Fallen by Lauren Kate

Title: Fallen

Author: Lauren Kate

Publisher: Doubleday

Released: January 1st 2009

Pages: 452 (Paperback)

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US

Add on Goodreads

SOME ANGELS ARE DESTINED TO FALL.

Instant. Intense. Weirdly familiar . . .

The moment Luce looks at Daniel she knows she has never felt like this before. Except she can't shake the feeling that she has . . . and with him - a boy she doesn't remember ever setting eyes on.

Will her attempt to find out why enlighten her - or destroy her?

Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic....

The first time I read Fallen was when I was twelve years old and it had first been released. It was love from the very first page, and I remember anxiously waiting a year for the sequel, Torment, to be released. Yet when it was finally released, I didn't feel the same spark I had when reading Fallen, and so I never continued on with the series. However, recently I haven't been able to get the series out of my mind and so I thought hey - why not?

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Title: Insurgent

Author: Veronica Roth

Publisher: HarperCollins

Released: May 1st 2012

Pages: 525 (Paperback)

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US

Add on Goodreads

I HAVE DONE BAD THINGS.
I CAN'T TAKE THEM BACK, 
AND THEY ARE PART OF WHO I AM.

Tris has survived a brutal attack on her former home and family. But she has paid a terrible price. Wracked by grief and guilt, she becomes ever more reckless as she struggles to accept her new future.

Yet if Tris wants to uncover the truth about her world, she must be stronger than ever... because more shocking choices and sacrifices lie ahead.

It's always the way, isn't it, in dystopian trilogies? Fantastic first book and then second book syndrome. The first time I read Insurgent, I was swept away by the trilogy on a whole and it could do no wrong. But now that I've reread it, I can actually pick out some major faults. Whilst I still enjoyed it, I didn't enjoy it enough to warrant the previous five star rating.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Title: Divergent

Author: Veronica Roth

Publisher: HarperCollins

Released: February 2nd 2012

Pages: 489 (Paperback)

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US

Add on Goodreads

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

After receiving a copy of Allegiant for review, I thought that to celebrate (aaaand to remind myself of the story) I'd reread both Divergent and Insurgent. Now I always remembered that I'd found Divergent addictive and very difficult to put down, but I think I forgot to what extent. All I can say is Bloody. Hell. After all this time, it is still one of the best dystopian novels I have ever read.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Title: The Fault in Our Stars
Author: John Life-Ruiner Green
Publisher: Dutton
Released:  January 10th 2012
Pages: 313 (Hardback)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now. 

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault. 

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

The Declaration by Gemma Malley

Title: The Declaration
Author: Gemma Malley
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Released: October 2nd 2007
Pages: 304 (Paperback)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US


Anna Covey is a ‘Surplus’. She should not have been born. In a society in which ageing is no longer feared, and death is no longer an inevitability, children are an abomination.

Like all Surpluses, Anna is living in a Surplus Hall and learning how to make amends for the selfish act her parents committed in having her. She is quietly accepting of her fate until, one day, a new inmate arrives. Anna’s life is thrown into chaos. But is she brave enough to believe this mysterious boy?

A tense and utterly compelling story about a society behind a wall, and the way in which two young people seize the chance to break free.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K.Rowling

Title: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Author: J.K.Rowling
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Released: June 30th 1997
Pages: 223 (Paperback)
Buy: Amazon

Harry Potter thinks he is an ordinary boy. He lives with his Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and cousin Dudley, who make him sleep in a cupboard under the stairs. Then Harry starts receiving mysterious letters and his life is changed for ever. He is whisked away by a beetle-eyed giant of a man and enrolled in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The reason: Harry Potter is a wizard!

Matched by Ally Condie

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.


The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

I've read this novel before, but it was way over a year ago, and considering I wanted to read the second installment soon, I thought I should reread this and remind myself of the story. And oh my - I forgot how good it was! The setting is in a dystopian future where the Society dictates everything that happens, from what poems people can read, to what songs they can listen to, to what careers they can have, to who they are Matched to - their lifelong partner the Society decides the individual will breed the best with; their own free will has been taken from them. The plot is set around Cassia Reyes, your ordinary girl in this world. It starts on the day of her Match, where she gets matched to her best friend. But when she takes a microcard home to learn more about Xander's life, his face doesn't come up: Ky's does instead. The story is about Cassia trying to stay beneath the radar, whilst learning more about how the Society is pretty corrupt.

