Check out my Bout of Books goals and updates :D
Patrick Ness and his cliffhangers will never fail to disappoint me. Ness is one of those authors that will almost certainly play with my emotions, whether I like it or not.
His writing is stellar, and the way he puts you inside of Todd and Viola's head is also quite stunning. I was drawn into this story in a way I haven't felt regarding books in a long time, and I applaud him for that. Ness made me feel all these sorts of conflicting emotions, and his writing style never fails to create inner turmoil. I understood Mayor Prentiss and Davy Prentiss in a completely different way than I saw them in the first book. I saw the less-evil side of them, although the faking-kindness side was a whole lot more prominent throughout this novel.
Whilst talking about Noise and Spackles and ships, Patrick Ness also talks about more deeper issues. There are so many underlying themes in this series, like genocide, feminsim, and even terrorism. People aren't always exactly as they seem, and I grew quite fond of Wilf throughout this book. I also grew to appreciate Viola, and I absolutely loved the dual point of view in this story. Patrick Ness deals with the issues of "good" and "bad" in a really remarkable way, and the almost numb storytelling from Todd in the majority of the book really opened me up to that.
I don't even know how to describe his writing except forcompletely magical.
This series is meant for children. Many books are meant for children--for adolescents who probably don't have anything else to do in their lives. So many people belittle that these days, saying that Young Adult novels are pointless and are only for happy fluffy feels. I'm sure the Goodreads community completely disagrees with that, and this is just another book to prove that. There are so many deeper issues that books like these portray in subtle ways, and they truly teach people lessons.
Why not? Because ...we are the choices we make
That resonated with me. Todd is constantly trying to prove himself, and his emotions are so crystal clear even while they are being blunted from the horrors in his life. Viola is just trying to pull through with the one she loves in a society that is so different and so biased against people like her. And I'm not only talking about women there, but a lot of other things. Because this book taught me that people are not simple. They cannot be defined, and the "sides" get blurred too often. Because, who was Davy Prentiss? On one hand, you could say he was evil and awful. He did pretty horrific things, but yet... he is so much more than that. And it saddens me to see people not able to see others complexly.
But Todd saw! Todd, the one who can't even read and continuously saves a Spack who wants to murder him. For Viola. To prove his inner goodness. That is what this book taught me, and I think that it is an essential lesson in life.
In this book, there was no "good" side. The Ask? Definitely not? The Answer? Debatalbe, but I believe that side wasn't fully good either. And that was the point! The point was that there are no good sides--ever--but there aren't any bad sides either. At least, that's how I interpreted it. And before I ramble any further, let me wrap up this review. Actual Rating: 4.2 stars
Monday, August 18, 2014
Friday, August 15, 2014
Review of Winger by Andrew Smith!
Rating:
Winger inspires me to succeed in life, and it does so through its humor and its sadness. Andrew Smith is an author who is genuinely hilarious, and with all those monotonous and dull books out there, it feels like a gem. Truly. Never have I met a book that I felt so eager to protect, almost like a... baby?
Okay. That got weird way too fast. Let's backtrack a bit.
This was a hunk of a book, and I picked it up a few hours ago and finished it just now. It distracted me from my completely essential summer work for school, but oh well, because it was pretty fantastic. And for the majority of the time, I acted like a madwoman, letting out bursts of laughter randomly and then shutting up and continuing to read. I loved the illustrations, the graphs, the comic-like drawings, and pretty much everything about it. Andrew Smith sure can channel my inner immature side and bring it out full force, and Ryan Dean was a pretty amazing protagonist.
I thought this would just be a light and fun read, but at the end, it turned out to be so much more. Yes, this book was hilarious and upbringing, but it also sent me in an emotional tailspin once I finished. I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or just stare into silence and contemplate my life and everything around me. Obviously, I chose the latter.
The ending took me completely by surprise, and I don't really know how to properly express it into these tangible words that you can read and understand. But I'm going to try.
Winger shows life, and that scared me sometimes. It was fun, it was dark, it was almost foul sometimes, but isn't that life? Isn't that just exactly how life is supposed to be? When I finished, I was in complete shock. It got serious all too fast, and (view spoiler in original review) not in a bad way. But yes, it hurt. The ending hurt, but in one of those it-hit-me-right-in-the-feels type way, and not that-made-me-uncomfortable type way. Okay, now I'm just rambling,
So while I am a sucker for a happy ending (there is a reason The Blue Castle is one of my favorite books), the ones that impact me the most are the ones that let me cry. The ones where I sob and sob and sob until my face is just a mess of tears and snot (The Book Thief, anyone?) are the ones that usually end up being my favorites. Because if I can connect so much that a fictional character can have that kind of impact on me, that author has something right going on.
