Book Review #618 - The Field Guide (The Spiderwick Chronicles #1) by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi

My Rating: 4/5


Source: Bought


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When the three Grace children -- Mallory, Jared, and Simon -- and their mom move into Aunt Lucinda's old house, readers know there's magic afoot. The kids uncover a nest of assembled junk, and on a visit to the secret library via the dumbwaiter, Jared finds a note describing "my secret to all mankind." After a few mysterious pranks that get blamed on Jared, the boy finally digs up the real prize: Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You. Fortunately enough, the kids meet one of the critters listed in the guide -- a brownie named Thimbletack -- who makes it all "real" and helps provide the book's suspenseful conclusion: "'Throw the book away, toss it in a fire. If you do not heed, you will draw their ire.'

I had really high expectations for this book as it sounded interesting, I had heard nothing but amazing things about it and it sounded like something I would like. 

The sibling relationships especially between brother and sister was really accurately portrayed and I loved the whole family dynamic. 

The only negative thing I can say about this book is that it was way too short! I wanted so much more from it. 

This is definitely another series I am planning on buying my nephew when he is older. 

I am now really looking forward to reading the rest of the series and then maybe checking out the movie adaptation. 

Book Review #617 - The 100 (The 100 #1) by Kass Morgan

My Rating: 4.5/5


Source: Bought


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Ever since a devastating nuclear war, humanity has lived on spaceships far above Earth's radioactive surface. Now, one hundred juvenile delinquents -- considered expendable by society -- are being sent on a dangerous mission: to recolonize the planet. It could be their second chance at life...or it could be a suicide mission.

CLARKE was arrested for treason, though she's haunted by the memory of what she really did. WELLS, the chancellor's son, came to Earth for the girl he loves -- but will she ever forgive him? Reckless BELLAMY fought his way onto the transport pod to protect his sister, the other half of the only pair of siblings in the universe. And GLASS managed to escape back onto the ship, only to find that life there is just as dangerous as she feared it would be on Earth.

Confronted with a savage land and haunted by secrets from their pasts, the hundred must fight to survive. They were never meant to be heroes, but they may be mankind's last hope. 

I have heard nothing but good things about not only this book (and the series) but its TV adaptation as well. 

When I first started reading this book I thought that there were way too many characters and I couldn't keep track of them individually. It is told similarly like Pretty Little Liars where there are multiple narrators that change from chapter to chapter. 

Once the characters individual personalities developed (which didn't take that long) I was hooked and couldn't put the book down. 

I would have liked more in the world building area as I had so many unanswered questions in this regard. 

The way the book ended was totally unexpected and I really need to get my hands on the sequel as soon as possible. 

Book Review #616 - Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

My Rating: 3/5


Source: Bought


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Simon Snow just wants to relax and savor his last year at the Watford School of Magicks, but no one will let him. His girlfriend broke up with him, his best friend is a pest, and his mentor keeps trying to hide him away in the mountains where maybe he’ll be safe. Simon can’t even enjoy the fact that his roommate and longtime nemesis is missing, because he can’t stop worrying about the evil git. Plus there are ghosts. And vampires. And actual evil things trying to shut Simon down. When you’re the most powerful magician the world has ever known, you never get to relax and savor anything.

Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story — but far, far more monsters.

I was in the middle of a reading slump when I started reading this book and I struggled to get into it. 

I loved Fangirl when I first read it in 2014 but found I didn't enjoy it as much the second time around when I re-read it just before reading this book. 

The main issue I had with this book is its painfully obvious connection to Harry Potter. I really couldn't stop myself comparing the two and it wasn't until nearly 200 pages in that I was able to look past that. 

Another thing that bothered me is that this book is written like it is part of a series rather than a stand alone. The characters aren't properly introduced, nor is the world. I know this is supposed to be written like a fanfiction but I just wanted more in those areas for me to fully enjoy it. 

I think what ultimately saved me from not entirely disliking this book was the quality of Rainbow Rowell's writing. 

