Showing posts with label Rated - 5 STARS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rated - 5 STARS. Show all posts

BR - A Monster Calls By Patrick Ness




Note: There are so many reviews i need to update you on. i have discovered some wonderful aussie books. you have such gems to look out for. jellicoe road and the pipers son by melina marchetta, grafitti moon and a little wanting son by cath crawley (which i will be reviewing on the blog soon. they are lovely reads) the book thief by marcus zusak. This is shyness, jasper jones and fury are also a  few others i look forward to.  I just watched my week with marilyn. had a lot of great moments. and although i was really worried about her playing marilyn, i think she did a darn good job. some very quotable moments there too. And then last night i watched Watchmen with the little bro (was badass. rorschach anyone?) had a good time with it. got some crisps and chocolate and drinks and had our own little bonding movie night :)


Rating: 






 

After all the wonderful reviews on here, I knew I had to buy this book. So I walked into my local book-store today, determined and with a purpose. Determined that I was going to leave with this book in my hand. I walked in knowing that I had only ever seen one copy of the book in the store. So all I could do was cling on to hope. Thank god. The relief I felt at A MONSTER CALLS sitting there, almost waiting for me, is just indescribable.    

I started it two hours ago. I read it in one sitting.    

I think I expected it to be more like full-on grief books. Where there's a lot of heavy punches and an element of surprise. But with this book, things were more subtle, but amazingly, it had the same impact - if not more. I don't think I've ever seen that before. The author is obviously very talented.  

I cried. I did. More than once. And the first time it happened I didn't see it coming at all. But the tears wouldn't stop. I'm still not quite myself. Normally you read something profound, you let it out and eventually you move on. I think this one is going to stick around for a while.  

There are so many people out there who have gone through and are going through what Conor is. But the way this story is told and the way it handles this subject matter is just amazing in my opinion. Such sensitivity and understanding. You watch on as this boy is in such denial that he almost starts to believe it himself. He believes that his mother is going to be ok, that his grandmother is the enemy. And it is absolutely heart - breaking, because all I can keep thinking about, is how much I want to take this scared, lost and grieving boy in my arms and tell him how sorry I am.   

But there is someone who wants something from him. Who has come to him for a purpose, The Monster. But this monster isn't the one that enters his nightmares, this is a different monster. A monster that he soon finds himself growing dependent on and seeking out for guidance in due time. The monster might just be my favourite character of all.   

I have to mention Harry. I don't think I have ever been more creeped out by a Bully. And it's not the bullying I'm talking about, it's the way he silently observes him, the way he understands. It's so wrong. That the one person who makes your life hell, may just understand you more than anyone else. It's so much easier when they're just pain ruthless - when they have no motive. What do you say to a bully who actually gets you? Can you be any more crueller?   

I know many have said this already. But buy the hardback copy. The illustrations just fit so perfectly with the story. It gives you a whole other reading experience  

There were moments in this book that really made me stop for a second, close my eyes and breathe. Because how else do you deal with something so cruel but so out of your reach. His mother and his grandma are two women that I have so much love for. I am amazed by his mother, truly. How despite the fact she is going through so much pain, it's Conor she worries for. And it goes both ways. He loves and respects her dearly. They share a beautiful relationship, and that only makes it all the more harder. Whilst on the other hand, his father is a man that makes me grit my teeth in such frustration. I am just disgusted by him. The monster makes me want to take a step and perhaps face a few blocked out fears of my own, and Conor? He makes me care, so, so much. 


I leave you with some of my favourite moments :)

“I wish I had a hundred years, she said, very quietly. A hundred years I could give to you.”

Then the monster did something it hadn't done until now. It sat down.

"I can't," Conor said again. You can, said the monster, and then there was a change in its voice.
A note of something.
Of kindness.

It was not wrong, the monster said. It was only a thought, one of a million. It was not an action.

"I guess we'll never find out," Harry said, "what it is O'Malley wants."

