Title: What They Always Tell Us
Author: Martin Wilson
Published: August 12th 2008 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Purchase: Book Depository | Amazon
Synopsis:
James and Alex have barely anything in common anymore—least of all their experiences in high school, where James is a popular senior and Alex is suddenly an outcast. But at home, there is Henry, the precocious 10-year-old across the street, who eagerly befriends them both. And when Alex takes up running, there is James’s friend Nathen, who unites the brothers in moving and unexpected ways.

What They Always Tell Us is a character driven book exploring the lives of two brothers, Alex and James. It’s a quiet and simple book but I expected more from it so I was underwhelmed by the story.

Martin Wilson’s writing was easy to get lost into, I fell into that lazy, slow town Alex and James resided in and their individual frustrations were easy to identify with. James and Alex were both very different. James was the popular guy who wanted to escape the small town he was stuck in, he was angry, a coward and insecure though he always put up an-everything-is-fine front. Alex was avoided, isolated, vulnerable and he was always in James’s shadow.

I adored both Alex and James, it was very enjoyable reading from each of their POV. I liked the way the characters developed, James facing the issues he avoided and Alex’s quiet determination to want and to be happy. Although I felt like the supporting characters fell a bit flat and were undeveloped, they played essential roles. Each character introduced had some part in bringing Alex and James together. Henry was the biggest mystery, I felt like he was a vessel used to bring these two brothers together as his appearances were so sparse but my heart also hurt for him in those short moments he was present.

Coming of age defines this book, it was about self discovery and acceptance through the quiet happenings and encounters in their lives, not only for Alex and James, but the supporting characters as well. I liked that the themes of this book weren’t pigeonholed into one focal point but was spread across the development of James and Alex, their tentative friendships with other characters and their experiences throughout the book. It was bittersweet and painful and moving, everything a contemporary should be but it just felt average. It was a solid book but nothing I hadn’t come across before though the LGBT theme was the only aspect that set it apart from other books as it was handled so well here.

There were so many good things about this book but I was still left feeling unsatisfied. I recommend this book if you’re looking for a quick, relaxing, realistic story or you’re a fan of LGBT or coming of age.

Rating:

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The Bloglovin’ Hop is hosted by Bradi at Blkosiner’s Book Blog. I just thought it’d be a fun way to discover new blogs and if you want you can follow me on bloglovin’ too or if you’re feeling generous I recently created a facebook page.

If you’re interested in signing up then click.

So tell me, who are your book boyfriends or which characters are you madly in love with?

I just finished The Truth About Forever and I adore Wes. He’s so sweet and extraordinary indeed.

Thanks for stopping by!

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Title: It’s Kind of a Funny Story
Author: Ned Vizzini
Published: May 1st 2007 by Miramax (first published April 1st 2006)
Purchase: Book Depository | Amazon
Synopsis:
Like many ambitious New York City teenagers, Craig Gilner sees entry into Manhattan’s Executive Pre-Professional High School as the ticket to his future. Determined to succeed at life — getting into the right high school to get into the right college to get the right job — Craig studies night and day to ace the entrance exam, and does. That’s when things start to get crazy.

At his new school, Craig realizes that he’s just average, and maybe not even that. He soon sees his once-perfect future crumbling away. The stress becomes unbearable and Craig stops eating and sleeping — until, one night, he nearly kills himself.

Craig’s suicidal episode gets him checked into a mental hospital, where his new neighbors include a transsexual sex addict, a girl who has scarred her own face with scissors, and the self-elected President Armelio. There, isolated from the crushing pressures of school and friends, Craig is finally able to confront the sources of his anxiety.

Ned Vizzini, who himself spent time in a psychiatric hospital, has created a moving tale about depression, that’s definitely a funny story.

Craig is a 15 year old who lives in a nice neighbourhood, has a supportive, loving family and goes to a good school. He also has depression and on the night he decides to commit suicide, he checks himself into a hospital. I breezed through the pages of this book quite quickly. The writing was simple and easy to read while still effectively and subtly expressing the author’s thoughts on mental illness. Craig isn’t just a vessel for this purpose, he’s a well rounded, sometimes annoying character and it is his story that was told. He was very relatable as the pressure he felt is something everyone experiences to some degree. I liked the way the author dealt with the shame Craig felt for being depressed, the stigma that comes with having a mental illness or being in a psychiatric hospital.

The book wasn’t laugh out loud funny, instead taking on a dry humour that didn’t distract from the subject of depression. It was somewhat uplifting and genuine and I really liked the support the people in the psychiatric ward gave to each other. Craig spends only a few days at the hospital where he learns how to face the truths he was burying. Unfortunately, the situations that Craig encountered were forgettable and his rambling monologues irritated me.

