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

 

Books I'm pining for - February 2014

"Books I'm pining for" is a feature for new and old books that I want to read. So I thought I would share with everyone these books and to find out what books you are pining for. Some very pretty covers in this line up.

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.

Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new.

I adored Stephanie Perkin's other books and I have been hanging out for this one for so long!

Where the Stars still Shine By Trish Doller

Stolen as a child from her large and loving family, and on the run with her mom for more than ten years, Callie has only the barest idea of what normal life might be like. She's never had a home, never gone to school, and has gotten most of her meals from laundromat vending machines. Her dreams are haunted by memories she’d like to forget completely. But when Callie’s mom is finally arrested for kidnapping her, and Callie’s real dad whisks her back to what would have been her life, in a small town in Florida, Callie must find a way to leave the past behind. She must learn to be part of a family. And she must believe that love--even with someone who seems an improbable choice--is more than just a possibility. 

Trish Doller writes incredibly real teens, and this searing story of love, betrayal, and how not to lose your mind will resonate with readers who want their stories gritty and utterly true.

I can not wait to read this one! Something like normal was a treasure and I'm hoping this one is too! 

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart.

Read it.
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE

I've loved everything I've read by E. Lockhart and I was extremely excited to find out she had written another book. This sounds pretty rad! 

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

An international sensation, this hilarious, feel-good novel is narrated by an oddly charming and socially challenged genetics professor on an unusual quest: to find out if he is capable of true love.

Don Tillman, professor of genetics, has never been on a second date. He is a man who can count all his friends on the fingers of one hand, whose lifelong difficulty with social rituals has convinced him that he is simply not wired for romance. So when an acquaintance informs him that he would make a “wonderful” husband, his first reaction is shock. Yet he must concede to the statistical probability that there is someone for everyone, and he embarks upon The Wife Project. In the orderly, evidence-based manner with which he approaches all things, Don sets out to find the perfect partner. She will be punctual and logical—most definitely not a barmaid, a smoker, a drinker, or a late-arriver.

Yet Rosie Jarman is all these things. She is also beguiling, fiery, intelligent—and on a quest of her own. She is looking for her biological father, a search that a certain DNA expert might be able to help her with. Don's Wife Project takes a back burner to the Father Project and an unlikely relationship blooms, forcing the scientifically minded geneticist to confront the spontaneous whirlwind that is Rosie—and the realization that love is not always what looks good on paper.

The Rosie Project is a moving and hilarious novel for anyone who has ever tenaciously gone after life or love in the face of overwhelming challenges.

I have heard so many great things about this book and it sounds like it's right up my alley.

Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead

In a futuristic world nearly destroyed by religious extremists, Justin March lives in exile after failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims. But Justin is given a second chance when Mae Koskinen comes to bring him back to the Republic of United North America (RUNA). Raised in an aristocratic caste, Mae is now a member of the military’s most elite and terrifying tier, a soldier with enhanced reflexes and skills.

When Justin and Mae are assigned to work together to solve a string of ritualistic murders, they soon realize that their discoveries have exposed them to terrible danger. As their investigation races forward, unknown enemies and powers greater than they can imagine are gathering in the shadows, ready to reclaim the world in which humans are merely game pieces on their board.

Gameboard of the Gods, the first installment of Richelle Mead’s Age of X series, will have all the elements that have made her YA Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series such megasuccesses: sexy, irresistible characters; romantic and mythological intrigue; and relentless action and suspense

I'm a huge fan of the Vampire Academy series so I'm looking forward to reading this new series by the same author. Sounds interesting too!

The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher

Emily’s dad is accused of murdering a teenage girl. Emily is sure he is innocent, but what happened that night in the woods behind their house where she used to play as a child? Determined to find out, she seeks out Damon Hillary, the enigmatic boyfriend of the murdered girl. He also knows these woods. Maybe they could help each other. But he’s got secrets of his own about games that are played in the dark.

A new psychological thriller from the award-winning and bestselling author of STOLEN and FLYAWAY.

This sounds so mysterious and I love a good thriller!



 

The Impossible Kinfe of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson

For the past five years, Hayley Kincaid and her father, Andy, have been on the road, never staying long in one place as he struggles to escape the demons that have tortured him since his return from Iraq. Now they are back in the town where he grew up so Hayley can attend school. Perhaps, for the first time, Hayley can have a normal life, put aside her own painful memories, even have a relationship with Finn, the hot guy who obviously likes her but is hiding secrets of his own.

