The Bodies We Wear (Jeyn Roberts)

Hello again everyone! I'm officially starting to get this blog back on a decent publishing schedule and it makes me really happy knowing that. Since it's mid-September, quite a few of you may be back at school and already feeling like you're drowning in work. But, despite that, reading is something I always made sure to make time for and encourage you to as well. This book was an easy read, so it's a good one to start with if you decide to add reading nightly into your routine; I promise you it's a good way to distract yourself from the stressful or tiring day you've had, either at school or work.

The Bodies We Wear is a science fiction novel that follows the life of Faye, a seventeen year old girl who has survived six years past her expected life span. In the world that she exists in, there is a drug referred to as Heam that allows the user to die momentarily and see heaven; however, not everyone has a pleasant experience, especially when you overdose. An overdose is equivalent to painting a target on your back. The moment you've been marked, your ability to live a normal life becomes near impossible. Faye, on the other hand, defies odds to attend school in the hopes of a normal teenage life. Despite her attempt at normality, Faye's activities outside of school are far from normal, due to her plot for revenge that left her marked by Heam. But just as she starts to get going, a ghost from the past seems to want to help her instead of haunt her. Who is this ghost, and what is their purpose? Will Faye succeed in normality, or will her plan for revenge rip that away from her?

While reading this book, I truly struggled to put the book down. I found myself binge-reading the novel, despite my busy schedule, and finished the full story within three days. The reading itself is very easy and required no brain power at all; but I don't necessarily mean that in a bad way. Since the wording was simple, it allowed me to focus more on immersing myself in the characters and plot development. The concept behind the story was unique to me - I haven't read something quite like it yet. Faye is definitely a character that I bow down to and strive to be. She is incredibly strong, knows who she is, and doesn't let her physical flaws (and the society's interpretation of them) define her life; I wish I had her grounded self of being. The other main character - who I referred to as a ghost and am going to keep nameless - is the type of guy I would like to meet. He is caring and truly wants to give Faye a life of meaning and happiness; he knows what's best for her and tries to make her see that too.

I do applaud the author Jeyn Roberts on this story because it could have been a very predictable plot, but I didn't find it to be. After visiting her website, I discovered she has two other novels listed there, set to be part of a trilogy. I might just be adding this author to my list of authors to watch, because both of her books peaked my interest with only a glance at the cover and a skim of the synopsis.

 

Overall I would rate The Bodies We Wear a 4/5 because it was a brilliant story with some incredible characters, but I did feel that something was missing. The plot consisted of several mini climax points, but it didn't have a main climax point. Maybe that's a personal preference, but I really do enjoy when there is a point in the book that sideswipes you and takes you on a roller coaster ride.

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

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*OTS* Innocence (Dean Koontz)

Welcome back to another review! I finally feel like I'm getting back on track with this blog, and I'm hoping to continue that so there is a new review every 2-3 weeks. For this review, I don't actually have a back story as to why I chose to read the book - there was no request, no friend suggestions, and no discovery through Tumblr: I just pulled it directly off the shelf and decided to give it a go! This is almost like my personal take off of Meghan Camarena's (Strawburry17) YouTube show called Something New. Since I don't have other people's opinions or preconceived notions of the book, my opinion can not be clouded by what I had already visioned in my mind. I'm going to call it Off The Shelf and will include OTS in the title of any review part of this series. Here we go :)

Innocence by Dean Koontz is an adult fiction novel, categorized as suspense, fantasy, and romance: which makes it a triple threat in my mind, since you get a little bit of everything. The story follows Addison, a boy left to lead a life of solitude beneath the city due to a difference in him that would certainly get him killed by society. Having been used to the horrors above ground, Addison becomes curious of a girl, Gwyneth lurking through the night despite her ability to exist in the day. Upon discovery of Gwyneth's secrets, Addison is drawn out of the shadows to help her survive from the horrors of her past. The story can be described as a contemporary version of Beauty and the Beast, in a round about way; two unlikely characters coming together for one purpose.

