The Fault in Our Stars: review

Title: The Fault in Our Stars
Author: John Green
Rating: 5 stars
Summary: 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.

My Thoughts:

I never expected to write a review on this book. I mean, I don't read cancer books. And I've said that to anybody who's recommended it to me. Oh, but I am so glad I finally decided to give it a try. Now I just have to figure out how to put my thoughts into words.

First though, to be honest, this is the first book of John Green's that I've really liked. I read Paper Towns and Looking for Alaska a couple years ago, and I liked them okay, but now I guess I can say I'm a true fan, having read The Fault in Our Stars. (I'm a bit late onto that boat, but hey, I got there.) Before reading, I had no idea what the story was actually about, besides the c word, and someone named Augustus. (both of which I learned from religiously watching the videos.) I really love when books have small and unassuming summaries.

Okay. There isn't much to say. The Fault in Our Stars is a genuinely fantastic story, and I think everyone should read it. It'll probably change you, even if it's only a little. For me, I paused while reading, thought about what was said, reread passages a few times, that sort of thing. It's a thinker book. I don't come across those very often, considering how many books I read, and unfortunately it's almost unheard of in the YA section of fiction. Or maybe I just read too much fantasy.

The relationship between Hazel Grace and Augustus Waters is perfect. Perfect in the way that it's not perfect, which makes it feel so not-made-up. Their intellectual ponderings back and forth are so engaging, and there are many quote-worthy statements. On the other hand, their relationship with Van Houten is most fascinating to me, because I could never really guess how it would turn out. He is a very interesting and different character.

Even though this is a teenagers-with-cancer book...it's really not. It's a teenager book. The teenagers may talk about death a lot, well, because they'll die a lot sooner than most teenagers expect to. There is an international flight, which is slightly more unusual for a teenager book. And there is kissing. But it's safe to say any age reader would enjoy this story.

I guess, it's the way that cancer is talked about, that makes it different. Teenagers/young adults/kids have cancer...but they're still just that. Cancer is cancer, which sucks like no other, but to me, this story shows how people can separate themselves from it, if that's making any sense. The tone is uplifting, in a way that makes you crack a smile between the tears every now and then.

I think I found the right time to read this, too: A few weeks ago my mom finally reached her five-year-free of cancer anniversary. This past weekend, I walked the Susan G Komen 3-day walk with her and saw hundreds of cancer survivors and thought of the thousands that didn't. And I read most of the book with my cancerous cat wheezing on my shoulder. So safe to say, it was an emotional weekend.

My only regret upon finishing it. I wish I could go back and read it again for the first time. I didn't mind the crying, it was worth it.


-Jane

Post Script, I totally can't wait to see the movie.

The Moon and More: review

Title: The Moon and More
Author: Sarah Dessen
Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Luke is the perfect boyfriend: handsome, kind, fun. He and Emaline have been together all through high school in Colby, the beach town where they both grew up. But now, in the summer before college, Emaline wonders if perfect is good enough.

Enter Theo, a super-ambitious outsider, a New Yorker assisting on a documentary film about a reclusive local artist. Theo's sophisticated, exciting, and, best of all, he thinks Emaline is much too smart for Colby.

Emaline's mostly-absentee father, too, thinks Emaline should have a bigger life, and he's convinced that an Ivy League education is the only route to realizing her potential. Emaline is attracted to the bright future that Theo and her father promise. But she also clings to the deep roots of her loving mother, stepfather, and sisters. Can she ignore the pull of the happily familiar world of Colby?

Emaline wants the moon and more, but how can she balance where she comes from with where she's going?

Sarah Dessen's devoted fans will welcome this story of romance, yearning, and, finally, empowerment. It could only happen in the summer.

My review:


While this is not my favorite of her books, I still definitely recommend it to any Dessen or contemporary reader. It's a nice escape read, which was really good for me after reading a rather depressing and deep book. The Moon and More is on the longer side (for her books) at about 430 pages, but it's entertaining enough to deserve that length.

My favorite thing to do while reading Sarah Dessen's books is finding all the cameos along the way, from her other books. Colby is a small town, but with each book, I feel more and more familiar with it and it's people. I was able to find quite a few references in here, including a moment of "Gotcha!" which made me laugh.

Benji, Emaline's half-brother, is probably the character I like most next to Morris. My heart broke for that little ten-year-old, and if I lived in Colby, I'd totally adopt him as my little brother. He has a crazy spirit and is full of fun ideas. Morris on the other hand, IS my little brother...needing-exact-instructions and shuffle-step and everything. It's really hilarious how Emaline describes her best friend.

Emaline's famliy Realty company sounds busy, hard, and would probably be really fun to watch on a show. Her family is an odd bunch, but for the most part, everyone gets along and it's nice to read about them. I would like to see some other story off of one of those characters, even though they're all older...hm.

