***Review*** Where She Went (If I Stay #2) by Gayle Forman

On the Back of the Book

It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.
Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future-and each other.
Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.

Pre Read Thoughts

I’m choosing this because:

If I Stay is one of my all time favourite books. Maybe that’s part of why I delayed reading this for so long. I didn’t want to ruin what, to me, is a perfect book. However, I’ve decided now’s the time to try to finish all the series’ that I’ve started so I can move on to new ones. So here I am with Where She Went.  I have to admit that I’m eager to get to know Adam a little more. 

Judging a book by its cover:

Now on to the cover... ummm... yea... it’s not exactly standing out to be fair. However, with it being the sequel to If I Stay then that’s its selling point.  Thinking of positives I have to say I do like the font. It’s very pretty. And so is the model on the cover. Okay maybe the cover isn’t bad, it’s just not eye catching.

Pricing the (possible) awesomeness:

Well after looking on Amazon. I can tell you that it’s currently: £5.24 as a paperback and £4.74 on the Kindle. If you have a different eReader or don’t like Amazon then maybe check for yourself because most of my book buying is done there.

Post Read Thoughts

Wow. This book was so good, but I just didn’t love it as much as its predecessor. I tried, really I did. It’s not the fault of the book, which is, I reiterate completely awesome but I just didn’t feel it the way I felt If I Stay. The story is woven together beautifully, the prose stunning, visually I could see it so clearly but it lacked something and I can’t put my finger on what. In this book Adam is our POV and I like this. I’ve read few books from a guy’s perspective and of the ones that I have this is head and shoulders the best. Gayle Forman is just an incredible writer and I salute her.

Adam – In the years since Mia’s survival of the horrific crash that wiped out the rest of her family Adam has also gone through a transformation. I really felt for him. I’m having trouble explaining him without spoilers but don’t fret, I’m trying. He’s broken... I suppose that’s the best way to put it. He has all the success that he’s dreamed of but it feels as though it has a price for him. His vulnerability made me love him just the way his strength did in book 1.

Mia – Mia has moved on as well and in this story we see a different side to her, the side of a survivor. Some of her actions seem harsh and cruel but sometimes surviving means hurting others. I still admire her for overcoming what she has and being determined to live her life to the fullest. 

Overall this is a beautiful, wonderful book but it’s not perfect. The song lyrics at the beginning of some of the chapters were just awful. I’m sorry but they just didn’t feel like anything I’d listen to and I listen to A LOT of different music. I also didn’t feel as emotionally invested and believe me I tried. This is probably my favourite book of the year that I haven’t already read. I really do love it.

My Rating

4 stars – I’d love to give it more but I wouldn’t feel right doing it. It’s an amazing story and I really enjoyed it but for me there’s just something missing, something that stops it from being special. Don’t get me wrong though, I do recommend this and it’s a fabulous read and I think that it’s one of those YA books everyone should read at some point.

*** Review*** Six Geese A-Laying by Sophie Kinsella

On the Back of the Book

In Six Geese a-Laying, Christmas is approaching, and Ginny is looking forward to the birth of her first baby. It's a pity her partner Dan is so useless, and she has to keep reminding him where he's going wrong. Luckily she's enrolled into the most exclusive antenatal class going - all the highest achieving, smartest mothers-to-be aspire to be taught by the legendary Petal Harmon. Like the other five women in the class, Ginny already knows exactly what she wants, and how she's going to handle motherhood.But when they turn up for the final class it isn't quite what they expect. As Ginny discovers what parenthood is really going to be like, she begins to realize the things that really matter...

Pre Read Thoughts

This was a free download on Amazon and the reason I chose to download it is that Sophie Kinsella is one of my favourite Chick-lit authors. I found it while I was browsing for free books for my Kindle. The cover’s not too bad, I like the font, but it’s not really eye-catching. I only noticed the book because of the title. The synopsis is nice but it doesn’t sound particularly Christmassy.

