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Showing posts with label review. Show all posts

Friday, 30 September 2011

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Black

Series: Anna Dressed in Blood

Genre: Young Adult >Thriller/Horror

Publisher: Tor Teen/Hachette AUS

Release Date: October 2011
ISBN: 9781408319444

Cover love? It's so hauntingly gorgeous, with a dark and spooky atmosphere that suits the story perfectly.

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.

Review

I confess: I have never, ever read horror before. Back in the Grade 2 days, I had a tentative peek into a Goosebump novel, and it practically scared the crap out of me, so since then, I've always avoided horror like the plague. But Anna Dressed in Blood was so freaking amazing that I'm crying, begging on my knees for more from Kendare Black, and *gasp* yes, more horror!

Theseus Cassio 'Cas' Lowood is one badass character, so fierce and brave. He descends from a long line of ghost hunters, all committed to ridding the world of ghosts who have stayed behind after death, out for revenge. After his father was brutally murdered by a ghost that he'd set out to kill, Cas devotes himself to training and slaying the dead, honing his skills in the hopes that one day, he can return to exact revenge on the monstrous being that took his father's life.

As a professional ghost slayer, Cas gets called to Thunder Bay to investigate the mystery of a particularly mysterious and violent ghost that the locals call "Anna Dressed in Blood". For the past 60 years, everyone who has dared to enter her house is torn apart, ripped to shreds. But when Cas faces this terrifying "goddess of death", he discovers that he's finally met his match - a ghost he can't destroy. But for some reason, she decides to spare his life.

Intrigued, Cas can't help but be drawn back to Anna's haunted house, again and again, attempting to discover the mystery behind her death, the reason why she is unlike other ghosts he's encountered. Because beneath the otherworldly and powerful exterior is a beautiful and fragile girl trapped by her dark past...

Kendare Black writes a spellbinding tale, entwining witchcraft and ghost mythology, tradgedy and hope, fear and adoration, until the reader is just as enraptured by Anna as Cas is. I adored so many things about this book - the gentle but fierce prose, the numerous twist and turns within the plot. My one lament is that the side characters aren't developed as well. I could sense that there was more to them, but I'll probably have to wait until Girl of Nightmares (Anna Dressed in Blood #2) coming out in 2012, to find out.

Black doesn't hold back on the violence or the gripping themes either - this is a raw and powerful book that will probably scare the living daylights out of you, but in a fantastic way that makes you hungry for more. It kept me up well past midnight, on the one hand feeling too afraid and nervous to keep on reading, but also too creeped out and entangled in this beautiful and dark tale to bear putting it down. And when I finally finished, I just lay there in bed, thinking about it all night. My advice: read it in broad daylight, but for the brave looking for a good scare, I dare you to read it in the dead silence of the night.

Rating:

Parental Corner: Violence (heavy), sexual content (minor), profanity (occasional)

Links: Date A Book | Kendare Black | Goodreads

Tuesday, 27 September 2011

Review: All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

My Rating:

Series: Birthright Series

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Crime

Publisher: PanMacmillan Australia

Release Date: 6th September 2011

Source: Review copy provided by publisher for an honest review.

Links: PanMac | Goodreads

In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city’s most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.’s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidently poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she’s to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight—at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family.

Review

Imagine this.

New York, year 2028. You’re sixteen years old, dogged by the legacy of a criminal chocolate business your murdered father once lead. Your grandma, your only guardian, is the oldest person you know (born in 1995) and she’s bedridden. Your elder brother is gorgeous, and girls would love him, if only he didn’t have the mind of an 8-year-old. Your little sister makes you ache to protect the rest of your family.

Not to mention that your a-hole of a boyfriend insists on sleeping with you.

So what do you do?

I won’t tell you too much, but let’s just say that eventually, you get arrested for attempted murder.

All These Things I’ve Done is a book that whisked me off my feet and took me on a journey. A journey through one year of Anya Balanchine’s life as I saw an alternate, morally corrupt world through her eyes and explored the potential ramifications of extreme Prohibition laws. In 2028, chocolate, mobile phones and coffee are amongst the many items that we now take for granted that have been outlawed. The effect is a world that we recognise as our own, but disorientingly merges elements of the past and present, to bring them to the future.

However, the dystopia of this world is merely hinted at, while Anya’s story takes the forefront. Anya is brave, smart and resilient, hardened by being forced to take over the parental role in her family after her father’s death. But she’s still young and impulsive, and nowhere near perfect, and I envisioned with bated breath, captivated, as she tumbled from trouble into disaster. Anya amazed me – I can’t imagine that any sixteen year old could have the wit, instinct and courage to experience what she does and come out as wholly as she does. She’s remarkable and extraordinary, but I felt her maturity was too unrealistic at times.

Gabrielle Zevin creates characters that unique, flawed and plausible, and through them, she portrays different facets of human nature. I believe that the best books are ones that make me think – hidden within are themes and ideas that bring up questions for me. I’m not a careful reader, but this book inspired me to try. The very title, “all these things I’ve done” suggests that the book is an exploration of the idea of redemption. Do we all deserve a second chance, no matter what we’ve done, or are some acts too horrible to be redeemed? What is the threshold of human forgiveness? Does an ability to forgive others make you a strong person, or weak minded? Are we, as humans, inherently good or bad? I guess there is no clear, definite distinction between black and white, because Anya’s world and life is comprised of all shades of grey.

There are books that take me away with the romance between characters, and there are those that simply don’t. While the synopsis portrays this as a story of a pair of star-crossed lovers, I didn’t really see that. I thought it was more of a subplot, and I couldn’t help rolling my eyes, when literally 15 pages into the book, we had already met the guy who would so obviously be the love of Anya’s life. I was frustrated that there was no real doubt or gradual falling in love; that they were automatically drawn to each other, despite Anya’s flimsy attempts to distance herself.