My main issue with the book is actually the whole relationship thing with Emaline. It seems a little weak, and even though the new-guy-love-interest (aka Theo which is an awesome name by the way) has some enjoyable quirks to start out with...well honestly he was really annoying. I feel if I met him in real life I'd just walk away while he kept talking. At first it was sweet, because he's so enthusiastic about everything in the world, but then I started to see what Emaline started to see: Not From Around Here. And I didn't really like it.

Luke, the boyfriend, was okay. He wasn't in the story overly much for me to really get a huge opinion on him. Nice guy. That's about all I can come up with. Not too much development.

Maybe that's what this book was supposed to be about, not about the boys and drama crap associated, but with Change, and how Emaline deals with that change; be it her father, Theo, Luke, Benji, school, everything. And that part of the story is really well done, that much I can say.

It's not summer anymore, but stick your feet in the sand anyway. It's a great feeling.

Dystopian Giveaway Hop!

Thanks to My Shelf Confessions and I Am A Reader, Not A Writer for hosting this hop!

You can see the complete list of hop participants here.


I'm giving away a book to two winners, from these three books. First winner picks from all, second winner picks from the remaining two.

I have a new paperback copy of Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi, and ARC of Monument 14, or an ARC of Dualed up for grabs. So enter below, and I wish you luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Looking for Guest Reviewers. Also, I found this awesome blog.

(If you're looking for the Spooktacular Blog hop giveaway, keep scrolling down a bit. It's there.)


First:

I haven't been reviewing much lately. I don't really have much of an excuse because honestly, keeping up a stream of strong opinions is kinda tiring. Not that I don't love it, but since I got back from Europe this summer, I've been rereading old books, and reading more random books, and it's been nice (and lazy) to rate it on goodreads and move on to the next one.

So, then I thought, maybe there's some people out there with budding blogs, or not even bloggers, but someone who wants to rave about this really awesome book they read recently (or maybe rant about a crappy book they read recently.) Maybe they'd want me to post their review/thoughts for them, or promote their blog. I'd probably get more of a variety of books, and I'd meet new bookish people.

If you're interested in posting a review here, send me an email, and for now, the months of November and December will be mainly consisting of guest bloggers. Assuming I get any responses...but hey, it's worth a try.


Second:

I just stumbled upon this totally awesome blog. I think it's relatively new because there is no way I could have missed this before. Now, naturally I have to tell everyone I know about it. See, it's called the Recaptains. And they save the world. One book recap at a time.

Here they are, and I added their button to my sidebar. Beware. Spoilers. (duh.)

I recently read the one for Insurgent, since I opened my copy of Allegiant yesterday and had no idea who all the minor characters were. Now I do! And Maggie Stiefvater personally wrote a recap for The Raven Boys, so go over there for the very least to read that one.


Thanks for reading,
Jane

Horde: review

*Warning: possible mild spoilers for the first two books*

See my review of Enclave, and Outpost.

Title: Horde (Razorland #3)
Author: Ann Aguirre
Rating: 5 stars
Release Date: October 29th 2013
Summary: The horde is coming.

Salvation is surrounded, monsters at the gates, and this time, they're not going away. When Deuce, Fade, Stalker and Tegan set out, the odds are against them. But the odds have been stacked against Deuce from the moment she was born. She might not be a Huntress anymore, but she doesn't run. With her knives in hand and her companions at her side, she will not falter, whether fighting for her life or Fade's love.

Ahead, the battle of a lifetime awaits. Freaks are everywhere, attacking settlements, setting up scouts, perimeters, and patrols. There hasn't been a war like this in centuries, and humans have forgotten how to stand and fight. Unless Deuce can lead them.

This time, however, more than the fate of a single enclave or outpost hangs in the balance. This time, Deuce carries the banner for the survival of all humanity.

My Review:

  Wow. I'm a bit stunned. This was better than I could even imagine. I got chills at one point, and teared up at another. It's a long book. Many things happen, trust me. I did not want this book to end.

  To be clear, this is not a zombie book. This is a book about war. A war against something they can't identify at the moment, can't really fathom. But it's certainly not zombies. And I really hope you've figured this out by now in the series. It's something way cooler than zombies. I'll just leave it at that.

  In regards to her relationship with Fade, it reminds me a bit like Wash and Zoe. Deuce is the strong, dominant one, and Fade is actually pretty emotionally compromised for a lot of this book. (Not that Wash is like that, but he isn't as much as a fighter as Zoe. Maybe this comparison just died at my fingertips.) Anyway, it's like, equality in their relationship then. Deuce is all "you can lean on my shoulder all you need, I'm here and not going anywhere. I got your back." I like her security and confidence.

