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 #716 - The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.

Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil's name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

But what Starr does or does not say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.

My Rating: 8.5/10

I was a little slow at being convinced to read this book because I didn't feel like I would be able to relate to the themes explored and also because the hype intimidated me. After reading however, I cannot believe how wrong I was as the book ended up being my second favourite read of 2017. 

I absolutely loved this book cover to cover and it really opened my eyes to a lot of cultural issues in the US that as an Australian, I knew absolutely nothing about such as Emmett Till. 

Starr was such a likable protagonist. I loved her whole family dynamic. Her relationship with her parents (especially her father), her brothers, and even her uncle was really realistic and not something we see enough of in YA novels.

What I didn't expect from this book was the amount I learnt about the Black Lives Matter movement which was something that I loved. The fact that these events are still happening in the modern world is shocking. 

Every single character in this book was so incredibly fleshed out and even the minor ones served a larger purpose. 

This book was very community focused especially in the 'ghetto' where Starr and her family live. The fact that her family have the means to move somewhere safer but CHOOSE to stay there shows just how much they see the members of their community as extended family. 

I'm never really good at reviewing the books that I really loved so to summarize the above, this book was really good and I definitely recommend it. 

Book Review #715 - Strange Angels (Strange Angels #1) by Lili St. Crow

In Strange Angels, Dru Anderson has what her grandmother called “the touch.” (Comes in handy when you’re traveling from town to town with your dad, hunting ghosts, suckers, wulfen, and the occasional zombie.) Then her dad turns up dead—but still walking—and Dru knows she’s next. Even worse, she’s got two guys hungry for her affections, and they’re not about to let the fiercely independent Dru go it alone. Will Dru discover just how special she really is before coming face-to-fang with whatever—or whoever— is hunting her?

My Rating: 6.5/10

I decided to read this book when I discovered that I surprisingly had the entire series on my shelves. I have found these books at thrift shops over the years and so this book has been on my TBR for a significant period of time. 

I'm a massive fan of the TV show Supernatural and there were very minor elements in this book that reminded of it, such as Dru's father being a hunter since her mother had died and him dragging her around the country to hunt monsters. 

Dru was a character I feel like I never really got to know. She went through so much in this book that she had to put on a strong exterior and I felt like this wasn't the real her, but we never really got to see past it.

I loved that this book creates its own lore when it comes to the monsters such as how Dru's father became a zombie. 

I really wanted to love this book more than what I did but I couldn't help but feel I would have loved it had I read it 5-10 years ago. 

Dru meets a mysterious guy called Graves who like Dru is all alone. I would have liked Graves to have had more character development as not much is explored with him especially as he is present for a significant portion of the book.

Dru also meets another mysterious guy called Christophe, but he is mysterious as in not human. 

Dru was very indecisive and I found that frustrating especially at the pivotal moments. 

There were also moments in the book especially the action scenes where I felt like I wasn't getting the whole picture. 

I had planned to marathon read this series but after reading this first book I already feel like I need a break from it which can't be a good sign. 

Book Review #714 - One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars, One of Us Is Lying is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has something to hide. 

Pay close attention and you might solve this.

On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.

Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule. 

Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess. 

Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.

Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.

And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High's notorious gossip app.

Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention, Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn't an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he'd planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who's still on the loose? 

Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them."

My Rating: 5.5/10

This book is described as 'The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars' which I think is a pretty accurate way to describe it. 

The whole premise of 5 people entering detention and only 4 leaving is what initially drew me into deciding to read it but I felt like this premise was not the major focus of the book as the four main suspects had other problems in their lives that had greater focus on them rather than the actual murder.

The book had alternating POV chapters between the 4 stereotypical teenagers. Bronwyn the brain, Cooper the athlete, Nate the criminal and Addy the beauty which sped up the pace of the book. I liked how the characters were made stereotypical on purpose so that over the course of the novel, those stereotypes get broken. 

The teenager that dies in detention was Simon who is described as the outcast. He runs the school newspaper and knows every students dirty secrets, which gives everyone a motive for killing him. 

