Book Review #713 - Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

It's the year 2044, and the real world has become an ugly place. We're out of oil. We've wrecked the climate. Famine, poverty, and disease are widespread.

Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes this depressing reality by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia where you can be anything you want to be, where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets. And like most of humanity, Wade is obsessed by the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this alternate reality: OASIS founder James Halliday, who dies with no heir, has promised that control of the OASIS - and his massive fortune - will go to the person who can solve the riddles he has left scattered throughout his creation.

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that the riddles are based in the culture of the late twentieth century. And then Wade stumbles onto the key to the first puzzle. Suddenly, he finds himself pitted against thousands of competitors in a desperate race to claim the ultimate prize, a chase that soon takes on terrifying real-world dimensions - and that will leave both Wade and his world profoundly changed. 

My Rating: 10/10

I am definitely not a gamer and so I was a little hesitant to read this book but as I had recommended the movie adaptation of this book to my brother who is a gamer I thought I'd check out what I was recommending. I found that this book completely blew me away with how much I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I absolutely loved the world building in this book. It felt completely fleshed out after just the first chapter.

There were countless 80's references that flew completely over my head but they were done in such a away that I felt like I wasn't missing out on anything. I probably would have loved the book more (if that is even possible) had I understood these references though.

Wade Watts was such a reluctant hero but that was what made him so relatable. He also felt very genuine. 

The world inside the OASIS was amazing. The way technology controls the world also seemed like a plausible realistic setting of a future world.

The world outside the OASIS however is not so good hence why people spend the majority of their time in a virtual reality world.

I loved the whole mystery egg, clue solving element to the story. The way it was presented seemed like a video game in itself. 

The main antagonists in this book are called the Sixers. I hated them for obvious reasons but they surprised me numerous times throughout the book at the lengths they went to in order to get what they wanted. 

The massive battle at the end was my favourite part of the book as I loved how action packed and pop culture heavy it all was. 

The overall way the book was presented would make it translate well onto the big screen. 

Book Review #701 - Geekerella by Ashley Poston

Geek girl Elle Wittimer lives and breathes Starfield, the classic science-fiction series she grew up watching with her late father. So when she sees a cosplay contest for a new Starfield movie, she has to enter. The prize? An invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. With savings from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck and her dad's old costume, Elle's determined to win - unless her stepsisters get there first.

Teen actor Darien Freeman used to live for cons - before he was famous. Now they're nothing but autographs and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Carmindor is all he has ever wanted, but Starfield fandom has written him off as just another dumb heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, Darien feels more and more like a fake - until he meets a girl who shows him otherwise. But when she disappears at midnight, will he ever be able to find her again?

Part-romance, part-love letter to nerd culture, and all totally adorbs, Geekerella is a fairy tale for anyone who believes in the magic of fandom.

My Rating: 4.5/5

I'm not really a huge reader of retellings as I'm not really a fan of fairytales at all and I never feel as if the retellings are unique enough.

This book, however, was one I was willing to try as it seemed like an unique, modern, pop-culture heavy story. 

I read this book in one sitting because it was just so much fun and easy to read. I read this book just after I had been to a comic-con and so I feel like that made me enjoy the book even more given that the book is centered around the build-up to a fan convention. 

I loved how this book included all the Cinderella references in really unique, quirky ways like the pumpkin food truck. 

I loved the inclusion of technology and that the romance really centered around it as it helped with the modern feel of the story. 

Book Review #571 - In Real Life: My Journey to a Pixelated World by Joey Graceffa

My Rating: 3/5

Source: Simon and Schuster Australia

Buy: The Publisher

Goodreads

A confessional, uplifting memoir from the beloved YouTube personality.

It’s not where you begin that matters.

It's where you end up.

Twenty-three year old Joey Graceffa has captured the hearts of millions of teens and young adults through his playful, sweet, and inspirational YouTube presence (not to mention his sparkling eyes and perfect hair). Yet, Joey wasn’t always comfortable in his skin, and in this candid memoir, he thoughtfully looks back on his journey from pain to pride, self-doubt to self-acceptance.

To his fans, Joey is that best friend who always captures the brighter side of life but also isn’t afraid to get real. In the pages of his first book, he opens up about his years of struggling with family hardships and troubles at school, with cruel bullying and the sting of rejection. He tells of first loves and losses, embarrassing moments and surprising discoveries, loneliness, laughter, and life-changing forks in the road, showing us the incalculable value of finally finding and following your true passion in this world. Funny, warm-hearted, and inspiring, Joey Graceffa’s story is a welcome reminder that it’s not where you begin that matters, but where you end up.

I have to admit that prior to receiving this book I had never actually heard of Joey Graceffa. 

I loved the layout of this book. It had bits of advice at the end of each chapter, lists of random things and lots pictures. 

As I have never watched any of Joey's videos before I obviously didn't know anything at all about him prior to reading but I do feel like I got a good grasp of his personality from reading his book. 

I particularly enjoyed the childhood stories as they were interesting and similar to that of some of my extended family. Reading about all the struggles he has been through really enhances how much he really has achieved. 

