has ever happened to me."

He threw the door open. "Come in. And try not to murder any of my guests."
Jace edged into the doorway, sizing up Magnus with his eyes. "Even if one of them spills a drink on my new shoes?"

Jace look almost nervous. "Jace Wayland. Remember? I'm from the Clave."
"Oh, yes." Magnus seemed to have perked up. "are you the one with the blue eyes?"
"He means Alex," Clary said helpfully.
"No. My eyes are usually described as golden," Jace told the intercom, "And luminous."

"You missed," he said, and grinned for the first time, showing pointed white incisors. "You missed my heart."
Jace tightened his grip. "You moved at the last minute," he said. "That was very inconsiderate."

"I wish he'd hurry," Jace said crossly...
"Why? Does it hurt?" Clary asked.
"No. I have a high pain threshold. In fact, it's less of a threshold and more of a large and tastefully decorated foyer. But I do get easily bored." He squinted at her. "Do you remember back at the hotel when you promised that if we lived, you'd get dressed up in a nurse's outfit and give me a sponge bath?"

Gah. I. Love. Him.

Anyone else read it? Lets talk!! I want to know what you thought about the ending. Are you upset, like me???

book review: the graveyard book by neil gaiman

*just a note before i begin: you will never hear me say [write] that a book "sucks" or that it is "horrible" or "terrible" or anything else like that. while others may say or write that, that's their opinion, but i don't believe in bad books. i believe in books that aren't necessarily your taste, that don't exactly tickle your fancy, but saying a book "sucks" is like (in my opinion) insulting some one's child. [most] writers spend years on a project. tears are shed, stress is had, times of hopelessness and despair are experienced and when its all said and done they can only hope that their book will one day be successful and admired by even just the smallest amount of people. to say it sucks or is terrible or what have you is like telling that writer "you wasted your time writing this." and that is just down right mean.
SO, that being said, the books i review are books that i enjoy and that i hope others will enjoy as well. most likely if i don't enjoy a book, i wont review it (on my blog. i review everything on my goodreads page.) but all of what i have to say about what i liked and didn't like is strictly a matter of opinion. i will not, however, say "this was a good book/this was a bad book" because, again, i don't believe in bad books. if you're looking for me to tell you what a 'good book' is and what a 'bad book' is, you're looking in the wrong place (and quite frankly, if you ask me, you shouldn't be looking for that at all. read the book yourself. form your own opinion!)
okay. i'm done. now for the review!

the graveyard book (by neil gaiman) is about a young boy (Bod) who is taken in by a ghost couple and raised in a graveyard. it follows his life and all that he learns growing up in the land of the dead.

this is one of those books that the more i think about it, the more i realize how much i truly liked the book. i felt the book was beautifully written. the characters were intriguing and likeable and the over all story was quite interesting. most of the story just follows Bod's life as a kid who grows up in a graveyard, but there is an underlying story going on the whole time that keeps the reader wanting to turn pages to find out how things end. i felt the older Bod got, the more i wanted to read his story and find out what was in store for him. while the ending was a little heart wrenching, i felt it was beautiful closure and that it was the most necessary way for the story to be finished.

while this story was a little morbid (there were only a few living characters in the whole book, everyone else was dead) i found myself getting more and more invested in the graveyard and all the ghosts that inhabited it.

i'd recommend this book to anyone who a) wants to read a downright good story and b) can enjoy stories that might involve something other than an emo romance plot line or dramatic teenagers that complain far too much about their horrible lives.

book review: the pigman by paul zindel

i just finished reading the pigman by paul zindel (159 pages). now, here are my thoughts on the book:

the pigman is about two high school kids who meet an elderly man, mr. pignati, by chance and befriend him. the book follows their experiences together but also ties in real life circumstances as well and covers how people deal with things differently.

i really liked the way paul zindel wrote from the perspective of two different characters (john, the main boy and lorraine, the main girl). john's character is witty and rebellious and at some points he even caused me to laugh right out loud. lorraine on the other hand is more conservative and cautious about life. it was great to see such different perspective on the events that took place.

the ups and downs of this book stirred my emotions quite a bit causing me to feel sad, or angry, or making me smile or cringe.

i felt a real connection with the characters and felt for each of them in different ways and even though i was pretty angry at john and lorraine through certain points, i still could see their individual point of view on things.

as far as the actual writing goes, the book came out in 1968 so the language is pretty outdated, but i liked that about it. -- paul zindel writes very simply but is also able to portray his message well and make the story and characters grasbable. (yes, i just said graspable.)

while this book is different from the kind i usually read, i really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who was looking for something to take up a weekend or just needs something excellent to read.

are we friends on goodreads? no? we should be!

click my goodreads bookshelf on my sidebar to be directed to my page.

<--------------