Firstly, I love all the characters in this book, especially Ky and Xander. Usually in love triangles, there is always a certain character you are rooting for - but not with these two. You can't dislike either one of them, because they are both so lovely. In a way, I suppose it is a bit irritating, since I'm sure everyone would want a guy like either one of them - and Cassia gets two! But you can't dislike her either because she is just as lovely, and I found that I could easily relate to her open-mindedness and curiosity. Despite the generation difference, she is still a teenager, and Condie really makes that apparent. What I think I liked best about all the main characters in general was how rebellious they all were, but in a way that was unique to them. In a Society like that, you expect most people to be quite mindless - to just go along with whatever the Official's say because it keeps them all safe. But not all of these characters do, which makes it more interesting to read because you are constantly anticipating when they are going to get caught and what for.

I also like the idea of Matching. Of course, I wouldn't like to be Matched personally, but I think the idea of it is interesting: in order to create the "perfect" controlled world, you can't even fall in love with who you want to. And in reality, that does happen for some people - and it really makes you take a step back and think about the world as a whole, and not just how things are in your particular country. I found it eye-opening.

Overall, I loved this book. If you like novels like Bumped and Divergent, I reckon you'll love this!
Rating: 4/5

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Set on the island of Nantucket, STARCROSSED tells the tale of Helen Hamilton, a young woman whose destiny is forever altered when she meets Lucas Delos and tries to kill him in front of her entire high school. Which is terribly inconvenient, not only because Lucas is the most beautiful boy on the island, but also because Helen is so achingly shy she suffers physical pain whenever she is given too much attention. 

Making matters worse, Helen is beginning to suspect she’s going crazy. Whenever she’s near Lucas or any member of his family she sees the ghostly apparitions of three women weeping bloody tears, and suffers the burden of an intense and irrational hate. She soon learns that she and Lucas are destined to play the leading roles in a Greek tragedy that the Three Fates insist on repeating over and over again throughout history. Like her namesake, Helen of Troy, she’s destined to start a war by falling in love. But even though Lucas and Helen can see their own star-crossed destiny, they’re still powerfully attracted to each other. Will they give up their personal happiness for the greater good, or risk it all to be together?

So in anticipation for the upcoming release of the next installment of this series, Dreamless, I decided to reread the first one - Starcrossed. And it was as every bit as good as I remembered it, if not more. The plot is basically about the main character, Helen, and how she finds out she is a demigod with some freaking awesome powers. Her realization that she's a demigod instantly sets off a series of chain reactions, with serious consequences. Wow, okay, I sound like I'm writing out another synopsis. On to the review:

I really love the idea of Greek mythology, and I genuinely find it interesting. I think the idea that history is constantly repeating itself and that Scions are forever in a cycle encircled around the Fates and the Furies is fascinating. I mean, imagine having no choice but to follow what they say - because what they say is how it is. One of the biggest story plots I think for the next book is Helen and her friend's trying to get every Scion out of that never-ending cycle, which should be super interesting because it will mean that she has to visit Purgatory (or that's what I take that it is, anyway. They don't specifically say that, but anyway...)