The overall story plot was interesting and I did find myself being drawn into the book whilst I was reading it; however, I found the book to be slow and I even found myself confused at times. Before I found myself immersed in the book, I was at least halfway through the novel itself - not something you want to discover. Once you are halfway through a book, you should have already been sold and at the point where you refuse to put the book down; I on the other hand was left wondering if I should just put it down and be done with it. Despite not wanting to continue, I did so for the sake of finishing the book for a complete opinion.

Upon completion, I was left with mixed emotions. The relationship that developed between Addison and Gwyneth was unique and believable, which I was very glad to discover. Seeing an unlikely pair grow together, despite their own flaws, restored my hope in authors creating believable relationships, instead of "society-perfected" ones. However, despite the wonderful relationship between the main characters, the writing of the book was flawed. The chapters continuously flipped between past memories and present occurrences, without any distinction between the two; the first few times this happened, I was left extremely confused. More confusion occurred when I finish the book, since one of the constant pieces brought up in the book didn't play a significant role or have an final explanation; to those who have read this, you will likely know that I am referring to the marionettes.

Alternate Cover

Overall I would rate this book a 2.5/5 because it was slow and had poor plot conclusions, but it did have a good character relationship. One thumbs up and one thumbs down!

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

P.s. Make sure to come back on September 1st for a special review!

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Baygirl (Heather Smith)

Hello there everybody! I'd first like to start off by apologizing for my absence for the last month. As my first co-op work term came to a close, I was quite swamped with the tasks at hand which left me pretty tired in the evenings; this meant my reading schedule was placed on hold until I had regrouped and rested. Now that I'm back in school, and working hard on keep my grades up, I will still try my best to put out a new review at least once a month, but please don't hold me to that! Now, without any further delay, let's move forward with the review! :)

Baygirl by Heather Smith is a Canadian novel and a nominee of the White Pine Award. For those of you who aren't aware of the White Pine Award, it is an annual award presented to a young adult book that promotes reading for enjoyment and Canadian culture, and is sponsored by the Ontario Library Association. The nominated books are provided to students in high school (Grades 9 - 12) who then have the opportunity to vote for a winner as the program ends. I was excited to read this book, being a fellow Canadian, because I feel as though I don't appreciate "local" authors as much as I should; I really want to support some more Canadian authors. I was also excited to pick up this book because the cover is gorgeous!

The novel follows the story of 16 year old Kit Ryan, a local in a fishing village in Newfoundland. Kit has grown up in the small village her whole life and has grown attached to the little things that make it wonderful; the salty breeze, the cranky old man, and the hill that overlooks the village. Despite living the almost perfect life, Kit is faced with the reality of moving to St. John's after her father loses his job. Once the car is packed up and driven to St. John's, Kit must learn to fit in with the new kids whilst hiding the truth about the horror found at home: her alcoholic father. The plot follows Kit as she learns to adapt to a new place and fall in love, while dealing with her father and a tragedy back home.

The author does a wonderful job of creating very real characters. Each one of the characters has a personality filled with both good things and flaws; this is an aspect that I truly enjoyed. While I was reading the book, I felt as though I was looking into someone's actual life - not just a story. That in itself is an amazing thing to do because everything feels real. I was engrossed in the characters, the houses, the town, the atmosphere - I could go on but I shall spare you every detail. I highly recommend experiencing it for yourself.

Author, Heather Smith

Overall, I would rate Baygirl 5/5 because it was beautifully written and just felt so real to how life actually is. Glad to support my fellow Canadian authors, and I look forward to future books by her!

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

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Where She Went (Gayle Forman)

Looking at the title of this review, you may be a little confused as to why this is being posted without the first book review being up. To diminish the confusion, let me explain. This is indeed the sequel to If I Stay but I have a confession: I didn't actually read the first book. I watched the movie a couple months back, not knowing it was based on a book. When I discovered that, I was mildly horrified that I had watched a movie before the book. But instead of going back and reading the first book, I just had to jump right into the second one. I needed to find out what happened!

