A bit broken but worth it in the end

Broken by C.J. Lyons

Rating: 3 out of 5 hearts
325 pages
Released: November 2013
Buy it @ book depository

WOULD YOU PUT YOUR LIFE ON THE LINE TO BE NORMAL?

Diagnosed with a rare and untreatable heart condition, Scarlet has come to terms with the fact that she’s going to die. Literally of a broken heart. It could be tomorrow, or it could be next year. But the clock is ticking…

All Scarlet asks is for a chance to attend high school—even if just for a week-a chance to be just like everyone else. But Scarlet can feel her heart beating out of control with each slammed locker and vicious taunt. Is this normal? Really? Yet there’s more going on than she knows. And finding out the truth might just kill Scarlet before her heart does…

Review

I didn't know much about this book, which is the way I like it. The less I know about it, the less I can judge. The problem with that is I don't usually give books I don't know much about a lot of time if I'm not enjoying them. I started off not liking this because I thought it seemed ridiculous that an extremely sick girl who almost died would get bullied for having her heart condition. That teachers and other students wouldn't stick up for her or even do anything for her. I don't like books about bullying so I think this another reason why I wasn't enjoying it. 

I also really despised the stepmother from the beginning, I thought she was weird and extremely uncool. As I read on though I soon realised why the author us (the readers) feel this way - very clever! I almost gave up because of all these things, there were only 7 CD's to listen to (which isn't very many in an audiobook) and I struggled through the first 4 CD's, then I read a few reviews online saying this is a thriller! I was thinking how could it be? I hadn't had any inkling that it was a thriller at all! I thought it was just a typical bullying/high school/sick girl story.

So I kept going and I'm glad I did because that was a pretty awesome ending! Initially this book was getting two stars, but it gets an extra star for the twist at the end. I'm glad I listened to this on audiobook instead of reading it because I would've been more likely to not finish as I have so many other books on my 'to read' list.

The last quarter really makes this book, and that is a shame because I'm sure there are a lot of people out there who may not give it that long. So a lot of people may miss this intriguing book. Hopefully you read my review before giving up!

On the cover

Another black cover with a striking image. Hearts are another thing I'm drawn to, I also really like the blue and red/pink color combo. 

What I'm listening to next: Reason to breathe by Rebecca Donovan

Falling....asleep....

Falling Fast (Flynn #1) by Sophie McKenzie

Rating: 2 out of 5 hearts
247 pages
Released: March 2012
Buy it @ book depository

This is life, not a rehearsal...
When River auditions for a part in an inter-school performance of Romeo and Juliet, she finds herself smitten by Flynn, the boy playing Romeo. River believes in romantic love, and she can't wait to experience it. But Flynn comes from a damaged family - is he even capable of giving River what she wants? The path of true love never did run smooth...

Review

Falling Fast is your typical boy/girl love story. Boy comes from the bad side of town and the girl is from the middle class side of town. There's also lots of family issues going on behind the scenes - throw in sex, alcohol and Shakespeare which adds up to be a fairly predictable Young Adult romance novel.

I might not have been in the mood, whatever it was, this was not the book for me. There must have been something though that made me want to keep listening. Could be the simple, easy story or that it was a quick 5 hour/4 CD set so I knew that if I kept going there wouldn't be much longer to go.

I didn't know this was the beginning to a series, and I have no desire to find out anything more about River and Flynn. Sorry guys! 

On the cover

Typical teen romance cover, couple cuddling in a field and looking so in love. I love the awesome bright colors of the title but that's about it. It's very boring..

What I'm listening to next: Broken by C.J Lyons

The Fox chases the O'Hare

The Heist (Fox and O'Hare #1) by Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg

Rating: 4 out of 5 hearts
372 pages
Released: June 2013
Buy it @ book depository

FBI Special Agent Kate O’Hare is known for her fierce dedication and discipline on the job, chasing down the world’s most wanted criminals and putting them behind bars. Her boss thinks she is tenacious and ambitious; her friends think she is tough, stubborn, and maybe even a bit obsessed. And while Kate has made quite a name for herself for the past five years the only name she’s cared about is Nicolas Fox—an international crook she wants in more ways than one.              