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Bout of Books 11 Goals + Updates!
Yay, it's Bout of Books time! I've been reading quite slowly for the past few weeks because I've basically been studying for exams and things all day. But now I'm almost done with that whole shenanigans, and I only have one more exam to go (that I'll be taking in a few hours)! So hopefully I'll be able to sneak in lots of reading time while I'm volunteering at camp as a teacher, or just read a lot before and after camp. I'll be participating throughout the entire week (hopefully!), so let's just get on with it :)
My Goals for Bout of Books 11:
•Read all of the following 8 books (my more detailed goals are listed below):
• Participate in two or more challenges!
Detailed Book Goals:
- Finish Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone by Kat Rosenfield, The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness , Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness (optional, but knowing Ness and his cliffhangers, I'll most likely read it as well), Animal Farm by George Orwell, and A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines.
- Read at least 75% of A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin (to page 627).
- Read at least 50% of The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien (to page 199) and also read at least 50% of Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano (to page 178).
So I just did the calculations, and I came to around a total of 2200 pages. Knowing me, it'll probably be even less because I'll be reading these 4 days before the read-a-ton as well. So I would say around 2100 pages in a seven day period (and yeah, I did that simply because I could do math more easily haha). This comes to around 300 pages a day, which I hope to achieve!
Monday, 5/18
Books Read Today: The Ask and the Answer, Monsters of Men, Animal Farm.
Completed: The Ask and the Answer
In-Progress: Monsters of Men and Animal Farm
Challenge: Completed 1 challenge: Book Scavenger Hunt. Check it out on the actual twitter page
Total Books Finished: 1
Total Pages Read: 50 pages of The Ask and the Answer, 116 pages of Animal Farm, and 17 pages of Monsters of Men = 183 pages
Notes: Not bad, considering I read a lot more than I thought I would before Bout of Books! Good progress so far :)
Tuesday, 5/19
Books Read Today: Animal Farm, Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone, Monsters of Men
Completed: Animal Farm
In-Progress: Monsters of Men and Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone
Challenge: In total, completed one (look above!)
Total Books Finished: 2
Total Pages Read: 24 pages of Animal Farm, 85 pages of Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone, and 195 pages of Monsters of Men = 304 pages
Notes: Yay! This is really good.
Wednesday, 5/14
Books Read Today: Monsters of Men
Completed: Monsters of Men
In-Progress: Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone
Challenge: Like This, Try This Bout of Books Challenge: If you like Reality Boy by A.S. King, you should try out Winger by Andrew Smith! Both are enthralling. They are both from a male's point of view, in which he is judged because of a certain aspect of his being, and in which he overcomes the judgement and will eventually succeed. Winger is hilarious, and a bonus is that the authors are actually great friends!
Total Books Finished: 3
Total Pages Read: 327 pages of Monsters of Men
Thursday, 5/15
Books Read Today:
Completed:
In-Progress:
Challenge:
Total Books Finished:
Total Pages Read:
Friday, 5/16
Books Read Today:
Completed:
In-Progress:
Challenge:
Total Books Finished:
Total Pages Read:
Saturday, 5/17
Books Read Today:
Completed:
In-Progress:
Challenge:
Total Books Finished:
Total Pages Read:
Sunday, 5/18
Books Read Today:
Completed:
In-Progress:
Challenge:
Total Books Finished:
Total Pages Read:
Books Read Today: The Ask and the Answer, Monsters of Men, Animal Farm.
Completed: The Ask and the Answer
In-Progress: Monsters of Men and Animal Farm
Challenge: Completed 1 challenge: Book Scavenger Hunt. Check it out on the actual twitter page
Total Pages Read: 50 pages of The Ask and the Answer, 116 pages of Animal Farm, and 17 pages of Monsters of Men = 183 pages
Notes: Not bad, considering I read a lot more than I thought I would before Bout of Books! Good progress so far :)
Tuesday, 5/19
Books Read Today: Animal Farm, Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone, Monsters of Men
Completed: Animal Farm
In-Progress: Monsters of Men and Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone
Challenge: In total, completed one (look above!)
Total Books Finished: 2
Total Pages Read: 24 pages of Animal Farm, 85 pages of Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone, and 195 pages of Monsters of Men = 304 pages
Notes: Yay! This is really good.