Overall, All These Things I’ve Done is an intricately layered exploration of the ideas of redemption and sacrifice, set in a world where danger and deception lurk behind every door. Anya’s coming-of-age is an unforgettable story that I devoured in one sitting, and absolutely recommend to fans of crime, and dystopia.

My Rating:

Friday, 23 September 2011

Review: City of Fallen Angels, Wolfsbane

These are some already-released must-reads that I read over my temporary hiatus from blogging. Why am I reviving them from their glory releases a couple of months ago? Well, coz they were pretty awesome reads and I thought I should let you know about them. Also, I wanted to record my thoughts, just for looking back on. :)

City of Fallen Angel s (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare

[Walker Books Aus, released 5th April 2011] [Urban Fantasy]

What’s it about? The Mortal Instruments series shot straight into my all-time favourites the first time I read them, because there is just something so enchanting and enthralling about the world contained between their pages. Clary Fray finds herself thrust unceremoniously into the dark and dangerous world of Shadowhunters (demon-slayers) werewolves, warlocks, and vampires, a world that only she can see, as she attempts to uncover the mystery of her mother’s murder.

My thoughts? In City of Fallen Angels (book #4), interspecies politics, the love of a star-crossed pair, and the forces of Heaven and Hell intertwine in a heart-pounding, gut-wrenching tale. When I read this, I took it everywhere with me, because I couldn’t bear to be parted from the non-stop action and the pure emotions that the book wrought out of me.

Why should you read it? So, I can’t say that the premise of the story sounds all that original at first, but trust me, Cassandra Clare takes what could have been a predictable, clichéd plotline and infuses it with an unforgettable cast and a rich story world setting. If you love action-adventure stories with heart wrenching romances, I think you’ll adore this series as well.

You’ll like it if you liked: Well, I think you’ll like this one no matter what, but The Mortal Instruments series had a similar “feel” and genre to the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead.

Additional Notes:

The audiobook version is narrated by Ed Westwick (Chuck from Gossip Girl), and Molly Young (Castle).
Cassandra Clare also has a prequel series to The Mortal Instruments - called The Infernal Devices, a steampunk series set in the 19^th century, which is just as riveting.

Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

[Atom Books Aus, released 26th June, 2011] [Paranormal – Werewolves]

What’s it about? For her whole life, Calla Tor has existed in a world where her kind, the shape-shifting wolf Guardians, have always been subservient to the Keepers, magic-wielders to whom the Guardians’ survival is inherently linked. Calla accepts that her destiny as an alpha female of the Nightshade wolf pack is to marry Ren, the alpha male of the rival Bane pack. For if Calla refuses, the Keepers will exact their fury upon her loved ones. But in Nightshade (Book #1), all that Calla knows to be true is cast into doubt when she begins to fall in love with a human boy, and discovers what sinister things the Keepers have in store for them both.

In Wolfsbane (Book #2), Calla finds herself fighting alongside the Keepers’ sworn enemies in an epic race to uncover the truth, save her friends from under the keepers’ oppressive rule, and salvage her relationships.

My thoughts? What I loved most about this book was how Andrea Cremer managed to interweave action scenes and plot development with enriching the world she’s built. In the beginning, Calla was thrust into the fight, leaving me (the reader) just as confused as she was. But gradually, we get to see more of the external forces acting on her world, and discover, alongside her, the truth of their past. Wolfsbane answers some of the biggest questions in Nightshade, but at the same time, creates more for book 3, Bloodrose.

[SPOILER] I have to admit though, I was occasionally annoyed by Calla. Annoyed by her doubt and emotional confusion and her fallibility. Annoyed by the way that she was torn between her love for Shay and her lingering emotions for Ren, how she was tactless and emotionally confused. Perhaps the reason why was because I see myself reflected in her, and wished that she was stronger and more decisive, as fierce in love as she was in battle. And the relationship that she shared with Shay felt forced and superficial. Somehow, I didn’t feel genuine sparks between her and Shay, not like there was in the first book, but I attribute this to the fact that they didn’t have that much time together.

Andrea Cremer, however, often writes quite strong characters, which are distinct and flawed, with very human desires and reactions. None of her characters are close to perfect, so they’re realistic and believable. And what I love most of all is how she portrays same-sex relationships between her characters with finesse and tact. She, through Calla’s eyes, doesn’t place specific emphasis on their struggles or makes them the objects of ostracisation. She doesn’t over-glorify their love either, creating relationships that are genuine and caring. But most of all, I love how the characters accept same-sex relationships between other characters as ordinary, just like any other relationship. Maybe I’m being discrimatory by pointing out this, but I think this acceptance is beautiful, and ought to be praised.

One more thing – there’s a plot twist in here that I caught onto early on, which is rare for me. I thought it was clichéd and too obvious, (although it was foreshadowed in the first book as well, which might have contributed) but I’m reluctantly intrigued to see how it’s explored. [/SPOILER]

Why should you read it? The Nightshade series is one that gets a place amongst my “love list” because it combines edge-of-your-seat action with real, emotionally complex characters, and best of all, a rich twist of the wolf mythology that draws you into the book and leaves you pondering the book well after the last page, questions dancing on your tongue. This book is kind of intoxicating, and I for one, couldn’t stop reading it until I had finished the journey within its pages.

Just a warning, apparently no YA book is complete without a classic love triangle and a bit of emotional drama to liven things up, and in this second book at least, I felt it was a little too much.

Readalikes: Vampire Academy, Twilight, Blood and Chocolate.

Thursday, 25 August 2011

Review: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Love and Loyality Run Deeper Than Blood

Genre: Fantasy > Vampires

Age Group:Young Adult

Publisher: Bloodlines @ Penguin AUS

Release Date: 23/08/2011

ISBN-13: 9781921518881
Rating:

BLOOD DOESN'T LIE . . .
Sydney's blood in special. That's because she's an alchemist - one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of human and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. But the last encounter Sydney had with vampires got her in deep trouble with the other alchemists. And now with her allegiances in question, her future is on the line.

When Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir - the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir - is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the unlikeliest of places: a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. The last thing Sydney wants is to be accused of sympathizing with vampires. And now she has to live with one.

The Moroi court believe Jill and Sydney will be safe at Amberwood Prep, but threats, distractions and forbidden romance lurk both outside – and within – the school grounds. Now that they're in hiding, the drama is only just beginning.

Review

When I pick up a book I’ve been longing to read, a wonderful and indescribable feeling builds up inside me. The sight of the title and author printed on the beautiful cover spreads a grin across my face, and the feel of printed pages running between my fingers makes my heart race. But most of all, the sense of excitement and anticipation for the story that will unfold epitomises the very reason I love to read. Because for the time that I am reading this precious bound form of ink and paper, I am lifted from the ordinary into a world of magic and infinite possibility.

And Bloodlines by Richelle Mead is one of those rare books which does exactly that.

I’m sure many VA fans were busting for the release of Bloodlines, but at the same time, dubious as to how the story would unfold from Sydney’s fresh perspective. But honest to goodness, Richelle Mead does not disappoint. Bloodlines is another embodiment of Mead’s power to draw the reader in with intricate plotlines, a unique set of characters and a captivating world.

Mead’s writing is deceptively simple and straightforward, but somewhere within the paragraphs, she weaves a story that immediately captures the reader’s imagination and transports them to another world. This intricately crafted alternate universe, where a complex world of vampires live secretly alongside the human world, is so intriguing and fantastical that it has spawned six books – comprising the Vampire Academy series – and now this new spinoff series, Bloodlines.

The first few chapters start off with little action, but Mead quickly builds up a vivid depiction of the enticing vampire world fans of VA have come to love. Sydney is a very multi-faceted character, but quite the polar opposite of Rose. Where Rose is outgoing, strong-willed and completely badass, Sydney is an intelligent observer, somewhat naïve socially, but with no less determination and passion.

Sydney’s mission to protect Jill Dragomir is accompanied by the witty and slightly unstable Adrian, and Jill’s guardian, Eddie. I love the way Mead builds on these previously minor characters while weaving new relationships between them. However, the forbidden love story at the heart of Vampire Academy was an enchanting, and irreplaceable part of the original series, and I can’t see a love story stronger than that one building up in Bloodlines.

Book 2 comes out 1st of May 2012...
that's way too long to wait. Sigh.

But what completely drew me in, and had me reading late into the night, was the story itself. With Mead’s usual plot twists and mix of good and bad forces, this book stayed glued to my hands as its words carried my me away. I begged myself to stop reading at the end of every chapter, but every new twist was an invite drawing me back in. And Mead leaves readers hanging on a plot twist so big that I’m already counting down the days until the release of Book 2, The Golden Lily.

If you’re a girl (age 13 and up), RUN OUT NOW AND GET YOUR HANDS ON A COPY. While Bloodlines is no Vampire Academy (not yet anyway), it’s still an amazing, captivating book filled with dynamic characters, and carries a killer plotline that will keep your heart racing until the very last page.

Oh, and check out these awesome Bloodlines trailers.

Friday, 25 February 2011

Review: The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

The Sky is Everywhere by Author

Series: Standalone
Genre: Contemporary
Age Group:Young Adult
Publisher: Walker AUS
Release Date: June 2010

Format: Paperback, 368 pages
ISBN-13: 9781406326307
RRP: $24.95 AUD
Source: Thank you to the publisher, who provided this book for an honest review,all opinions expressed are my own.
Cover love? This blue is so pretty, calm and peaceful. It's such a unique, and simple cover, but stunning.

Synopsis

Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two.
Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide world exploding.

Review

This book is not like the others – literally. My UK copy is bound in a soft textured cover with a piece of elastic that keeps it close, much like a journal. The text is a blue colour, and scattered throughout the story are fully-coloured poems by Lennie herself, written on random surfaces. Absolutely gorgeous.

As for the story, I read it entirely in one sitting and spent the rest of the day in a happy, bubbly mood as the aftereffects of this extraordinary book washed over me. The writing is poetic and evocative and beautiful, and I drank all the words along with the emotion they brought. Jandy Nelson is a master of words – she can truly write and her choice of words is perfect.

The ultimate power of this book is the emotions that it evokes in readers – I felt upset, shocked, betrayed, overjoyed, heartbroken, confused, you name it. Lennie and her relationships with Joe and Toby are so raw and powerful and refreshing. I cried in so many places.

Easily one of the most enchanting, captivating novels I have ever read, The Sky Is Everywhere took my breath away with its honesty, sadness and beauty. I am determined not to spoil anything, lest I take away from the impact of reading the book, but this book is definitely an all-time favourite, and the reason why I love contemps.

Rating:

Links:
The Sky is Everywhere Official Website | The Sky is Everywhere at Walker AUS | Jandy Nelson's Website | Goodreads

Monday, 14 February 2011

Review: Eclipse Movie Companion by Mark Cotta Vaz

You might think that this “Movie Companion” is for the most dedicated fans of the movie, but there is so much more to this movie companion than a photo album of movie stills. I’ve never really paid any thought to how a movie is made; I just pick a movie, pay for my ticket, head into the cinema, and enjoy the story that comes to life before my eyes. I've never imagined the many people behind the cameras who have dedicated their time and poured their soul into creating the intangible piece of art that is a motion picture.