I loved the whole media hysteria surrounding the murder, as it made it feel more modern and realistic in today's world. 

Throughout the story, as the characters developed it became obvious to me, through process of elimination, who the killer was and the more I thought of that possibility, the more the book made sense and so that ruined the book a little for me. 

I found the end rather rushed, even though I had strong suspicions about how it would end it came rather abruptly with almost no build-up. 

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 #711 - Carousel (Carousel #1) by Brendan Ritchie

Nox is an arts graduate wondering what to do with his life. Taylor and Lizzy are famous indie musicians, and Rocky works the checkouts at Target.

When they find themselves trapped in a giant shopping centre, they eat fast food, watch bad TV and wait for the mess to be sorted. But when days turn to weeks, a sense of menace grows.

 

 

My Rating: 5/10

 

 

This book is set in my home town of Perth, Western Australia and even though I have never been to the shopping centre where this book is set (Westfield Carousel) I was familiar with all of the shops mentioned.

 

This book is the author's first foray into novel writing. His author bio says he was previously a screenwriter. This was rather obvious by his fragmented style of writing. For example, one of the main characters is never properly introduced, he just suddenly appears.

 

The timeline of events was also rather confusing. Not far into the book, when I was waiting for some character development or twist it was very casually mentioned that they had been trapped there for a year.

 

I own the sequel to this book and I will definitely get around to reading it just so I can find out what direction this series will go but I'm in no rush to do so.

Book Review #710 - Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

 

A breathtaking, enchanting new series by debut author Jessica Townsend, about a cursed girl who escapes death and finds herself in a magical world--but is then tested beyond her wildest imagination

Morrigan Crow is cursed. Having been born on Eventide, the unluckiest day for any child to be born, she's blamed for all local misfortunes, from hailstorms to heart attacks--and, worst of all, the curse means that Morrigan is doomed to die at midnight on her eleventh birthday.

But as Morrigan awaits her fate, a strange and remarkable man named Jupiter North appears. Chased by black-smoke hounds and shadowy hunters on horseback, he whisks her away into the safety of a secret, magical city called Nevermoor.

It's then that Morrigan discovers Jupiter has chosen her to contend for a place in the city's most prestigious organization: the Wundrous Society. In order to join, she must compete in four difficult and dangerous trials against hundreds of other children, each boasting an extraordinary talent that sets them apart--an extraordinary talent that Morrigan insists she does not have. To stay in the safety of Nevermoor for good, Morrigan will need to find a way to pass the tests--or she'll have to leave the city to confront her deadly fate. 

 

 

My Rating: 8/10

 

 

I obviously went into this book with it having quite a lot of hype which and I hadn't read a book like that for a while. A number of reviews labelled this book as 'Harry Potter meets Alice in Wonderland'. This commonly used line both intrigued and worried me as whilst I love Harry Potter (and still consider it my favourite series of all time) I really did not enjoy Alice in Wonderland.

 

I found this book very magical and whimsical both with the story and the with the writing style. I found it hard to believe that this was author Jessica Townsend's debut novel.

 

I wouldn't go as far to say that this book is this generation's Harry Potter as I think that Harry Potter is timeless, but this book was still really enjoyable.

 

For a children's book, I loved how fleshed it all was. The settings were all wonderfully magical and every single character had depth and personality.

 

When I first started reading this book I thought that it was trying to be like Harry Potter as it follows and 11 year old girl who escapes her repressive world by being introduced to a world of magic. But this is where the similarities to Harry Potter ended as this book is charming in its own magical way.

Book Review #709 - 1915 (Australia's Great War #2) by Sally Murphy

The silence was eerie. In the darkness I could just see the mist that swirled around the rowboat. The men in the boat seemed lost in their own thoughts. No-one spoke, no-one made a sound. Somewhere ahead a loud report. A shot? Rifle fire, from the beach, which was only dimly coming into view. This was it. 