Wednesday, 5/14
Books Read Today: Monsters of Men
Completed: Monsters of Men
In-Progress: Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone
Challenge: Like This, Try This Bout of Books Challenge: If you like Reality Boy by A.S. King, you should try out Winger by Andrew Smith! Both are enthralling. They are both from a male's point of view, in which he is judged because of a certain aspect of his being, and in which he overcomes the judgement and will eventually succeed. Winger is hilarious, and a bonus is that the authors are actually great friends!
Total Books Finished: 3
Total Pages Read: 327 pages of Monsters of Men
Thursday, 5/15
Books Read Today:
Completed:
In-Progress:
Challenge:
Total Books Finished:
Total Pages Read:
Friday, 5/16
Books Read Today:
Completed:
In-Progress:
Challenge:
Total Books Finished:
Total Pages Read:
Saturday, 5/17
Books Read Today:
Completed:
In-Progress:
Challenge:
Total Books Finished:
Total Pages Read:
Sunday, 5/18
Books Read Today:
Completed:
In-Progress:
Challenge:
Total Books Finished:
Total Pages Read:
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Bout of Books 11 is here!
Yay, Bout of Books 11 is starting next week ♥ So I'm going to participating in that, and you guys all should too :) It's actually happening the week that I'm going to be volunteering as a teacher for camp, but I plan on reading a lot anyway! Next post is probably going to be my goals and things, so stay tuned.
For all of you who don't know what Bout of Books is, here's the basic description:
For all of you who don't know what Bout of Books is, here's the basic description:
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 18th and runs through Sunday, August 24th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 11 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team
It'll be extremely fun, and I can't wait ^^
Saturday, August 9, 2014
Review of Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Rating: Four Heartbreaking Stars out of Five
Which is why I urge you, if you are considering reading this book, please stick around to at least page 215! That's asking a lot but once you're there, it is completely worth it! If you at least get to Maddie's point of view, it automatically gets better. Things starting making sense. Things start making sense in the most gut-wrenching and sob-inducing way possible.
Note: I will be referring to the main protagonist as Queenie, though her other main names include Verity and Julie.
This novel gets really confusing at points, especially with the switches from first person to third person, and the many different names and people that are mentioned. Although if you can persevere through all that, underneath is quite an elegant and moving story. The friendship between Maddie and Queenie is astonishingly beautiful, and I believe that this was one of the best books that focused purely on the intense, platonic love between the two. I was rooting for both characters to make it out of this novel alive, and I grew so close to Maddie in just the first portion of the novel, simply through Queenie's words and actions. Queenie was truly an amazing character, and if I had ever been in anything like the situation she was in, I wouldn't have been even a quarter as brave as she was.
Maddie was an equally strong character, and the firm way she deals with everything (especially all the discrimination because she was a female pilot, something uncommon at the time) was very admirable. Both friends were so strong and so caring, despite their horrible and unforgiving circumstances. Everything felt so genuine, especially all the codes and locations Queenie gave out. It was so real that at time, it became confusing. This truly doesn't even feel anything like a YA novel, and the plot twists really had my head spinning. Wein was so good at crafting plot twists that not only excited me, but even simultaneously horrified me.
It was quite difficult to get through this novel. It was painful, and I probably will never read it again because of that. And once I realized just how cunning Queenie was, it hurt even more. Code Name Verity was just such a strong and memorable novel, and I don't know any other way to describe it.
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Review of City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare
Before I get into my review, I want to tell you that I don't do this very often. Cassandra Clare is the first author in which I had to wait for her books to come out, or at least, the first author that I cared so much about that I would cry every time I see one of her books on my bookshelf. She is the first author that I have continuously stuck with throughout the years, which is why it took so long to write this review. But here it is--so enjoy!
Somehow, words just cannot express this book.
But I will make a courageous attempt to try, although I most likely will fall short from expressing just how much Cassandra Clare has changed my life. In short, this book was a phenomenal ending to an equally phenomenal series. It has brought me all the feels.
But here comes the life story of how I got to meet Jace and Clary. You can skip it if you want:
I started reading YA half a decade before I would even turn 13. Yeah. I read Twilight when I was eight years old. I read The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo when I was ten. Both times, my English teachers were horrified and tried to yank the books out of my hands. But no--I was hooked! I started reading a ton of YA beginning in the summer before middle school, mostly due to the fact that I spent all my time in the library because my house had crappy air conditioning.