Posted by Blueicegal ♥ at 19:59 Comments
What This Involves: , , , ,

BR - Divergent By Veronica Roth



Paperback: 496 pages Publisher: HarperCollinsChildren'sBooks (3 May 2011)  Genre: Dystopian Source: Publishers
Rating;



Warning; The review does mention which fraction she chooses at Choosing Day, not that I think it will hinder your reading experience since it's decided just a few pages in, but still. Just to let you know. PS Don't be fooled By the synopsis, it does not do the book justice whatsoever.

My Thoughts - Oh my gosh.... I am pretty speechless right now. I mean this book is just incredible! I am struggling to find the words to explain its awesomeness GAH! Since I freakishly enough struggle to review books that I love this will be a tough one, but here I go!

Sixteen year old Beatrice loves and is dedicated to her family. She more than readily conforms to the rules that abide to her fraction. Being Abnegation (the selfless) she has always known that she doesn't really belong. Whilst others from her fraction seem to not even think twice before being selfless, for her it's a chore almost. It has been long weighing on her shoulders, and the fact that she feels this way, so selfish, goes against everything she believes in. Worse yet, now that she has turned sixteen Choosing Day is near where she will have to choose which fraction she belongs to, if she does not choose her own, her family will disown her. 

Things only get more complicated when her brother Caleb starts acting a little strange which leads her to the thought - did she ever really know him at all?

Being Abnegation her fraction focuses on blending in. To ensure this they wear their hair simply in a bun, wear the colour grey, do not look in mirrors, and think about others before themselves. These things are implemented to hinder; jealously, vanity, and selfishness. This is why their fraction represents Selfless. And our dear MC is having a bit of a tough time with it.

Oh she's a good girl trust me. She still has the typical mind-set of her fraction, but she feels guilty because she is not "as" selfless as the others.

I had no idea that Divergent would blow me away the way it did. The thing that I loved about Divergent was it's clear pace; not too fast and not too slow. This gave me the opportunity to take my time with it and in doing so I was able to savour each page. What I loved even more? Is how unconventional the MC is. Tris is not pretty. I never thought this would be so refreshing to me, but gosh it was! We focus so much on the male/female being great looking that once the author confirmed that she wasn't pretty, and I'm not talking about "but" she had amazing eyes, or such a physical feature that made her striking, no. The author plain out said it. Tris is not pretty. I felt like standing up and giving the author a big "THANK YOU" because you have to admire the author for doing something so out for the norm. But damn is Tris one hell of a heroine. 

I have to ask you something Tris.

I kind of like have been meaning to ask you this for like a month now. 

I want your determination, and I want your strength.

I want your motivation and courage.

Could you share some, pretty please? I have chocolate...  

No really, I do!

Throwing the chocolate aside for a second I have to say what makes her so admirable is how regardless of being brought up in this tight circle, and with these specific beliefs - she is probably the first to question herself and who she really is. She thinks outside the norm according to her society. That's not something that you can say for a lot of protagonists.

When Choosing Day arrives her father is confident that his son and daughter will choose them. Her mother it seems knowingly expects more. On that note I need to throw in how much I adored her mother. How much I admire that woman. I mean what an incredible lady, such a pillar of strength. No seriously.

This is the thing with Tris, she is incredibly naive. It's what makes it hard for the reader when that naivety slips away once she stars to go through the rigorous training with the Dauntless. Oh wow, and how rigorous it is.

Now she is a Dauntless, an Abnegation transferring to Dauntless is almost unheard. It's a HUGE step and the two couldn't be more different. In fact, it could be described as a dangerous change. Whereas she has been brought up to be selfless and kind, dauntless live for the thrill. They; fight, hurt others, jump of cliffs and trains, live life to the absolute extreme on the verge of life threatening, and even kill. She couldn't have crossed a wider side of the spectrum, and she is soon to find out that being Dauntless is no easy ride. 

As soon as you choose a fraction you have to pass the initiation process. In the case of choosing to be a Dauntless it holds the initiation process that challenges you the most physically, mentally and psychologically. Many will quit from the get-go. If you are going to choose Dauntless then be prepared for it to be a matter between life and death. Jumping from trains - to roofs is just the beginning of worse to come. It is clear that some will not make it. There's no time for regrets though. This is what she chose; there is no going back for Tris now.