Will being back home help Andy’s PTSD, or will his terrible memories drag him to the edge of hell, and drugs push him over? The Impossible Knife of Memory is Laurie Halse Anderson at her finest: compelling, surprising, and impossible to put down.

I read "Speak" and thought it was an interesting read so I want to see if this would be any good.

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

--

A timeless love story, THESE BROKEN STARS sets into motion a sweeping science fiction series of companion novels. The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy

An interesting idea and I love a good love story with a twist.

What books are you pining for?

Not sure if this is legendary material

Legend (Legend #1) by Marie Lu

Rating: 3 out of 5 hearts
320 pages
Released: November 2011
Buy it @ book depository

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills. 

Review

I've heard a lot of good things about this series and I was really looking forward to reading it. Unfortunately it wasn't as good as I had hoped. The story was fairly predictable, about a girl living the rich luxurious life and a boy living the poor low life. They meet and the action begins.

The mystery and suspense kept me intrigued enough, but I saw a lot of things coming. Maybe I'm being a bit harsh, but it didn't feel like there was anything new to this that I haven't already read. One thing I did like was the romance between June and Day. There were some swoony moments that were quite nice and done well, no insta-love here.

It's clear this book is merely written to set up bigger things, there's lots of conspiracies going on but not much is revealed. I will read the rest of the books in the series but I'm not in any rush to do so. I'm hoping for a bit more in the second novel.

 

On the cover 

This cover is very stiff and stark. It's not all that appealing to me and even after reading this I don't know what the symbol is on the front cover. Can someone explain it to me please?!

What I'm reading next: Wildlife by Fiona Woods

2013 was a year full of great movies

There were so many movies that I loved last year and there's still some that I haven't got around to watching yet. You'll notice there's been a lot of sequels released this year and I've enjoyed them. Here is a list of all the fantastic movies that I loved and if you haven't seen any of them yet then get on it!

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Needless to say I loved this movie. I am a HUGE fan of Lord of the Rings and I will snatch up any chance there is to be in this world again.

 The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

In one word: Flawless. Catching Fire was so amazing and true to the novel, I can not wait to see what they do with the next two movies. Good for people who may not have read the books. 

We're the Millers

So hilarious and crude at times but it made it all the more funny. I was laughing through the whole movie. I love Jennifer Aniston and she is gorgeous in this, she's done quite a few good comedies lately. 

World War Z

Such an epic movie, so suspenseful! I hate zombies but this wasn't the usual gore zombie movie, it was more of a quiet scary film with an interesting storyline.  

This is the end

This was an unexpected awesome movie. I had heard nothing about this and was surprised at how funny, scary and weird this was. A real favourite and what movie with the Backstreet Boys in it isn't awesome?! 

The Conjuring

WOW this was scary! One of the scariest movies I've seen and I've seen a lot. I hear there is going to be a sequel and I can't wait for that!

Star Trek: Into Darkness

Benedict Cumberbasch kicks butt as a bad guy, he is becoming a favourite guy of mine. I really liked the first Star Trek movie and this one goes one up on that. I don't think I'll ever be a trekkie but I enjoy these movies. 

Elysium

I was surprised by this one. I didn't know much about it and found myself really enjoying the story.  A dystopian type movie with Matt Damon at his best.

Oblivion

Tom Cruise is a great actor, may be a bit of a weirdo in real life but I love his movies. Another dystopian movie that makes you think and appreciate life. 

Epic

What a cute movie. It was funny and had a great message, some really good voice acting and the actors chosen for the characters was great casting. Lots of familiar voices. 

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

Magical fun and very uplifting. Made me believe in magic, all actors were marvelous in this. Jim Carey is quite strange though... 

Iron Man 3

Is this the end of Iron Man? Robert Downey Jnr is back and so is the suit or should I say suits. There's more laughs, action and evil in this installment of the loved iron man franchise.

The Hangover: Part 3

A great wrap up to this triology, the second wasn't all that great so I was hoping this was better than that. It was and so many funny moments with all our favourite people. 

Warm Bodies

Another zombie movie on my favourites list?! Yes, but it wasn't gory either and there was some romance thrown in. Haven't read the book but want to now. 