  Also! Once more, Stalker is not a love triangle angle. Aguirre said so herself at the talk I went to. It's more like a love...line between the three of them. I am just so glad he isn't. He's nice and all, I guess, but totally not right for Deuce. Maybe in another universe, I can see that. But not in this storyline. The triangle that appears in the second book only really surfaces out of Deuce's ignorance on her half; she's not aware about how she is acting, and what it means. And I completely accept that as a legit mistake. It makes a good subplot. Okay, rant over now.

  I love all the new things Deuce learns every day. Small things that people have to learn, that didn't occur to me. Things like currency, what a guilty conscience is, basic cultural traditions, new words... and especially one thing that stood out: what a biased opinion is. I think this discovery really changes her world-view. To paraphrase what Deuce says, "I just thought something was true, or not true." That possibility sparks her curiosity about the history of human settlements and what exactly Freaks are, which is an essential part to the story.

  Deuce is a very strong girl. And I don't mean that in the normal kickass way (there's plenty of that!), but she's a strong person inside, too. Aguirre has figured out to make Deuce almost-girly and compassionate, because a true strong female character is strong in spirit as well. As we're seeing that, Deuce is learning that herself, too. It's okay to hug someone; that doesn't make you weak.

  Like I said though, there's plenty of ass that gets kicked. Freaks go down in the hundreds, and with Deuce leading the humans against them, reminding me of River Tam all along, you get really sucked into the war right along side everyone. So watch out, and hold your ground as you finish this fantastic trilogy.

-Jane

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop!

As usual, this annual hop is hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer, and you can find the complete list of participants down below.


For this hop, in the spirit of spookiness, I have a few options. There will be two winners! They can each choose up to two books from the ones listed below. US entries only, guys.

A Spark Unseen by Sharon Cameron is an ARC.
The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron is a hardback from the publisher, read once.
Dead Silence and Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting are ARCs, and both signed by her. :):)

I think those books all have an element of creepiness, right? You can't go wrong with a gothic setting and dead people.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Fall of Five: review

Warning, series spoilers ahead!

Title: The Fall of Five (Lorien Legacies #4)
By: Pittacus Lore
Rating: 5 stars
Summary: John Smith—Number Four—thought that things would change once the Garde found each other. They would stop running. They would fight the Mogadorians. And they would win.

But he was wrong. After facing off with the Mogadorian ruler and almost being annihilated, the Garde know they are drastically unprepared and hopelessly outgunned. Now they’re hiding out in Nine’s Chicago penthouse, trying to figure out their next move.

The six of them are powerful, but they’re not strong enough yet to take on an entire army—even with the return of an old ally. To defeat their enemy, the Garde must master their Legacies and learn to work together as a team. More importantly, they’ll have to discover the truth about the Elders and their plan for the Loric survivors.

And when the Garde receive a sign from Number Five—a crop circle in the shape of a Loric symbol—they know they are so close to being reunited. But could it be a trap? Time is running out, and the only thing they know for certain is that they have to get to Five before it’s too late.

Reivew:

   I think these books just keep getting better and better. And after the whirlwind of this one, I can't wait to get my hands on the last book of the series that I'm *hoping* comes out next year. But, you know, a tomorrow-release would be great too. Just sayin.

   The great thing is, that even though there are a lot of POVs switching in here, the different fonts make it a step easier to keep track of, and they're also all in first person. So my normally pet peeve rant about multiple POVs can be excluded from this review.

   I know the author is a pretty seasoned writer (the first book had me cringing more than once), but his writing and storytelling have gotten way better with each book in this series so far. In The Fall of Five, the mention of the "love triangle crap" is even lampshaded. That gets points from me.

   There are a few new characters introduced, Mal, Adam, and Five obviously. First two: good first impressions. Five: bad first impression. And while the character of Five is essential to all the Garde reuniting and saving the world blah blah blah...I never ended up liking him and his sweaty palms all that much. As for the rest of the Garde, Nine is annoying but funny, Marina is pretty neat, and reminds me of a sort of motherly type for the group, and Six is still the most badass.

   My favorite character is still Sam. Sam the human. (Well, Sarah is a human too. And she's a little more tolerable now.) Anyway, I feel I can connect most with him, out of all the characters in this series. Not because I'm like him at all, but I would love to be who he is in the story. The one who reacts positively when being told your best friend is an alien. I mean, who wouldn't think that's totally awesome, right?? You need help saving the world? I don't mind being the nerdy sidekick! Maybe I can help the planetary relations once this is all over. All in all, he is a Goode character, and I really hope he doesn't die.

Jane


You can see my review of the previous book, The Rise of Nine, here.