Audacious, handsome, and dangerously charming, Nicolas Fox is a natural con man, notorious for running elaborate scams on very high-profile people. At first he did it for the money. Now he does it for the thrill. He knows that the FBI has been hot on his trail—particularly Kate O’Hare, who has been watching his every move. For Nick, there’s no greater rush than being pursued by a beautiful woman . . . even one who aims to lock him up. But just when it seems that Nicolas Fox has been captured for good, he pulls off his greatest con of all: He convinces the FBI to offer him a job, working side by side with Special Agent Kate O’Hare.

Problem is, teaming up to stop a corrupt investment banker who’s hiding on a private island in Indonesia is going to test O’Hare’s patience and Fox’s skill. Not to mention the skills of their ragtag team made up of flamboyant actors, wanted wheelmen, and Kate’s dad. High-speed chases, pirates, and Toblerone bars are all in a day’s work . . . if O’Hare and Fox don’t kill each other first.

Review 

I'm a huge fan of the 'Stephanie Plum' series also written by Janet Evanovich, so I thought I'd give this new, co-authored series a go.

I've never read anything by Lee Goldberg but after reading this, I really like his style. To me, it felt like I was watching a movie. I could imagine everything so easily in my head and the plot was more suited to a movie or tv show formula than that of Evanovich's normal writing method that I'm used to. 

This was another book I listened to as an audio and it wasn't too bad. The voice actor was a man and I didn't particularly like how he performed Kate's voice, but I learned to live with it.

People who read crime novels all the time may find this a little predictable and maybe even boring, but for me I found it to be an easy read that was a lot of fun, and what I've come to expect from Evanovich. What I usually expect from her is hot romance and she doesn't disappoint with this series. The sexual tension between Nick and Kate was steamy, but I have a feeling once something does happen between them, then it could fizzle out quite quickly. Here's hoping the series doesn't drag on too long with this going on.

If you're looking for something similar to the 'Stephanie Plum' series with a different twist, then I highly recommend this series. A bit of fun and a whole lot of action rolled in to one pretty cool book!

On the cover

I'm not a huge fan of this cover, I think it's the green and yellow. It almost looks like a movie cover - I can see it now, two well known rom-com actors (male & female) with arms crossed and back to back staring over their shoulders at each other...

What I'm listening to next: Falling Fast by Sophie McKenzie

Killing is what Jack Reacher does best

Killing Floor (Jack Reacher #1) by Lee Child

Rating: 4 out of 5 hearts
524 pages
Released: 1997
Buy it @ book depository

Ex-military policeman Jack Reacher is a drifter. He’s just passing through Margrave, Georgia, and in less than an hour, he’s arrested for murder. Not much of a welcome. All Reacher knows is that he didn’t kill anybody. At least not here. Not lately. But he doesn’t stand a chance of convincing anyone. Not in Margrave, Georgia. Not a chance in hell. 

The sleepy, forgotten town of Margrave, Georgia, hasn't seen a crime in decades, but within the span of three days it witnesses events that leave everyone stunned. An unidentified man is found beaten and shot to death on a lonely country road. The police chief and his wife are butchered on a quiet Sunday morning. Then a bank executive disappears from his home, leaving his keys on the table and his wife frozen with fear. The easiest suspect is Jack Reacher - an outsider, a man just passing through. But Reacher is a tough ex-military policeman, trained to think fast and act faster. When authorities learn the first victim was someone from Reacher's past, and he cannot convince them of his innocence, his patient self-defense becomes a raging crusade of revenge. With two cops who believe in him - a thoughtful black detective and a woman named Roscoe - he closes in on a ruthless conspiracy hiding behind Margrave's rural charm. But closing in on him is a team of killers. Step by step, the two teams circle - waiting to see which will be the first to walk onto the killing floor.

Review

I saw the movie adaption "Jack Reacher" and I thought it was awesome! Because of this I knew that I HAD to read the books, so I started at the beginning of the series. Now that I've read one I still think that even though Tom Cruise looks nothing like the 'book' version of Jack Reacher (blonde and VERY tall), he still did a pretty good job and I think the movie does the book justice.

I decided to listen to this on audio book mainly because it was available through the library, and when I can, I like to listen to books instead of read them. It means I can get through twice as many books - one I'm reading and the other I'm listening. I'm so glad I listened to this because it had me hooked almost right away.