Monsters University

We get to see Mike as a child and he is so adorable! This wasn't as good as Monsters Inc. but I still thought it was good. The story was little predictable but it was a great way to show us how Sulley & Mike became best friends. 

Oz the Great and Powerful

The wizard of Oz is a favourite movie of mine and it was lovely to see more of wonderful land of Oz. Lovely colours used and a fantastic story.

What movies are on your favourites list from last year?

The Darkest Minds Never Fade

Never Fade (The Darkest Minds #2) by Alexandra Bracken

Rating: 3 out of 5 hearts
507 pages
Released: October 2013
Buy it @ book depository

Ruby never asked for the abilities that almost cost her her life. Now she must call upon them on a daily basis, leading dangerous missions to bring down a corrupt government and breaking into the minds of her enemies. Other kids in the Children’s League call Ruby “Leader”, but she knows what she really is: a monster.

When Ruby is entrusted with an explosive secret, she must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: leaving the Children’s League behind. Crucial information about the disease that killed most of America’s children—and turned Ruby and the others who lived into feared and hated outcasts—has survived every attempt to destroy it. But the truth is only saved in one place: a flashdrive in the hands of Liam Stewart, the boy Ruby once believed was her future—and who now wouldn’t recognize her.

As Ruby sets out across a desperate, lawless country to find Liam—and answers about the catastrophe that has ripped both her life and America apart—she is torn between old friends and the promise she made to serve the League. Ruby will do anything to protect the people she loves. But what if winning the war means losing herself?

Review

 

To be honest I was a little disappointed when I first started reading. I loved the first book so much and it took me until halfway through the book before I started to truly enjoy this. I think this could have been because the first part of the book was Ruby being part of the league. Ruby had been taken by the league and helped them with their missions. She had changed so much since she had been with the league, it's like she had become numb and empty and because of this the story also came across a bit dull.

Once Ruby went on her secret mission and we come across some of those favourites characters from the first book does the pace pick up again. I can look past this slow start because the rest of the book was so good.

I mentioned in my review for the first book that I hope we get a bit more information about why/how the kids got their powers, we don't know exactly why/how but we are given hints and I can't wait to see everything revealed in the last book.

There was a jaw dropping moment at the end of the book (not as much as the first) but it was devastating enough. Those who have read this may know what I'm talking about, I almost cried :(

Thank you to Disney Hyperion and Netgalley for my copy.

On the cover 

 

I read this book on my kindle so I didn't really have a proper cover on this. So I've decided to talk about the above cover because I think it looks wicked! To me this looks like a compass crashing through ice and wire which has a lot do with the story. I think this cover is good for guys or girls and makes it look like an epic book!

What I'm reading next: Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Eve and Adam or is it Eve and Solo?

Eve & Adam by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate

Rating: 4 out of 5 hearts
291 pages
Released: October 2012
Buy it @ book depository

And girl created boy…

In the beginning, there was an apple—

And then there was a car crash, a horrible injury, and a hospital. But before Evening Spiker’s head clears a strange boy named Solo is rushing her to her mother’s research facility. There, under the best care available, Eve is left alone to heal.

Just when Eve thinks she will die—not from her injuries, but from boredom—her mother gives her a special project: Create the perfect boy.

Using an amazingly detailed simulation, Eve starts building a boy from the ground up. Eve is creating Adam. And he will be just perfect... won’t he?

Review 

 

Eve & Adam is a fast-paced and unique sci-fi tale full of weird scientists, grisly experiments, secrets and a sprinkling of romance. The story focuses on genetics and shifts backwards and forwards between our main characters Evening & Solo. Later in the novel we read from Adam's point of view once he is created. 

When I first heard about this book I thought it was going to be about a girl creating a boy, falling in love and maybe even teaching him all there is to know about life along the way. That wasn't what this book was about at all, there was a lot more to it.

I really enjoyed this, I found the story intriguing albeit a little predictable. I've read many people going on about the characters being a bit flat but I liked the characters. Evening wasn't all that interesting but Solo was a cool cat and I found myself liking him straight away. Another character who was extremly likable and funny was Evening's bestfriend Aislin. Although Adam's name is a main part of the title he was a very small part of the book.

All in all I found myself liking this book, I liked it as much as "BZRK" (also by Michael Grant) but for different reasons. I found out that Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate are married. How fun would it be to write books together! I also found out that there is a planned sequel to this book, I felt like this ended really well and didn't feel like it needed a follow up but I will still give the sequel a go.