I also love the characterization of Helen, Claire, Lucas and Hector. For me, I find them to be the four main characters in the book, even though it is pretty much just centered around Helen and Lucas. Each one of them has very different personalities, so when you put them all together it leads to hilarious outcomes. I also like the relationship between Helen and Lucas, and throughout the entire book you know there is some underlying secret as to why they can't properly be together that Lucas is keeping from Helen, which does keep you on your toes throughout the novel. But, for me, although I do like it, some aspects of it were a bit unbelievable. I know the novel is based on fantasy and mythology, but I think the aim of novels like this is to inspire the reader to imagine that their best friend could suddenly turn around and go "I'm a vampire/demigod/werewolf/mythical-being-that-isn't-ready-but-it-actually-is-because-I'm-one", so I suppose that from these books I do expect a certain aspects of realism from them. And whilst I did find a lot of it believable, their relationship just didn't work for me. I hate to say this, because the book is so addictive and amazing, but their relationship did remind me of Edward and Bella for Twilight. And everyone knows that I'm not a fan of that. When the pair were apart, they were both lifeless, and days in the books passed when they weren't talking without Angelini writing about them, as if life was suddenly meaningless to them. And whilst I know the story behind Helen of Troy and Paris was that they were so desperately and passionately in love that they couldn't be apart, it's still a bit pathetic, and Helen never came across to me as the pathetic, clingy, needy type, so that did spoil it a bit for me.

Anyway, despite that one flaw (in my eyes, anyway) this book is amazing - this series is amazing! - and I am so excited for Dreamless, I can't even speak about it. Look out for a review coming your way in a week or two!
Rating: 4/5

Lola Rose by Jacqueline Wilson

Lola Rose is definitely one for her older readers, however. Jayni, her mum and little brother Kenny are forced to flee their family home when Jayni's dad starts hitting her too--as if it wasn't enough that he battered his wife about already. A desperate flight to London is made bearable when Jayni's mum wins £10,000 on a lottery scratch card and treats everybody to whatever they want. It's a chance to start again and have an adventure--and to forget. They even get to pick new names so that they can hide better. Jayni picks out "Lola Rose"--an exotic-sounding name she finds in one of the magazines she is so fond of cutting up and pasting into her scrapbooks.
But the lottery money doesn't last forever and Lola's mum finds it harder than she thought being away from her husband. However, it's definitely the start of something better for everyone despite a few hiccups along the way. 

It has literally been years since I read this novel! I was up in the attic the other day, and I found it in a bag along with a few other Jacqueline Wilson books. Up until the publishing of either 'Cookie' or 'My Sister Jodie', I'd read every Wilson book there was, and most multiple times. But since I was eleven, I'd stopped reading them, and a few months ago I gave the majority of them away, leaving just a few left; including this one. I got this copy at a theatre performance of Wilson's 'Midnight'. No one had chosen it because it was already a bit dog-eared and ripped from being carted around, but being my unwanted-book-rescuing self, I bought it. And I've never had the heart to give it away.

Anyway, up until yesterday, I hadn't realized how utterly depressing it really is. I always knew Wilson dealt with serious topics in children's books, and although at the time I thought I completely understood everything, I can see now that most of it went over my head. When I finished it, my mum took one look at me and said "You feel really depressed now, don't you?". Books can affect my mood anyway, but pretty powerful ones can knock me a bit. And this is no exception. Basically, Jayni's father is a domestic abuser, and so her, her mum and her little brother, Kenny, run away to start of somewhere fresh with £10,000 lottery money. You'd think they'd be pretty safe, to a certain extent like that - but their mother is a pretty terrible mother; she drinks, she smokes, she cheats, she leaves the children (roughly ages 11 and 5) home alone for days, and spends money on ridiculous things - so of course, they get into a bit of trouble along the way. And if you didn't think that was a bit much for a child to handle, Wilson also talks about obesity and breast cancer.

I do like the characters in this novel - but not love. Looking at the bad side of them, the mum is a terrible mother, Jayni is really harsh to her younger brother, and Kenny whines about everything. But I guess some families can be like that at times, and if I picked at the best parts of them, I have grown attached. Jayni is a really strong character, and I have to say I can relate to her at that age more than I'd perhaps like to.And the mum, although she had her faults, did get her act together when it was absolutely necessary.

I have to say, I really respect Wilson as an author, because I don't know anyone else who takes serious topics and turns them into novels that are easy and engaging for children/young teens to understand. And not just young teenagers - I'm fifteen, yet I'm still reading it! She's a brilliant writer, and she manages to create these amazing and very different characters - no two are alike. So I think that even though children may not completely understand these issues, the characters and storyline are enought to attract them.