Book Review #615 - Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

My Rating: 3/5


Source: Bought


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"Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it."

"Okay."

"Promise me? Promise you won't say anything?"

"Don't worry." I laughed. "It's our secret, right?"

According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy every day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie---she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

Beautifully written and emotionally honest, this is a debut novel that explores what it truly means to love someone and what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every single moment this world has to offer.

I have been wanting to read this book for quite a while now. I first found out about this book when I wasn't into contemporary books. 

The biggest problem I had with this book was the characters Anna and Frankie. They were both irritating and immature (Frankie especially). 

Anna, the protagonist was the weaker of the two girls and so she was always overshadowed by Frankie. I felt like Frankie's voice was too strong for a secondary characters especially when the main one is as weak as Anna. 

The plot was also rather immature especially regarding Anna's virginity. It was in this regard that Frankie annoyed me the most. 

I felt like the author spent too much describing the settings of the beach rather than developing the characters. 

My favourite parts of the book were the flash backs where Matt was present. None of the characters seemed annoying when he was around and I enjoyed the obvious chemistry between him and Anna. 

Overall, this is a young adult book for young adults - probably too immature and shallow for older readers.

Book Review #614 - Boys that Bite (Blood Coven Vampire #1) by Mari Mancusi

My Rating: 4/5


Source: Bought


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Two sisters—as different as the sun and the rain. For one, getting into the Blood Coven is to die for. But for the other, getting out could be lethal...

When Sunny McDonald gets dragged to Club Fang by her twin sister Rayne, she doesn't expect to find anything besides a bunch of Goth kids playing at being vampires. But when some guy mistakes Sunny for her dark-side-loving sister and bites her on the neck, she finds out that his fangs are real—and deadly. 

Now, Sunny has less than a week to figure out how to reverse the bite, or else she's going to end up as the perpetually undead. And not only will she be a vampire, she'll also be bonded to Magnus—the bloodsucker who bit her—forever. And forever is a really long time...

I went into this book with relatively low expectations. It had been a while since I read a vampire novel but this one reminded me how much I used to enjoy them.

The writing style reminded me a little of the Vampire Diaries series in that it has a very 1990's feel to it (even though this book was published in 2006). 

This book is pretty predictable and the characters are somewhat stereotyped (especially the main characters) - but I loved it anyway. 

There are so many takes on the whole vampire myth, but I loved that this book stayed traditional with its own unique added bits. There are no sparkling vampires in this one!

Unlike almost every other YA book, this book has a parent that actually cares. 

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am really looking forward to continuing on with this series. 

Book Review #613 - When I Was Me by Hilary Freeman

My Rating: 3/5


Source: The Five Mile Press


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One girl, two lives. Which is real?

When Ella wakes up one Monday morning, she discovers that she is not herself and that her life is not her own. She looks different, her friends are no longer her friends and her existence has been erased from the internet. Even worse, years of her history appear to have been rewritten overnight. And yet, nobody else thinks that anything weird has happened. 

A tense and dark psychological thriller full of unexpected twists and turns about the random events and decisions that make us who we are. If you can't trust your own memories, then who can you trust?

The biggest problem I had with this book is that I felt like it took itself too seriously. I think this was because I recently read a book with a similar type premise with alternate worlds only in that other book, the alternate world contained witches. 

I found Ella rather irritating. I thought that she changed the other Ella's life too much considering to her it would hopefully be temporary. For example, cutting her long hair that she had probably taken years to grow was a little irrational for me. 

Other than that, I found the plot rather fascinating. I wanted to find out how or if Ella would return to her normal life, which is what made me read it as quickly as I did. 

The relationship between Ella and Daniel was interesting. He was the only character that Ella wasn't critical of and it was obvious that she trusted him. 

Book Review #612 - Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

My Rating: 4.5/5


Source: Bought


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This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

This is the first new release book I have read in such a long time. I don't really like spending full price on books but it was 100% worth it with this book. 

Because the book is 100% told through instant messages, files, reports, surveillance footage etc the characters did come across as slightly one-dimensional and I felt distanced from them throughout. 