Jack Reacher is a tough, ex-military bad ass who doesn't care who he has to kill to get answers. Normally I read mystery/crime novels in which the detective or main character catch the bad guy to put him in jail, but nope not Jack Reacher. He doesn't care about catching the bad guys - he kills the bad guys!

The story was really exciting and had me guessing the whole time. There was lots of detail and I learned a lot from this book (I can't tell you what I learnt because it will give away too much of the story). To sum up it was fast-paced, intriguing and at times very funny. I can't wait to read more about Jack Reacher.

On the cover

I'm not sure what the red hand print represents, makes me think this is a horror novel not just a thriller/crime novel. I do like the clean, simple look though.

What I'm listening to next: The Heist by Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg

The Fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars. But in ourselves

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

Rating: 5 out of 5 hearts
318 pages
Released: January 2012
Buy it @ book depository

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten

Review

This is the second John Green book that I've read and I have a feeling that it may be a bad idea reading this before any of the others, How will they live up to this?

I'm sure a lot of people have read this by now so my review is going to be in a sea of millions, so I'm going to simply speak about my thoughts and how the book made me feel.

I started off thinking that I may not like this and I've hyped it up too much, but it wasn't long before Hazel and Gus took me along with them on their journey

I found myself connecting to all the characters in different ways, even the minor players had so much to add to the story. I loved how Hazel & Gus fell so quickly and deeply in love - I guess it would be hard knowing you were going to die and not having forever to be with someone and grow old together. I also loved the connection they had with each other, they fit so well together. You know when it's meant to be, when you have that someone that just "gets" you. You can laugh and be silly with one another, but it's also the way you can know how the other person is feeling without even talking. I have that with my special someone and John Green has been able to capture this. 

This is such a quote worthy book - there are so many that I would wear on a t-shirt or as a framed print because there's so much meaning and 'realness' to them. Below are some of my favourites. Now get out there and read this!

"As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly and then all at once"

"Some infinities are bigger than other infinities"

"You gave me forever within the numbered days, and I'm grateful"

"The world is not a wish granting factory"

"My thoughts are stars and I can't fathom the constellations"

"That's the things about pain, it demands to be felt"

On the cover

This cover is probably very well known by everyone since the movie release. I love this cover a lot! The colours, the font and the simplistic overall look. 

What I'm listening to next: Killing Floor by Lee Child

Rose the Survivor

Rose Under Fire (Code Name Verity #2) by Elizabeth Wein

Rating: 4 out of 5 hearts
368 pages
Released: June 2013
Buy it @ book depository

While flying an Allied fighter plane from Paris to England, American ATA pilot and amateur poet, Rose Justice, is captured by the Nazis and sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious women's concentration camp. Trapped in horrific circumstances, Rose finds hope in the impossible through the loyalty, bravery and friendship of her fellow prisoners. But will that be enough to endure the fate that's in store for her?

Elizabeth Wein, author of the critically-acclaimed and best-selling Code Name Verity, delivers another stunning WWII thriller. The unforgettable story of Rose Justice is forged from heart-wrenching courage, resolve, and the slim, bright chance of survival.

Review 

Here I go again! Reading books that are companion novels to others before even reading the first. I know about 'Code Name Verity', but I didn't know you had to read it first before reading this. I was able to read it easily enough, so I don't think you need to read Code Name Verity because this is a separate story and didn't seem to follow on.

I loved this! I really enjoy war books, mainly because the ones I read are all about courage and heroism - they can also be very sad at times. Books that bring on strong emotions like sadness and anger are always a good indication of a great book and a talented author. Congrats to Elizabeth Wein for making me feel those emotions. 

I listened to this on audio and I found some of the characters accents a bit annoying, but the stunning writing made up for that. I felt a bit lost when I first started and couldn't really connect with the story or Rose, it didn't take me long though to be swept up in the historical tale.

Rose tells her horrific story of being captured by the Nazi's and thrown into a concentration camp. She tells us through her diary entries, we move back and forth between present and past. I liked that they did this because I knew that she survived the horror she witnessed. Although she survived, her metal state may have been a little bit lost to the camp.