That is when I began the City of Bones. I had never read anything quite like Cassandra Clare, an author who could invoke so many emotions that at points, I didn't even know the name of what I was feeling anymore. I fell in love with Jace. I learned with Clary. I laughed at Simon's jokes, and I lived among the Shadowhunters and the Downworlders.
At this time, there were only three books in The Mortal Instruments. When I finished all of them, I was so satisfied and so utterly happy that I began crying. Yeah, I was quite the emotional reader even back then. I loved Cassandra Clare--but then, no! I found out that there was another book in the series, and I became horrified and scared of how she would ruin the happy ending.
At the end of City of Fallen Angels, I began crying once again (the librarians looked at me weird, but I was too enamored with the book) because she had ruined everything Or at least, that's what I told my ten year old self. I angrily ranted to my older sister (who just rolled her eyes, as she didn't even like City of Bones. I know, the horror) who told me to calm down.
I calmed down. And waited. And waited. And waited and waited and waited for City of Lost Souls to come out. When I got it for my birthday, I skipped into my room and read the whole thing. And once again, Cassandra Clare launched me into another emotional roller coaster, and left me craving for more! So I waited and waited, and at this point, I even discovered The Infernal Devices. But at the time, there was only one book out. So I waited for both of the series to release the next book, and I cried and had book hangover and thought my life would never be complete.
Fast forward to the release of Clockwork Princess. Even though it had a stupid movie sticker that I just couldn't get off and even though I was spoiled by the (beautiful but spoiler-y) inside cover, I adored it more than anything. And obviously, as per being an emotional reader, I sobbed at the end (and the middle. And the beginning). Because that was the end of Will Herondale (is it a spoiler saying that he isn't immortal? I don't think so--I mean, all mortals die so...) who had become the epitome of my prince. Well obviously, he was Will Herondale.
Now, fast forward to the release of City of Heavenly Fire
.
So here's my actual review! Thanks for waiting/reading my thoughts as an emotional reader:
This series is now ingrained into my childhood, and I hope that one day, when I am an adult and the Dark Artifices will be finished, I can always tearfully look back and proclaim, "I am a Shadowhunter." Even though I can not claim the rune powers of Clary or Jace's fighting skills (or his death wish), I can always say that I lived beside them. They were my heroes--they were my friends. By just turning through the pages of City of Heavenly Fire, I get a taste of the many lives I have had as a reader.
But enough with the sentimentality. (And I know I've said this two times already, but this is the actual truth) Review time!
Cassandra Clare has created such a rich and poignant world, one that I will continue to never forget. City of Heavenly Fire was heartbreaking, but only in the best way that, as Cassandra Clare said, I would never trade for all the glitter in Magnus's loft. She is truly one of the most eloquent writers I know, and her ability to combine comedy with sadness is still astounding, even after spending years with her books.
This was truly a satisfying attending to a brilliant series. There is a war, there is romance, there is death, and there is tragedy. But isn't that just Clare combing all aspects of human living, and making it into something we all can understand--fantasy? This is a book about sacrifice, about love, about everything that can make me start sobbing like a little baby so I'll just stop it right there.
Something I continue to love about Cassandra Clare is how she can incorporate other worlds of Shadowhunter (ie: Tessa's world) with the modern one (Clary's world). Any mention of Will, yeah, I break down crying or giggling. When Tessa came, I cheered (and scared my neighbors because I was reading it on my front porch). And when Clary mentioned the Herondale family, I immediately burst out laughing, picturing Will's response to that. She has constructed these characters in a way that is so realistic, even amongst the werewolves and demon-hunters (ok, shadowhunters. Demon-hunters sounds cooler).
It is because I can connect to these characters so well, despite having practically nothing in common with them, which is why I have continuously supported Cassie Clare's work. That's the reason I fangirl every time she answers a question about the shadowhuter world on tumblr--that is why I stalk her page and read the lengthy FAQ about the shadowhunter world, even though I already know everything.
I will not forget the Shadowhunter world, and I continue to miss Clary, Jace, Simon, Magnus, and every single living being that resides there. Thank you, Cassandra Clare, for this spectacular journey.
You can also find this review on my Goodreads
Somehow, words just cannot express this book.
But I will make a courageous attempt to try, although I most likely will fall short from expressing just how much Cassandra Clare has changed my life. In short, this book was a phenomenal ending to an equally phenomenal series. It has brought me all the feels.