The Twilight Saga is the cumulative effort of months of work by hundreds of people, from the talented Stephenie Meyer, who conceived the idea, to the costume designers, to the audiences who enjoy the movie. This movie companion gives us a detailed behind-the-scenes glimpse into how a $700 million box office blockbuster movie is made. The director, David Spade emphasised how he wished to stay faithful to Stephanie Meyer’s imagery, whilst bringing more intense visual imagery and darker undertones in comparison to the previous two films.

There is so much thought behind each individual, minute-long scene, and a valuable source of information in this book can be gained through the behind-the-scenes images. I was surprised to find out how the wolves had been brought to life, how the green screen was used rarely but effectively to bring the forest to life, and how the filmmakers had constructed a life-sized replica of the original Cullen house for the purposes of giving the scenes authenticity.

My favourite parts of the book were the ones detailing the costume creation and sets for the Quileute’s, Rosalie’s and Jasper’s flashbacks. They were my favourite parts of the movie, and added history and dimension to the film. Then there were the cast interviews. Most of the main cast had a page-long interview each, and it’s interesting to learn of the people behind the characters –the dedicated actors who wake up at 3am to do hair and makeup – and the people who help them become their characters.

Reading The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Official Illustrated Movie Companion gives one a greater appreciation of the making of each film: from the basic colours and settings that evoke mood, to the high-tech CGI imagery that brings wolves to life. An intriguing and visually luxurious read this Illustrated Movie Companion is something all movie fans should pick up.

Now if only it came with posters I could stick up on my wall… ;)

Mark Cotta Vaz, The Twilight Saga Eclipse: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion,

Hachette Aus, July 2010. [details] [goodreads]

Thanks to Hachette for my review copy.

Q: If you could be a part of a movie,which would be your dream role? (e.g. director, crew, make-up artist, scriptwriter, actress/actor...)

Wednesday, 2 February 2011

Review: The Legacy by Gemma Malley

The Legacy by Gemma Malley

Series: The Declaration (Book 3)
Read these first--> 1: The Declaration, 2: The Resistance

Genre: Dystopia
Age Group: 13+

Publishers: Allen and Unwin AUS

Release Date: October 2010

Format: Hardback, 272 pages

ISBN-13: 9781408800898

Cover love?

An amazing cover that perfectly conveys the theme of the story and continues the design brilliance of the previous two books. I like the solitary rose, although I can't think of it's significance. A new beginning? Hope? Hmm...

Synopsis

A third gripping, powerful dystopian novel following The Declaration and The Resistance.

When a Pincent Pharma lorry is ambushed by the Underground, its contents come as a huge surprise - not drugs, but corpses in a horrible state. It appears Longevity isn't working and the drugs promising eternal youth are failing to live up to their promises. A virus is sweeping the country, killing in its wake, and Longevity is powerless to fight it. When Richard Pincent of Pincent Pharma suggest that the Underground has released the virus, something has to be done to put the story straight and once and for all alert everyone to the truth.

Review
The previous two installments in the series blew me away, and I looked forward to reading The Legacy a lot. Readers who loved Matched or Delirium will love this series, especially because it came prior to the aforementioned books.

The first book focused on Anna as a main character, and later, Peter and Anna's journey together. The Legacy, however, focuses mainly on Peter as the protagonist, much like The Resistance. Anna is relegated to the back seat, and regretfully, takes on a tradiationally feminine role, with less action, and in a more damsel-in-distress role. It's a shame, because Anna was a great character in the first book, but now she gives in too easily, no longer a headstrong female charater, though unnaturally mature beyond her years. But, Peter is a great character. He's loyal, brave and good...but also impulsive, stubborn and flawed.

This third installment reveals a slightly horrific and gripping backstory to the famous (or infamous, depending on your side) Richard Pincent's rise to fame. Thinking back, I should have expected it, but Gemma Malley's addition to the world of The Declaration gives it a new depth and brings a new understanding to readers. I also like the way that the story alternates between Peter's perspective and another sidestory, making the novel three-dimensional in it's omniescent view.

This series is very clever, and presents a vision of the world that is imaginative but highly probable, what with the advances in science and technology, and the growth of the world's population. I shudder to think of it, but the future that Malley paints is near, and possible. But according to The Legacy, nature will prevail in the end.

I love this series, as you can probably tell from my reviews of The Declaration and The Resistance. The Legacy is a truly compelling final book in a masterful dystopian series. Brillaint, heartfelt and epic, this series is a bestseller for a reason.

Rating:

Links:
The Legacy at Allen and Unwin | The Legacy Official Website | The Legacy at Allen & Unwin AU | Goodreads

Monday, 31 January 2011

Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Series: Trilogy
Genre: Dystopian
Age Group:Young Adult
Publisher: Hachette Australia
Release Date: February 1, 2011
Format: Paperback, 448 pages
ISBN-13: 9780340980927
RRP: $27.99 AUD

Cover love? Love how the girl is metaphorically "trapped" behind the letters, as if they were prison bars. The overall image is very unique and iconic.
<--Aussie & UK cover, by the way (has birds, no ornate lettering).

Synopsis

There was a time when love was the most important thing in the world. People would go to the end of the earth to find it. They would tell lies for it. Even kill for it.
Then, at last, they found the cure.
Now, everything is different. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Haloway has always looked forward to the day when she ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.
But then, with only ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable...

Review
The minute I got this, I had to start reading it. There’s been so much buzz surrounding Delirium, and I loved The Declaration and Matched, which are two similar books. To my surprise, I realised that I haven’t read Before I Fall, Lauren Oliver’s debut, yet, so I began Delirium without knowing what really lay ahead.

In my opinion, a dystopian novel is only ever as good as its futuristic society and the form of oppression it chooses to enforce. In Delirium’s Portland of the future, love is a disease individuals are cured of when they turn 18. This notion is brought to reality through it’s “scientific name”, amor deliria nervosa. (Clever! I love these extra touches.) The “cured” walk about with a film over their eyes, heartless and cold, void of emotions, because with their capability to love stripped away, they’re nothing more than robots programmed to do everything the society bids of them. Oliver has painted a stark future that gives food for thought.

Lauren Oliver is obviously well-read and clever, because each chapter shows a quote from a poem, play, or piece of classical literature that pertains to that chapter. Lauren Oliver has also written some of her own poetry, book excerpts and children’s play songs from the futuristic world of Delirium that are very clever and contain hidden messages. The writing in this book, oh my god. It’s so beautiful and descriptive, almost poetic. Lauren Oliver uses the sounds and assonance of words together perfectly, and her language is beautiful.

Here’s a non-spoiler excerpt:
“I close my eyes and listen. The feeling I had before of being surrounded by warmth swells and crests inside of me like a wave. Poetry isn’t like any writing I’ve heard before. I don’t understand all of it, just bits of images, sentences that appear half-finished, all fluttering together like brightly coloured ribbons in the wind.”

Beautiful, right? The bolded lines are so evocative – what a way to describe poetry through Lena’s eyes.

Lena is a great protagonist in this book and to me, she is an unlikely one, which is great. I could have imagined the entire story being told with Lena’s best friend, Hana, as the protagonist: beautiful, daring, wild, rich but not understood. But I think that with a shy, quiet and obedient character, readers will really understand and marvel at the power of love to change a person. Alex, the mysterious boy that Lena meets is exactly what I expected, but I was still amazed and warmed by his goodness.

Lauren Oliver has admirably captured the powerful emotion of love in stunningly beautiful words. Her gorgeous second novel, Delirium, is a captivating dystopian with a heart-wrenching love story that I recommend to lovers of all genres.

Rating:

Links:
Delirium at Hachette AU | Lauren Oliver's Website | Lauren Oliver's Blog | Delirium at Goodreads

Saturday, 29 January 2011

Review: Zelah Green by Vanessa Curtis

Zelah Green by Vanessa Curtis

Series: Zelah Green series
Genre: Contemporary
Age Group:Young Adult
Publisher: Hardie Grant Egmont
Release Date: 4th Jan 2011
Format: Paperback
ISBN-13: 9781405255059
RRP: $16.95 AUD
Source: Thank you to the publisher, who provided this book for an honest review,all opinions expressed are my own.
Cover love? Stark and streamlined, but meaningful. The pink labels it as YA. (NB. See what I did? I made some text in this review the exact same colour!)

Synopsis

My Name is Zelah Green and I'm a cleanaholic. I spend most of my life running away from germs, dirt, and people. And I'm just about doing ok and then my stepmother packs me off to some kind of hospital to live with a load of strangers. It's stuck in the middle of nowhere. Great. There's Alice who's anorexic. Caro who cuts herself. Silent Sol who has the cutest smile. And then there's me.

Review

Throughout Zelah Green, Vanessa Curtis thoughtfully paints a story focusing on the effects of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in teenagers. My only knowledge of OCD stems from reading Xenocide and Speaker for the Dead (#3 and #4 in the Ender Saga) by Orson Scott Card, and was not surprised to find that the symptoms were similar, and that OCD is a serious ailment that severely affects the victim’s lifestyle. Zelah Green describes herself as a “cleanaholic” who is always on “dirt alert” and “germ alert”; she performs daily cleaning rituals that often cause her hands to become red and raw.

I admire the research and accuracy with which Vanessa Curtis tells this story. The way Zelah avoids the scientific term for her problem, the backstory that explains how Zelah developed her condition, and the warm depiction of Zelah’s emotions and reactions.The gradual unveiling of Zelah’s life to the reader also makes it a journey of sorts, as we begin to understand what Zelah’s family situation is like.

Vanessa Curtis must also be commended for her excellent creation of characters. Each character is unique, and I can list the dozen or so of them off by heart, even weeks after reading it.

I’m not giving this novel five stars because it’s not as impacting as it could have been. It’s more lighthearted than serious, and I prefer serious, adventurous reads that bring out emotion, because that’s when I know a story has really connected with me. The story is not extraordinary, but it’s not evocative either, hence my rating.

I loved watching the growth in Zelah throughout this short read, as she changes from an unwilling patient at the rehabilitation centre, to a girl ready to charge of her own life and make a change for the better. It’s not a depressing, self-help novel, rather a light, funny and warm novel about a girl courageously facing up to her condition, and learning to do the right thing. It’s a perfect read for all teenagers.

Rating:

Links:
Zelah Green at Hardie Grant | Vanessa Cutis' Website | Goodreads

Tuesday, 25 January 2011

Review: Pictures of Lily by Paige Toon

Pictures of Lily by Paige Toon

Series: Standalone
Genre: Contemporary
Age Group:Young Adult --> Adult
Publisher: Simon & Schuster AUS
Release Date: 4th January 2011 (AUS)
Format: Paperback, 432 pages
ISBN-13: 9781847393913
RRP: $22.99 AUD
Source: Thank you to the publisher, who provided this book for an honest review.
Cover love? It's very cute and dazzly, but screams chick-lit rom-com. The book is more mature than the cover suggests.

Synopsis

'Will you marry me?'
I think of you, then. I think of you every day. But usually in the quietest part of the morning, or the darkest part of the night. Not when my boyfriend of two years has just proposed. I look up at Richard with his hopeful eyes.
'Lily?' he prompts. It's been ten years, but it feels like only yesterday that you left. How can I say yes to Richard with all my heart when most of it has always belonged to you? I take a deep breath and will myself to speak...

Ten years ago when Lily was just sixteen, she fell in love with someone she really shouldn't have fallen in love with. Now, living in Sydney and engaged to another man, she can't forget the one that got away. Then her past comes back to haunt her, and she has to make a decision that will break her heart - and the heart of at least one of the men who love her.

