Monday 27 February 2012

Delirium by Lauren Oliver- Review



Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I have to admit, I'm a curious person. So when I heard that people were saying this book was very similar to Matched (which I loved), I just had to find out. Because I was absolutely, absolutely sure that no dystopian book would top Matched.



After finishing, I could see the similarity between the two books, as both books focus on the aspect of love as a forbidden thing. But each of the two authors had very different takes on it.

Basically, in Lena's world, love is thought of as a disease. So when she falls in love with a boy called Alex, she has to hide it from her family and her society, who would ultimately imprison her like her mother.

This plot, love as a disease, I think is a very hard topic to pull off and make believable because love is very much welcomed in our world. But Lauren Oliver did a fantastic job at it. Each idea was backed up by information, such as The Book of Shh. Her writing had a "pretty" prose and was engaging, something that I always look for in a book.

I loved all the characters, all were very fitting as relevant to tell the story. Though, I have to say, I didn't like Lena in the beginning of the book. She wasn't that strong confident, "I don't give a damn about you, I'm gonna fall in love and deal with it" type of person but when the book hit the middle, I could see her transitioning into just that. I can tell she'll be lick- ass in the next book (especially after what the poor girl had to endure at the end).



The romance isn't what I would call Instalove. Okay, so there was the instant attraction as soon as they met (which is normal, I think, as a teenager myself), but the rest was fine. No indescribable pull. No "I can't live without you" cliches (though the next book would finalise that for me). Nope. It was cute, in that cute "first love" type of way.

I am very, very much looking forward to the next book, as I think it would give us a better view on Lena's character, whether she weaken or strengthen despite her circumstances. But, Alex. I will miss those amber eyes of yours.

Thursday 16 February 2012

In Which YA Anonymous Wins a Blog Award

We have some news. Awesomesauce news, in fact. YA Anonymous won the One Lovely Blog Award! Not only did we get awarded this once, but twice (from different people, of course). Oh, happy times....

First of all, we'd like to thank Mia @ The Muses Circle and Aai Marsh @ Books With Marshmallows for picking our blog to receive this award.

This award was created for people to pass these awards along to deserving blogs so we can discover new and great blogs.


Here are the following rules for this award:

1. Link back to the person that bestowed the award upon you.
2. Follow the person that bestowed the award upon you.
3. Pass along to 15 Lovely Bloggers!

Listed below are the blogs we've chosen to receive this award:

(In no order)

*Alexandria E@ The Stuff I Say
*Alison and Daphne@ Winged Reviews
*Eunice@ Book Overdose
* Wendy, Reynie, Leanne and K@The Midnight Garden 
* Natalie@Mindful Musings

Congrats to all those that we've chosen!  

Wednesday 15 February 2012

Impatience... for Unearthly #3

ANYBODY ELSE FEELING THE SAME WAY...??? :/

*Tears streaming down face*

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Why is this taking so long...? :(

Wednesday 8 February 2012

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi- Review



Juliette can't touch anyone. She won't. Because when she does, bad things happens. Dead things. The Reestablishment has her locked up, away from anyone she can harm. But when they think Juliette may be what they need now, what they need in a dying world, Juliette has to make a decision. To be a weapon, or to be her own person.
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Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Mixed feelings for this one, I must say. The plot itself was promising; the writing mostly executed well, but then there was the problem of the main character: Juliette.

In the beginning, I really didn’t understand why people bagged on her so much, or why they said she was a whinner, or why they said she didn’t make any sense. I mean, cut her some slack, she’s been in this prison for what- nearly a year? Without anyone to talk to? I’d be pretty messed up by then too, if I were her (especially for my poor impatient, talkative self). I’d thought that the writing just added further to show that she was, going crazy (even though Juliette denied it, time and time again).

But then there came the escape. I’ve read a lot of books where, at this point of the book, at the point of possible freedom, the main character would unleash their inner heroine and rule the world (well, not really, but you know what I mean) and I really thought Juliette would step it up.

Then it got to the part where she really, really pissed me off. It was when her and Adam were basically running for their lives with about a hundred soldiers with guns behind them, and then Juliette basically goes and says, "I can't run because I'm a broken girl, Adam!". Puh-lease. You can't go around saying that when just a few hours ago you broke a concrete wall with your bare, I repeat, bare hands. No, you just cannot.

But with that said, I remembered what Mrs. Evans told us in English about seeing whether the main character has changed in the beginning of your story and at the end, and if it did, then you have a story (I am, actually, quite appalled that I remembered all this; by the end of fifty minutes worth of English with Evans, you'd be a zombie. She's THAT boring). And I guess Juliette did change by the end, saying that she was "ready", though ready for what, I have no idea.

