Book Review #736 - Unbecoming by Jenny Downham

Three women - three secrets - one heart-stopping story. Katie, seventeen, in love with someone whose identity she can't reveal. Her mother Caroline, uptight, worn out and about to find the past catching up with her. Katie's grandmother, Mary, back with the family after years of mysterious absence and 'capable of anything', despite suffering from Alzheimers. As Katie cares for an elderly woman who brings daily chaos to her life, she finds herself drawn to her. Rules get broken as allegiances shift. Is Mary contagious? Is 'badness' genetic? In confronting the past, Katie is forced to seize the present. As Mary slowly unravels and family secrets are revealed, Katie learns to live and finally dares to love. Funny, sad, honest and wise, Unbecoming is a celebration of life, and learning to honour your own stories.

 

 

My Rating: 3/5

I have read Jenny Downham's previous 2 novels and enjoyed both of them so I was grateful that Scholastic Australia sent me a copy of her newest book for review. 

In her previous works, Jenny Downham did not shy away from heavy and sensitive topics such as terminal illness and sexual assault and this book was no different. 

I found this book to be beautifully written although a little too slowly paced for my liking. I also thought that too much was tried to convey in a book so slowly paced. It took me quite a while to get into it as the beginning is especially slow. 

 

I really enjoyed the multi generation concept and the relationships between similar to Gilmore Girls and Looking for Alibrandi.

 

The book mainly focused on Kate, the teenager and her relationship with her grandmother Mary who Kate never knew existed and who has alzheimers. Even though I (thankfully) have no experience with the topic, I felt like Alzheimers was accurately portrayed. 

 

I feel like had Kate's mother (and Mary's daughter) Caroline been more heavily involved the book could have been even better as without her as a significant character, it felt like part of the story was missing.

Book Review #712 - Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories (Wonder #1.5, #1.6 and #1.7) by R.J. Palacio

Auggie & Me gives readers a special look at Auggie's world through three new points of view. Previously only available in ebook, now they'll be published all together--complete with an introduction from the author on how she came to write them--in a gorgeous hardcover package!

These stories are an extra peek at Auggie before he started at Beecher Prep and during his first year there. Readers get to see him through the eyes of Julian, the bully; Christopher, Auggie's oldest friend; and Charlotte, Auggie's new friend at school. Together, these three stories are a treasure for readers who don't want to leave Auggie behind when they finish Wonder.

 

 

My Rating: 8/10

 

 

I absolutely loved Wonder and so I was only so happy to read more about these wonderful character (pun intended).

 

This book contains 3 short stories following side characters from Wonder. All of these stories contained the same unique quality as the novel.

 

The first story followed Julian, the bully who picked on Auggie throughout Wonder. It wasn't that hard to see why Julian is the way he is when you get introduced to his parents.

 

Although it was hard at first to feel anything towards Julian aside from contempt because of the way he treated Auggie, by the end I loved how much he had matured. This was aided by his delightful grandmother.

 

The second story followed Auggie's childhood friend Christopher. I didn't think this book was as strong as the other two, but I did enjoy the flashbacks to Christopher and August's childhood friendship.

 

Christopher had a minimal role in Wonder, but it is obvious that he played a huge role in Auggie's life. I felt that the way Christopher was embarrassed by Auggie at times although not ideal, was realistic for a child of that age and you could tell he was a genuine friend to Auggie.

 

The third and final story followed Charlotte who was one of my favourite characters from Wonder. This story didn't circle around Auggie like the previous two did.

 

Whilst I enjoyed learning more about Charlotte, I did miss Auggie's presence though.

Book Review #607 - I'll be There (I'll be There #1) by Holly Goldberg Sloan

My Rating: 3/5

Source: Scholastic Australia

Buy: The Book Depository


Goodreads





Everyone whose path you cross in life has the power to change you.

Emily believes in destiny. She's waiting for the moment her real life begins.

Sam wishes he could escape. He's spent his life being dragged from place to place by his father. But he could never abandon his little brother. 

Then everything changes. Because Sam meets Emily.

This tender story of star-crossed love is both romance and thriller, and a compelling exploration of the power of human connection.

The concept for this book was interesting and unique, but the execution was poor. 

The fact that this book is told from the third perspective caused so many problems for me. First, I felt distanced from the characters and thus didn't connect to any of them as much as I was supposed to have. Secondly, I felt like I was experiencing everything second-hand. Like I was being told what was happening rather being shown. 

I found Emily (the main female character) rather annoying. She was obviously bored and lonely and waiting for a boy like Sam to come along so she could finally break away her too perfect family. 

Overall, this held my attention whilst I was reading it but is not a book I would read again. Very solid for a debut novel, will definitely check out her further books to see her writing develop. 

Book Review #597 - The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

My Rating: 3.5/5


Source: Bought



Buy: The Book Depository


Goodreads



Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Imagine if she hadn't forgotten the book. Or if there hadn't been traffic on the expressway. Or if she hadn't fumbled the coins for the toll. What if she'd run just that little bit faster and caught the flight she was supposed to be on. Would it have been something else - the weather over the Atlantic or a fault with the plane?

Hadley isn't sure if she believes in destiny or fate but, on what is potentially the worst day of each of their lives, it's the quirks of timing and chance events that mean Hadley meets Oliver...

Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

This was a super quick and easy book to read and I read it in one sitting. 

The book was mostly light-hearted but it did have its heavier, serious moments especially regarding family. 

The relationship between Hadley and Oliver develops throughout the book so the title of the book is somewhat misleading - although the true reason for the title is revealed on the last page of the book. 

The book is full of English culture and as a bit of an Anglophile I loved it. I found that the slang used was similar to that used here in Australia. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book but I didn't feel like it will be very memorable as it didn't do enough to set itself above those in a similar genre. 

Book Review #515 - When We Were Two by Robert Newton

Dan had to go,

He felt he had no choice,

but leaving home was never

going to be easy . . . 

Dan and his brother Eddie take off for the coast, in search of their lost mother, in search of a better life . . . but it's a long road they face and Dan must use all his wits to get them there in one piece.

When they are taken under the wings of a group of would-be soldiers marching over the mountains to join up for the Great War, Dan and Eddie's journey becomes something quite unexpected. The experiences they share will shape their future beyond recognition.

This extraordinary rite of passage is a powerful, heart-rending story – Robert Newton at his very best.

My Rating: 3.5/5

I knew nothing about this book before reading it and I only decided to borrow it from the Library solely based on the cover. 

This book is set in war-time Queensland, which is one of the 3 Australian states that I have never been to. 

This book was absolutely beautifully written and it weaved the enchanting story telling perfectly with the endlessly dimensional characters. 

My only problem with this book was that I picked a bad time to read it. I wasn't able to read it for long periods of time and so wasn't able to get any continuity with it. This definitely impacted my overall enjoyment. 

This book follows brothers Dan and Eddie on their journey full of hope whilst escaping from their abusive father. This journey ends up defining their lives. 

I loved their brotherly relationship and even though I think it is extremely hard to capture the true Australian spirit in a character without it coming across as stereotypical, I think that it was really pulled off with Dan. 

Eddie was the most enjoyable character in the book. His energy was evident on just about every page.

Book Review #507 - American Savage (The Savages #2) by Matt Whyman

Vegan, veggie, carnivore... humanitarian? Welcome to the top of the food chain.

The Savages are back - this time in a country where servings come supersized. Titus, Angelica and the kids go to great lengths to fit into their new lives in sunny Florida. But that's not easy when their appetite runs to feasts of human flesh.

In this dark comic serving of everyday family life with contemporary cannibals, the Savages seek to hide in plain sight by setting up a vegan café. But when the venture turns out to be a surprise sensation, and bad apples bob to the surface, Titus is forced to question whether the family have finally bitten off more than they can chew.

My Rating: 3.5/5

I received this book for review from the Five Mile Press and it is the sequel to The Savages. 

The Savages have been Americanized or are trying to be at least. After having to move to American after their cannibal ways were made public the Savages discover that the American way of life is impacting their waistlines. 

Titus, the father creates new business ventures that enables him to provide the "feasts" for his family. But when he creates new rules for this it annoys his family. 

Angelica, the mother has issues with her attractive, younger personal trainer who quickly develops a crush on her and doesn't seem to care that she is married. 

Sasha, the eldest child is not included in this book at all as she is away at university. 

Ivan, who is fast becoming my favourite character has the toughest time settling into life in the US. He is bullied mercilessly throughout but in true Ivan fashion creates a way to stop them. 

Katya, the youngest child has grown so much since the first book but because of her age doesn't really influence the story at all. 

Oleg, the grandfather falls in love with a fellow citizen at the nursing home and after discovering she has a life threatening illness wishes to include her in the family's secret recipe. 

The main complication in this book is when the family along with their lodger Amanda decide to open a vegan cafe to prevent backlash from a mob boss they accidentally angered. 

I liked that there was somewhat of a mystery aspect to this book as they kept eluding to the fact that they needed a "feast" but there was no obvious person to feast on. 

I love how this book is essentially about a family of cannibals but is approached in such a light-hearted and humerous manner. 

The ending of the book was surprising and actually quite disturbing. 

Book Review #485 - Paper Aeroplanes (Paper Aeroplanes #1) by Dawn O'Porter

It's the mid-1990s, and fifteen year-old Guernsey schoolgirls, Renée and Flo, are not really meant to be friends. Thoughtful, introspective and studious Flo couldn't be more different to ambitious, extroverted and sexually curious Renée. But Renée and Flo are united by loneliness and their dysfunctional families, and an intense bond is formed. Although there are obstacles to their friendship (namely Flo's jealous ex-best friend and Renée's growing infatuation with Flo's brother), fifteen is an age where anything can happen, where life stretches out before you, and when every betrayal feels like the end of the world. For Renée and Flo it is the time of their lives.

My Rating: 4/5

I received this book for review from Five Mile Press.

I loved how realistic this book felt. The characters and the plot were both very genuine.

The book is told from alternating chapters between two 15 year old school girls Flo and Renee.

Flo is the more reserved of the two and her unwillingness to stand up for herself frustrates Renee.

Renee likes to put up a tough exterior but she is ultimately as insecure as Flo.

Both of the girls come from broken families and their home life is very poor. The book is about the two bonding over this common thread.

I will definitely be reading the sequel very soon.

Book Review #479 - We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honouree E. Lockhart. 

Read it.
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.

My Rating: 4.5/5

I read this book the same day I bought it. Given that I already had 1000 unread books shows how eager I was to read this as I had heard so many positive things about it.

The main characters were all from wealthy families except one so it was interesting to read about their lavish lifestyles. 

The minor characters such as the aunties and the younger cousins could have been more incorporated into the story. This would have at least prevented me from frequently looking at the family tree. 

The family dynamics were fascinating to read about. Plot wise, I didn't really know where this book was heading even though I predicted 75% of the ending I was still blown away by the finish. 

The writing style was a little choppy but I found that it didn't take me long to get used to it.  

Book Review #466 - The Savages (Savages #1) by Matt Whyman

They'd love to have you for dinner . . .

Sasha Savage is in love with Jack - a handsome, charming ... vegetarian. Which wouldn't be a problem if it weren't for the fact that Sasha's family are very much 'carnivorous'. Behind the family facade all is not as it seems. Sasha's father rules his clan with an iron fist and her mother's culinary skills are getting more adventurous by the day. When a too-curious private detective starts to dig for truths, the tight-knit family starts to unravel - as does their sinister taste in human beings . .

My Rating: 4/5

For some reason before reading this book I had assumed it was about a vampire family. So when I found out it was actually about cannibals I was both equally intrigued and slightly horrified.

Cannibalism, which would normally be considered a somewhat dark subject matter, was lightened significantly by the author's wit and humour. 

The Savage family were all equally portrayed which I liked because it would have been easy to focus predominately on one particular member.

The other points of views covered like the investigator and the psychologist gave an all rounded portrayal of the story.

This book was definitely not fast paced, but it wasn't particularly slow either. It did however take me significantly longer to read than it would normally a book of this size.

The whole vegetarian v meat eaters battle was quite humorous because both parties had such extreme views on the matter.  

Book Review #459 - The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

Dry, sarcastic, sixteen-year-old Cam Cooper has spent the last seven years in and out hospitals. The last thing she wants to do in the short life she has left is move 1,500 miles away to Promise, Maine - a place known for the miraculous events that occur there. But it's undeniable that strange things happen in Promise: everlasting sunsets; purple dandelions; flamingos in the frigid Atlantic; an elusive boy named Asher; and finally, a mysterious envelope containing a list of things for Cam to do before she dies. As Cam checks each item off the list, she finally learns to believe - in love, in herself, and even in miracles.