When Australia throws its support behind Britain in its fight against Germany, young teacher Stan Moore is one of the first to join up, swapping the classroom for adventure in Europe. But the 11th Battalion is sent with the newly formed Anzac Corp to Gallipoli where Stan is confronted by the hard lessons of war. 

Though conditions are dismal and death is everywhere, so is the humour and bravery that is the true spirit of Anzac.

My Rating: 7/10

I loved how this book included some well known Australian WW1 heroes such as the journalist Charles Bean and the medic on the donkey John Simpson Kirkpatrick. 

I loved this book so much more than the first one 1914. The protagonist in this one is from my home state of Western Australia so that helped but I also felt like we got a greater insight into the life of the brave men in the trenches in this book. 

Like with the first book, enough is shown to understand the true horror and loss of the war, but it is never overly graphic to feel out of place in a YA novel. 

These books blend real historical events with intriguing and relatable characters so well. I loved the letters between Stanley on the western front and his sister Elizabeth back home in Bunbury.

I also found the field hospital really interesting as that is where my great-grandfather spent the majority of his time during the war with illness. It was good to be able to add some personal details to the story in that aspect. 

Book Review #708 - A Short History of the Girl Next Door by Jared Reck

The unrequited love of the girl next door is the centerpiece of this fiercely funny, yet heart-breaking debut novel.

Fifteen-year-old Matt Wainwright is in turmoil. He can’t tell his lifelong best friend, Tabby, how he really feels about her; his promising basketball skills are being overshadowed by his attitude on the court, and the only place he feels normal is in English class, where he can express his inner thoughts in quirky poems and essays. Matt is desperately hoping that Tabby will reciprocate his feelings; but then Tabby starts dating Liam Branson, senior basketball star and all-around great guy. Losing Tabby to Branson is bad enough; but, as Matt soon discovers, he’s close to losing everything that matters most to him. 

My Rating: 9.5/10

This is a hard book for me to review. I always seem to find it harder to review the books that I really loved, which is how I felt about this book. In fact, this was most definitely my favourite read of 2017.

Matt was a fantastic narrator and protagonist. He was sensitive with an overwhelmingly good heart. 

For the most part, this book is just chronicling Matt's everyday life from his role as Black Bears high school basketball player, the best big brother to Murray and secretly pining over childhood best friend and neighbour Tabby.

I loved the family dynamics Matt has in this book and how not only his parents and brother have accepted Tabby as part of the family but his grandparents have as well. 

Tabby and Matt's relationship starts to change when Tabby starts dating an older, popular athlete at their school - the hardest part of this for Matt is that the guy Liam Branson is actually a really nice and genuine guy. 

The twist in the story comes around 160 pages in and there was absolutely no foreshadowing of it whatsoever and I had avoided spoilers so I found this twist really shocking. 

Without spoiling anything, the events that take place after this twist is the real heart of the novel. The way Matt's family (especially his grandfather) help him out of the loneliness and isolation he finds himself in.  

Book Review #707 - Gemina (The Illuminae Files #2) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.

The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.

Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy’s most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.

When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station’s wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.

But relax. They’ve totally got this. They hope.

My Rating: 8.5/10

I actually think I loved this book even more than Illuminae if that is even possible. 

I found that I didn't like Kady and Nik as much as Kady and Ezra but that's the only negative I can think of at the moment. 

I loved how much the story progressed especially in ways that I never ever saw coming. I loved all the new settings and characters as well. 

It took me a little while to get into the book because of the distances style of writing, but once I got settled I read in practically non-stop, all 600 pages. 

This book was action-packed and constantly kept me on the edge of my seat. 

I love how unique the formatting of these books are although it makes me feel a little distanced from the characters and story when I first start reading. 

Book Review #706 - Saving Jazz by Kate McCaffrey

Jasmine Lovely has it all – the looks, the grades, the friends. But when a house party spins out of control, Jazz discovers what can happen when your mistakes go viral ...

We know our kids are at risk of becoming victims of cyberbullying. But do we know how at risk they are of becoming perpetrators? This controversial new novel tackles cyberbullying from a whole new perspective.