Admittedly, I do think that possibly talking about some of these topics is a bit hard-hitting, especially since most books are aimed at children from eight to twelve. I reckon this book would have been better if it was aimed at an even older audience - maybe thirteen, fourteen year olds - because I think their perception of it would be higher than that of a younger child's. If you're around my age and haven't read this book, I think you should, just for fun! Even if their target audience is a few years younger than my age, they are still addictive.
Rating:3/5

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.
It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plains - except Katniss.
The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay - no matter what the personal cost.
Note - this review will have spoilers, so if you haven't read this book yet, steer clear!

I remember that the first time I read this book, I was left completely confused. The first two parts of the novel are brilliant - it's everything I think that fans wanted to happen at the end. At times, it was a bit annoying when Katniss doesn't really do much - and even though she has been put through a lot, it's hard to see her as the girl that entered the first Games. And she isn't, of course, she's changed a lot; but barely any of her fight is left. She just wants revenge, and has become pretty selfish, which ruins her slightly, because that was certainly one characteristic she never had to begin with.

Another thing I wasn't certain of was District 13. It's just another Capitol, really, except they hate on the Capitol rather than the districts. Of course they had many reasons to hate them, but I just felt like everyone had moved from one Game to another, and that nothing would change. However, Coin's execution changed that, and I think that was very clever on Collin's part - there is no real indication that that will happen, and when I first read it I had to reread that paragraph quite a few times before I realized it said 'President Coin' and not 'President Snow'. The cliff-hangers and surprises are still consistant through Mockingjay, and have been throughout the whole series.

However, one thing I really didn't like was the ending. The whole novel leads up to this moment, this overthrowing of the Capitol, and the tension builds and rises and the suspense is so thick and - disappointment. Up until the assasination of Coin, it's fine - but then Katniss gets taken into a room and all you are told about is her going mental. It was just so disappointing. But even that's okay, until the very very end. From reading it again, I can tell that it was always Peeta. The first time, I thought it was an equal change between him and Gale, but no - it was always Peeta. And I think that was the ending most fans wanted - but the way it was done didn't seem realistic enough. Katniss tells you that they get close again, that they develop a romantic relationship and fall in love - but you don't see it, which I think would have been the perfect ending; especially after everything that happened to Peeta with the hijacking. But it wasn't, and it still doesn't feel completely genuine.

But despite my complaints, it is a good book, and an utterly breathtaking and unique trilogy. I know this won't be the last time I read it, because it is so addictive, and I don't think there will ever be another series like this that is even half as good. Collins is such a good author, and even though I've said it before, her characterization is brilliant, and I don't think there are many characters that I didn't get attached to. With the films being made, more and more people will be reading the books - but I'd honestly recommend reading the series before watching it, because even the best movie still wouldn't be as good as either of the novels.
Rating:4/5

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol - a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.
Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.

I can't believe how quickly that book went! For some reason, I remember it being quite long, but I felt like I finished it in no time. Although Catching Fire isn't as good as The Hunger Games, it is still an utterly amazing read, and if you loved the first novel then you must continue!

My favourite thing about this book has to be the characters that are introduced. At the beginning, the new ones all seem a bit pathetic and you don't bond with them quite like you do with the others, like Rue, Thresh and Foxface. But suddenly, you do. I adore Finnick, Johanna, Wiress and Beetee, with their conflicting personalities and strengths, and you can't help but feel their pain as well as Katniss', Gale's and Peeta's. I think Collins has an incredible knack and creating these characters, because no two are alike, yet you end up loving them all for different reasons.

One thing I'm a bit at odds about is the storyline. The plot for the trilogy is fantastic, but in a way, Catching Fire is like the bridge from The Hunger Games to Mockingjay. Everything is quite fast-paced, and you don't go as deep into the storyline as you did beforehand because Collins had to make it a lot of it brief to fit it all in. In some ways, I'd say this is the longest book because it does cover so much ground - just lightly. But in a way, I feel like I can't criticise it because it had to be done to make this trilogy complete. So I guess I'd say if you love the first book, but don't get quite the same feeling with this one, just brush it off - the finale is spectacular! But nevertheless, this is a great novel and a great series, so if you haven't read it, go out and get a copy!
Rating:4/5

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.
Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

 Considering the Hunger Games film came our last Friday, and the fact that I haven't read the trilogy since February 2011, I thought heck, why not? And I had honestly forgotten how addictive this book can be.