At the camp we meet the "rabbits", women who have been experimented on by the Nazi doctors and left deformed. These characters and many more made me laugh and cry. Wein has done a fantastic job making them feel like real people. I found out that some of the characters mentioned in the trials at the end are in fact real people.

This is historical fiction at it's best, I highly recommend this if you love war books with big heart. Now I can't wait to read 'Code Name Verity' to see where it began.

 

On the cover

Such a powerful cover! I can't even imagine what it would be like to live in a concentration camp, so horrible. You can tell just by looking at the cover that it will be about war. No confusion there!

What I'm listening to next: The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

 

How they survive now

How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

Rating: 3 out of 5 hearts
194 pages
Released: November 2004
Buy it @ book depository

“Every war has turning points and every person too.”

Fifteen-year-old Daisy is sent from Manhattan to England to visit her aunt and cousins she’s never met: three boys near her age, and their little sister. Her aunt goes away on business soon after Daisy arrives. The next day bombs go off as London is attacked and occupied by an unnamed enemy.

As power fails, and systems fail, the farm becomes more isolated. Despite the war, it’s a kind of Eden, with no adults in charge and no rules, a place where Daisy’s uncanny bond with her cousins grows into something rare and extraordinary. But the war is everywhere, and Daisy and her cousins must lead each other into a world that is unknown in the scariest, most elemental way.

A riveting and astonishing story.

Review 

It's so hard to like Meg Rosoff books. Because they are always a little strange and hard to relate to. This is only the second book by her that I've read so I can't really judge all of them, but so far the record isn't good. 

It was an interesting book, a book about war, first loves, family and much more. I listened to this on audiobook and I'm so glad I did, because I've seen how it is written, and that could've been a huge downfall for me. Daisy is the main character and the book is written from her point of view with no talking marks or indication of who was speaking at times.

A few things I'm going to mention about the story and they may be spoilers, so read ahead at your own risk. I have to mention the incest, I know you can't help who you fall in love with but I found it a little weird. I didn't see how it was important to the story, Daisy can have love for her family and still want to protect them, she doesn't need to be romantically in love to need to protect them. Something I wished had been explained a bit more was Edmunds mental/mind reading powers. Did he have them? I'm going to say yes!

What I liked about the book was the ending, it was true to how war can affect someone so young. I also liked the strength of the children, surviving all by themselves. I have lots of respect for them!

After finishing this I watched the movie and I got a huge shock. They had changed character's personalities and many other things. People even died who didn't die in the book. It was a terribly sad movie and I don't plan on watching it again. The book is so much better!

 

On the cover 

This is a beautiful cover, you can't see it in this picture but the book actually has shiny parts where some of the butterflies are. I wouldn't think by looking at this cover that this would be the type of story inside.  There are so many different covers for this, but I think I like this one the best. This isn't a pretty book on the inside but it is on the outside.

What I'm listening to next: Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein

 

More from Patrick Ness please!

More than this by Patrick Ness

Rating: 4 out of 5 hearts
472 pages
Released: September 2013
Buy it @ book depository

A boy named Seth drowns, desperate and alone in his final moments, losing his life as the pounding sea claims him. But then he wakes. He is naked, thirsty, starving. But alive. How is that possible? He remembers dying, his bones breaking, his skull dashed upon the rocks. So how is he here? And where is this place? It looks like the suburban English town where he lived as a child, before an unthinkable tragedy happened and his family moved to America. But the neighborhood around his old house is overgrown, covered in dust, and completely abandoned. What’s going on? And why is it that whenever he closes his eyes, he falls prey to vivid, agonizing memories that seem more real than the world around him? Seth begins a search for answers, hoping that he might not be alone, that this might not be the hell he fears it to be, that there might be more than just this. . . 

Review

Patrick Ness has done it again! This book is like "A Monster Calls", it's hard to truly explain how you feel when you finish it. Anyone who reads this will get a different meaning or take something away from this. 

For me, what I take away from this is that we as humans live such short lives and we should try to make the most of what we have now. There is always more out there and never feel like 'is this all my life is going to be?'. If your life isn't what you want it to be, then go out there and do what you want and make it how you want it to be.

Seth was a refreshing character, I didn't particuarly like or hate him, but I can understand him. He was realistic and I liked that. I really loved Tomasz, always saving the day and giving us some comic relief in a world where there's nothing much except confusion and fear.