Even though I enjoyed the story and I felt that the characters were authentic, I couldn’t connect with them at all. It’s hard to love a book having no attachment to the characters. It’s Kind of a Funny Story was realistically written and I love the development of Craig’s character and the messages in the book. It wasn’t a particularly memorable read for me but I’d still recommend you read it if you want some insight into depression.

My Recommendation: My Mad Fat Diary

I haven’t read or watched many books/shows on mental illness but I recently watched My Mad Fat Diary and I wholeheartedly recommend this show. It’s a six episode British series based on the book My Fat, Mad Teenage Diary written by Rae Earl. My Mad Fat Diary is a raw, honest portrayal of the issues teenagers face, not only mental illness, but issues like self-acceptance, body image, sexuality and so much more. It isn’t pushed in your face or presented in a condescending way but it is realistic and funny and lovable and painful. I adore the characters, the music and the relationships. The trailers don’t do this justice, just watch the first episode.

Rating:

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Title: Interview with the Vampire
Author: Anne Rice
Published: September 13th 1991 by Ballantine Books (first published 1976)
Purchase: Book Depository | Amazon
Synopsis:Here are the confessions of a vampire. Hypnotic, shocking, and chillingly erotic, this is a novel of mesmerizing beauty and astonishing force—a story of danger and flight, of love and loss, of suspense and resolution, and of the extraordinary power of the senses.

I have a like/hate relationship with Interview with a Vampire. While I didn’t particularly enjoy it, it was one of the most interesting reads due to the questions it posed and the complexity of the characters.

I hated Anne Rice’s writing style. It was grand, melodramatic and tedious to read. The pacing of the story was quite slow and I lost interest several times though I did like the placement of the turning points in the story. I liked that Anne Rice never abandoned the idea that vampires were vicious creatures yet she also presented their civility and emotions. It was a thoughtful insight into the minds of these immortal beings.

Lestat and Louis were two very different types of vampires. Lestat was the embodiment of a cruel monster, he loved the pleasure of killing often playing games with his victims. He was extravagant, crude, vain, seductive and his vengefulness and greed displayed his most human characteristics. He was very charismatic and I was much more interested in him than Louis.

For the majority of the book I abhorred Louis. Louis was very conflicted, he was determined to shun his vampire instincts and he struggled with his human consciousness and morality. His constant contemplation and indecisiveness frustrated me, with each passing page I became even more exasperated with his character though I was drawn to his intelligence, passion and I liked the way he questioned the meaning of existence. By the end of the book I was sympathetic towards him though I had great contempt for him throughout the book.

Claudia made me the most uncomfortable, her character heightened the eeriness of the book and her relationship with Louis was unsettling. I enjoyed her ambitiousness, practicality and determination though it took me a long time to accept what she was.

For much of the book nothing seemed to happen, the story revolved around the surprisingly uneventful life of Louis after becoming a vampire. Obviously, there were some exciting occurrences but the in between were long periods of Louis’ sophisticated whining. However, the last 80 pages of the book were magnificent, completely enthralling and captivating.

If you want to read a book that explores the nature of vampires then this is definitely a book you should check out. Overall, the story was thought provoking and it was told through memorable characters.

Rating:

Movie Commentary

I rewatched the movie after finishing the book. I remember loving it when I was younger, certain scenes remained unforgettable over the years despite having forgot the title. Interview with the Vampire was an entertaining movie, the performances by the actors were amazing and true to the characters of the book. Obviously, a movie can’t include everything from the book but the parts that were cut out were essential in giving the characters, especially Lestat dimensionality.

The movie doesn’t delve into the philosophical or religious questions presented in the book, it’s simply a movie about the life of a vampire. As such, the pacing was quite fast and I felt like I was jumping from scene to scene. There isn’t that fluidity but rather an erratic take on the events of the book. It was like someone throwing the exciting scenes at me without a pause of breath. It focused on all the turning points I mentioned in my review. It excelled in the disturbing imagery and I cringed at more than one scene.

Don’t expect the movie to be the book, it merely touches the surface but it does that well and overall it was an enjoyable and interesting watch.

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The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 13th and runs through Sunday, May 19th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 7.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. – From the Bout of Books team

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Here are some of the books I plan on reading:
1. Charmed: Season 9 Volume 1 by Constance M. Burge
2. If It Ain’t Love by Tamara All
3. Scott Pilgrim & the Infinite Sadness (Scott Pilgrim #3) by Bryan Lee O’Malle
4. Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together (Scott Pilgrim #4) by Bryan Lee O’Malle
5. What Really Happened in Peru (The Bane Chronicles Part #1) by Cassandra Clare

It isn’t much but like I said I’ll be doing loads of reading except it’ll be on things like blood chemistry and muscle physiology and it wouldn’t be as fun. ><

Introductory Questionnaire

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?
Trinidad and Tobago.