 

On the cover

This is the main cover that I'm used to seeing and I do prefer it over the one pictured above. I love the bright colours compared to the simple black, blue & white of the other cover. The lightning spark is reall awesome and this cover draws me in and makes me want to read it

What I'm listening on Audio to next: Embrace by Jessica Shirvington

Totally BZRK

BZRK (BZRK #1) by Michael Grant

Rating: 4 out of 5 hearts

407 pages

Released: February 2012

Buy it @ book depository

"Set in the near future, BZRK is the story of a war for control of the human mind.  Charles and Benjamin Armstrong, conjoined twins and owners of the Armstrong Fancy Gifts Corporation, have a goal:  to turn the world into their vision of utopia.  No wars, no conflict, no hunger.  And no free will.  Opposing them is a guerrilla group of teens, code name BZRK, who are fighting to protect the right to be messed up, to be human.  This is no ordinary war, though.  Weapons are deployed on the nano-level. The battleground is the human brain.  And there are no stalemates here:  It’s victory . . . or madness.

BZRK unfolds with hurricane force around core themes of conspiracy and mystery, insanity and changing realities, engagement and empowerment, and the larger impact of personal choice. Which side would you choose?  How far would you go to win? "

Review

I had no idea what to expect from this book and I was thrown into it with a bang and a plane crash! The book is told from multiple points of view. Sadie, the tough rich girl who doesn't care that she's rich, Noah, the romantic, Bugman, the young badboy and Vincent the weird guy who can't experience any type of pleasure. Very different characters thrown together in this thrilling ride. Slightly dystopian and science fiction rolled into one, so for fans of both these genres should definitely put this book on their 'to-read' list.

Something I really liked about this book was the way Michael Grant described parts of the body in extreme close up, it was truly amazing. In one scene, he is describing what a biot (a microscopic biological robot) can see from it's point of view to find out it is sitting on a person's eyelash!

The villains or should I say villain in this story is truly evil and grotesque to boot. Enter the Armstrong twins Charles & Benjamin who are actually conjoined twins so I guess that kind of makes them one person. They share a leg so they have three legs but the middle one doesn't actually function properly and hangs there limp most of the time, EW! Their horrible looks aren't the only disgusting thing, it's also their mad vision for the human race...

I didn't really like how this ended though. Sometimes with Audiobooks I can, without knowing, drift off. I don't know if that's what I did at the end of this book. That seems bad because then that may mean the end was boring if I drifted off. It's been about 2 weeks since I finished it and I can't seem to bring back to memory what happened in the end! I guess that may be a good thing because there's no cliff hanger for me to pine over.

On the cover

I've seen this cover a few times before reading it and I didn't realise straight away that there's an robotic insect type thing inside the eye. That is a perfect depiction of what happens in the book. Little robotic insect like things crawl inside people's eyes which leads to their brains...

What I'm listening on Audio to next: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Very Unique but something was missing

What's left of me (The Hybrid Chronicles #1) by Kat Zhang

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
352 pages
Buy it @ book depository
Released: September 2012

I should not exist. But I do.

Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t . . .

For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet . . . for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.

Review

I had high hopes for this book. I was really looking forward to reading it because it sounded so interesting. Unfortunately it wasn't as good as I had hoped. I don't know what it was about this that I didn't like. Maybe it was the worldbuilding, I couldn't get sucked into it because a lot of things weren't really explained. Like why society decided to get rid of their other souls? What's so wrong with having another soul? I know it's picky but neither the mystery behind why or the characters were engaging enough to make me want to gobble it up.

The book is from Eva's point of view even though she is the soul hidden within Addie. It was very easy to get used to the idea of two people living within one body and I think it's very unique. I really liked Eva and I feel bad for rooting for her to take over their body because that meant Addie would be the one stuck inside.

This book felt more sci-fi than dystopian to me, which I have to say I really liked! I don't normally read sci-fi books but this may have opened up a whole new genre for me.

Overall I did like it and will most likely read the next book in the series but the story & characters weren't flawless in my eyes.

*I received my edition of this book from HarperCollins Australia and NetGalley*

On the cover

What a unique cover! It's like an optical illusion with the face inside a face, It reminds me of the rubin vase image. I also really like the colours on this cover, it makes the book seem sterile on the outside but there's something beautiful hidden beneath.

What I'm reading next: Fireproof by Alex Kava