As with Ness' other books that I've read, there are always so many questions needing to be answered and lots of twists along the way too. This book is no different. There was action, suspense and mystery. I want MORE Patrick Ness please!

The next part of my review is a bit of a spoiler so read at your risk if you haven't read the book. Ness really made me think: How would I feel if all my life until now had ony been a sort of dream, not real and that I was living a life that meant nothing? If this isn't real then I would be happy with the descisions I've made. But, I don't think I'd like to live two different lives. I'm happy with the one I have now, I can see how for some people this would be a blessing to have a chance to live life a different way.

 

On the cover 

Something I have to mention about this cover is the feel. When holding this book in your hand and rubbing the cover it has a weird almost soft feel to it. Pick the hard cover up and have a feel. I love this cover! So simple but it draws my eye straight away. It's telling me could there be more than this? Open up this book to find out.

What I'm listening to next: How I Live Now Meg Rosoff

 

This is not a test, it wasn't the best.

This is not a test by Courtney Summers

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
323 pages
Released: June 2012
Buy it @ book depository

It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live. But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside. When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

Review

 

This was one of those books that I've been dying to read for a while, and when I finally did read it I was a little disappointed. I wasn't expecting a zombie novel with lots of blood & gore because I knew that it wasn't all about that. I get that there was more to this novel, but it wasn't doing it for me.

This is a story about six teenagers trying to survive the zombie apocalypse, and as I mentioned earlier it's more than that. There's issues of death, abuse, suicide and under-age sex to name a few. Very hard hitting at times.

Courtney Summers writes a fantastic book with realistic characters that have flaws. I think I have a love/hate relationship with her books because I enjoy the writing and the story but I usually dislike the characters. As with her books, nothing is off limits and intimate issues are discussed.

There are a few squeamish zombie moments in this, but it's good for someone who scares easily because they're not that bad. Overall I'm glad I read it, but I couldn't connect with the characters.

On the cover

 

I like this cover but not as much as the normal book cover. They are very similar with the hair flowing across the face and the light blue. The cover shows an actual scene that happens in the book, well I'm pretty sure anyway.

What I'm listening to next: More than this by Patrick Ness

 

 

 

Percy Jackson wasn't all he was cracked up to be

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson & the Olympians #1)

Rating: 3 out of 5 hearts
375 pages
Released: January 2010
Buy it @ Book Depository

Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school... again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus' master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus' stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

Review

There was so much adventure to be had in this book, maybe too much. To me it felt like it was one huge quest to conquer after another for Percy and his friends. There wasn't the normal excitement an action book has, there weren't any of those thrilling cliff hanger moments at the end of each chapter.

I hate to say this about a much loved series and characters, but it just wasn't as good as I was hoping it would be. I did learn a lot about mytholgy which I guess is one good thing. I felt that Percy, being twelve, didn't seem old enough to be making the decsions he was making. I didn't think that much of any of the other characters either.

I watched the movie when it was first released and loved it! I couldn't really remember much from the movie so once I finished the book I decided I should probably watch it again. Again, i liked it and I liked it better than the book.

I will continue with the rest of the series because I've heard it gets better and I really think the books have a lot of potential. I'm also not sure if i'll keep listening to them on audiobook because the narrator wasn't all that good. Maybe this is the reason I didn't enjoy the book as much, I will find out when I read the second.

On the cover 

The above cover is the movie cover which I actually like as it's very similar to the first book cover. Both covers have Percy with the stolen lightning bolt in hand while standing in water facing towards the city. So much blue on this cover, which is probably why I like it so much because blue is my favourite colour.

What I'm listening to next: This is not a test by Courtney Summers

 

Take me down the Jelicoe road anytime

On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Rating: 4 out of 5 hearts

300 pages

Released: August 2006

Buy it @ Angus & Robertson

Abandoned by her mother on Jellicoe Road when she was eleven, Taylor Markham 17, finally confronts her past. Hannah, the closest adult she has to family, disappears. Jonah Griggs, moody stares and all, is back in town. If Taylor can put together the pieces of her past, she might just be able to change her future.