I couldn't put it down, I just couldn't. Not one single thing could pry me away from the book. Every. Single. Character. Held their own. That is very rare which is what made this book what it is. Amazing. I can not believe that a debut author wrote this book because she is one talented woman!

Beatrice now named Tris is slowly changing. She is no longer the girl that keeps her head down and wears loose clothing. With her initiation process becoming more demanding and dangerous day by day she has to step up and keep up or she will be let go. That is not an option. If you don't pass the initiation process you become fraction less, you are no one. An outcast. And that is not an option.

There is no love triangle. Yet the romantic aspect of the book is just as enticing. I am not going to say names. I want you to read the book and soak it all in for yourself. 

Tris knows she is different that is clear, but it's something she is told she must keep secret or it could ruin her. She can't understand what being a Divergent means and why she has to hide it. The more time she spends among the Dauntless the more it starts to become clear that something is amiss, and it might have to do specifically with what she is.

Through entering this fraction she meets fellow initiates and friends; Al, Will and Christina as well as enemies; Peter, Molly and Del. Their Dauntless leaders are called; Four and Eric who are far from nice. Both are cold to the bone and hard. Creepy to say the least. Four seems a little different from Eric though, perhaps a little more human. Eric on the other hand is a little bit of a freak. Okay so maybe he is just a bit of a sick bastard. He enjoys pain, enjoys watching them suffer, and loves to bend the rules to drive them all at breaking point.

 Part of the initiation is training. This is where he gets most of his fun from.

Sparring against each other is no easy task. Eric decides the one to be knocked out cold is the winner. There is lot of bone breaking, blood sputtering and dirty tactics. Opponents are not chosen according to size or strength. It doesn't matter if you are a boy with a small build or a girl. As a girl you will fight against a boy, regardless of him being stronger. The boy with the smaller build will at some point face a much bigger boy. Training is not about being fair, it's far from fair. It's a jaw breaker. Pun intended. For a girl Like Tris who has been sheltered all her life, never fought or even touched a boy, you can only imagine how the sudden change of environment and expectations can affect her. 

Surprisingly she fits in too well almost. You don't want to get too good though, it makes you stand out, once you stand out the wrong people might notice you, and then. You’re gone.

Four was just *sighs* amazing. It wasn't about his good looks, but purely his personality. He is guarded and far from kind. But he is strong and even caring if he opens up enough. He is the one person who as the reader you find yourself trusting. And in this book that is a big deal. It becomes clear to Tris as time goes by, regardless if these people have now become her friends. They will all do anything and everything it takes to be number one. Even if it means getting rid of one another.

This is why I have fallen in love with Dystopia. Every time I read a Dystopian novel it brings something new to the table, it talks about a subject which leaves me deep in thought and makes me questions things. Divergent might just be the best Dystopian book I have read to date. What makes the book so fantastic in my opinion is how it makes you analyse yourself as a person. The things that you’re afraid of or you believe are your greatest strengths. Tris is not your typical MC and the things she goes through are incredibly difficult at times. You'll find yourself questioning what you would do when she has a choice to make. There's no doubt that Divergent is a definite highlight for me this year. A must read.


Don't believe me? Let the rating speak for itself. 




Posted by Blueicegal ♥ at 14:31 Comments
What This Involves: ,

BR - The Book Thief By Marcus Zusak



Pub. Date: September 2007 Publisher: Random House Children's Books


Format: Paperback , 576 pages Source: Bought


Rating: 

"I saw him him-hip deep in some icy water chasing a book, and I saw a boy lying in bed, imagining how a kiss would taste from his next-door neighbour. He does something to me, that boy. Every time. It's his only determent. He steps on my heart. He makes me cry"


My Thoughts- The Book Thief is definitely one of a kind. I have to say due to hearing so many fantastic things about it and finding hints that this novel was special gave me more than very high expectations of it. It wasn't very fast paced though surprisingly, not to say it was slow as it wasn't at all. It flowed, but I also knew that in the novel being at a slower pace than expected I had the chance to savour moments- meaning throughout I had to use several bookmarks to mark special moments that I could go back to and read. 