Review

The book begins with a prologue, which you’ve just read above, and then cuts to a twelve-chapter long flashback of Lily’s life at 16, when her mother moves her from the UK to South Australia for her mother’s newest man. And in Australia, Lily falls in love with “someone she really shouldn't have fallen in love with”. When we cut back to the modern day, Lily is being asked the big question. But can she find it in her heart to forget her one true love?

I quickly got absorbed into Lily’s world, and through Paige Toon’s writing, I felt Lily the changes that Lily went through as she began to fall in love. My heart broke when things didn’t work out between them, and their bittersweet tale is one to remember. Despite the guy being wrong for her, what they had between them was real, and I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of the novel.

There were only a few main characters in this novel, because at it's heart, it is about Lily's decision. That being said, I loved the way Paige Toon used dialogue to bring the peripheral characters to life, because her descriptions were very realistic. I thought that the setting of the book, which is in Australia, is very well done and highly believable, considering that her previous books were mainly set in America. Lily is also authentically English.

In ten years, Lily weaves herself a very tangled web. Richard is successful, sweet, and a loving boyfriend…but Lily can’t forget the man she loved first. This is a bittersweet tale about a girl who gave up on her dreams and her instincts about love, begging the question: is it ever too late? Emotional, heartbreaking and utterly honest, Pictures of Lily is a clean but mature novel for those looking for a good romantic contemporary read.

Rating:

Links:
Pictures of Lily at Simon & Schuster | Paige Toon's Website | Goodreads

Sunday, 23 January 2011

Review: Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

Pretty Little Liars #1 by Sara Shepard

Series: Pretty Little Liars series
Genre: Contemporary
Age Group:Young Adult
Publisher: Hachette AU
Release Date: January 2011
Format: Paperback, 272 pages
ISBN-13: 9781907410871
RRP: $18.99 AUD
Source: Thank you to the publisher, who provided this book for an honest review, all opinions expressed are my own.

Cover love? This has the TV show cast on it, which is awesome, but the mud-makeup is a little extreme, I think.

Synopsis

Aria, Emily, Spencer, Hanna and Alison have been best friends since the third grade. They go everywhere together, thinking no-one can come between them. If anyone is the ringleader of the group it is Alison, and the other girls cannot help but confide all their secrets to her.

One night, during a sleepover, Alison goes missing. Her body is never found. The girls mourn her death but move apart after time, assuming their secrets have disappeared with Alison too.

Three years later and Aria is having an affair with her teacher; Emily is questioning her sexuality; Hanna is a thief; and Spencer is flirting with her sister's fiance. They all think their secrets are safe, until they starting receiving messages from the mysterious A - who knows exactly what they are all up to, and is threatening to spill the beans . . .

Review

The minute I found and opened this in the mail, I began reading it and didn’t stop until I had finished it. There’s just something so enticing and juicy about this book that makes one hungry for more. In fact, Pretty Little Liars has been adapted into a highly popular TV show in 2010, and is still in it’s first season as of January 2011. I’ve been obsessively following the TV show on Go! On Mondays, 8:30pm in Australia ever since. Awesome show.

The novel begins with Ali’s disappearance and within a couple of pages, Sara Shepard’s cleverly shows us the group’s dynamics, setting apart each character (despite there being five main ones) and distinguishing them for their individual traits. I love that throughout Pretty Little Liars, readers can easily get a sense of who is who. They are each complex, and have their own dirty little secrets.

This book wasn’t long either, but a lot happened, and it is only to Sara Shepard’s credit that events weren’t confusing, although the murder mystery is. Although the girls’ actions certainly are not showing their best sides and, like all good television, is not role-model behaviour – that’s what makes it such a fun read. “A” is a deadly opponent, not to mention a creepy stalker with an agenda for these girls.

Pretty Little Liars is Gossip Girl with a better plot a dangerous villain and a murder mystery. Perfect for anyone looking for a saucy, suspenseful read. There’s twists and turns in every scene, and I cannot wait to see the angle Sara Shepard takes with Flawless, book 2 in the series.

Rating:

Links:
Pretty Little Liars Official Website | Pretty Little Liars at Hachette AUS | Goodreads

Saturday, 22 January 2011

Review: Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Across the Universe by Beth Revis
Series: Trilogy
Genre: Science Fiction
Age Group:Young Adult
Publisher: Penguin AU
Release Date: Jan 2011
Format: Paperback, 408 pages
ISBN-13: 9780141333663
RRP: $19.95 AUD
Source: Thank you to the publisher, who provided this book for an honest review,all opinions expressed are my own.
Cover love? Love this cover! It takes my breath away, especially with the significance of the positions of the silhouettes (now that I’ve read the book), and the metaphor that Elder and Amy are separated by a galaxy. It’s gorgeous and captivating…reflective of the book. Although the AUS cover lacks the pretty galaxy background the US cover has.

Synopsis

Amy has left the life she loves for a world 300 years away
Trapped in space and frozen in time, Amy is bound for a new planet. But fifty years before she's due to arrive, she is violently woken, the victim of an attempted murder. Now Amy's lost on board and nothing makes sense - she's never felt so alone.
Yet someone is waiting for her. He wants to protect her; and more if she'll let him
But who can she trust amidst the secrets and lies?
A killer is out there – and Amy has nowhere to hide . . .

Review

As an avid reader and huge fan of sci-fi, I felt mixed emotions about picking up Across the Universe. I hadn’t read a proper science fiction in ages, and I feared that I would be disappointed by comparisons to Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, my favourite book of all time. The two books were very different though, and I found myself amazed that such a different yet similar story could be told.