Review

Melina Marchetta has this way of drawing a reader in and making them fall head over heels in love with her characters. I don't know how she does it! Her books always seem to start off confusing, this one wasn't any different, and before you know it you're sucked right into the story like nothing else in the real world matters. I was almost halfway through and was going to give up on this because it was just too confusing, but I went on because I have read so many good review, and oh my I'm am SO glad I kept going!

Marchetta's characters feel so real, by the end of the book I feel like I know them and could text them to catch up and hang out. It's hard to tell you exactly what was going on in this book, so all I will say is read this NOW! Or you could wait until the movie is released, there's no knowing when it will come out so you should just read it. My only problem with books being adapted into a movie is that I hope they can capture the chemistry between all the characters.

My only issue with this book (other than the confusing beginning, which made sense by the end) was the mystery behind Taylor's background and who her father was. I slowly guessed what was going on, which if you've read my reviews before you will know I hate when I guess things before they are revealed. But Marchetta was good at keeping little things secret and didn't reveal until later, so she kept me guessing a bit. Because of those small faults I give this 4 stars. I am now a huge fan of Melina Marcetta and I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next!

On the cover

I love this cover, it's so vibrant and suits the story perfectly. I'm assuming that's the Jellicoe road and the faded person could be Taylor because she is stuck here but also in the past.

What I'm listening to next: The lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Some girls are witches with a capital 'B'

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

Rating: 3 out of 5 hearts

246 pages

Released: January 2010

Buy it @ book depository

Climbing to the top of the social ladder is hard—falling from it is even harder.  Regina Afton used to be a member of the Fearsome Fivesome, an all-girl clique both feared and revered by the students at Hallowell High... until vicious rumors about her and her best friend's boyfriend start going around.  Now Regina's been "frozen out" and her ex-best friends are out for revenge.  If Regina was guilty, it would be one thing, but the rumors are far from the terrifying truth and the bullying is getting more intense by the day.  She takes solace in the company of Michael Hayden, a misfit with a tragic past who she herself used to bully.  Friendship doesn't come easily for these onetime enemies, and as Regina works hard to make amends for her past, she realizes Michael could be more than just a friend... if threats from the Fearsome Foursome don't break them both first.

Tensions grow and the abuse worsens as the final days of senior year march toward an explosive conclusion in this dark new tale

Review

Wow! What a bunch of cruel girls. A friend recommended this book to me a while ago, so I thought I should give it a go. Well after listening for only a short amount of time I realised what kind of book this is. Most people during their time at school have faced bullying or been a bully, I know I have! Years 8 & 9 at high school were some of the worst years of my life. So this book brought back some bad memories. I don't know why I kept reading, I think it's because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. It was a little like a train wreck where you can't look away. I also think it's because I wanted to see if the girls would realise what they've done and feel some sort of remorse for it. Unfortunately that never happened.

Listening to this it felt very much like the movie "Mean Girls" but 10 times worse mean pranks and no humor at all! The story is about a popular group of girls and one girl from the group is ostracized by the rest because of a rumor that was spread, even though we know the truth and it is horrible. Through the whole book the popular group are making the main character, Regina's life a living hell. Regina does get a bit back though, but after all of this I don't know if the girls really learnt a lesson in realising to take responsibility for there actions.

It's very hard to rate a book that you didn't particularly like the characters or like the story but I guess that's the whole point to this story to make you dislike the characters etc, so actually the author has done her job well. Because of this reason and also it was written so well, I decided to give it 3 stars because it deserves it but not 4 in my eyes. Even saying that I will definitely pick up and read any other books I find by Courtney Summers because I think she has a fantastic way of writing about something that feels so real and everyone can relate to.

On the cover

I wouldn't pick up this book based on this cover, I like the bright red locker but it's not that exciting in my opinion. But after reading this though if I see any book written by Courtney Summers I will definitely pick it up.

What I'm listening to next: On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

The Piper's Son was a little lacking.

The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta

Rating: 3 out of 5 hearts

328 pages

Released: March 2010

Buy it @ book depository

Award-winning author Melina Marchetta reopens the story of the group of friends from her acclaimed novel Saving Francesca - but five years have passed, and now it's Thomas Mackee who needs saving. After his favorite uncle was blown to bits on his way to work in a foreign city, Tom watched his family implode. He quit school and turned his back on his music and everyone that mattered, including the girl he can't forget. Shooting for oblivion, he's hit rock bottom, forced to live with his single, pregnant aunt, work at the Union pub with his former friends, and reckon with his grieving, alcoholic father. Tom's in no shape to mend what's broken. But what if no one else is either? An unflinching look at family, forgiveness, and the fierce inner workings of love and friendship, The Piper's Son redefines what it means to go home again.