I don't think I have ever used so many bookmarks for one book. I think that should have been a sign in itself, although the novel gelled with me well I had it in my mind when I was halfway through that it had just reached over four stars and crossed to five. I felt it fit perfectly with the book since you have to be a pretty fantastic book to reach five. It took me to arrive close to the last few chapters when I had finally finished the book and sat silently taking everything in that I realised it deserved more, and that I had somewhere along the line underestimated The Book Thief.

It is 1939 and Nazi Germany is at war, at war in a way with itself. Hitler is reining the country and has spread his thoughts like poison polluting his people: convincing his people that all Jews must be eradicated. I have studied the man may it be through History class or through research or just in my mind, but no matter how many times I read about it or see pictures, each time it is horrifying as the first and I think: you monster, you coward. 

I think of the Nazi and think what do I call them? I think of evil and of a country who forgot of humanity for a moment too long and believed themselves to be God, they forgot about mercy and regrets when it came to Jews whilst they kissed their children goodnight, what do I call these people after all these years. I just don't know. What I can tell you despite it all is that there is something sane telling the story, although I'm not exactly sure what it is. Grim reaper is the only thing I have right now, in other words, Death. Call it what you like. At times this Grim reaper seems almost human. It can touch solid objects and feel emotions, yet it takes lives what do you call that? Does death feel, cry, hurt, I never thought so, I always thought Death felt nothing, just emptiness, but Marcus Zusak has another take on death, something I could get used to, he makes me even like death a little. 

This story is about the Journey of a little German girl under the name Liesel who looses her mother and brother within the same day. She watches her brother fade right before her and is let go by her mother and fostered by another family shortly after. Her brother has been buried in the snow without a moment’s thought: just one of the many cruelties of reality. Whilst her brother is being buried she comes across a book, a sort of a guide for grave diggers, of course she will not know this for some time for she can't read. Upon her arrival to her new home she meets the Hubermanns consisting of husband: Hans and wife Rose.

 Rose comes across as quite horrid and mean and gives both Liesel and Hans curses on a daily basis, but eventually you start to notice that she comes to love Liesel at once and saves her little curses for those she holds dearly. I instantly hit it of with Hans and completely understood the bond between Hans and Liesel all too well , he is exactly like my father. The both of them happen to share the exact same bond I had with my father when I was her age, only the thing that brought us together was music. 

Hans taught her how to read whilst my father taught me to appreciate and fall In love with music :) His gentleness and calm demeanour, loving yet stern when needn't be and polite has my father written all over it, it made me smile, Hans made me smile. 

Rudy is another favourite. Rudy and Liesel quickly develop a close playful friendship and they practically grow up together. Stealing ironically is what brings them closer, she is labelled The Book Thief when she steals her first book and does many times after, once she starts, her hunger for words and books grows. Rudy is quite protective of her and extremely caring, the bond that they both share in a way is bitter-sweet. Liesel is very lovable; her curiosity, bravery and tom boyishness is very endearing, not to mention her hunger to read and learn is just admirable. 

I loved everything about her, it's hard to think about the things this girl will have to face within the next few years as she has been through enough as it is but Death is not quite through with her yet. There is a lot of tragedy I must warn you. Max is the perfect example of that, his story is so saddening, but his story also offers a lot of hope and loyalty.

 I held it together, but towards the end I just let go and was in a fit of tears. Many will have their opinion on the ending; I’m still not sure what to make of it, just that it is bitter-sweet and heart-breaking. 


"Please believe me when I tell you that I picked up each soul that day as if it were newly born. I even kissed a few weary, poisoned cheeks. I listened to their last, gasping cries. Their French words. I watched their love-visions and freed them from their fear.

Posted by Blueicegal ♥ at 22:14 Comments
What This Involves: ,