Book Review #755 - How to Build a Girl by Caitlin Moran

The New York Times bestselling author hailed as “the UK’s answer to Tina Fey, Chelsea Handler, and Lena Dunham all rolled into one” (Marie Claire) makes her fiction debut with a hilarious yet deeply moving coming of age novel.

What do you do in your teenage years when you realize what your parents taught you wasn’t enough? You must go out and find books and poetry and pop songs and bad heroes—and build yourself.

It’s 1990. Johanna Morrigan, fourteen, has shamed herself so badly on local TV that she decides that there’s no point in being Johanna anymore and reinvents herself as Dolly Wilde—fast-talking, hard-drinking Gothic hero and full-time Lady Sex Adventurer. She will save her poverty-stricken Bohemian family by becoming a writer—like Jo in Little Women, or the Bröntes—but without the dying young bit.

By sixteen, she’s smoking cigarettes, getting drunk and working for a music paper. She’s writing pornographic letters to rock-stars, having all the kinds of sex with all kinds of men, and eviscerating bands in reviews of 600 words or less.

But what happens when Johanna realizes she’s built Dolly with a fatal flaw? Is a box full of records, a wall full of posters, and a head full of paperbacks, enough to build a girl after all?

My Rating: 3.5/5

I found this book in a store that was having a closing down sale and had some vague memory of hearing of it before so I picked it up and I am so glad I did as this book was unlike anything I have previously read.

I loved the family dynamic in this book especially between Johannah and her siblings. 

This book was a little crude at times and sometimes I found this hilarious and other times it made me cringe. For example, after reading the opening paragraph I questioned whether to keep reading but I am happy I did because I enjoyed this book so much more than I thought I would.

There were so many music references in this book which apart from The Beatles ones most went straight over my head. The references to The Beatles though were constant and really well done and I loved that there seemed to be at least one reference to them per chapter as they are my favourite band of all time.

Book Review #754 - The Jerilderie Letter by Ned Kelly and Alex McDermott

"I have been wronged & my mother & four or five men lagged innocent & is my brothers & sisters & my mother not to be pitied also who has no alternative only to put up with the brutal & cowardly conduct of a parcel of big ugly fat-necked wombat headed big bellied magpie legged narrow hipped splay-footed sons of Irish Bailiffs or english landlords which is better known as Officers of Justice or Victorian Police."--Ned Kelly

The Jerilderie Letter is Ned Kelly's manifesto, the story of a widow's son outlawed.

My Rating: 4/5

I really enjoyed the introduction written by Alex McDermott as Ned Kelly's part was written like you were already supposed to be familiar with his story and it had been a while since I learnt Ned's story in any great detail.

I had no idea this letter even existed until I visited the State Library of Victoria when I was in Melbourne recently. I went there to see Ned Kelly's real armor and was surprised to see the real handwritten (by Joe Byrne) Jerilderie Letter and once I saw the book for sale in their bookshop of course I picked it up and actually started reading it on the roadtrip to Glenrowan.

Ned Kelly's part of the book was rather confusing. It was obvious that they weren't that educated as there was no real coherency to the story. I really enjoyed the part about Stringbark Creek and this was my favourite part in the book. 

Book Review #753 - Risk by Fleur Ferris

Taylor and Sierra have been best friends for their whole lives. But Taylor’s fed up. Why does Sierra always get what – and who – she wants? From kissing Taylor’s crush to stealing the guy they both met online for herself, Sierra doesn’t seem to notice when she hurts her friends.

So when Sierra says Jacob Jones is the one and asks her friends to cover for her while she goes to meet him for the first time, Taylor rolls her eyes. 

But Sierra doesn’t come back when she said she would.

One day. Two days. Three . . .

What if Taylor’s worrying for nothing? What if Sierra’s just being Sierra, forgetting about everyone else to spend time with her new guy? 

When Taylor finally tells Sierra’s mum that her daughter is missing, Taylor and her friends are thrown into a dark world they never even knew existed.