My Rating: 3/5

I didn't know what this book was about when I decided to borrow it from my local library, and when I read the synopsis I debated whether to read it or not because I was hesitant to read something that reminded me of The Fault in Our Stars.

Cam was a difficult character for me to connect with. She was very pessimistic and selfish. However when she moves across country and meets Asher and she then accepts that the cancer doesn't define her I thought that she really opened up and I didn't find her anywhere near as annoying.

Cam's eleven year old sister Perry was a unique character that had me laughing numerous times throughout the book.

I liked how the author didn't focus too heavily on the romance although there was still plenty of that, but Cam's relationship with her family seemed to be the main focus.

I thought that the overall pacing of this book was a little on the slow side and was probably about 50 pages too long.

Book Review #458 - Wonder by R.J. Palacio

I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?

My Rating: 5/5

Even though I had heard nothing but positive things about this book, I was really surprised by how much I loved it.

August was such a likeable character and because this is very much a character driven novel having a narrator like him was very helpful.

All the other characters in this book were equally developed and each of them were unique.

The short chapters and the continual change of narrator kept the story fresh and fast paced.

Because August is only ten years old there is obviously a sense of innocence about him but at the same time I thought he was quite mature for his age.

Because August's 'disability' is so visually evident it was interesting how the author was able to realistically portray not only what August has to deal with but also his parents and his sister.

Book Review #418 - All These Things I've Done (Birthright #1) by Gabrielle Zevin

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.

My Rating: 3.5/5

This is a book that has been on my bookshelf for quite some time and with the trilogy now having been completed decided to finally read it.

Whilst I did like this book, it never had me fully immersed within its pages. The first half of the book was significantly better than the second half.

Given that this was a dystopian novel within a dystopian world, I didn't feel like their world was that different to the one we live in today. The only major difference was that chocolate was illegal.

I really liked Anya as a protagonist. She was very mature and levelled. Her relationship with her family was something that I particularly liked about her. She always put them before herself.

Anya's father plays a large role in her life even though he died some years ago. She is constantly quoting him and wondering what he would have done in certain situations. I really liked this aspect as it gave meaning to her strong family views.

Win was a character that I liked at first but by the end of the book I didn't really care about. I am not even sure if I can pinpoint where in the book my opinion about him changed. I probably would have preferred Win and Anya to just be friends, but then this book wouldn't have a plot.

Natty and Leo were my other favourite characters. Natty was what I expected Anya to be like at that age. Leo was the more complex character in the entire book. He felt like he always had to prove himself as everyone underestimated him because of his head injury.

Book Review #397 - Wild Awake by Hilary T. Smith

Things you earnestly believe will happen while your parents are away:

1. You will remember to water the azaleas.

2. You will take detailed, accurate messages.

3. You will call your older brother, Denny, if even the slightest thing goes wrong.

4. You and your best friend/bandmate Lukas will win Battle of the Bands.

5. Amid the thrill of victory, Lukas will finally realize you are the girl of his dreams.

Things that actually happen:

1. A stranger calls who says he knew your sister.

2. He says he has her stuff.

3. What stuff? Her stuff.

4. You tell him your parents won’t be able to—

5. Sukey died five years ago; can’t he—

6. You pick up a pen.

7. You scribble down the address.

8. You get on your bike and go.

9. Things . . . get a little crazy after that.*

*also, you fall in love, but not with Lukas.

Both exhilarating and wrenching, Hilary T. Smith’s debut novel captures the messy glory of being alive, as seventeen-year-old Kiri Byrd discovers love, loss, chaos, and murder woven into a summer of music, madness, piercing heartbreak, and intoxicating joy.

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

I received this book for review from Hardie Grant Egmont.

 

 

This was a very interesting book, and one that I am finding it hard to review as I'm not completely sure what I thought about it.

 

I found Kiri very fascinating. She was completely different to me in very single and I couldn't help but find her interesting. 



Her relationship with her family members was practically non-existent. The scars of her sister Sukey's death still lingers everywhere and nobody feels the need to confront this.

 

Kiri sees her sister in a very objective manner. She practically worships her. For this reason, her parents lied to her about how she died. When Kiri discovers the truth, her life starts to unravel.


Because they never discuss Sukey's death, they all carry around the unnecessary baggage. Denny, Kiri's brother admits to being scared towards the end of the book because he feels that Kiri is beginning to go down the same path he watched Sukey take.

The whole mental illness thing was unexpected as the blurb doesn't allude to that at all. I really did enjoy that whole dark side of the story though.

 

 

I felt like Kiri's piano teacher, Lukas's mother and Lukas himself especially really let Kiri down. They failed to listen to her or even try to understand her when she desperately needed them.

I was not able to understand Kiri's parents at all. They had already lost one child, but then just completely shut themselves off from the other two.

 

Skunk was the most dynamic character. Like Kiri, he is deeply flawed. His relationship with Kiri although a little too fast paced, was able to allow both of them the support they needed and lacked everywhere else.

 

Book Review #326 - The Carnivorous Carnival (A Series of Unfortunate Events #9) by Lemony Snicket

When the Baudelaire Orphans finally make it out of Count Olaf's car trunk (from Book the Eighth), they wind up at the horribly perilous Caligari Carnival. Trying to avoid capture but desperate to find out more information about a possible surviving parent, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny pose as circus freaks, only to be humiliated in front of visitors and pushed to the brink of consumption by lions. Fortunately, though, the three discover a few surprises about fortune-telling Madame Lulu, who offers a faint clue about V.F.D. and even the Snicket family itself.

 

 

My Rating: 3/5

 

 

I'm not what I can say about this book that I haven't already said in any of my reviews of the eight previous books. My thoughts are all pretty similar for all books.

 

 

This book is hard to review, because it is hard to see it as an individual book. It is more of a continuation of the previous book.

 

 

The plot seems to get more depth to it with each book, and the ending had the series first ever real cliff-hanger.

Book Review #298 - The Hostile Hospital (A Series of Unfortunate Events #8) by Lemony Snicket

Dear Reader,

Before you throw this awful book to the ground and run as far away from it as possible, you should probably know why. This book is the only one which describes every last detail of the Baudelaire children's miserable stay at Heimlich Hospital, which makes it one of the most dreadful books in the world.

 

There are man pleasant things to read about, but this book contains none of them. Within its pages are such burdensome details as a suspicious shopkeeper, unnecessary surgery, an intercom system, anesthesia, heart-shaped balloons, and some very startling news about a fire. Clearly you do not want to read about such things.

 

I have sworn to research this story, and to write it down as best I can, so I should know that this book is best left on the ground, where you undoubtedly found it.

With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket.

 

 

My Rating: 3/5

I'm not sure if this series keeps getting better book by book or if the writing style just seems to bother me less and less, but this book was a huge improvement from the first few.


I liked how in this book the three main protagonists get split up, although this meant that Violet was absent for the main portion of the book.


I also liked how the story was primarily set in a hospital as it proved to be an interesting setting.


The mystery aspects with this series keep getting stronger and stronger with a key plot twist that is making me want to read the rest of the series quicker than what I planned. 

Book Review #292 - The Vile Village (Series of Unfortunate Events #7) by Lemony Snicket

Dear Reader,

You have undoubtedly picked up this book by mistake, so please put it down. Nobody in their right mind would read this particular book about the lives of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire on purpose, because each dismal moment of their stay in the village of V.F.D. has been faithfully and dreadfully recorded in these pages. I can think of no single reason why anyone would want to open a book containing such unpleasant matters as migrating crows, an angry mob, a newspaper headline, the arrest of innocent people, the Deluxe Cell, and some very strange hats. It is my solemn and sacred occupation to research each detail of the Baudelaire children's lives and write them all down, but you may prefer to do some other solemn and sacred thing, such as reading another book instead.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

 

 

My Rating: 3.5/5

 

 

I am actually really starting to like this series. The sixth book is still my favourite of the series so far but this was a great addition.

 

 

I feel like the plot is going up another level as it becomes more complicated. Although I felt like even more questions were left unanswered at the end of this book than at the end of the previous one.

 

 

I thought the only character who showed any real signs of development was Sunny as she started walking and talking properly. Although, Violet and Klaus do seem more to be more mature than from the first book.

Book Review #286 - The Ersatz Elevator (A Series of Unfortunate Events #6) by Lemony Snicket

 

In their most daring misadventure, the Baudelaire orphans are adopted by very, very rich people, whose penthouse apartment is located mysteriously close to the place where all their misfortune began. Even though their new home in the city is fancy, and the children are clever and charming, I′m sorry to say that still, the unlucky orphans will encounter more disaster and woe. In fact, in this sixth book in A Series of Unfortunate Events, the children will experience a darkened staircase, a red herring, an auction, parsley soda, some friends in a dire situation, a secret passageway, and pinstripe suits.

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

This series seems to be very hit and miss for me. I tend to get sick of the repetitiveness of it all. This didn't happen for me with this instalment.

 

 

From the very first page I instantly liked this book more than all the previous ones. I am not even sure why that was.

 

 

The plot in this book was very basic, but very interesting. Sunny seemed to be more strongly portrayed in this book and less in the shadow of her older siblings.

 

 

The children's new caretakers were interesting people. I found the whole "in" thing really unique and fascinating.

 

 

It was good to see Duncan and Isadora appear again and I am interested to see how the Baudelaire's save them.

Book Review #279 - Take Me There by Carolee Dean

Dylan has a bad-boy past and a criminal record. He knows that rich, beautiful Jess is way too good for him—but she has always been the one person who sees through his tough exterior and straight to his heart, and he has been hopelessly in love with her from the first time they met. He would change his life for a chance with her.

But trouble follows Dylan wherever he goes, and a deadly mistake soon forces him to hit the road and leave his dreams behind. He’s on the run and in search of answers—answers to questions he wishes he’d never asked.

My Rating: 4/5

I bought this book solely based on the cover and after reading a few reviews I didn't have high expectations.

The only problem I had with this book was that I found it really choppy. At the beginning, it kept switching between the present and flashbacks and I found that disorientating.

Once the story focused solely on the present time I was fully able to be captivated by the story.

I never really liked to the romance aspect. It is not as strongly portrayed as what the cover would suggest. Also, I didn't really care for Jess that much as I didn't feel like she developed enough.  

The protagonist Dylan is a good guy that has had bad things happen to him. Once his whole family life is exposed, it is not hard to see why he is so messed up.

The ending was a little unexpected although I did foresee numerous plot twists.

Book Review #270 - Whisper by Chrissie Keighery

I'm always trying to figure out what's really going on. Always having to fill in the gaps, but never getting all the details. It's like trying to do a jigsaw when I don't even know what the picture is, and I'm missing one of the vital middle pieces.

How do you know if your friends are talking about you behind your back or if a boy likes you? They could act innocent, but you'd know from the rumours. You'd hear the whispers. But what if you couldn't hear those whispers anymore? What if everything you took for granted was gone? Being a teenager is hard enough.

But being a deaf teenager?

My Rating: 3.5/5

I received this book for review from Hardie Grant Egmont Australia.

I really liked the concept of this book as Demi had been able to hear all her life until sickness. The book focuses on how she has to adapt herself between two very different worlds.  

I have known quite a few deaf people and I felt like this book helped me understand more of what they go through.

Demi's family could have been more supportive and even at the end of the book, I felt like they still didn't fully accept her disability.

The ending was a little abrupt and there were a few things I felt weren't fully resolved, but other than that I really enjoyed this book.

Book Review #256 - The Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events #5) by Lemony Snicket

Dear Reader,

 

 

If you are looking for a story about cheerful youngsters spending a jolly time at boarding school, look elsewhere. Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire are intelligent and resourceful children, and you might expect that they would do very well at school. Don't. For the Baudelaires, school turns out to be another miserable episode in their unlucky lives.

 

 

Truth be told, within the chapters that make up this dreadful story, the children will face snapping crabs, strict punishments, dripping fungus, comprehensive exams, violin recitals, S.O.R.E., and the metric system.

 

 

It is my solemn duty to stay up all night researching and writing the history of these three hapless youngsters, but you may be more comfortable getting a good night's sleep. In that case, you should probably choose some other book.

With all due respect,

 

Lemony Snicket

 

 

My Rating: 3.5/5

 

 

This is the first book I have read for 2013. It is also my least favourite of this series so far.

 

 

The reason I didn't like this book as much as the previous ones was because there was just a lot less going on.

 

 

What I did like about this book was that there were some good characters. Mostly other than Violet, Klaus and Sunny all the other characters are evil. However, in this book there were the Quagmire triplets who look like they will also be in the next instalment.

 

 

I am going to take another break from this series, as this seems to be a series I can't take too much of at a time. I do however hope to finish them all by the end of the year.