Post Read Thoughts

I did like this story but I didn’t think it was very Christmassy, which is disappointing as it’s meant to be. I also thought that it felt a bit rushed and that, even though it’s a mini story, more detail could have gone into it. I would’ve liked to know more about each of the women. The writing was good though and I was quickly immersed in the story and I was a little sad it was over so quickly.

I didn’t really get to know the characters so commenting on them would feel wrong. I think that it’s a shame that I’m writing this as we could’ve had a quick glimpse into their lives and as far as I’m concerned that just didn’t happen.

Overall, this is a quick but fun read. I liked the fact that it also contains a sneak peek of her then soon to be released novel. I didn’t read that as it would either make me impatient or disappointed but I know plenty of people like that sort of thing. My only wishes are for this are that it needs to be longer and that it was more Christmassy. Hey! If you’re going to write a Christmas short, I want Christmas.

My Rating

3 stars – It was good but ultimately it could have been better. I liked the writing but would have liked more length. Which is a compliment when you think about it; I mean what author doesn’t want to be told that their reader wanted more? I recommend this to Kinsella  or just chick-lit lovers in general.

A Final Note

I wrote this review in 2012... or 2011. I have no idea which, but these were my opinions at the time of reading. 

***Re-review*** If I Stay (If I Stay #1) by Gayle Forman

On The Back Of The Book

 The critically acclaimed, bestselling novel from Gayle Forman, author of Where She Went, Just One Day, and the forthcoming Just One Year.

In the blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen ­year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall what happened afterwards, watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together the pieces- to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must make. Heartwrenchingly beautiful, this will change the way you look at life, love, and family. Mia's story will stay with you for a long, long time.

My Review

 I first read this book in 2011, I reviewed the book on my blog. My 3rd ever review, You can even read it here but I figure, it's been nearly 2 years and my reviewing technique has changed and I wanted to see how my opinion has evolved. So I'm re-reviewing one of my all-time favourite books.

When I finished reading this, I felt emotionally drained. Reading this takes you on a roller coaster and both times I've read this I've had no idea what to say about it. I will tell you this: In my opinion this book is flawless. While some say that there isn't much of a plot, I can tell you there's a back story. 

We follow Mia, who's in a car accident with her family. She's a sort of ghost and as she remembers what happened for her to be left in limbo and reminisces about the people she loved and lost and those that want her to stay. 

The writing is stunning, Gayle Forman has taken an idea and used her incredible storytelling talent and has moved me with this tale, not once, but twice.  As a reader you're transported into Mia's heartbreaking world and you feel so much sorrow for her. Well that's how it was for me anyway.

The characters are real and flawed and I loved them for that. I said in my first review that you need to root for Mia or the story falls apart and that's true. If you don't like her then the premise falls apart as empathy is a huge part of this. The other characters make the most perfect family and the love they have for each other radiates off the page and warmed my heart. 

This is a definite must read, not only for fans of the YA genre but for fans of good writing. What you have here is the most beautiful book and if you do decide to read it, you're gonna need tissues, LOTS of tissues. 

My Rating

  Yes - you're reading this right. This book not only keeps its original 5 star rating but has further cemented it. This story is short, sweet and as close to perfect as a novel's allowed to be. There really aren't words for me to be able to tell you that this is a book you need in your lives now and forever. 

 

Would I recommend this?

YES!!!! Now go buy it!!! 

  

***Review*** Lord Of Misrule (Morganville #5) by Rachel Caine

On The Back Of The Book

Morganville. Texas. Just south of normal.

In the college town of Morganville, vampires and humans coexist in (relatively) bloodless harmony. Then comes Bishop, a master vampire who threatens to abolish all order, revive the forces of the evil dead, and let chaos rule. But Bishop isn’t the only threat.

Violent black clouds promise a storm of devastating proportions. As student Claire Danvers and her friends prepare to defend Morganville against the elements—both natural and unnatural—the unexpected happens: Morganville’s vampires begin to vanish one by one. Discovering why leads Claire to one last choice: swear allegiance to Bishop... or die.