The overall plot of the book reminded me of 2001: A Space Odyssey, although Illuminae was a lot faster paced and much more exciting (it did include space zombies after all!) 

Overall, I really enjoyed the unique layout of the book as it made it incredibly easy to read. The never saw the plot twist coming which is a rarity for me. 

It did take me a while to get into this book. I am not sure where exactly but after a certain point I was hooked. I went from wondering where the story was going to not being able to put the book down seemingly on the same page. 

Book Review #611 - Never Never Part Two (Never Never #2) by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher

My Rating: 4/5


Source: iBooks


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“Never forget that I was your first real kiss. Never forget that you’ll be my last. 

And never stop loving me between all of them. 

Never stop, Charlie. 

Never forget.”

Silas races against time as more truths unravel, while others twist tighter together. And now, the stakes are higher as Silas’ control slips and others begin to point fingers. Charlie is in trouble and he must be the one to bridge the chasm between their past and their present. Because somewhere between I love yous and Never Nevers and Never Agains, a truth they can't imagine, beckons to be found. 

“Where are you, Charlie?”

This is actually quite an addictive series. If you want something low quantity but high quality this series is perfect. 

This book is hard to review simply because it didn't feel like an entire book. It just felt like a few chapters that were forgotten to be added to the first book. 

The plot of this entire book was basically Silas trying to find Charlie and Charlie trying to figure out where she was. 

Hopefully after the third book is finally released this month they will publish all three as one paperback book. 

Book Review #610 - Never Never (Never Never #1) by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher

My Rating: 4/5


Source: iBooks


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Best friends since they could walk. In love since the age of fourteen.

Complete strangers since this morning.

He'll do anything to remember. She'll do anything to forget.

I read this book on my iPad through iBooks. It really made the long wait in the hospital emergency room fly. 

The main thing that intrigued me about this book was the mystery element. I really wanted to know how and why Silas and Charlie has lost their memories and how they would get them back. 

As I read this on my iPad I am not sure of its length in comparison to the average novel but it definitely felt on the short side. 

The way the story ended made me want to read the sequel immediately so I paid $2.99 and started reading it within seconds of finishing this one. 

Book Review #609 - Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander #2) by Diana Gabaldon

My Rating: 4/5


Source: Bought


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For twenty years Claire Randall has kept her secrets. But now she is returning with her grown daughter to the majesty of Scotland's mist-shrouded hills. Here Claire plans to reveal a truth as stunning as the events that gave it birth: about the mystery of an ancient circle of standing stones, about a love that transcends the boundaries of time, and about James Fraser, a warrior whose gallantry once drew the young Claire from the security of her century to the dangers of his.Now a legacy of blood and desire will test her beautiful daughter as Claire's spellbinding journey continues in the intrigue-ridden court of Charles Edward Stuart, in a race to thwart a doomed uprising, and in a desperate fight to save both the child and the man she loves.

I read Outlander back in August and given the way it ended, I wanted a break from it before starting this one. However, I recently started the TV show (which is amazing) and felt like finally returning to this world. 

When I first started reading this book I felt like I had missed something as it is set 20 or so years (or 220 years) from where it left off. I found myself slowly being immersed in the story again though and I never looked back. 

This book had so many political aspects to it that truthfully were a little boring at times but had crucial implications to the story as a whole and were definitely needed. 

So many of the characters from Outlander were not present in this book (or had very minor roles) which enabled full attention on Claire and Jamie. I felt like their relationship developed a lot in this book. 

What I loved most about this book was that it was set around a real historical event. I love books that make me want to spend hours on wikipedia after reading them. I feel like I am learning a lot about Scottish history and culture just from reading these books which I enjoy. 

There were a few new characters but none impressed me as much as Fergus. Apart from Jamie and Claire, he is definitely my favourite character in this series. 

The whole 'other' story about Claire, her daughter and Roger was a little confusing to me. I can't see how that part of the story can develop without causing ripples in the time continuum. 