Review

I read "Finnikin of the rock" in May and really loved it, so I thought I'd give another one of Melina Marchetta's books a go. Unfortunately, I wasn't as impressed with this. I didn't know that this was sort of a companion novel to "Saving Francesca", which I haven't read. I really wished I had read "Saving Francesca" first because I may have been a bit more invested in this.

The book is written from the third person but focuses mainly on Tom Mackee and his Aunty Georgie. Both of them weren't very interesting, so maybe that's why I didn't like this all that much. It's a shame I didn't feel as fondly for this as others did, I've seen many reviews from people who are in love with this.

After reading this though it makes me want to read "Saving Francesca" because Francesca was an awesome secondary character! I can imagine a book from her as the main character would be awesome. Another secondary character that I really liked was Tom's little sister. She isn't a big character, but she has balls and is totally cool! I wanted to read more about her.

On a side note, It was cool knowing this book is set in Australia because I got all the slang and references.

On the cover

This cover screams waking up after a big night out and not sure where you stayed. The backdrop looks exactly like a street in the city. It's not the best looking cover, but it's cool. 

What I'm listening on Audio to next: Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

Not your average zombie

Ashes (Ashes Trilogy #1) by Ilsa Bick

Rating: 4 out of 5 hearts

465 pages

Released: September 2011

Buy it @ book depository

It could happen tomorrow . . .

An electromagnetic pulse flashes across the sky, destroying every electronic device, wiping out every computerized system, and killing billions.

Alex hiked into the woods to say good-bye to her dead parents and her personal demons. Now desperate to find out what happened after the pulse crushes her to the ground, Alex meets up with Tom—a young soldier—and Ellie, a girl whose grandfather was killed by the EMP.

For this improvised family and the others who are spared, it’s now a question of who can be trusted and who is no longer human.

Author Ilsa J. Bick crafts a terrifying and thrilling post-apocalyptic novel about a world that could become ours at any moment, where those left standing must learn what it means not just to survive, but to live amidst the devastation.

Review

This was not what I was expecting at all! That's not a bad thing though, it's a really good thing. I was expecting a gory zombie novel, which it is at times, but there was so much more than gore. It was a slightly romantic story where people are trying to survive during a confusing time.

Zombies aren't my favourite thing to read or watch, I think the whole idea of cannibalism is terrifying! But my boyfriend LOVES zombies and wishes the zombie apocalypse was here already... so because of this I've seen a lot of zombie movies and videogames. Normally in those movies there's usually an epidemic/viral outbreak that turns people into the undead. In this book they are called 'the changed' which is a completely different twist on your average zombies.

I think this was more scary because the idea of an electronic impulse knocking out all technology could happen now. Our society relies so much on technology that if everything was suddenly shut off not many people would survive, I know I wouldn't!

The story was very intriguing but the characters were also really easy to like as well. Although Ellie, who is an 8 year old tag along was quite annoying at times, but I guess most kids that age would find it hard to get used to living without technology. Alex is the main character and the story is told from her point of view. She is a very strong female character, but she has her weaknesses and I liked that she was both strong at times while also being weak at times because it makes her real.

There are two male characters in this that are vying for Alex's affections, but it's not a love triangle as such because they happen at different points in the novel (I don't want to give too much away). The romance was very slow paced, no insta love in this book. I like that guys who read this would not be put off because there isn't any mushy love.

Oh and that ending!! I was like "wha....??? There has to be another disc, that can't be the end please!" It was so excruciating, there are so many unanswered questions and you're left hanging. Have the changed become clever? I don't know if I should wait to get the audiobook version or just go out and read the book. I think the latter might win. I highly recommend this to people who would be put off by flesh-eating zombies because it's not a book about just that.

On the cover

That face is so creepy, I think it's the eyes that make it kind of scary - There's no pupils and they're white. I also understand now all the lines across the face, I guess they're to represent the Electro-magnetic pulse.

What I'm listening to next: The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta