To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

 

 

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

 

 The first time I heard about Jenny Han was from Christine (polandbananasbooks on Youtube) and all I remember is her saying over and over how funny Jenny Han's books were. It's true because I was chuckling the whole way through. But the other reason I loved this book was because the MC was just so darn real to me. I could relate to Lara Jean hard. So many times I'd catch myself thinking, yep that is exactly what I'd do, yup, I'd have thought the same way.

If you don't know the premise yet, go read it here on Goodreads. It in itself is tragic and hilarious - a combo of two things I love to be entertained by. The story is great, the characters are so well-written, it all just makes for a really spectacular contemporary YA novel. The title might suggest a romance-heavy theme, but really I'd attest that it's relationship-heavy instead. Lara Jean's relationships with her parents and especially her sister are particularly pivotal. I'm really excited to read the next book in this series (P.S. I Still Love You). I could do it right now if I wanted to, the book is sitting right here on my shelf. Hmmmmmm. :)

 

My Rating: 4.5 stars

The Taming of the Tights by Louise Rennison

 

The Taming of the Tights
(a.k.a. "Wild Girls, Wild Boys, Wild Tights" for those hamburger-a-gogo folk)

[The Misadventures of Tallulah Casey #3]

by Louise Rennison

 

 When I heard the news of Louise Rennison's death, I was shocked and saddened. She is one of my favourite authors, and I thought she'd be around for way, way longer, writing books that would keep me laughing for the rest of my life. But unfortunately, that was not the case.

All I have left, and all the world has left of her, are the books she was able to get published in her lifetime - which, I know I'm making out to be not much (which it is! It is much! I can only dream to leave behind 13 published novels before I die) - but I'm just still reeling over the fact that I have just read her last novel, and now the only thing I can do is reread all of her books. Of course I'll still enjoy rereading the Georgia Nicolson series from beginning to end, but there will never again be something new for me to read from Louise Rennison, that wonderful, hilarious, fun-tastic, crazy humourous writer that brought so many joyous, teary-eyed-and-stomach-pained-from-laughing-so-hard memories to my childhood (and who am I kidding, adulthood too).

Okokok. It's probably time I talk about this book already, huh? Ok.

The Heart & the Bottle by Oliver Jeffers

The Heart and the Bottle by Oliver Jeffers

This book is like a golden nugget. 

I read it the first time, thought it was good, thought it was nice. Read it the second time and though, yeah, it's still pretty good. Then I read it the third time. Wow. OK. For a book with so little words, it sure does pack a punch. 

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

BIG LITTLE LIES by Liane Moriarty

Wow. BLL has been sitting on my desk next to my laptop for months! Months and months. This post is so overdue. Woops! Sorry to anyone who was waiting for this.

I LOVED THIS BOOK. Liane Moriarty is, as you probably already know, one of my favourite authors in the world. AND she's Australian.

Her books are hilarious and intelligent, her characters are authentic and believable, her stories are out-of-this-world entertaining, and her writing is unmatchable in quality and execution. I got to see her at the Perth Writers Festival this year, which was amaaazzzinnggg.

Big Little Lies is her latest release (she's written quite a number of novels, and I haven't read all of them yet but I WILL!) and it has a murder mystery! Someone has been killed, and at a primary school quiz night, no less! The characters are so captivating, the plot can't help but entice, and the writing delivers the whole package together so brilliantly.

There are some heavy things some of the characters go through that are pretty serious and challenging, such as domestic violence, but Liane touched upon them with finesse and grounded authenticity. I absolutely love the way Liz Byrski worded it when she talked about this at the Perth Writers Festival in a panel along with Liane. Liz described them as "dark, contentious issues dealt with very lightly and never trivially".

I'm really excited for this book to be adapted to the screen - especially with Reese Witherspoon playing Madeline and Nicole Kidman playing Celeste.

My rating: 4.5 stars

The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty

The Last Anniversaryby Liane Moriarty

When I flipped through the Perth Writers Festival brochure I was shocked and excited to see one of my favourite author’s names. Liane Moriarty, in PERTH?!?! my mind exclaimed. I was in a year-long reading slump and decided I’d had enough. A few of Liane’s pre-Husband’s Secret novels were sitting unread on my bookshelf so I picked up the one I knew the least about (I had started reading Three Wishes a while back but I wanted to dive into something completely afresh). That book happened to be The Last Anniversary.

It all happened because of a mystery. The Munro Baby Mystery, to be specific. A baby was found in its home, the parents nowhere to be found. Alice and Jack Munro disappeared into thin air, leaving the kettle boiling for tea and a freshly baked marble cake ready for frosting. The neighbours, two teenage girls, Connie and Rose, came by to visit them and found the baby.

This mystery is the basis of every plotline and character in the novel. Connie and Rose took the baby home and looked after her as their own. They called the baby Enigma, and Enigma went and had kids, and then her two kids went and had three kids. All the kids are adults now, the youngest is in their late thirties. Suffice to say, there are a lot of characters in this book. It took me a little while to figure out who was whose daughter, who were siblings, who were cousins, etc. But obviously it was worth it to take the time to get to know the characters, because it’s Liane Moriarty and duh, the book is gonna be awesome. And it was. Awesome characters, awesome writing, awesome storyIine, awesome everything. I rated it 4.5 stars, so..

the fault in our stars by john green!

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS 

by John Green

published in 2012 by Dutton Books

I have to firstly start off this post by saying that I almost decided not to write my thoughts on The Fault in Our Stars. The book is just so affecting, and one of the most not only intense - but important - books I have read in a long, long time. I almost chose not to write about it because there are a million things I could say and they still would not cover an inch of its worth. 

So just be wary, whilst reading this post, of my lack of eloquence in describing the vastness of this book's true quality, importance and worth.

All any appreciator of The Fault In Our Stars can do is simply thank John Green for creating it, and thank God for creating John Green.

a midsummer tights dream by louise rennison!

a midsummer tights dream

by louise rennison

published 2012 by HarperCollins

(sequel to withering tights)

wowzies this was such a fun read! i think a midsummer tights dream was even better than withering tights! 

llulah is back at dother hall with her knobbly knees, her crazy tree sisters and her spectacular spontaneous irish dancing. much larks for tallulah casey in this hilariously written sequel of her misadventures.

in this book llulah's having a bit of trouble in the love department of life - she's been snogged and rejected by a really good-looking, good-snogging guy; her dream boy Alex the Good is away at theatre college or something; and a dark brooding crow named Cain Hinchcliff has just beaten her in a staring competition by licking a hailstone off her face. 

anyway, i loved this book, i love Louise Rennison, i love tallulah and her pals, the woolfe boys and especially cain. Cain is the modern-day Byronic hero of a midsummer tights dream. he seems to always lurk in the shadows and pops out whenever llulah thinks she's alone and acts silly, e.g. happy irish dancing alone in a barn or hanging upside down on a tree branch.

if you fancy a light read that will make you laugh out loud, look no further.

it really left me nothing to be desired especially with the glorious references to the bronte sisters, jane eyre and wuthering heights. i am certainly looking forward to february next year when the third book comes out!

cain is dreamyyyyyyyyyyyy.

my thoughts on: never let me go by kazuo ishiguro

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

published 2005. read synopsis.

First I watched the film and ever since, this story had been deeply embedded inside my mind. 

And then I read the novel. 

Before I begin talking about the book, I just want to quickly say that I think the movie was excellent and did a fantastic job capturing the world inside Never Let Me Go. Yes, some things weren't exactly represented accurately from book to film, and I might think differently about this when I watch the movie over again. But for right now, I love the film. I truly, truly believe that Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley and Andrew Garfield were brilliantly cast in their roles. 

Ok, now the book. 

THE WRITING

I am dumbfounded by Kazuo Ishiguro's writing. Never Let Me Go is one of the best written pieces of literature I have ever read in my lifetime. The way the story was written, the way the author wielded his words, and the way the language spoke in a voice so distinct that I couldn't hear the author at all, but only and solely Kathy's voice - these are all reasons why this book is one of the best written books I've read. The story is told in way that greatly warrants the book to be read aloud. I was trying to hear the words as spoken by Carey Mulligan (her voiceovers in the movie were so excellent and I love her voice in general) and I was tempted to buy an audio book version of the novel online. Kathy H, the narrator, told the story as if she and I were having tea together one afternoon. I can't even articulate properly how much I love the way this story is written. I would buy the book for this factor alone. 

my thoughts on: INSURGENT by Veronica Roth

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

published 2012, Harper Collins

click here for the synopsis

This sequel to Divergent did not disappoint... but I can't say it was equal to or better than its predecessor, either.

To its credit, the ending of this Roth novel once again had me gripping my seat with nervous, inexplicable anticipation. It was action-packed, intense, and OH-MY-GOSH the very last page literally made me gasp, my mouth went into a O-shape and my hand slammed over it.

Anyway, let's talk about the other parts of the book.

review : nick & norah's infinite playlist

only one word can describe this: SQUEEE!!!

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist // Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

YA Contemporary // Random House // 2006 // 183 pages

This short contemporary YA novel by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan was pretty darn good. It felt so incredibly real - Nick and Norah were real people to me. Like I could fly back to New York right now and if I went to just the right nightclub I would find a dozen Nicks and Norahs. N&NIP is contemporary YA at its best. The writing was funny and lucid (both Rachel's and David's), the characterisation was extremely well done, and although I did see the movie first and loved it, the book is much, much better. For example, after reading the book I had extreme difficulty imagining Michael Cera as Nick. 

I found myself wishing I was friends with Nick and Norah. And have friends like the friends they have. I found myself wanting to be in the same room as them, the same club, or the same diner. Now, even weeks after experiencing this story I still feel like I'm merely two long flights and one taxi ride away from stalking them as they sit in a Ukrainian restaurant in East Village together at stupid o'clock in the morning. 

The musicality lit the story alive for me. Music is a big part of how I identify myself and people in general, and to form relationships over it is a spectacular thing. It's signing yourself up for songs that stick to memories that stick in your head and heart 'til you grow old and die. You can be deaf and play music in your head for eternity. You don't need a brain or even ears to hear it. Only a soul. 

This novel taps into that idea, at least it does for me, and for me it can't get much more beautiful than that. 

Review: The Undomestic Goddess

Title: The Undomestic Goddess
Author: Sophie Kinsella
CLICK HERE FOR SYNOPSIS
Genre: Chick Lit
First published: July 19, 2005
Format: Paperback, 416 pages
Source: Bought (Borders, AUS)
Other Details: featured in The Time Will Come meme. Click here for that post. 
My Rating: 4.5 stars


The story is about Samantha, a 29 year old lawyer in London, whose life solely revolves around her career. She's on the verge of scoring a partnership with the top law firm in the country, but a little bump in the road sends her life soaring out of control. Suddenly Samantha finds herself outside a huge house somewhere in the countryside - tired, drunk, jobless and with a massive headache. The next day she wakes up realising she's taken a job as a house-cleaner. With no domestic experience whatsoever, Samantha has to figure out how to bluff her way through the cooking, the cleaning, the ironing and all the other household chores she needs to complete on a daily basis. 


Do not be fooled by the storyline you expect - there is almost always something deeper going on beneath the surface narrative of a Sophie Kinsella novel. I was pleasantly surprised by the sheer genius that goes into each of her stories, especially this one. I was laughing and crying, jumping up and down in my chair with bright eyes and a goofy grin on my face while reading The Undomestic Goddess. 

Review: *A WRINKLE IN TIME* by Madeleine L'Engle

Title: A Wrinkle in Time (Time, #1)
Author: Madeleine L'Engle
CLICK HERE FOR SYNOPSIS
Genre: Middle Grade Science Fiction/Fantasy
First published: November 30, 1961
Format: Paperback, 245 pages
Source: Bought (Target, US)
Other Details: featured in The Time Will Come meme. Click here for that post. 
My Rating: 4.5 stars





My thoughts:

This is what we, as book-lovers, thirst for. 

That magical, wondrous moment where faith conquers fear and peril reaps a happy ending.

The words we soak up from the page and into our minds and more importantly our hearts - those are what transform a story into something magical, something even great minds struggle to fathom, something better... something heavenly. 

Review: Forgotten by Cat Patrick

Title: Forgotten

Author: Cat Patrick

Genre: Young Adult

Rating: 4.5 stars

Format: Paperback,  280 pages

Release Date: June 1, 2011

Publisher: Hardie Grant Books

ISBN: 1921690623 

Source: Bought (Target)

Synopsis:

I remember forwards. I remember forwards, and forget backwards. My memories, bad, boring, or good, haven't happened yet. So I will remember standing in the fresh-cut grass with the black-clad figures surrounded by stone until I do it for real. I will remember the funeral until it happens - until someone dies. And after that, it will be forgotten. Here's the thing about me: I can see my future, but my past is blank. I see the future in flashes, like memories. I remember what I'll wear tomorrow, and a car crash that won't happen till this afternoon. But yesterday has evaporated from my mind - just like the boy I love. I can't see him in my future. I can't remember him from my past. But today, I love him. And I never want to forget how much.

My Thoughts...

I thought Forgotten was a really easily flowing read. The storyline drew me in and I couldn't stop reading from the very beginning 'til the end. It helps that the cover is gorgeous and dreamy, with such a romantic cover line. 

"My heart keeps time even when my head doesn't"

Sounds a bit cheesy though, on second thought...

It's not called a cover line though, is it? I don't know what those lines are called - the ones on the cover that lure you in. Anyone? 

Review: Chasing Odysseus by SD Gentill

Title: Chasing Odysseus (#1 in the Hero Trilogy)
Author: SD Gentill
Genre: Young Adult Adventure
Rating: 4.5 stars!
Format: Signed copy, Paperback, 370 pages
Release Date: March 7, 2011
Publisher: Pantera Press
ISBN: 987-0-9807418-6-5
Source: Won from a competition (Romi @ Where the Writer Comes to Write)


Description: 
1st book in the exciting new Hero adventure series for young adults. Four young heroes in a quest against myth, magic...and betrayal.

1 girl, 3 brothers... 4 daring young heroes...

Treachery, transformations and a deadly quest.

A thrilling adventure of ancient myth, monsters, gods, sorcerers, sirens, magic and many evils...the fall of Troy and a desperate chase across the seas in a magical ship...

Hero and her three brothers - Mac, Cad and Lycon go on this exciting and dangerous quest to prove their murdered father's honour, the betrayal by King Odysseus and the loyalty of their own people to the conquered city of Troy.

My Thoughts:

I was so excited when I found out that I had won this book in a competition at Romi's blog Where the Writer Comes to Write because I knew straight off that this was my kind of book. Chasing Odysseus incorporated so many of my favourite elements -