The ending of this book was a really good cliff hanger and has made me want to read Voyager straight away. 

Book Review #608 - The Chameleon's Shadow by Minette Walters

My Rating: 2.5/5


Source: Book Club


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When Lieutenant Charles Acland is flown home from Iraq with serious head injuries, he faces not only permanent disfigurement but also an apparent change to his previously outgoing personality. After his injuries prevent his return to the army, he cuts all ties with his former life and moves to London. 


I read this book for a Book Club that my mum and I decided to join. This was the book we had to read for November 2015. 

Minette Walters was an author that I had not previously heard of, but as she is well known within the crime genre, I had expected to enjoy this book a lot more than what I did. 

The book starts off really slowly and never fully recovers from that. 

The characters were not very likable especially Charles himself. The secondary characters were highly stereotyped. 

The nature of Charles' disability allowed for him to be an unreliable narrator which made him more mysterious. Throughout the entire book it was obvious he was hiding something - although that something was rather underwhelming. 

Around chapter ten, the book finally picked up a bit and the plot unraveled further. 

I found that towards the end I was looking forward to finishing it more so I could start another book rather than wanting to discover who the murderer was. 

Overall, I found this book slow, boring and dissatisfying. 

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

My Rating: 3/5

Source: Scholastic Australia

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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 #606 - Counting Stars by Keris Stainton

My Rating: 4/5


Source: Five Mile Press


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Big city, big dreams, no money, no problem...

Six 'friends', one flat, big dreams... what could go wrong? When eighteen-year-old Anna leaves school and moves to Liverpool, she feels like her life is finally beginning. She's landed her dream job at a theatre, and she's moving into an exciting (if not slightly run-down) flat on a buzzing street lined with shops, bars, and buskers. Best of all, her new flatmates are kind, welcoming and a lot of fun - what more could she ask for?

But although her new life is fun, it's also a little overwhelming. Anna's job quickly falls through, and then she realises that although her new friends are great, they're also a little mixed-up... and it's not long before Anna starts using her blog to talk about her experiences, from the hilarious to the ridiculous to the little-bit-scary. But when Anna spills a bigger secret than she can handle, suddenly the consequences are all too real. She'll have to prove she has the mettle to make it in the big city, or risk losing everything she thinks she wants.

I have read a few of Keris Stainton's YA novels and have rather enjoyed them so I was interested about her New Adult book. 

I loved this book much more than I thought I would and that is simply because of the characters. 

All the characters were so lively and multi-dimensional. They were also completely unique from one another and yet they mixed together extremely well. 

The setting of Liverpool was an interesting dynamic and I have never read a book set there before. 

The only negative thing I can say about this book is that the romance took too long to develop and so it was kind of rushed towards the end. 

Book Review #605 - State of Grace by Hilary Badger

My Rating: 3.5/5


Source: Hardie Grant Egmont


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Ever since she was created, Wren has lived in an idyllic garden with her friends. Wren's deity Dot ensures the trees are laden with fruit and the water in the lagoon is crystal clear. Wren and her friends have everything they could possibly need right there, in Dot's Paradise.

If only Wren could stop the strange, disturbing visions she's started having. Do these visions make her less worthy of Dot's love? And what does Blaze, the most beautiful and mysterious of Dot's creations, know about what's going on in Wren's head?

Wren is desperate to feel Dot's love, just like everyone else. But that's harder than ever when a creation she's never met before arrives in the garden. He claims to be from outside and brings with him words and ideas that make Wren's brain hurt.

Gradually Wren and Blaze uncover the truth: they're part of a clinical trial of an ominous drug called Grace.

 

And as she deals with this disturbing knowledge, Wren confronts a horrific secret from her past. Now she must decide whether to return to the comforting delusion of faith or fight for the right to face the very ugly truth. 

I tried reading this book when I first received it about a year ago now and gave up on it after only reading around 25 pages. I felt like there was a strong religious reference in it that I just didn't like. 