My Rating: 5/10

This review is likely to contain spoilers so you have been warned!

This book tackles a very serious topic that is prevalent in society today. The book approached this topic in a very intense and realistic way. 

I loved the small town setting of Greenhead, especially as it was set in my home state of Western Australia and I had actually been to the town which made the book feel even more realistic for me.

The narrator Jasmine at first comes across as someone likable and relatable as she supports her friend who is being cyberbullied. It is not until midway through the book that Jasmine's real role in the whole thing is revealed that I started seeing her differently. 

It was interesting to have the narrator be in that role and not the victim like any other book probably would have done especially the way it was suddenly sprung on the reader. 

After the big reveal, I felt like Jasmine was trying too hard at trying to play at being a victim when this was very far from the case. 

Overall, I loved that this book was brave enough to tackle this type of story especially in the way it did, but I didn't connect to it as much as I expected to mostly because of the way Jasmine tried to be the victim rather than owning up to what she did. 

Book Review #705 - Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis.

Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts. 

In his long-awaited return, John Green, the acclaimed, award-winning author of Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars, shares Aza’s story with shattering, unflinching clarity in this brilliant novel of love, resilience, and the power of lifelong friendship.

My Rating: 7.5/10

I have read all John Green's previous novels and loved the majority of them and so I had relatively high expectations for this one. I would say that for the most part my expectations were met, although never exceeded. 

Aza was an intriguing protagonist and her battle with mental illness was portrayed really realistically and felt very raw especially as because she is the narrator, it was never glossed over in any way. 

I loved the mystery component with the story although I felt like this took a backseat to Aza's mental health issues throughout and the mystery never really took priority until the end. 

Aza was definitely an introvert and her best friend Daisy was the total opposite and they really balanced one another out thus creating a really interesting friendship. 

This book reminded me of how much I love John Green's unique writing style especially his way with dialogue and how quotable all of his books are. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this one, not as much as The Fault in Our Stars which retains its title as my favourite John Green novel but it is definitely one of my favourite reads of 2017! 

Book Review #704 - Supernatural: The Roads Not Taken by Tim Waggoner

Whether the reader is new to the Supernatural family or has been with them since the beginning, they’re in for a wild and surprising ride with Supernatural: The Roads Not Taken.

For the first time ever, you can make decisions alongside Sam and Dean Winchester in their quest to battle monsters, demons, and every Big Bad looking to crawl out of the dark recesses of America’s small towns. Open up a local paper in a diner and pick which strange occurrence the boys will investigate first. Jump headfirst into your very own adventure with the Winchester brothers and pick your cover story: will you be an FBI agent, reporter, or bikini inspector? Figure out which lead to follow. Decide whether to split up or stay together. Do you call Bobby Singer for help? And remember, the clock is ticking! If you make the wrong decision, another victim could meet a dark and gory death.

Demons, spirits, and ghouls lurk around every corner, waiting to get the drop on Sam and Dean — and only by following all the clues, interviewing the right suspects, and making the right choices can you lead them to victory. This heart-pounding interactive adventure will be broken down into a series of five original stories, each with branching storylines and multiple endings, all based on the choices the reader makes.

My Rating: 6/10

I used to read a lot of 'Choose your own adventure' books as a kid and loved how you could reread the book numerous times and get a different story each time. This book isn't like that however, as your choices have consequences. If you don't pick the right option each time, you get Sam and Dean killed. 

I have read a number of Supernatural related books now but this book is definitely the closest I have found that captured Dean and Sam's personalities. 

I loved the ending how the four very short stories all connected together unexpectedly. 

