Book Review 7: Eleanor And Park by Rainbow Rowell

                                               

Synopsis: Two misfits.
One extraordinary love.

Eleanor is the new girl in town, and she's never felt more alone. All mismatched clothes, mad red hair and chaotic home life, she couldn't stick out more if she tried.

Then she takes the seat on the bus next to Park. Quiet, careful and - in Eleanor's eyes - impossibly cool, Park's worked out that flying under the radar is the best way to get by.

Slowly, steadily, through late-night conversations and an ever-growing stack of mix tapes, Eleanor and Park fall in love. They fall in love the way you do the first time, when you're 16, and you have nothing and everything to lose.

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, Eleanor & Park is funny, sad, shocking and true - an exquisite nostalgia trip for anyone who has never forgotten their first love.

The Review 

I`m gonna dive straight to the way I felt about this book. I finished it the day I wrote this review, so the story is fresh in my mind. I simply couldn't get myself to cry even though I was sad. I like the whole idea about true love and all but why was I so hard heart-ed? The guy, Park, was crying now and then and I just kept reading on. 

The story felt so real. Not once I felt like it was a work of fiction. I bet I could relate with Eleanor, except for the parental issues and problems she had to face. But I could understand why she thought she wasn't good enough for Park and that he was too Perfect and cute. I couldn't put the book down, at all. I am not a sucker for love stories but the book wasn't just a love story, it was a piece of art. The story so well written. The dialogues, situations, everything. It is a story about young love, parental issues, peer problems, bullying (here and there). 

There will be a moment where the reader might hate Eleanor. But, you might be angry with the author for not letting out a huge detail. Yeah, I`m still a bit mad, but I also agree with her. Piece of advice? Don't read the last page. Not even by mistake, that would be a huge mistake. 

The book isn't suitable for young readers, so be careful who reads it and who are reading it in front of. The F word is used many times, so try to keep kids away. Teens will relate with this book. I`m sure. I haven't come across a review which said. Crap or Not good or Waste of time not even Cliche. 

So I think it's safe to say, you can buy this book and enjoy it. 

It is also the most read book of the week and month. 

Praise For The Book:  

Reminded me not just what it's like to be young and in love, but what it's like to be young and in love with a book - JOHN GREEN

a perfect book and I recommend it to everyone over the age of thirteen. I don't believe I have conveyed even a fraction of how utterly fantastic it was and all I can do is prompt you to grab a copy and brace yourself

AND MORE.....

My Favorite Quotes/Lines: 

Is it possible to rape somebody's hand? 

There;s no such thing as handsome princes, there's no such thing as happily ever after.

What are the chances you'd ever meet someone like that? Someone you could love forever, someone who would forever love you back? 

"Come on,Park" his dad said sharply, "get dressed and put your make up on".

X HAPPY READING FOLKS! x

Book Review 6: Young, Gifted and Dead - Lucy Carver

Synopsis: You can’t get into St Jude’s Academy unless you’re gifted, talented and supremely rich. New girl Alyssa is on a scholarship and feels like an outsider - she's not even that smart, apart from her photographic memory (and that's cheating, right?). Then one day her room-mate Lily is found floating face down in the lake. It looks like suicide, but, torn apart with guilt and grief, Alyssa is convinced that things aren't as they seem. Soon a jolted memory puts her on the trail of a sinister secret that might hold the clues to Lily's suspicious death. But Alyssa is in too deep, and she's being watched . . .

The first in a brand-new YA series, perfect for fans of The Gallagher Girls.

The Review: 

I`m not going to be very honest right now. I love to read books which come under Crime (genre), My first novel in this genre was Nancy Drew and after that, I became obsessed with books and reading. Malory Towers was another of my firsts' but more on that later.

Crime is a genre which contains books full of suspense, mystery and someone or the other guilty. You are forced to hold on to that book for hours. This book by Lucy Carver is similar to the description of the genre. It's a good book, good mystery. I loved how the author included a little history in there, whether all she mentioned about Hitler and the Nazis was just a work of fiction or truth, I didn't check. But, what keeps you glued to the book is the character, Alyssa's determination, also can be termed as stubbornness to find out who killed her roommate/ friend and dumped her in the lake. Certainly Lucy Carver thought one mystery isn't enough for our readers, so after a few chapters a new bomb is dropped and you will gasp! I guarantee you will. If not after this bomb is dropped certainly you will have to stop reading and try to catch your breath when you come to Chapter 13 (yup, the unlucky number holds a surprise) .