The chapters about dating etc were a little too involved. For example, whole conversations or texts were listed when just a brief summary would have sufficed. 

Overall, I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would but would recommend this book to actual fans rather than someone just wanting to read a memoir. 

Book Review #529 - The Island (The Island #1) by Jen Minkman

I walk toward the sea. The endless surface of the water extends to the horizon, whichever way I look.

Our world is small. We are on our own, and we only have ourselves to depend on. We rely on the Force deep within us, as taught to us by our forefathers. 

If I were to walk westward from here, I would come across a barrier – the Wall. Behind it, there are Fools. At least, that’s what everyone says.

I have never seen one.

Leia lives on the Island, a world in which children leave their parents to take care of themselves when they are ten years old. Across this Island runs a wall that no one has ever crossed. The Fools living behind it are not amenable to reason – they believe in illusions. That’s what The Book says, the only thing left to the Eastern Islanders by their ancestors.

But when a strange man washes ashore and Leia meets a Fool face to face, her life will never be the same. Is what she and her friends believe about the Island really true?

Or is everyone in their world, in fact, a Fool?

My Rating: 2/5

This novella was completely different to any other dystopian story I have ever read. 

This book didn't have a dystopian setting which was the main difference as it is set on a remote island. 

I've only gotten around to watching 2 Star Wars films and know next to nothing about them so a lot of the references to them went way over my head. 

The ending was obvious from the second I understood the very first Star Wars reference. 

Overall I really enjoyed this book/novella and like how developed the story and characters were considering the short length. It was a unique take on the dystopian genre whilst adding it's own pop-culture twist. 

Book Review #267 - Grey's Anatomy by Chris van Dusen and Stacy McKee

A sexy, high-concept, behind-the-scenes peek at the lives and loves of Seattle Grace's most popular doctors . . .On ABC's mega-hit Grey's Anatomy, when surgical interns Meredith, Cristina, Izzie, George, and Alex (not to mention neurosurgeon Derek, aka Dr. McDreamy) arent putting in long hours at Seattle Grace Hospital, theyre flirting, gossiping, and drowning their sorrows at the Emerald City Bar. In one location, Nurse Debbie sees it all; in the other, Joe the bartender hears it all . . .

 

Grey's Anatomy is styled as two books in one -- read from one side to get Debbie's hospital scuttlebutt, and from the other for Joe's alcohol-fueled tidbits. Notes from the Nurse's Station and Overheard at the Emerald City Bar are packed with new information on pivotal events. This is the book the show's millions of fans cant wait to read.

 

 

My Rating: 3/5

 

 

Given that I just rewatched Grey's Anatomy seasons one and two over the last couple of days, I finally decided to read this book.

 

 

This book is split into two different stories. They only differ slightly in plot, but told from two different points of view.

 

 

This would be a good book to read if you haven't watched seasons one and two for a while as it goes over all the memorable patients and key plot twists over those two seasons.

 

 

I wouldn't recommend this book to people unless they are familiar with the show.

 

 

There are a few other Grey's Anatomy books out there which at this stage I am not really interested in reading.

Book Review #157 - Harry, a History: The True Story of a Boy Wizard, His Fans, and Life Inside the Harry Potter Phenomenon by Melissa Anelli

During the brief span of just one decade, hundreds of millions of perfectly ordinary people made history: they became the only ones who would remember what it was like when the Harry Potter saga was still unfinished. What it was like to seek out friends, families, online forums, fan fiction, and podcasts to get a fix between novels. When the death of a character was a hotter bet than the World Series. When the unfolding story of a boy wizard changed the way books are read for all time. And as webmistress of the Leaky Cauldron, one of the most popular Harry Potter sites on the Internet, Melissa Anelli had a front row seat to it all. Whether it was helping Scholastic stop leaks and track down counterfeiters, hosting live PotterCasts at bookstores across the country, touring with the wizard rock band Harry and the Potters, or traveling to Edinburgh to interview J.K. Rowling personally, Melissa was at the center of the Harry Potter tornado, and nothing about her life would ever be the same. The Harry Potter books are a triumph of the imagination that did far more than break sales records for all time. They restored the world's sense of wonder and took on a magical life of their own. Now the series has ended, but the story is not over. With remembrances from J. K. Rowling's editors, agents, publicists, fans, and Rowling herself, Melissa Anelli takes us on a personal journey through every aspect of the Harry Potter phenomenon-from his very first spell to his lasting impact on the way we live and dream.

My Rating: 4/5

I didn't know what this book was about prior to reading other than it had something to do with Harry Potter. Had I known, it was somebody's autobiographical account of how Harry Potter changed her life I would probably have been hesitant to read such book. So I am glad I went into this book blind as I really enjoyed it.


It was good to look at Harry Potter through the eyes of an older person at the time where you had to wait anxiously for the next book, because around that time I was the same age as Harry.


The book showcased all different Harry Potter fandoms from music (wizard rock), fanfiction writing, fan sites and exhibitions, which I didn't know much about until reading.


I found this book to be very interesting and would recommend it for any Harry Potter fan.