What I admire about futuristic novels is how the author presents their own vision of the future, interpreted from our modern world. Beth Revis’ future race aboard the starship Godspeed are ethnically ambiguous (due to inbreeding), taller, and have a darker skin tone, which stands to reason. Their speech has also evolved, with an accent that is hard for Amy to distinguish. I like that Beth Revis has illustrated these tiny but consequential changes in the human population of Godspeed, because it imbues the book with a sense of authenticity.

She also explores the concepts of a dictatorial rule in an enclosed environment: censorship, deception, a strong ruler, freedom, and rebellion. It’s an intelligent and mature topic for the Young Adult fiction genre, but is very appropriate in a time when young adults like myself are becoming increasingly aware of the politics of our time. Beth Revis presents her ideas in an intelligent way, and despite having read the Ender Saga (which features star ships abundantly and therefore raises similar ideas), I can’t help but imagine that this is most likely outcome from a less advance society’s attempt to colonise a planet in another star system. Beth Revis also raises many moral and ethical issues in the book, which I am hesitant to spoil, but was completely blown away by. Across the Universe is very, very clever.

Characters. For me, I couldn’t help but compare Elder to Ender (c’mon, just one letter different). I read somewhere that Beth Revis has read Ender’s Game, so I think my comparisons are legit. Elder is similar to Ender in many ways – they are both young boys chosen for a particular, pivotal role that they are unaware of, and forced into leadership positions. They are both intelligent (although Ender is superior in that sense) and have natural abilities that render them the prime candidates, yet they are continually deceived by adults. However, Elder is portrayed as an adolescent, whilst Ender was a child, and as such, Elder is much more heavily influenced by his attraction to Amy and has this character flaw (which isn’t really a flaw). The point that I’m driving at is that my reading of Across the Universe was influenced heavily by Ender’s Game, and therefore I thought Elder was a similar but inferior character to Ender, because Elder lacked Ender’s intuition, intelligence, character development and the scope of his perceptions. These elements directly influence the narration and therefore, the story that I experience. Yes, I’m long winded and biased, all of a sudden. It must be the holidays. Als

Amy and Elder’s romance wasn’t really as captivating as the romances in other young adult fiction, but it was the prime aspect that categorised Across the Universe as a YA novel, because really, what is a YA novel without a little bit of love? What I really feel is that the novel didn’t need the romance, and could have been great without it. But maybe that’s just my Ender’s-Game-fangirl side speaking. What’s your opinion – does a YA novel have to have romance?

What I love about Across the Universe was the plot! Reminiscent of science fiction films such as Moon and other horror murder mysteries, the storyline was very creepy and gives you goosebumps and chills down your spine when you find out who the murderer is. I thought it could have been scarier though…the big reveal could have been accompanied by a “Muahahahaha” by the perpetrator and a creepy, “Twenty long years I have waited to get revenge”, with really epic music in the background? But then again, this is YA, so the big reveal was downplayed and less dramatic than it could have been, and therefore less shocking. I was suspecting something along the lines of the truth though.

This review may have sounded a little harsh, but really, I was comparing it with Ender’s Game the whole time (which is in its own league entirely). I actually LOVED Across the Universe. Beth Revis employs an alternating first person perspective to bring to life a story that transcends time, space, and most YA: a starship romance plagued by the chilling threat of a murderer among the passengers, this is a book that no one should pass up.

Thanks for reading this long winded review if you have – and if you haven’t, I don’t blame you, but I’d like to hear all your thoughts on this question:

Is romance a defining factor of YA? If so, why, and if not, why is it so prevalent?

Rating:

Links:
Across the Universe Official Website | Across the Universe at Penguin AUS |

Thursday, 20 January 2011

Review: Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers

Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers

Series: Personal Demons series
Genre: Paranormal > Heaven Vs Hell
Age Group:Young Adult
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Release Date: October 2010
Format: Paperback, 384 pages
ISBN-13:9780330404013
RRP: $18.99 AUD
Source: Thank you to the publisher, who provided this book for an honest review,all opinions expressed are my own.

Cover love? I’m not a huge fan of the cover because it looks too adult for me and overtly categorises the book as a paranormal romance, but I like that it gives us an image of the three main characters, and that the cover designers have stayed true to the author’s description.

Synopsis

Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She has spent years keeping everyone at a distance - even her closest friends - and it seems like her senior year is going to be more of the same... Until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can't seem to stay away from him.

What she doesn't know is that Luc is on a mission. He's been sent from Hell itself to claim Frannie's soul. It should be easy - all he has to do is get her to sin, and Luc is as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn't stand a chance. But he has to work fast, because if the infernals are after her, the celestials can't be far behind. And sure enough, it's not long before the angel Gabriel shows up, willing to do anything to keep Luc from getting what he came for.

But if Luc fails, there will be Hell to pay... for all of them.

Review

Mary Francis “Frannie” Cavanaugh is an ordinary girl with a secret that haunts her every day. When the dangerous, mysterious, gorgeous Luc, (short for “Lucifer” and pronounced “Luke”) comes to Haden High, Frannie finds herself an unexpected object of attention. But unbeknownst to her, Luc is a demon sent to tag Frannie’s soul for Hell. Soon enough, Heaven sends its own messenger, Gabriel, an angel – literally. Both boys fight for Frannie’s soul, because of a special talent she owns, but their relationship soon develops into a complex love triangle.

At first, I admit that I wasn’t too impressed by this book. The synopsis set off the this-is-clichéd warning bells for me, and as I first read through the writing, I raised an eyebrow at the excessive use of “whatevers”, “ ‘Cause”, swearing and sexual observations. But as I read on, I grew closer to the characters and was stunned by the thematic matter in this book. And the writing visibly improved.

Frannie attracts both hotties with her good looks, snarky remarks and…I don’t know, out of necessity because they’ve both been sent to acquire her soul? I couldn’t find anything (aside from her supposed good looks and superpower) that made Frannie an admirable person…she’s more like the slightly upgraded version two of Bella from Twilight.