My Review

First thing's first: I feel that my opinion of this book was tainted because while I was glancing at my friends and people I follows reviews to see the average star rating and to see who had given what, the top community review of this told me the end of the book. In the first line of their review. No. Just... No. I hate when people do that... Seriously though, I feel it's bad reviewing etiquette to give away what happens. If you have to though, mark that there's spoilers.  

Okay... so I have a confession, my poor brain did not find the first half of this book at all entertaining. I felt that it dragged for me. I had to force myself to pick this up when normally I'm forcing myself to put these down. However I did manage to read the last 40% in 2 hours so it definitely picked up some pace.

I'm losing patience with everyone in Morganville's inability to get past Claire's age. I swear the next person to say it and I'm hunting them down and staking them whether or not they're actually a vampire. I mean enough's enough. We're on book 5, please just give it a blummin' rest!

 Another thing that's beginning to grate is Claire and Shane. Can they just do it already? Amelie (well I say Amelie but after that ending we know I mean someone close to her) can send them on holiday here (UK) where she's legal. Anything. It's getting boring. I'm sorry but we're 5 books in and I don't feel like they're going anywhere well aside from the fact that they obviously love each other. Note my sarcasm. I'm sorry, I can't help it.

Something I did like was how complex Myrnin is becoming. He was complex to begin with and now his character is twisting and contorting and he's easily one the best pnr type characters I've read in so long. I;d have loved more of him in this book, he livens up the pages for me and I really needed that with this book.

The ending... aaah the spoilt ending... how did I feel reading it for myself? Well it was anticlimactic for me, and not just because I knew. It was more that it wasn't in the middle of the drama and it didn't feel like something that would happen I know it did, but I don't think Claire is the type of person to become controlled so completely, so immediately. I didn't really get what was happening with the book at all, some explanation about that book would be so welcome now.

Overall for me this is the weakest book of the series. Easily. I found it hard to get into and hard to want to read. I think maybe I need to read something completely different and come back for book 6 afterwards refreshed and ready for more.

My Rating 

  3 stars only I'm afraid. This just bored me for 60% of the book and that's not good enough, especially in a series this long. You can't afford to drop the ball because people will get bored and just move on to something shorter. I wouldn't blame them, but after my short break from Morganville, I'm diving right back in. This is not over... until the last book's released.

Would I recommend this?

Hey! If you've read the first 4 go for it! I'm not a fan of leaving a series half read, let's see this through to the end.

***Review*** Feast Of Fools (Morganville #4) by Rachel Caine

On The Back Of The Book

It was hard to imagine how Claire’s day could get any worse... And then the vampires holding her hostage wanted breakfast.

In the town of Morganville, vampires and humans have learnt to live in relative peace. Still, Claire Danvers knows that after dark, her homework can take a backseat to staying alive. But this tenuous harmony is turned on its head with the arrival of Mr Bishop.

Bad to the bone, the ancient old-school vampire cares nothing about keeping the peace; staying at the top of the food chain is enough. What he wants from the town’s living and dead is unthinkably sinister. It’s only at a formal ball attended by vampires and their human dates that Claire realises Bishop’s plan—and the elaborately evil trap he’s set for the warm-blooded souls of Morganville...

My Review 

Why did I choose this book? 

To put it simply I've chosen this for the same reason that I've decided to read the rest of the series, I'm trying to get my epic TBR pile down. I'm not sure it'll work but by gosh I'm trying.  

What did I think of this book? 

 I didn't like this as much as the others. The opening line had me, the ending is fantastic, but the middle... well, I can't help but feel that it got a little lost. I'm starting to find things grating on me... what's that Claire's ONLY SIXTEEN and Shane is the MOST DELICIOUS THING ON THE PLANET??? I think I might've heard that in the previous 3 books. Constantly. I can get where the story's going but I think I would've liked less of a build up to things falling into place. It kind of felt rushed and Claire (and therefore the reader) didn't know until AFTER the showdown. Finding out felt like an anti climax. I say this but it's still head and shoulders above a lot of the PNR I've read over the years and I really do love how Rachel Caine has set up the series as a kind of serial, leaving each book on a cliff hanger. If I wasn't reading these back to back, I'd be raging at being left just waiting for the next installment.  