This time around although it didn't pull me in straight away, by page 50 I was hooked. 

The twist made the book for me which is the main reason why it took me so long to become interested in this book. 

This book is an unique take on the dystopian genre and even though it is rather slow paced I enjoyed it. 

Book Review #604 - The Marvels by Brian Selznick

My Rating: 5/5


Source: Scholastic Australia


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Two seemingly unrelated stories--one in words, the other in pictures--come together. The illustrated story begins in 1766 with Billy Marvel, the lone survivor of a shipwreck, and charts the adventures of his family of actors over five generations. The prose story opens in 1990 and follows Joseph, who has run away from school to an estranged uncle's puzzling house in London, where he, along with the reader, must piece together many mysteries.


This book contains two stories that are connected in a way I can't explain without revealing massive spoilers. 

The first book is told entirely through drawings. The second is told through a combination of drawings and words. 

The author conveys his story extremely well using both methods. I honestly cannot choose which skill he is better at. 

I love the drawings in this book. They really carried the story. They were expressive and conveyed the story perfectly. 

Book Review #603 - All Quiet on the Western Front (All Quiet on the Western Front/The Road Back #1) by Erich Maria Remarque

My Rating: 4.5/5


Source: Bought


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One by one the boys begin to fall...

In 1914 a room full of German schoolboys, fresh-faced and idealistic, are goaded by their schoolmaster to troop off to the 'glorious war'. With the fire and patriotism of youth they sign up. What follows is the moving story of a young 'unknown soldier' experiencing the horror and disillusionment of life in the trenches.

I decided to read this as part of my 1001 Books you must read before you die challenge where I try and read one book from the list per month. I thought because of Remembrance Day, this would be the perfect pick for November. 

This book was both vivid and compelling. It was obvious that the author was writing from experience as it was high quality and seemingly accurate. 

The relationship between the young German 'boys' who have known each other since childhood was fascinating because of how their relationship changes over the course of the novel. 

My favourite scene in the book is when the narrator goes out into the trenches as a scout and ends up getting lost. This scene had me on the edge of my seat and it was extremely vivid. 

The only negative things I can say about this book is when the narrator goes home on leave in around the middle of the book I felt like this disrupted the flow of the story and I became a little bored. Also, the ending was a little rushed and vague. 

Book Review #602 - World War One: A History in 100 Stories by Bruce Scates, Rebecca Wheatley and Laura James

My Rating: 4.5/5

Source: Penguin Australia

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There has been no shortage of heroic stories over the course of the Anzac Centenary: stories of courage and sacrifice, fortitude and endurance, mateship and resolve. But a hundred years on, there is a need for other stories as well - the stories too often marginalised in favour of nation-building narratives.World War One: a history in 100 stories remembers not just the men and women who lost their lives during the battles of WWI, but those who returned home as well: the gassed, the crippled, the insane - all those irreparably damaged by war.

Drawn from a unique collection of sources, including repatriation files, these heartbreaking and deeply personal stories reveal a broken and suffering generation - gentle men driven to violence, mothers sent insane with grief, the hopelessness of rehabilitation and the quiet, pervasive sadness of loss. They also retrieve a fragile kind of courage from the pain and devastation of a conflict that changed the world.

This is an unflinching and remarkable social history. It is an act of remembering in the face of forgetting. Telling the truth about war requires its own kind of courage.

I have extensive family connections (like most Australians) to World War One and so I was really looking forward to this book. 

This book was obviously published to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli Landing and is the reason for there being exactly 100 stories.

This book tells 100 unique, compelling stories about people with different connections to the Great War. For example, some stories follow the brave young men who made the ultimate sacrifice on the front line while others follow women back home in Australia doing anything they can to help. 

I loved the amount of research that was obviously done to create this book. All the letters from parents to the War Office were harrowing and showed how incompetent the government was when Australia was in its infancy as a nation. 

I found this book to be more of a coffee table book in that I would randomly pick it up every now and then and read a few stories at a time. The size and weight of the book really prevent cover to cover reading anyway.