Luc, I loved. He shared the narrative, and I could really feel his subtle changes throughout the novel as he discovers a less demonic side to himself. The smells Luc used to describe mortal feelings was very interesting, a clever device to portray feelings, but left poor Frannie like an open book. There were a lot of spicy odours coming outta that girl. Gabe didn’t have such a big role (maybe in book 2?), but I liked that he was still willing to help his enemies.

But…Frannie’s best friend Taylor was two-faced and lacked depth of character, really getting on my nerves. Another thing that agonises me is the way that Frannie is hot for the two studs within a week of meeting them both, and ends up flitting between the two so easily. They’re both over 5000 years old as well. Scandal.

But, Lisa Desrochers brings a lot of unexpected maturity to this book. Sure, there’s some risqué, dubious scenes here and there, but she puts a lot of religious questions into perspective, especially redemption. Can a person be forgiven, no matter what they did, and achieve redemption?

I can’t wait to find that out in the second book, Original Sin, because despite my criticisms, I really enjoyed it. This book grows on you. Lisa Desrochers adds a gripping novel to the Heaven vs Hell paranormal subgenre that will get you caught up in the whirlwind of romance, action, and raw teenage emotions.

Rating:

Links:

Personal Demons at Pan Macmillan | Lisa Desrochers' Blog | Goodreads

Pretty excited... here's the cover for Original Sin (click to enlarge), which is book two and comes out July 5, 2011!

Tuesday, 18 January 2011

Manga Review: Stepping on Roses (1&2) by Rinko Ueda

Stepping on Roses Vol. 01 & 02 by Rinko Ueda

Series: Stepping on Roses Volumes 1 & 2 [Manga]
Genre: Historical Romance
Age Group:Young Adult +
Publisher: Madman
Release Date: 10/05/2010
Format: Manga, 200 pages
ISBN-13: 9781421531823
RRP: $14.95 AUD

Cover love? I swoon at this cover, because the art is absolutely GORGEOUS. So delicate and beautiful.

Synopsis

From Rags to Riches
Poor Sumi Kitamura. Her irresponsible older brother Eisuke keeps bringing home orphans for her to take care of even though they can barely afford their own basic needs! Just when Sumi's financial problems become dire, wealthy Soichiro Ashida enters her life with a bizarre proposition: he'll provide her with the money she so desperately needs if she agrees to marry him. But can Sumi fool high society into thinking she's a proper lady? Moreover, is it worth giving up everything for this sham of a marriage?

Review

This is my first manga review on the blog, and I hope it will be the first of many to come. I’ve loved manga ever since I was introduced to it five years ago. Sometimes silly, and sometimes serious, but always enjoyable, manga is a form of Japanese art that is appreciated by comic lovers all over the world.

Manga is usually found in black-and-white volumes, with beautiful art that depicts captivating stories read right to left. I’ll share a secret: I love the fresh smell of new manga volumes, and the feel of the jacket art, the special paper. It brings back fond memories of my early manga-reading days, which have unfortunately become sparser as I’ve grown older.

Stepping on Roses is a historical manga, with the traditional characteristics of an Asian drama: Sumi is a beautiful but poor 15 year old girl who takes care of young orphans that her wayward brother brings home. In a moment of desperation, drawn through poverty and her brother’s affinity for gambling, she consents to selling herself to a rich young man, Soichiro. But Soichiro has different plans for her. He forces her to marry him in order to come into the inheritance of his dying grandfather’s wealth. Sumi is forbidden to love her husband, but she begins to fall for her husband’s friend, Nozomu, who is the handsome young man who helped her once before. Meanwhile, Soichiro is secretly trying to set Sumi up with Nozomu to tarnish Nozomu’s name, but finds himself starting to fall for her. Sumi soon finds herself in a whirlwind love triangle….

Rinko Ueda’s artwork is beautiful. Stunning. Gorgeous. S-e-x-y, in some parts (as with most manga). I admire the way Rinko Ueda brings her 2D characters to life, with elegant costumes that evoke the Meiji Era setting. Sumi, of course, is innocently perfect in every way, the typical Japanese heroine, and the two boys are drawn very very well. Soichiro is tall, dark and handsome, with good looks that contrast Nozomu’s blond pretty boy features. Here’s a look at the two awesome volumes I read:

Sumi and Soichiro (husband)

Sumi & Nozomu (NOT husband)

The colouring has changed for Sumi's hair and eyes, and I don't like that she looks like Nozomu's sister, but how pretty are the cast? Anyway...

The storyline is a little cliché, with a plotline typical of many Asian dramas I’ve watched in the past. If you’ve watched any Taiwanese/Korean/Japanese/Chinese drama, you’ll know what I mean. Poor, sweet girl marries rich, cold guy for his inheritance, a third guy is thrown into the picture, and both being to fight for the girl. Although a little predictable, I found myself chuckling my way through the manga volumes, because some of the heroine-hero interactions are so awkward (for the characters) and some of the lines were lost in translation. A lot of blushing, awkward accidental touches and meaningful eye lockage is scattered throughout the two volumes that I read, along with the roses, sparkles and hair ribbons.

Albeit very stereotypical (in the way that makes you go face-palm, head-desk, OMG-must-keep-on-reading), Stepping on Roses is addictive. If you’re looking for a shojo, period romance, manga filled with gorgeous leads, Stepping on Roses is perfect, and highly recommended! Swoon...I really really need the next two volumes!

Rating:

Links:
Stepping on Roses Vol. 01 at Madman

Friday, 30 September 2011

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Thursday, 25 August 2011

Friday, 25 February 2011

Monday, 14 February 2011

Wednesday, 2 February 2011

Monday, 31 January 2011

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Tuesday, 25 January 2011

Sunday, 23 January 2011

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Thursday, 20 January 2011

Tuesday, 18 January 2011

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