Book Review #703 - Billy Slater Autobiography by Billy Slater

During a long and decorated career with the Melbourne Storm, Queensland and Australia, Billy Slater has forged a reputation as not merely one of rugby league’s great fullbacks, but as one of the best players in the game’s long history. Slater’s story is that of a young country recruit with superb natural talent who rose quickly to the top level, playing with the Storm after just one pre-season in Melbourne and starring for Queensland during just his second season in the NRL. But inside the player who has scored so many audacious tries on the game’s biggest stages is a fierce competitive drive and a relentless work ethic, one inherited from parents who worked tirelessly to provide for their two children.In his fourteen years in the NRL, Slater has been confronted by the Melbourne Storm salary cap scandal, career-threatening injuries, the disappointment of lost grand finals, his early axing from the Queensland team, a game-losing mistake with the Kangaroos and accusations about his allegedly rough style of play. Slater has emerged not merely as a great of the game, but as an even more resilient character, a respected spokesman for his sport, a devoted husband and father, and – in a moment of emotional vindication – a member of the Storm’s defiant 2012 premiership team. Billy’s story is told with contributions from Slater’s family, as well as other rugby league legends like Cooper Cronk, Craig Bellamy, Darren Lockyer and Cameron Smith.

My Rating: 6/10

First of all I absolutely love the cover of this book, especially as I am a fan of both the Melbourne Storm and Queensland Maroons (my mum grew up in QLD). 

Billy Slater is my favourite rugby league player. He is such an exciting player to watch and comes across as a very genuine, down to earth person. 

His story is a very honest one with a lot of interesting stories throughout from his childhood to when he first met Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk. 

The book ends after Billy's successful return from injury in the state of origin match. It feels rather unfinished as the rest of the year was obviously a very successful one for Billy with QLD winning game 3, the Storm being premiers and also it being a World Cup year. 

Book Review #702 - Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky #1) by Veronica Rossi

EXILED from her safe home in the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria finds herself in the outer wastelands known as the Death Shop. If the cannibals don’t get her, the violent energy storms will. There she meets a savage, an Outsider named Perry – wild, dangerous – who is her only chance of survival. 

But Perry needs Aria, too, and they are forced into an unlikely alliance that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

My Rating: 6/10

This is a YA dystopian series that was popular when it was first released but not one I ever seemed to get around to reading.

First of all I thought that the world building was not as strong as I would have liked it to have been, just even on a basic scale. 

Aria grew up in the pods, an underground area that is protected from the outside elements where they have superior technology. This upbringing made her rather sheltered and privileged.

On the other hand, Perry grew up outside in the elements where everything is about survival. I loved his relationship with his nephew Talon. In fact Perry's whole family dynamic was an interesting element that I hope to see explored in future books.

I found the plot progressed rather slowly. Most of the book is Aria and Perry travelling and so there was very little action for long periods of time. 

Overall, I think I probably would have enjoyed this book more had I read it during its hype, but I still managed to enjoy it and I looking forward to continuing on with series sometime hopefully this year. 

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 #700 - The Third Wheel (Diary of a Wimpy Kid #7) by Jeff Kinney

Love is in the air - but what does that mean for Greg Heffley?

 

 

A Valentine's Day dance at Greg's middle school has turned his world upside down. As Greg scrambles to find a date, he's worried he'll be left out in the cold on the big night. His best friend, Rowley, doesn't have any prospects either, but that's a small consolation.

 

 

An unexpected twist gives Greg a partner for the dance and leaves Rowley the odd man out. But a lot can happen in one night, and in the end, you never know who's going to be lucky in love.

 

 

My Rating: 3/5

 

 

It had been a while since I last read a Wimpy Kid book when I decided to pick this one up. I find these books are perfect to read between dense fantasy books. I find it quick and easy to jump straight back into these books.

 

 

Even though this is the seventh book in the series, it still managed to contain the same amount of charm and humour as the previous six books did.

 

This book is centred around Valentine's Day and so even though the characters grew up a little, Greg was still at his immature best and managing to screw things up in ways only Greg could possibly manage.

 

 

I liked how this book centred not just heavily around Greg's school, but also his home life as the previous books seem to just focus on one or the other, or focus on one more than the other.

Book Review #699 - Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman

With a career, a boyfriend, and a loving family, Piper Kerman barely resembles the reckless young woman who delivered a suitcase of drug money ten years before. 

But that past has caught up with her. 