Another thing I liked about this book was that, it wasn't confusing and trashy or lame. I loved the plot since I`m a bit of a sucker for History but even if you are not the revelation of the psycho killer will catch you off guard. The times Alyssa fought against people, stood up for her friend, kissed a guy (here is some good news, you are welcome!) is all genuine. There is nothing too dramatic to make you roll your eyes and say "Pfft! Like as if that ever happens. Grow up" . The words used in the book were new to me. Many of them. Again, my highlighter was close at hand but not for the quotes or lines, but for the

Whether you love Crime, mystery, a little (very little) romance or not, I would still recommend this book. I`m happy I bought this and you will be too. It's a very good YA novel, in my opinion. Give it a shot.

Quotes and Lines I liked: 

Nihil sed optimus meaning Nothing but the best.

"Does a psychopath have to have a reason?" Jack wondered.

Praise for the book:

A ride of secrecy, enchantment and thrills. 5 stars! 

By Becca Jayne (Pretty Little Memoirs)

I liked Young, Gifted and Dead right from the first page. The writing - fast and snarky - immediately pulled me in and before I knew it I was hooked. Like Gossip Girl meets Pretty Little Liars, Young, Gifted and Dead is a cracking read that will keep you awake well into the night. (wondrousreads.com)

Young, Gifted and Dead is an impressive debut which explores many contemporary issues whilst delivering a fast-moving, edgy and absorbing whodunit. (Lancashire Evening Post)

Within those pages was a hidden gem (The Guardian Children's Books)

A fun read! (nayusreadingcorner.blogspot.co.uk)

The book is full of suspense and Alyssa is a brilliant and slightly kooky narrator... [the story] is well-constructed and filled with enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing (The School Librarian)

But there's nothing predictable about Lucy Carver's characters or her plot... [and what] turns out to be a rattlingly good climax. (crimereview.co.uk)


X Happy Reading Folks! X

Book Review 5- Art Geeks and Prom Queens , Alyson Noel.

Synopsis : Art Geeks and Prom Queens is about a young girl called Rio and her various experiences in her new school, some sweet and some bitter, which teach her who her real friends are and make her wiser.

Rio Jones is the new girl in town. She is not quite the new hot chick, instead, she is rather geeky and awkward. She has just moved to South California from New York and has absolutely no idea whatsoever how to fit in. She soon makes a few friends in her art class, but dumps them all to be friends with the most beautiful and popular girl in school, Kristi.

Kristi soon takes her under her dominating wings and makes her do whatever she wants. Rio has to behave the way Kristi wants. However, soon Rio's popularity begins to outshine Kristi's, making Kristi turn jealous and cruel. at this point, Kristi decides to destroy Rio's image and reaffirm her position as the queen of the school. Will Kristi emerge successful in her vicious attempts or will Rio figure out Kristi's true intentions and thwart them before they can cause her any harm?

Key Features:

• The book has all the elements of a chick - lit novel - beautiful lead characters, designer clothes and sophisticated houses.
• J. Minter, the author of the Insiders commented that the book is a wild ride that young readers will love.

The Review: 

I read this book a while back, so I`m not very clear about how I felt about it the moment I finished but I will say this : Well written and the end was beautiful. 

It's not exactly like Mean Girls, but I can promise you that you won't get bored reading this book. Alyson Noel has done it again! She has delivered a novel for teens, and what they go through. Some might actually relate with the story. Now, a new girl, a cute guy, mean girls, a party and what happens after that might all seem similar and old school but don't judge a book unless you have read it. 

All of Alyson Noel`s books, according to me, take time to dive in and start the story but this one wasn't like that. I liked this book. 



Praise For The Book:  "I love Alyson's use of dialogue. It's acerbic and vicious and bitchy. Totally realistic, in other words, without a false note." - Catherine Ford, author or Fat Boy Swim. 
My Favorite Lines: 

We sit there for a while, not saying anything, but I can feel him staring at me.
And then it hits me: Ohmygod! The idiot is me!
I turn and look right into his topaz eyes.
"Finally," he says.
And when he kisses me it's even better than when I dreamed it. 

X Happy Reading Folks! X

Book Review 4: This song will save your life by Leila Sales

Read this book for the good thoughts. 