What did I think of the characters? 

The predictability is still there and I don't think it'll go because essentially this genre has a set of characters that are interchangeable. It's the situations that make them different.The characters that we've already met in the previous books haven't changed or developed but I have another 9 books to read... there's still time. There are some new baddies in this book and they're less obvious than Oliver or Monica and I can sense the danger from every word written about them.

 My Rating

Well technically I gave it 3.5 stars but I'll round it up because I'm a nice person. The reason for my .5 reduction is: I didn't feel like I enjoyed this as much as the others but it's still a solid story and I really do like the writing so it still gets a good rating.  

Would I recommend this? 

 Sure would. I think everyone should read this series.

***Review*** Midnight Alley (Morganville Vampires #3) by Rachel Caine

On The Back Of The Book

Morganville is such a nice place to live... And die. If you don’t mind that sort of thing.

When Claire Danvers learnt that her college town was run by vampires, she did what any intelligent, self-preserving student would do: she applied for a transfer and stocked up on garlic. The transfer is no longer an option, but that garlic may come in handy.

Now Claire has pledged herself to Amelie, the most powerful vampire in town. The protection her contract secures does little to reassure her friends. All of a sudden, people are turning up dead, a stalker resurfaces from Claire’s past, and an ancient bloodsucker extends a chilling invitation for private lessons in his secluded home.

My Review:

Why did I choose this book? 

Well for many reasons, one of which I've listed above in italics. (Go me!) But also because I've been wanting to read this series for so long and they've been staring at me. Just staring and it's getting creepy. Also once I start a series I like to see it through... preferably together... even more preferably in order... so that's what I'm doing.  

What did I think of this book? 

I really liked it. I'm really enjoying this series. The cliff hanger at the end of book 2 wasn't really that good so I did wonder if maybe it would make me like this one less but once it's got going Midnight Alley is SO action packed that I found myself just getting sucked right back into the story. There was a plot from book 2 Jason! I mean WTF is up with him? that finally gets explored a bit more. In The Dead Girls' Dance I felt it was just picked up, thrown in there, then ignored but I can see that it's just to make the series feel more connected. So yes, plot exploration gets an A!

I still feel like Rachel Caine is a solid writer that knows how to weave a story together and this makes reading her books even more enjoyable. I also like that you don't have to use all your brain cells to read these and that makes them quick to read and easy to like.  

What did I think of the characters? 

Well, I think that the main boys and girls can be a bit predictable and are quite obviously (well for me) genre stereotypes. Saying that though, I don't mean in a bad way. Claire is learning to kick arse. Michael is denying his vampire killing instincts but still remaining a nice guy. Eve is a fabulous goth girl that I adore because the whole goth thing works on her, it doesn't feel forced. Shane... aaaah Shane, I actually think I like him, even though he's your typical angsty sex object. He needs to treat Michael better though or I might be tempted to go hunting for him... even though he's fictional.

I love how the vampires have their own agenda and they aren't all *swoops into room and shakes mane of perfect hair* "Oh! Claire! You're so pretty and special and OMG I think I love you!" *grabs Claire and kisses her passionately* "Oh Miss Danvers, you're my destiny!" and so on and so forth. They're mean, they're manipulative and by gosh I heart them.

My favourite character has to be Myrnin though, he feels so dangerous and alive and on the brink of madness. I don't know why but he draws me in and really makes me want to read on when he's in a scene.

On the other hand my least favourite character is Monica. I wish she wasn't so transparent. She's just like every other teen rich bitch in this genre. I want something different now!!

My Rating

Once again I don't feel that it's special enough to warrant my 5th star but I will say this, we're getting closer. OMG that ending!!! I need to know what happens next! I can't take it!!  

Would I recommend this? 

I would most definitely recommend this to fans of YA PNR because it's one of the best series I've come across and I've read quite a few of them over the years... or at least tried to. Some are just too bad.