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?
Scott Pilgrim & the Infinite Sadness cause it’s a fun light read. Plus I need to finish out this series.

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?
Bananas, I can’t get enough of them.

4) Tell us a little something about yourself!
I procrastinate way too much, it’s the reason I’m currently cramming for exams but I’m getting distracted by cute, silly cats, ticklish lemurs, yawning slow loris and a man who can play with lions. I love reading and books, I would have loved to be involved someway in the publishing industry in my country but it’s so small and my interest in local literature has been unenthusiastic to say the least. Hopefully over the holidays I can read some more Caribbean books.

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?
Read a lot more graphic novels this time. Not that I have much of a choice in that matter.

Progress

Hour 23
I meant to make an update at hour 12 but I forgot. ^^; I finished reading Scott Pilgrim & the Infinite Sadness and What Really Happened in Peru by Cassandra Clare. I’m currently on page 50 of Speak so I’ll keep reading until the end of the read-a-thon. I feel asleep for about 2 hours and I don’t know how I managed to wake up before the readathon finished, I was so sleepy I couldn’t even turn off my computer properly! Anyhow I’m glad I’m up.

Hour 6
So six hours have passed, I can’t believe time is going so quickly. I know I said I have finals but I haven’t studied as yet! I read two books so far:
1. Charmed: Season 9 Volume 1
2. Where the Sidewalk Ends
I also stopped by and commented on about six blogs and I took part in two challenges. Let me know how the read-a-thon is going for you!

Book Spine Poetry

This is hosted by Melissa from Scuffed Slippers and Wormy Books (how brilliant of a name is that?). This challenge is quite fitting since I’ll be trying to read poetry in this read-a-thon. Anyhow here is my book spine poetry:

Re-Title Your Current Read

Hosted by Felicia from Geeky Blogger’s Book Blog. I am currently reading Where the Sidewalk Ends . I would rename it Silly, Ticklish, Feel Good Funnies.

Book Sentence Challenge

Hosted by Kate from Midnight Book Girl.

Eleanor and Park Fear The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo. xD

Picture it

Hosted by Kate and Kristen of The Book Monsters.

I’m currently reading Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson on my bed.

Mid Event Survey

1) How are you doing? Sleepy? Are your eyes tired?
I’m a bit achy and tired and I’ll probably be taking a very long break to do what should have been my first priority, study.
2) What have you finished reading?
1. Charmed: Season 9 Volume 1
2. Where the Sidewalk Ends
3) What is your favorite read so far?
Where the Sidewalk Ends was a lot of fun to read and I laughed at the many silly, creative poems.
4) What about your favorite snacks?
I’ve been eating mostly fruits though I did sneak in a cookie or two. My favourite has to be these delicious, sweet red plums.
5) Have you found any new blogs through the readathon? If so, give them some love!
Books With Benefits: I love tumblr book blogs, this one has a lot of pretty pictures and quotes and books.
Little Bird Reads: Really adorable site, I love the colours of the layout.
Elizabeth Michelle: I love the colour combination and all the pretty fonts. Her blog is filled with photography and I love the poetry posts.
Book Need Love This blog has many informative reviews and he’s a booktuber.
I also stopped by on a few other blogs but I didn’t keep track of them. >_<

Recreate a Book with a Food Theme

Hosted by Azuki’s Book Cafe
The City of Chefs:
Clary Fray, a self-proclaimed foodie, travels all over New York City in search of the most delicious and exotic foods. Her passion for food leads her to the extraordinary restaurant Shadowhunters where her taste buds become mesmerized by the French cuisine such as steak au poivre, cassoulet and heavenly tarte tatin. Entranced with the restaurant she embarks on a journey to earn a position in the famous Shadowhunters’ kitchen.

End of event meme

Which hour was most daunting for you?
Hour 20, I think I fell asleep a little after hour 20. I knew I wasn’t going to make the full 24 hours, I was so tired but then I woke up to see the final two hours.

Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
Graphic Novels. If you want fun and ridiculous then try the Scott Pilgrim series. Dark and dramatic? V for Vendetta. Sweet but just a bit heartbreaking? Blankets. You could also try manga like Fullmetal Alchemist, Death Note, Monster and Vagabond. Some books I’d recommend are A Monster Calls, Eleanor & Park, The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare or you can try some rereads.

Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
I never know how to answer this question because each time I participate it’s always awesome.

What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
There were some very unique challenges, it was refreshing to try them.

How many books did you read?
4
What were the names of the books you read?
1. Charmed: Season 9 Volume 1 by Constance M. Burge
2. Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
3. Scott Pilgrim & the Infinite Sadness (Scott Pilgrim #3) by Bryan Lee O’Malley
4. What Really Happened in Peru by Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan

Which book did you enjoy most?
Where the Sidewalk Ends

Which did you enjoy least?
What Really Happened in Peru was a bit disappointing though it was entertaining.

If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?
I was not a cheerleader but they’re fantastic, I love the cheers so thank you for motivating me.

How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
Hopefully I’d have nothing going on at the time so I can dedicate myself fully to the readathon and I’d love to be a cheerleader next time!

The post Dewey’s 24 Hour Read-a-Thon 2013 appeared first on Chasing Quills.

Title: Clockwork Princess
Author: Cassandra Clare
Published: Published March 19th 2013 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
Purchase: Book Depository | Amazon
Synopsis: Tessa Gray should be happy – aren’t all brides happy?
Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute.
A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa’s heart, will do anything to save her.

Clockwork Princess is without a doubt one of the most fulfilling conclusions to a trilogy. It was an intense, captivating, emotional roller coaster of a read and I definitely recommend this series to everyone.

Cassandra Clare managed to do what she failed to do in her previous books; have me completely absorbed in every aspect of the story. I wanted to devour this book and know everything yet I was not ready to say goodbye to the most wonderful, brilliant, strong cast of characters I’ve ever come across. I love how all the lives of those living in the London Institute had become intertwined so intimately and I was able to read from each of their perspective, it made even more attached to them. I was impressed by how wise, brave and strong each character was. The scenes between Will and Jem were so precious and personal, it just portrayed how much they meant to each other.

I liked that it wasn’t only love I felt for Will and Jem, but frustration and anger and pain especially towards Jem. It showed me that he wasn’t this one dimensional glorified saint but a flawed human being. I had a lot more appreciation for Tessa by the end of the novel, I liked her throughout the series but I didn’t feel as strongly towards her as I had for practically every other character in The Infernal Devices.

Mortmain wasn’t this forgettable abstract being like in the previous books but a very real, terrible threat. He played the role of a villain very well in Clockwork Princess and I liked that though he did evil things and was a horrible person, Cassandra Clare showed that he was once a normal human.

There were so many things happening in the story; there was the development of friendships and romances, characters’ motives being made clear, the discovery of oneself and battling multiple threats. Everything combined to give a heartbreaking, action packed, beautiful story. When I thought I had a grip on my emotions, they were thrown by some shocking twist or heart crumpling revelation. Despite all the things Cassandra Clare put the reader through she still made this a very satisfying read. If you haven’t read The Infernal Devices, then please move this up in your TBR. The series only got better with each book.

Rating:

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Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This is one of my favourite topics, it’s always a pleasant surprise to like a book more than you think you would have but obviously it’s incredibly disappointing when you dislike a book you had high hopes for. While doing this I realized there are a lot more books I expected to love but ended up disliking them. =/

Top Five Books I Thought I’d Like Less Than I Did

I remember thinking that the Gone series sounded so ridiculous but then a few booktubers convinced me to buy the series and now it’s one of my favourites. I went into the other books having no expectations but they all became my favourite books. I only bought Saving Francesca because it is the prequel to The Piper’s Son but I ended up loving it more. I have no love for YA paranormal but I adored The Summoning, I read the entire series in 3 days. Wanderlove was the most relatable book I ever read and The Art of Fielding was a completely absorbing and fulfilling read.

Top Five Books I Thought I’d Like More Than I Did

The dazzling reviews for Obsidian made me pick it with high hopes and while the story was entertaining it just struck me as meh. The same could be said about Hex Hall, funny and light but an uninteresting story. I just didn’t like Pushing the Limits as much as I thought I would. Cinder was the biggest disappointment, it still hurts me to think about it but I couldn’t connect with the story at all. Sunday’s at Tiffany’s is my best friend’s favourite book but I couldn’t even finish it, the romance creeped me out and the love interest felt like a cardboard cut out.

The post Top Ten Books I Thought I’d Like MORE/LESS Than I Did appeared first on Chasing Quills.

Title: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
Author: E. Lockhart
Published: March 25th 2008 by Disney-Hyperion
Purchase: Book Depository | Amazon
Synopsis:
Frankie Landau-Banks at age 14: Debate Club. Her father’s “bunny rabbit.” A mildly geeky girl attending a highly competitive boarding school.