Synopsis: All her life, Elise Dembowski has been an outsider. Starting a new school, she dreams of fitting in at last – but when her best attempts at popularity fail, she almost gives up. Then she stumbles upon a secret warehouse party. There, at night, Elise can be a different person, making real friends, falling in love for the first time, and finding her true passion – DJing.

But when her real and secret lives collide, she has to make a decision once and for all: just who is the real Elise?

An irresistible novel about hope, heartbreak and the power of music to bring people together.

The book, for starters is AWESOME! Yes, the chapters are kinda long and you fall asleep after reading one and a half chapter. Well, I did. But my highlighter was always close at hand. Chapter 17/20 had so many good lines. So true. 

The book is not at all girly. It's another book about bullying and how other people affect one's life so much. Their thoughts, comments and judgements can almost break a person. Shatter them to pieces. It took me almost three days to finish it because of events and stuff I had to do but also because the chapters were too big compared other books I`ve read. But this book is now one of my favourites. 

I suggest you read it if you wanna know how living a double life turns out for a person. 

Like always I will post a few lines that I really liked from the book. 

You think it's so easy to change yourself. You think it's so easy, but it's not. True, things don't stay the same forever : couches are replaced, boys leave, you discover a song, your body becomes forever scarred. And with each of these moments, you change and change again, your true self spinning, shifting positions- but always at last it returns to you, like a dancer on the floor. Because throughout it all, you are still always, you: beautiful and bruised, known and unknowable. And isn't that- just you- enough? 

X Happy Reading, folks! X

Book Review 3: ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES by JENNIFER NIVEN

All the bright places, can be described in many words. I choose- First love story I ever read and LOVED. 

Synopsis: 

The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park, All the Bright Places is a compelling and beautiful story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who intends to die.

Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister's recent death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it's unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the 'natural wonders' of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It's only with Violet that Finch can be himself - a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who's not such a freak after all. And it's only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet's world grows, Finch's begins to shrink. How far will Violet go to save the boy she has come to love?

An intense, gripping YA novel, perfect for fans of John Green, Jay Asher, Rainbow Rowell, Gayle Forman and Jenny Downham.

THE REVIEW:

Firstly, let me make it clear that I`m not a sucker for romantic books. I don't go for a novel in that genre even if the book is being sold for half price. But I bought this book because everybody (the novel addicts, I mean) on Instagram was talking it about. It also appeared in the newspaper. That's when I knew, I had to have this book. The synopsis is so intriguing as well. My sister gifted this book to me and I ripepd the packing once she told me which book she had ordered and it was in my hand. I had started reading the book but things came in the way and I couldn't read as much as I do. I kept it for later, but not back in the book shelf. The moment all my work was done. I picked up the book and started reading. I didn't put it down until I was finished. It was a bit sad, but perfectly understandable. I rooted for Finch (one of the main characters in the book) . I could imagine what he was going through. And if you had any doubts, or anything you difn't understand after you were done reading, Jennifer Niven, the author has answered it all in an Author's note, at the end. 

The book talks a lot about suicide, troubles, problems, high school and more. But what doesn't make this book a depressing read is the loove the characters have for each other. It's the first time I read a love story with so many obstacles and surprises and I enjoyed it. 

When I told mom the gist of one of the chapters I had just finished she asked me if I was crying and I said "trying to". I am heartless but I was hoping to cry. I mean, the book is well written, well expressed, you can actually imagine it all happening in your head or right in front of you. Now, I don't think this is a chick-lit or a girly read. But I would suggest this book to everyone. It's YA (young adult), that's all. 

Praise for the book : 

Devastatingly beautiful 

Exceptional and life altering 

And many more. 

MY FAVORITE LINES/ QUOTES

It's not what you take, it's what you leave. 

What if life could be this way? Only the happy parts, none of the terrible, not even the mildly unpleasant. What if we could just cut out the bad and keep the good? 

You are all the colours in one, at full brightness. 

Because it's not a lie if it's how you feel. 

We do not remember days, we remember moments. 

Growing fourteen inches in a summer is easy. It's growing out of a label that's hard. 

You're mountain is waiting. So.......get on your way! 

Make the right choice, but this book. 