I liked Adam enough, but I still do not understand why he likes Juliette so much. Sure, she's "good" and "still gives a damn about the world", but she doubts his love for her all the time. I swear she asked him about ten times why he cared about her so much, doubtingly, only to have Adam reply back a sweet answer that should set any girl's mind at ease. But apparently not Juliette. And then there was the fact that, until they got to Omega, there were no female characters apart from Juliette. Do I need to say more? I don't think so.

I really don't know how to move on without going on about Juliette again (that should say something about my feelings about her), so I'll just conclude now.

Well I liked the plot; I don't think I've read anything like it before, and the writing had the "pretty" prose that I love but Juliette was just a massive downer for me. But I will be reading the sequel. Hopefully that will change my mind about Juliette.

Sunday 5 February 2012

You said that Will/Clary wouldn't work together, nor Jace/Tessa.? By Cassandra Clare

I was wondering could you tell us why that is?

Tessa: Have you read this latest novel? It is my favorite!

Jace: No. I was polishing my latest gigantic weapon.

Tessa: A fine pastime for a gentleman, to be sure, but what do you do with your leisure time, sir?

Jace: More killing. My job is my hobby.

Tessa: I am not dressed for such activities.

Jace: My sister Isabelle could lend you an outfit.

Tessa: Is that your sister? I thought she was a prostitute.

————

Will: Ducks! Confound all ducks!

Clary: Are you all right?

Will: Lo, for a duck is man’s greatest enemy. You know I hate everyone, don’t you? Don’t get too close to me, or it will be your ruin.

Clary: You seem to be fond enough of that silvery-haired guy.

Will: My love for Jem passes your mere understanding.

Clary: So you’re gay, right? That’s okay.

Will: No one has ever suggested I was overly merry before. Have you read Tale of Two Cities?

Clary: For school. It was boring.







Wednesday 1 February 2012

Divergent by Veronica Roth- Review



In Tris Prior's world, every person is sorted into one of the following faction: Candor, for the honest, Erudite, for the intelligent, Abnegation, for the selfless, Amity, for the peaceful and Dauntless, for the brave. Tris is currently in Abnegation, a place where she feels like she'd never really belonged and with her sixteenth birthday nearing, she will finally be able to switch factions. But with the pressure of looking after her parents and her brother making an unexpected decision, Tris isn't sure if her choice should benefit her family- or herself.
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Rating: 5 out of 5

It was one of those times of the year I was having, when it was summer and everybody was off on vacation except for me, when all of the good T.V shows have ended and the movies out at the cinemas were either too kiddie, or needed an I.D (which I didn't have), and when I didn't have anything good to read (stupid library).



Divergent was a book I'd wanted to read for a long time but I didn't have enough money (it's not my fault the malls have "End of Spring" sales) and the library kept on cancelling my request (I guess they didn't have enough money either). But my mother, thankfully noticing my pouty face, gave me Divergent as a late birthday present. And then I did a little happy dance because it meant not spending the rest of my summer like a zombie. You know, if the book was as good as everyone's been saying.



And it was. To me, Divergent was my cure to my post- Hunger Games hangover. Yes, it was really that good. It had all the things I crave for in a book: kick- ass characters, an easy to follow but elaborate plot, non- cliche romance, and humor, of course.

Why yes, there is a romance, and no, it is not Instalove (I can just hear your sighs of relief). It's a nice cute type of romance, not rushed, and it didn't include those rapey, stalker types of guys (not naming names *coughs*). Nope, just Four/Tobias, whom I like very much. So, I approve!



I loved all the characters; they were all relevant to the story and all had a legit relationship with each other, not just dangling uselessly in the novel (I refuse to name names *ahem*). Tris wasn't annoying to me at all, she was definitely "Dauntless" . Better than the whinny "heroines" we get now... And I liked Will. No, me liking him doesn't relate to the fact that he has the name of one of my top YA crushes (yes, I'm talking to you, Mr. Herondale). No, he's funny, okay? Humor's a good enough reason to like someone, you know. Sheesh. ;)

Roth's writing was very descriptive, which made Tris's world become very real. There was an actual story behind this world unlike in some other books (still not naming names....).

So, yeah. I loved Divergent. I am very much looking forward to the sequel, because after that killer of a cliff- hanger in the end, who wouldn't?

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver- Teaser

Only a few more weeks to go 'till the release, but here's a teaser anyway. Enjoy!!

****

The next morning I wrap my toes in cloth, stuff my feet into my shoes, and run again. If you can... just a little bit farther... just a little bit faster... you'll see, you'll see, you'll see. Alex is alive.

****

Oh, man. The deathly question. Is Alex really alive? I NEED the copy. NOW!