Frankie Landau-Banks at age 15: A knockout figure. A sharp tongue. A chip on her shoulder. And a gorgeous new senior boyfriend: the supremely goofy, word-obsessed Matthew Livingston.

Frankie Laundau-Banks. No longer the kind of girl to take “no” for an answer. Especially when “no” means she’s excluded from her boyfriend’s all-male secret society. Not when her ex boyfriend shows up in the strangest of places. Not when she knows she’s smarter than any of them. When she knows Matthew’s lying to her. And when there are so many, many pranks to be done.

Frankie Landau-Banks, at age 16: Possibly a criminal mastermind.

This is the story of how she got that way.

I read this book as a result of a youtube book review which described it as one that should be read by all teenagers. My expectations were high and I greatly hoped it would live up to the praise it received from one of my favourite book reviewers. Unfortunately, it did not though it was an enjoyable read and I liked the approach to issues presented in the book. I will say that this book should be read by all teenagers because you will learn a thing or two from it.

Frankie is unlike most YA heroines. She comes from a good family and home, acknowledges that at most times she’s fairly pretty and she’s a strategist. I most enjoy the last aforementioned trait of her character; her analysis of situations and interactions. Frankie is also brave as shown by her standing up for herself and breaking those unwritten rules. However, none of the other characters grew on me, I felt nothing for them.

I did not like this book as I thought I would and it was cumbersome waiting for something to happen. It was only after the discovery of a club that I became wholly invested in this book and what Frankie’s actions were to be. I did not like Matthew and his relationship with Frankie though it was probably necessary to reveal certain issues but the romance irritated me. The reverence to which Frankie held Matthew and his friends also bothered me and at times she could be a little ridiculous.

I loved the way the author approached issues of standards among men and women, the behavioural rules society is expected to follow and how it is reflected among relationships and interactions between people. I liked a particular theory presented in the book, it made me think of my own actions and I was able to have discussions with my friends who dislike reading. I think that is very valuable, even if the characters seemed ‘meh’ at times, I kept thinking of the book weeks after I finished it.

Not only did I love it for the theories as I thought the pranks were fun and awesome, it made me like Frankie even more and I loved the ending. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks is a fun light read that leaves much to think about though it didn’t feel like the author was forcefully teaching me, it was subtle and I came away learning a few things.

Rating:

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Title: Thin Ice
Author: Mikael Engström
Published: Published April 01, 2011 by Little Island
Received From: Book Depository for review
Purchase: Book Depository
Synopsis:
Where would you rather live – in a lonely flat with your drunk father, only bearable when your big brother is home? Or in a small, snowy village with a frozen lake, where your aunt burns books to keep the house warm, and a girl called Pi makes your heart beat a bit too fast, and your cranky old neighbour teaches you to catch fish that look like ice dragons, and a hawk owl watches out for you by night?

Mik has been skating on thin ice his entire life. When he is forced to leave his new home with his aunt Lena, he leaves behind icy northern Sweden and all his new friends, and his life becomes a living nightmare. Through forests and along train lines, over rapids and waterfalls, Mik is determined that nothing will stop him from finding home at last.

Thin Ice revolves around the life of Mik. It’s a dark and dreary story though filled with adventure, eccentric characters, quiet towns and imagination. While I wanted to like this book I couldn’t connect with it at all.

I did not like the writing style; the sentences were short and sometimes clumsily put together making the prose awkward to read. Chapters and certain scenes ended abruptly and the pacing was far too slow for my enjoyment. However, Mikael Engström’s writing was able to express his character’s feelings expertly and further into the book I adjusted to his style. There were certain chapters that expressed how dark and painful Mik’s life was but it was balanced with bursts of humour, great friendships and crazy adventure.

Thin Ice was filled with odd characters. There was a girl who sucked on the earlobes of strangers, a woman who burned trashy books to keep warm and old men who never spoke to each other though they were twins. Despite my enjoyment of this interesting cast, the characters felt one dimensional and they were still a mystery. I couldn’t bring myself to care for any of them. Mik was the only well developed character in Thin Ice. He made bad decisions and was annoying but throughout the book he gained courage and understanding and I liked the way he fiercely fought for the life he wanted. I liked his childish innocence and imagination and it took me back to when I was a child.

I liked the relationships between the characters and the strong community. Selet, though cold was a heart warming place to read about and I liked the messages the book tried to bring across but I’ve seen it portrayed better. Thin Ice just wasn’t the book for me, I couldn’t get into the story until the last 100 pages and even that wasn’t satisfying enough to erase the issues I had with it.

Rating:

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