Where She Went by Gayle Forman, as I mentioned before, is the sequel to the bestseller book (and movie) If I Stay. Just as a recap for the first book: Mia is a cello player and Adam plays guitar in a band. The unlikely pairing become inseparable until a tragic events happens in Mia's life. She is left hanging in this unknown in-between and has to decide on whether she should stay or leave. Of course, Adam wants her to stay though he makes a promise that may cost him later. That's the first book, without giving away too much. The second book begins three years after the devastating accident. This book follows Adam more closely as he faces the challenges of being in a band that is rising through the ranks. He also faces challenges when he crosses paths with his old love Mia. Will the come together again, or are old wounds still to raw to allow that to happen?

The writing of this book is beautiful and I thank Gayle Forman for writing such a lovely novel. The characters are so real and you begin to feel what they are feeling. Any happiness became my happiness; any sadness became my sadness; any pain became my pain. That is a difficult thing to do, but Gayle managed to do so in such an incredible manner. There is no "sugar-coating" the emotions in the book and I love the reality of it all. For me, I find teen fiction can become a little washed-out leaving behind a feeling that my life isn't as wonderful as it should be based on the characters I'm following. But Where She Went (and the movie If I Stay) doesn't look at just the happy parts of a relationship or the teeny tiny "fights", it looks at the whole picture and how life is a long journey; there may be heartbreak, but perhaps things will find a way of healing if you give it time.

Mia & Adam (as portrayed in the movie If I Stay)

Overall, I would rate Where She Went 5/5 because it was beautifully written and just felt so true to what life and relationships are. Again, thank you Gayle Forman for writing a two-book series that I am now in love with; I promise to go back and read the first one!

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

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A Thousand Pieces of You (Claudia Gray)

This is a book I came across on Tumblr, much like many of the others I've read. I was scrolling through my dashboard when a picture of this book appeared on my screen. The cover of this novel was so captivating with all of its bright colours and the mirrored "two-worlds" that look so distant but feel so connected. It's a simple cover, yet it is also very complex because you can tell there is a meaning behind it that must tie well with the story.

A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray is a book that is very unique in its own; I can't say I've read any books prior to it that have a storyline quite like this. The story follows the life of Marguerite Caine, the daughter of two very bright parents who are scientists. Her parents also happen to have created a device that allows one to travel to neighbouring dimensions: they call it the Firebird. Despite this amazing feature of the Firebird, it also seems to cause quite a bit of trouble. After a tragic event, and the disappearance of one of the assistant inventors, Marguerite is left with one thing on her mind: kill Paul Markov. The responsibility of this tragedy all falls into one arrow that points straight at Paul; however, after jumping dimensions, Marguerite must determine if he really is the cause or not. The book follows Marguerite, and her family friend Theo, as they chase Paul through dimensions, facing personal challenges in each one.

The characters in this book are ones that I did initially struggle to connect with, but I think that is more to do so with the fact that the plot is quite abstract; you can't really relate on a personal level to someone jumping through alternate dimensions. Despite that though, the relationships between all of the characters feel well developed and you can sense history between them without anything being explicitly stated. When reading the book, I became fully immersed in the world that Claudia Gray created, and I actually ended up finishing the book in three or four hours. It's not a difficult read, but the plot does have several layers, meaning even the smallest detail can actually be quite significant.

Upon completing the book, I was satisfied with the ending. I was left with the feeling that everything would work out and I liked the idea of an open ending; it allowed for some personal creativity to imagine my own outcome. But it turns out Claudia Gray is actually turning this into a trilogy, according to Goodreads. I'm not sure how I feel about it becoming a trilogy - since it is the typical thing to do now with YA books - but I will not prejudge the books until I read them. The sequel is called Ten Thousand Skies Above You and is due to release in November this year.

Overall, I would rate A Thousand Pieces of You 4.5/5 because it held my attention so easily and I didn't want to put the book down once I started. Of course, as mentioned before, it was hard to personally relate to the characters but the story was built in such a way that it wasn't too big of an issue for me. Also, the mainstream trilogy creation is a slight letdown, as I loved this book as a stand alone.

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

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Catching Air (Sarah Pekkanen)

After having a week off from blogging - and catching up with life - I am quite excited to be back to doing what I love. While on that week hiatus, this blog passed the 500 page view marker since starting earlier this year, and all I can say is WOW! I am so excited that anybody takes the time to stop by and check out the blog and the reviews I've been posting, so thank you!