But here comes the life story of how I got to meet Jace and Clary. You can skip it if you want:
I started reading YA half a decade before I would even turn 13. Yeah. I read Twilight when I was eight years old. I read The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo when I was ten. Both times, my English teachers were horrified and tried to yank the books out of my hands. But no--I was hooked! I started reading a ton of YA beginning in the summer before middle school, mostly due to the fact that I spent all my time in the library because my house had crappy air conditioning.
That is when I began the City of Bones. I had never read anything quite like Cassandra Clare, an author who could invoke so many emotions that at points, I didn't even know the name of what I was feeling anymore. I fell in love with Jace. I learned with Clary. I laughed at Simon's jokes, and I lived among the Shadowhunters and the Downworlders.
At this time, there were only three books in The Mortal Instruments. When I finished all of them, I was so satisfied and so utterly happy that I began crying. Yeah, I was quite the emotional reader even back then. I loved Cassandra Clare--but then, no! I found out that there was another book in the series, and I became horrified and scared of how she would ruin the happy ending.
At the end of City of Fallen Angels, I began crying once again (the librarians looked at me weird, but I was too enamored with the book) because she had ruined everything Or at least, that's what I told my ten year old self. I angrily ranted to my older sister (who just rolled her eyes, as she didn't even like City of Bones. I know, the horror) who told me to calm down.
I calmed down. And waited. And waited. And waited and waited and waited for City of Lost Souls to come out. When I got it for my birthday, I skipped into my room and read the whole thing. And once again, Cassandra Clare launched me into another emotional roller coaster, and left me craving for more! So I waited and waited, and at this point, I even discovered The Infernal Devices. But at the time, there was only one book out. So I waited for both of the series to release the next book, and I cried and had book hangover and thought my life would never be complete.
Fast forward to the release of Clockwork Princess. Even though it had a stupid movie sticker that I just couldn't get off and even though I was spoiled by the (beautiful but spoiler-y) inside cover, I adored it more than anything. And obviously, as per being an emotional reader, I sobbed at the end (and the middle. And the beginning). Because that was the end of Will Herondale (is it a spoiler saying that he isn't immortal? I don't think so--I mean, all mortals die so...) who had become the epitome of my prince. Well obviously, he was Will Herondale.
Now, fast forward to the release of City of Heavenly Fire
.
So here's my actual review! Thanks for waiting/reading my thoughts as an emotional reader:
This series is now ingrained into my childhood, and I hope that one day, when I am an adult and the Dark Artifices will be finished, I can always tearfully look back and proclaim, "I am a Shadowhunter." Even though I can not claim the rune powers of Clary or Jace's fighting skills (or his death wish), I can always say that I lived beside them. They were my heroes--they were my friends. By just turning through the pages of City of Heavenly Fire, I get a taste of the many lives I have had as a reader.
But enough with the sentimentality. (And I know I've said this two times already, but this is the actual truth) Review time!
Cassandra Clare has created such a rich and poignant world, one that I will continue to never forget. City of Heavenly Fire was heartbreaking, but only in the best way that, as Cassandra Clare said, I would never trade for all the glitter in Magnus's loft. She is truly one of the most eloquent writers I know, and her ability to combine comedy with sadness is still astounding, even after spending years with her books.
This was truly a satisfying attending to a brilliant series. There is a war, there is romance, there is death, and there is tragedy. But isn't that just Clare combing all aspects of human living, and making it into something we all can understand--fantasy? This is a book about sacrifice, about love, about everything that can make me start sobbing like a little baby so I'll just stop it right there.
Something I continue to love about Cassandra Clare is how she can incorporate other worlds of Shadowhunter (ie: Tessa's world) with the modern one (Clary's world). Any mention of Will, yeah, I break down crying or giggling. When Tessa came, I cheered (and scared my neighbors because I was reading it on my front porch). And when Clary mentioned the Herondale family, I immediately burst out laughing, picturing Will's response to that. She has constructed these characters in a way that is so realistic, even amongst the werewolves and demon-hunters (ok, shadowhunters. Demon-hunters sounds cooler).
It is because I can connect to these characters so well, despite having practically nothing in common with them, which is why I have continuously supported Cassie Clare's work. That's the reason I fangirl every time she answers a question about the shadowhuter world on tumblr--that is why I stalk her page and read the lengthy FAQ about the shadowhunter world, even though I already know everything.
I will not forget the Shadowhunter world, and I continue to miss Clary, Jace, Simon, Magnus, and every single living being that resides there. Thank you, Cassandra Clare, for this spectacular journey.
You can also find this review on my Goodreads
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