Can Taylor find Sierra’s abductor in time? Or should she be looking for a killer?

My Rating: 4.5/5

I read this book on a flight home from Melbourne which is ironic as that is where the book was set.

This book should be mandatory reading for high school students everywhere as it was terrifying to see just how easily something like the events in this book could happen.

In this book we follow Taylor who is portrayed as the "good girl" in comparison to her best friend Sierra and her destructive, party girl attitude.

The plot takes no time to unfold and I actually finished this book before my flight did.

The real problems occur when Sierra lies to her parents telling them she is staying with Taylor when in reality she is going out with a guy she met online. 

Taylor and Sierra's mothers are also best friends and Taylor has known Sierra and her family since birth so keeping such a secret from them was not easy for her.

There were parts of this book that I could strongly relate to as when I was a teenager a friend of mine went missing and as I was her only friend the police wanted to talk to me. Luckily she was found before I actually had to meet with the police because seeing that process through Taylor I could feel her anxiety. 

Book Review #752 - One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

Chief Bromden, half American-Indian, whom the authorities believe is deaf and dumb, tells the story of a mental institution ruled by Big Nurse on behalf of the all-powerful Combine.

Into this terrifying grey world comes McMurphy, a brawling gambling man, who wages total war on behalf of his cowed fellow-inmates. What follows is at once hilarious and heroic, tragic and ultimately liberating.

My Rating: 3/5

I read this book as part of my challenge to read one book a month from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die List.

I found this book a little slow to begin with but once McMurphy entered the story and his constant altercations with Nurse Ratchet began I found I couldn't put the book down.

I found the book rather confusing at times and I think this may have been done on purpose as the narrator is unreliable and unstable hence why he is in a mental institution.

This book contained one of my biggest pet peeves and that is that it didn't have chapters instead just had long parts. 

This is one of the few modern books I have read from the 1001 Books list and I have to say so far that I definitely prefer the older classics. 

I have yet to watch the film adaptation of this book and I know that the movie cuts the books narrator out. The movie did win a lot of Oscars so I am expecting to love the movie more than the book.

Book Review #751 - Play On! by Brunette Lenkic and Rob Hess

Since the inception of Australian Rules football in the 1850s, women have been eager to be involved. More than 100 years ago, they began taking to the field. However, their stories have largely been invisible – sidelined, ignored or forgotten.

Play On! is the first comprehensive history of women’s Australian Rules football and showcases the athleticism, hard work and resilience that has kept the women’s game alive.

Discover how competitive women’s football began with shop assistants at Perth department stores, how female footballers supported soldiers in both world wars, and how a few passionate women created state and territory leagues across Australia.

With schoolgirls’ competitions flourishing, state leagues growing, and a national league imminent, the women’s game has never been stronger. Talented, dedicated and proud women over the past century have made Australian Rules football a truly national game.

My Rating: 3.5/5

As a female AFL fan I felt like this book was one that I should read.

I wasn't surprised that the roots of the women's game began in my home state of Western Australia but I was surprised how much Kalgoorlie was involved as that is where my mum was born and I still have extended family living there.

This book made me feel a lot of anger due to the blatant sexism women have endured over the years when all they wanted to do was play football.

For example they had men dress as women instead of allowing actual women to play and then when women were actually able to play they had to wear uncomfortable uniforms that were unfit for playing.

I really enjoyed learning the history side of it all especially the amount included on Western Australia as we are usually the state left out and I could tell how extensive the research was to publish this book.

Book Review #750 - Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Willow Chance is a twelve-year-old genius, obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions, who finds it comforting to count by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but that hasn’t kept her from leading a quietly happy life...until now.

Suddenly Willow’s world is tragically changed when her parents both die in a car crash, leaving her alone in a baffling world. The triumph of this book is that it is not a tragedy. This extraordinarily odd, but extraordinarily endearing, girl manages to push through her grief. Her journey to find a fascinatingly diverse and fully believable surrogate family is a joy and a revelation to read.

My Rating: 2/5

I read I'll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan back in 2015 and remember rather enjoying it so I found this book really disappointing.

The main issue I had with this book was how unrealistic it was and I just was never able to see past this.

I also remember feeling like this book dragged on and was a hundred pages or so too long. I read maybe 75% of it and then put it down for months before finishing it.

Willow the protagonist was around 12 years old but felt much younger. 

Having read other reviews on this book I think I might have to give this book another go and I obviously missed something but it will have to be in a few years time.

Book Review #749 - Twilight: The Graphic Novel Volume 1 (Twilight: The Graphic Novel #1) by Stephenie Meyer and Young Kim

When Isabella Swan moves to the gloomy town of Forks and meets the mysterious, alluring Edward Cullen, her life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. With his porcelain skin, golden eyes, mesmerizing voice, and supernatural gifts, Edward is both irresistible and impenetrable. Up until now, he has managed to keep his true identity hidden, but Bella is determined to uncover his dark secret... 

My Rating: 3/5

I read this book for the Popsugar 2018 Reading Challenge for the prompt of reading a Goodreads winner and this was the only book I had on my TBR that fit that description.

I used to love Twilight back in the day but have recently discovered that I am just unable to re-read it anymore so returning to the story in a graphic novel format was ideal for me.

I loved how the story was condensed and made lighter and the artwork throughout was amazing and really brought the characters and story to life.

Book Review #748 - Bone Key (Supernatural #3) by Keith R.A. DeCandido

Twenty-two years ago, Sam and Dean Winchester lost their mother to a mysterious and demonic supernatural force. In the years after, their father, John, taught them about the paranormal evil that lives in the dark corners and on the back roads of America . . . and he taught them how to kill it.

Sam and Dean are headed for Key West, Florida, home to Hemingway, hurricanes, and a whole lot of demons. The tropical town has so many ghouls on the loose that one of its main moneymakers has long been a series of ghost tours. But the tours are no more, not since one of the guides was found dead of an apparent heart attack . . . his face frozen in mid-scream. No one knows what horrors he saw, but the Winchester brothers are about to find out.

Soon they'll be face-to-face with the ghosts of the island's most infamous residents, demons with a hidden agenda, and a mysterious ancient power looking for revenge. It's up to Sam and Dean to save the citizens of Key West . . . before the beautiful island is reduced to nothing more than a pile of bones.

My Rating: 3/5

This book is set in mid-season 3 right in the middle of the Sam/Ruby storyline as well as Dean's quest to get out of his deal with the crossroads demon. Both of these storylines are mentioned heavily throughout the book.

The characterizations of Sam and Dean is always the main issue I have with these Supernatural books, and this one was no different. First of all there was mentioned of the boys smelling on more than one occasion which I thought was weird, especially as it wasn't done in the humorous way like it likely would have been had this issue ever been raised on the show.

Secondly, Dean was portrayed as a sleazy manwhore and it had none of the humor or lightheartedness the show uses when approaching this side to Dean. I could go on but these were the main two I had issues with.

There were so many secondary characters in this book, more so than you would see in any episode of Supernatural and this unfortunately takes time away from Sam and Dean which I have found is a common problem with these books.

Book Review #747 - The Measly Middle Ages (Horrible Histories) by Terry Deary and Martin Brown

"The Measly Middle Ages" portrays life as it really was in the days when knights were bold and the peasants were revolting.

My Rating: 3/5

I remember my brother and I watching Horrible Histories when we would come home from school but I don't ever recall picking up any of the books. I bought a stack of these books however recently from my local good will store for my nephews but decided to read them myself first. I decided on reading Measly Middle Ages first as that is the time period I am most fascinated with.

I always love reading history books aimed at children because it has a more simplified and comedic approach to it rather than just bombarding you with information.