This week's review is of Catching Air by Sarah Pekkanen, a romance-survival-lifestyle themed book. I say there's three categories because the book follows the lives of two couples and a stand alone female: Peter and Kira, Alyssa and Rand, and Dawn. Their lives all become intertwined in the craziness that is running a B-and-B. Being brothers, Peter and Rand go way back but they also have a rocky history; something that must be worked through. Kira and Alyssa, being sister-in-laws, face their own challenges apart; Kira in regards to catering a wedding and Alyssa in regards to becoming a mother. Dawn faces her own hardships, as she tries to escape from a haunted past.

The Book Cover

I've never read a book quite like this one, but I don't necessarily say that as a bad thing. Yes at first I found myself confused as to which character was being placed into my point of view, but as the story begins to develop - and you get an understanding of the characters - the switching of views becomes quite easy to pick up on.

The plot itself is again something quite unique to itself and I definitely fell in love with it, along with its characters. A few parts I found a bit "wordy" but other than that, I recommend this book from start to finish! Might find myself reading some more of Sarah Pekkanen's work in the future!

Other Books by Sarah Pekkanen

Overall I would rate Catching Air 4.5/5 because there was the initial (yet minor) confusion, as well as the slight wordiness in parts; other than that, definitely give this a read!

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

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Landline (Rainbow Rowell)

Landline is a book that I became aware of via the world of Tumblr. I follow quite a few book blogs - as I like to get ideas of new books to read - and this author (and book) was one that appeared on my dashboard quite often. On a recent trip to the library, I happened to look in the 'New' section and saw this book sitting on the shelf. Having recognized it from Tumblr, I decided to give it a go since it has been popular in the online world. Of course, I knew nothing of the story or plot before checking this book out.

Landline is a fictional romance story that follows the marriage of Georgie McCool and her husband Neal. Having been married for quite some time and now being parents to two lovely girls, things aren't as great as they used to be. Georgie is your typical business woman - always consumed by her work - is realizes that her family could cope quite fine without her; perhaps even not notice her missing. When Neal takes the kids to Omaha for Christmas, leaving Georgie at home by chose, Georgie soon finds herself regretting that decision. However, at her mother's house, she finds an old land-line phone that seems to allow her to take to pre-marriage Neal. How is that possible? Does this mean a second chance at happiness?

The Book Cover

That above blurb basically sums up the complete story. Having completed the book, I have to say that I am quite conflicted about what to rate the story. On one hand, the idea behind the story is something that I really love. The concept that one could talk to the past and help themselves realize how to fix things is a unique story line. However, the way Rainbow Rowell chose to apply that concept is another thing. I found the story to drag on and be repetitive, not reaching the full potential that I'd hoped it would. I often found myself skipping sections in hopes of finding something new. In addition, I found myself confused as to which phone conversations were with present Neal and which were with the past; there was no visual distinction (ie. italics, font change...).

Overall, I would rate Landline a mere 2.2/5 because of what I said above. It really breaks my heart to see a unique and intriguing storyline applied so poorly by an author. Rainbow Rowell is an author I had high hopes for because of the popularity I'd seen throughout many book blogs on Tumblr. Needless to say, I won't be trying another one of her books anytime soon.

Her other novels, if you would like to give them a go.
(Let me know your thoughts on the others if you've read them)

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

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Crossed (Ally Condie)

Crossed is the second book in the Matched trilogy and it is definitely as good as the first (perhaps even better if that's possible)! This book remains in the same genre as the first, that corrupted futuristic society that begins to fall apart; however, this one does differ from the first as it now follows the perspectives of both Cassia and Ky. When I discovered this, at first I was quite hesitant to see the change in writing, but as I continued on through the pages, I realized that having two perspectives is quite important to the dynamic of the story.

The Book Cover

The plot picks up roughly where the first book left off, and the action is there immediately. From the moment I started reading, all the way until the end, my heart was pounding from the suspense and unknown. Would Cassia survive or would her quick decisions have her caught in a bad situation? Would Ky find a way out or would he just become another statistic in the Society? I know I say this every time I review a series, but this time I truly can't say much without giving it all away.