X Happy Reading, folks! X

Book Review 2- Picture Me Gone by Meg Rosoff

Genre: Crime/Mystery

Synopsis: Mila has an exceptional talent for reading a room—sensing hidden facts and unspoken emotions from clues that others overlook. So when her father’s best friend, Matthew, goes missing from his upstate New York home, Mila and her beloved father travel from London to find him. She collects information about Matthew from his belongings, from his wife and baby, from the dog he left behind and from the ghosts of his past—slowly piecing together the story everyone else has missed. But just when she’s closest to solving the mystery, a shocking betrayal calls into question her trust in the one person she thought she could read best.

This is a book I wouldn't suggest you to buy judging by it's synopsis. I made that mistake. The book got lots of reviews. One whole page of good reviews. Honestly, I found the book pretty boring. Maybe because I`m not a huge fan of details. Although, I would compliment the author on her style of writing. This is the first book where I found the style of writing completely different from any other novels I`ve read. The dialogue writing surprised me. 

Writing a book is not a piece of cake. There are so many different forms, styles, ways of putting the image you have in your head on paper. Beginning it right , ending it perfectly, so that the reader is satisfied with what he/she just read and begs for a sequel. - This was just something I really wanted to say. Not related to the book review in any way. 

Anyway, back to the book. If you don't like reading about what the character, Mila (apparently named after her dog) eats for breakfast, lunch and dinner then you can skit all the chapters up till chapter 15. Chapter 16 is where the story really begins. Now, I know that the synopsis makes you wanna buy this book, but think twice. You may or may not like it, taste differs after all. But the book talks about so many things, it's like beating around the bush. Actually, I skipped a few pages. Part of me wanted to finish the book as quickly as possible but a part of me also thought it isn't right reading a book just for the sake of it. So I tried my best not to tear it apart, but patiently finish it. 

I`m trying not to be rude here, but I guess I`m failing. She did win an award for this book and many reviews, as I mentioned before. I`m going to post some of the reviews here. But, only the ones I completely agree with. 

THE REVIEWS: 

Teeming with complex adult problems—infidelity, marital collapse, the death of a child—this thought-provoking coming-of-age story requires that readers be at least as mature as Mila as she confronts unpleasant truths. … Mila’s sharp observations of the people she meets and the winter landscape add a fresh, poetic aura to her discoveries and the novel as a whole.” —Publishers Weekly starred review

A brilliant depiction of the complexity of human relationships in a story that's at once contemplative and suspenseful

Having said all this, I adive you not to buy a book based on what others think, it's their individual opinion. Opinions differ. 

X Happy Reading, folks! X

TH1RTEEN R3ASONS WHY- JAY ASHER. A MUST READ

I recently read a novel by Jay Asher, an author whose books I`ve never heard of before. I think I cam across his name when I was looking at novels by some of my favourite authors. After I found his name, I checked for the synopsis of the book first on Amazon along with the price. It was pretty reasonable and very intriguing. But, I didn't order that book immediately. I needed to check out public reviews, which I advice you not to depend on all the time. We will get back to that later. 

Synopsis: 

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker - his classmate and crush - who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah's voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out why. Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a firsthand witness to Hannah's pain, and learns the truth about himself-a truth he never wanted to face.

How I got to know about the book? 

I follow many accounts on Instagram whose posts revolove around the world of books, specifically, book addicts. The last time I took advice from an unkown reader, I regretted my decision. It was kind of a waste of money. Anyways, back to the book, one of these random accounts had posted an image of this novel by Jay Asher and written a long decription. After reading the description, I made up my mind. I wanted this book. 

Why I wanted this book? 

I wanted to know why the character killed herself. Sorry, this wasn't a spoiler it's mentioned in the synopsis of the book. Plus, the author of the book is a blogger and has written only one more novel other than this, and this novel won him many awards and recognision as well. Now, I don't say that all the books which have won public  attention and praise are all good. They must be, in their own way depending on which genre they belong to, but let's not get into that. 

How I understood what I didn't understand in the book? 

Now, here and there I didn't understand a few things. Like, what exactly is the author trying to say? I know I should've waited till the last chapter, because the answer was already waiting for me but being the impatient person that I am, half way through the book I preferred googling, again. This time for a different purpose.

Why I recommend this book to you? 

The book has a very strong message. Every chapter, forces the reader to think two ways. It shines a bright light on the problem many students face but barely speak about thinking there is no way out. BULLYING. Also, in the book the character doesn't blame others but if it weren't for them and the way they treated her, maybe she would've never considered the idea of committing suicide. 

The book puts forth so many beautiful thoguhts that one can never forget.

Buy the book, you won't regret it . 

X Happy Reading, folks! X