From the opening paragraph, I was rehooked, and easily fell back into the mood of the storyline. I think that is one of the main key features to this trilogy; it's not just a brilliant storyline, but you can follow the story easily, and I have never found that I have to force myself to read any particular bit of the book, because it's all interesting - and I think that it is actually hard to find a book that you could happily read for a whole day, solid. I also love how Collins has created the characters, making each one likeable for their own different reasons - well, okay, apart from President Snow. But I've always felt like I bond with a range of the characters, and I think that no matter who you are, or what book genre you prefer, there is at least one character you can possibly relate to - whether that be Gale, Katniss, Peeta, Prim, Rue, or even Haymitch. And I think that despite how it is set in a dystopian future, it is made realistic because of characters and how although they have bigger responsibilities, at the end of the day they are teenagers just like us. I think how Collins manages to make that connection between the books and the readers is brilliant, and is one of the many reasons she is one of my favourite authors.

If you haven't read this series and are contemplating going to see the film, please try to grab a copy and read it first! The movie definitely did it justice, but it has nothing on the book.
Rating:5/5

Paper Towns by John Green

Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life--dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge--he follows.
After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues--and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees of the girl he thought he knew.


This was the first book that I ever read by Green, and I still adore it. Unlike other of his characters, the main character Q is actually pretty normal - I mean, his has friends, he had a girlfriend, he's pretty cute, and he isn't a complete social outcast - but you can still really connect with him, which I think is key with any good book; you have to be able to relate to the main character. I have to say, I don't dislike any of the characters in this book - I think there isn't a specific person you can hate on. Well...apart from Jase - but no one really cares about him. The whole of Q's hang are so hilarious, that despite the possibly depressing storyline, you can't help but snort with laughter at least once every chapter. Especially with Ben - merlin, he is so funny! Green's own humor and wit is poured into each and every character, and I really think that he is what makes each of these books unique and amazing. His characterization is brilliant, and he tells you just enough information about each character - not enough for you to get bored, but not little enough for you to get irritated. I also loved the ending - it wasn't your perfect tale, but then again, life isn't perfect, and I just think that that was the best ending this book could wish for, and it leaves readers satisfied and possibly in tears. I would definitely recommend this book - and all of Green's other novels - to anyone who is a fan of Lauren Oliver, David Levithan, Jenny Downham and more.
Rating:4/5

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical.


I haven't read this book in a while, and now I completely remember the reason why I'm in love with it. After you finish reading, an undescribable calm descends upon you. It is a life-changing book, and every time you read it, that sense of life-change overtakes you once more. As I'm sure I've mentioned a billion times, there aren't enough books around that concentrate on homosexuality - and this is exactly what this book does. And no, it isn't focused on homophobia - it is about embracing the fabulous gay, and accepting yourself for who you are. Another thing I really love about this book is the idea of meeting someone with the same name as you (hence the title Will Grayson, Will Grayson). Both Green and Levithan have a Will Grayson each, and I have to say that despite having the same names, their characters could not be more seperate. Green's WG is a quiet, slightly wimpish, straight character, who is in some ways your typical boy - especially when it comes to girls. As I've said before, all of Green's characters are incredibly realistic, and you can relate to all of them, no matter whether they are male or female. Will's feelings are so strong, and I nearly burst into tears myself a couple of times at his realization. I also loved the character of Tiny! Although it is hard to imagine a mental image of him, you can't help but admire him, fictional or not. As for Levithan's Will...well, I have to say that I related to him a lot more than the other Will, but that's just me personally. I can be a bit pessimistic in life, and I could understand a lot of Will's views and opinions. As the story unfolded, I couldn't help but cringe at some of the things that went on, mainly because you can so strongly feel his regret and indecision. I also felt a great understanding with the character of Maura - although she was a strong witch with a capital B, in a strange way, I could understand why she did what she did. It was wrong, of course, and horrible of her - but it was partly Will's fault too, for not treating it like a proper friendship. But then again, people deserve their own privacy, and she way overstepped the line. I guess one of the things that makes this book unique is how accurate the friendships are. It shows both how strong and how breakable friendships can be, and it doesn't sugarcoat anything - including the ending. I have to say, the ending is the only thing I can pick at - but I can't pick at it as well, because there is no other possible ending. I mean, there is, of course - but those endings wouldn't have been half as good. This ending, although disappointing for my whole ship of Tiny/Will.2, is the best ending you can have - it leads plently for the imagination, but it tells us enough to know that things will turn out okay. It is a very realistic book, and I think I will forever hold it in my Top Ten books to read because of not just that, but also because the story will just leave you pouring with tears whilst singing at the very top of your voice. There isn't any book like it.
Rating:5/5