What I will say is that I love the characters that join the "cast" in this book! Along the way you meet Indie, Vick, and Eli who are all brilliant additions to the already established characters from Matched. They add a new layer of what the Society has done and how their world was effected; it adds more dynamic to the story.

I would rate Crossed 5/5 because I couldn't put it down and it was definitely as good as the first! I was NOT disappointed for a second! I'm currently now reading the final book and I look forward to reviewing that one next week!

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

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Please Don't Take My Baby (Cathy Glass)

If you've read last week's book review, then you will know that I recently went on vacation to England to visit family. When I flew over, I had brought along the book Bitterblue - which is around 500 pages - and thought that it would be enough for the 2 week trip. However, as said in that review, I finished the book rather quickly and was left twiddling my thumbs in anticipation of another story once home. But thanks to my grandmother, I did end up reading another novel whilst staying at her house; so that brings me to this review!

Please Don't Take My Baby is a non-fictional story with the feel of a fictional novel. The author is someone who writes her personal experiences down under the pen name Cathy Glass. "Cathy" writes novels based on her own encounters from when she used to foster care young children; of course, all the names in her work have been changed to protect the families and children involved.

The Book Cover

This specific story follows the life of a seventeen year old girl name Jade who checks herself into the foster care system after being thrown out of her own home upon admitting that she is pregnant. The novel describes Cathy's struggle to help the teenager grow up enough to keep care of her unborn baby, as well as after the baby is born.

I don't normally read stories such as this - I find them a bit "fluffy" and non-captivating -  however, this specific story of Jade left me intrigued with how things would turn out. The writing itself is very simple and therefore only took me two days to read, but the story was actually fascinating.

A Selection of Cathy Glass' Novels

I would rate Please Don't Take My Baby 2.9/5 because it was a very easy read and a little predictable. In addition, there were times in the writing where the author would reference another of her stories, which often left me confused and a little taken aback because I would be drawn out of the moment and story. Overall though, it was a decent story.

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

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Graceling (Kristin Cashore)

Graceling is a fantasy novel with a side romance story. It's quite a long story - reaching over 400 pages at relatively small font - and one that I did struggle to get into at first. I managed to persevere through my initial struggle, and aren't I glad I did! The plot grew and became increasingly captivating; by the end of the book I truly found myself itching to finish it and eventually read the last 50 pages in one sitting!

The Book Cover

Graceling follows the story of a lady named Katsa and her mission to discover herself, as well as to solve a mystery sweeping over her world. The world in which the story takes place is split into seven kingdoms, each led by a King or Queen. The title of the novel comes from those of the world who are "Graced"; this means that they posses a magical power and a pair of distinctly unique eyes. For Katsa, she is one of those Graced and therefore quite unique in her fighting abilities. The story develops as a young prince named Po enters her kingdom in search of help; he too is one of the Graced people among the world. As the two travel in search of answers, they grow close and begin to learn a lot from and about each other.

Hopefully my plot summary isn't too detailed in such a way that gives the plot away to you as a reader; I think it's a decent amount of description... I hope!

I'm not sure how far in it was that I truly began to feel myself becoming engrossed in the story, but it was the development of Katsa - and her journey with Po - that drew me in. Whenever a story shows a character's personal growth, I'm instantly in love with the story. I find it difficult to read books where all the characters remain in the cookie cutter shape that they were originally depicted as.

Katsa (From Alternative Book Cover)

There is a sequel to this book, entitled Bitterblue, that takes place eight years after this novel. Those who read Graceling will understand the title and I'm sure will be just as excited as I to read it. In addition to this sequel, there is a side story entitled Fire which takes place in the same world and kingdoms, but follows the story of a new character; my library does not stock this novel and therefore unfortunately will not be reading it, but please do and tell me your thoughts!

The Set of Three

I would rate Graceling 3.8/5 because I did struggle in the beginning to want to keep reading it, but it did become extremely good in the end!

Until next time,
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)

Leave a comment with your thoughts on this story or with a suggestion of another book I should read & review!