Convicted and sentenced to fifteen months at the infamous federal correctional facility in Danbury, Connecticut, the well-heeled Smith College alumna is now inmate #11187–424 — one of the millions of people who disappear “down the rabbit hole” of the American penal system. 

From her first strip search to her final release, Kerman learns to navigate this strange world with its strictly enforced codes of behavior and arbitrary rules. She meets women from all walks of life, who surprise her with small tokens of generosity, hard words of wisdom, and simple acts of acceptance. 

My Rating: 3/5

As a casual viewer of the Netflix series (I think I've seen the first 2 or 3 seasons) of the same name, I was interested in this book to see how realistic the show is because fortunately, I know absolutely nothing about the prison experience.

Piper Kerman gives a harrowing account of her experience in a minimum security prison. There were aspects that the show has incorporated well like the strip searches, the showers and even some confrontations with other inmates.

There were so many characters from the show in the book even though most were not mentioned by name, or had an extremely lower role. 

Piper comes across as humble. She was very aware of her privileged background in comparison to her fellow inmates but she used this to help others like doing her bunkmate's coursework. 

One thing I definitely liked more about the book than the show was Piper's partner Larry. I do not like him at all in the show, but in the book he was 100% supportive and kept Piper's networking going, because being incarcerated can really kill your social life.

Book Review #698 - Three Men in a Boat (Three Men #1) by Jerome K. Jerome

Martyrs to hypochondria and general seediness, J. and his friends George and Harris decide that a jaunt up the Thames would suit them to a ‘T’. But when they set off, they can hardly predict the troubles that lie ahead with tow-ropes, unreliable weather forecasts and tins of pineapple chunks—not to mention the devastation left in the wake of J.’s small fox-terrier Montmorency.

My Rating: 3.5/5

This was a hard book for me to review because I had so many mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, I absolutely loved the humour! This book had me literally laughing out loud with tears in my eyes at times and it amazed me that a book that is almost coming up to being 130 years old could still have that effect.

On the other hand however, between the witty antidotes the narrative was quite boring with so much information about scenery and history of each little town they passed.

This book also contained a dog which I loved especially as he had a strong presence and personality. 

Book Review #697 - The Shining (The Shining #1) by Stephen King

Jack Torrance's new job at the Overlook Hotel is the perfect chance for a fresh start. As the off-season caretaker at the atmospheric old hotel, he'll have plenty of time to spend reconnecting with his family and working on his writing. But as the harsh winter weather sets in, the idyllic location feels ever more remote...and more sinister. And the only one to notice the strange and terrible forces gathering around the Overlook is Danny Torrance, a uniquely gifted five-year-old.

My Rating: 4/5

This is my third Stephen King novel and it's definitely my favourite so far (with the other two being Carrie and Salem's Lot).

This book was completely different than what I was expecting. I did not expect the protagonist to be a five year old boy, even though I did love him in that role.

I found the setting of the story to be the main element in the whole thrilling nature of the book. Not only is the Torrence family alone in a very old, isolated and haunted hotel but a huge snow storm causes them to become even more isolated.

Family is an important theme in this book especially between father and son. Danny idolizes his father Jack but Jack hasn't always treated Danny well in the past, especially when he gets drunk.

Flashbacks show that Jack had a similar relationship with his own father.

I really liked the supernatural element in this story. Danny has the ability to hear people's thoughts and at times see the future. This ability is called "the shining". 

This ability and Danny's young age make him very vulnerable and innocent which makes me think he probably needed a life time of therapy following the way the book ended.

When the family move to the isolated hotel where Jack finds employment, Danny's ability becomes stronger as the hotel makes all three of them suffer bouts of insanity. 

I'm not sure how I feel about Jack. He wasn't a very nice person to begin with and the hotel made him worse. The flashbacks to where he was drunk and the way he treated Wendy and Danny make him unlikable. 

The book wasn't as thrilling as I thought it was going to be but it did have a number of hair raising moments. I can definitely see why Joey Tribbiani felt the need to put this book in the freezer.