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton’s type is girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times, to be exact.
On a road trip miles from home, this anagram-happy, washed-up child prodigy has ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a bloodthirsty feral hog on his trail, and an overweight, Judge Judy-loving best friend riding shotgun but no Katherines. Colin is on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship, avenge Dumpees everywhere, and finally win him the girl.

So this is the second time I have read this book, and I can safely say that I love it just as much as I did the first time. Admittedly, out of all of Green's books, this is my least favourite, but probably because I connect with the main character, Colin Singleton, less than I do with main characters in his other books - for instance, Miles in Looking For Alaska. But nevertheless, it is a great book, and I think I see it as a post break-up manual-guide - as in, How To Get Over Your Ex. It isn't a manual of any sort of course, but I do find that it is quite soothing to read, and after you finish it, you feel a sense of calm wash over you. I have to say that one of the best things of this novel is the character Lindsey. I know for a fact that she is one of Green's favourite characters, and it's easy to see why - she's witty, hilarious, charming and real; we all know a girl like her, and I think that we all can relate to her in some way or another too. The moral of this book is that you should always be true to yourself, no matter what - and that it's who you are inside that counts, not what's on the outside. It also talks about how important the art of storytelling is - being able to tell a good story is not just entertaining, but it is a valuable asset - I mean, where would we be with aboriginal tales and fairytales? Bored out of our minds, that's where. I would recommend this book to anyone going through a tough break up, anyone who is a maths-nerd/closet-romance-novel-lover, and anyone who just enjoys a good story - because although it does take a while to get the wheels rolling, once the novel is in full swing, it is very good.
Rating:4/5

Looking For Alaska by John Green

So to celebrate the release of John Green's latest novel, The Fault In Our Stars (to be released on 10th January), I decided that I would spend the ten days following up to it re-reading all of Green's books I had. And, considering it is my favourite, I decided to start with Looking For Alaska.

Miles Halter is fascinated by famous last words and tired of his safe life at home. He leaves for boarding school to seek what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the "Great Perhaps." Much awaits Miles at Culver Creek, including Alaska Young. Clever, funny, screwed-up, and dead sexy, Alaska will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps. 


I'd like to firstly say that Green is not just an amazing blogger and nerdfighter, but a brilliant author, too. The way he writes just engages young adult audiences effortlessly, with his easy wit and charm, which flows into his characters, making them seem more alive and real. This book is no exception. The characters of Pudge, Alaska, the Colonel, Takumi and even Lara are so brilliantly portrayed, it's like you're watching all this action unfold before you. They are exactly how teenagers are - they're not perfect, they make stupid mistakes, they argue, they swear, they drink, they get caught - and I think that is definitely what appeals to me the most; how you can relate to every character in at least some way. The story is also very realistic, which again adds to the relation. I also love the emotion in 'After' - I know I'm saying this a lot, but it is so real, you can just feel their emotions of guilt, sadness and confusion wash over you, and it genuinely affects your own emotions, just for that bit. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves YA novels full of friendship, firsts, and lasts.
Rating:5/5